TRKNWS-L x0x Anadolu Ajansi News -- 02 Apr 00
t...@aimnet.com
AA News
02 April 2000 Sunday
-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN
These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in
Turkey's press on April 2, 2000. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify
these stories and does not vouch for their occuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
-----------------
WE WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT ANAP IF REQUIRED
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Devlet Bahceli, Deputy Prime
Minister and leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) will say
to Mesut Yilmaz, leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), that ''keep
the promises that you made.''
Prime Minister Ecevit and Bahceli decided to act together till to
the end for the future of the country.
WE WILL JOIN IN THE GIANT PROJECT
The U.S. officially disclosed that Turkey would join in the War
Plane of the Century project which worths 200 billion U.S. dollars.
William Cohen, Secretary of Defense, addressing the dinner, said
''Turkey accepted to attend the project which will be the best among
the others which were produced.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: ''TURKEY IS A CITADEL IN
THE MIDDLE EAST''
U.S. Secretary of Defense, William Cohen said Turkey's partnership
to the 223 billion U.S. dollar assault plane (JSF) project will
contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East. During a speech
he made at the 19th annual Turkish-American Council's meeting, Cohen
said Turkey was at the cross-roads and he praised Turkey for its
cooperation with the U.S. against Iraq and also in the Kosovo
operation. The JSF project envisages the design and production of a
new assault plane which will be equipped with the most advanced
technology and have a wide range of military capabilities.
ECEVIT PRAISES INDIA'S SECULARISM
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit asked India not to give any
concessions on secularism. On the third day of his stay in India,
Ecevit received editors-in-chief of some newspapers as well as leaders
of opposition parties. Responding to questions, Ecevit said ''It is
sad that the democracy was interrupted in Pakistan.'' He also said he
will visit Pakistan in the coming months. Ecevit praised secularism
and democracy in India. ''Turkey showed to the whole world that Islam
can exist together with modernism and secularims,'' Ecevit stressed.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
----------------
THE FIRST MARRIAGE IS IN DEPARTMENT STORE
The first Turkish-Greek cooperation took place in Romania. Turkish
Fiba Holding and Greek Marinopoulos Group, opened Marks and Spencer
Department Store in Bucharest.
Husnu Ozyegin, Executive Board Chairman of Fiba Holding, addressed
a news conference staged due to the opening of Marks and Spencer
Department Store.
Ozyegin said they wanted to add a new chain to Marks and Spencer
Department Stores based in Britain, and made an application for this
last year. He said, they learned that this right belonged to famous
Greek Marinopoulos family.
THEY WILL BE REPLACED BY TURKISH F-16 PLANES
Allied war planes which the U.S. will produce (JSF-Joint Strike
Fighter) will be replaced by F-16 planes as of 2015. Turkey gives an
active support to the project. Britain, Italy, Canada, Norway, the
Netherlands, Denmark, Israel, and Singapore will contribute to the
project upon the call of the U.S.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
DEMIREL LOBBIES
President Suleyman Demirel began to talk with the
parliamentarians. Following the dissapointing result in the voting
which took place in constitutional amendment package, Demirel
postponed all his visits and began to talk with the parliamentarians.
Speaking about the second round of talks, Demirel said, ''I am not
among the discussions. I am not the one that is voted, it is the
constitutional changes.''
INITIATIVE FOR URGENT RELEASE OF ERDAL
Lawyers of Fehriye Erdal, one of the suspects of the murder of
Ozdemir Sabanci, applied to Ghent Court with secret initiatives and
claiming that Turkey's request for extradition was invalid, they
called on the suspect to be released soon. Gent Urgent Decision Court
rejected this appeal. If the Court found the initiatives of the
lawyers as right and took a decision in this direction, then Erdal
would be released on Saturday.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
MESSAGE FROM BAHCELI:''WE COULD DO WITHOUT ANAP''
Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)
who spoke with President Suleyman Demirel blamed the Motherland party
(ANAP) for the picture which was formed after the voting in the
Parliament. Bahceli described the result as ''grave'' and added that
ANAP could be left outside the coalition if ANAP leader Mesut Yilmaz
does not change his attitude regarding the issue.
FIRST PARTNERSHIP WITH GREEKS
Following the rapproachment between Greece and Turkey, the first
commercial partnership between Greek and Turkish businessmen took
place in Romania. Fiba Holding and the well-known Greek family
Marinapoulos opened Marks & Spencer department store in Bucharest.
Fiba Holding holds 25 percent and Marinapoulos family holds 75 percent
of shares.
YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)
---------------------
GAP WITH EUROPEAN UNION OPENS WIDER
With its 2,878 U.S. dollar national income, Turkey was left behind
countries whose names are not even known by everybody and became the
93rd on the world list. People in countries like Antigua-Barbuda
islands, Trinidad, Gabon, Dominik, Botswana and Grenada are enjoying a
higher life standard than many Turks. When compared to the EU
countries, Turkey's situation is even more pitiful. The avarage
national income in 15 EU member countries is 24,500 U.S. dollars which
is 8.5 times higher than Turkey's national income. Even the poorest
members of the union, Portugal and Greece, are 5 times richer than
Turkey.
CIVIL CODE TO BE DISCUSSED AT COMMISSION
The draft law which suggests some changes in the Turkish Civil
Code will be discussed at the parliament's Justice Commission on
Thursday. The draft law is formed by 1,030 articles and it proposes
changes in family and inheritance laws. The most important change
suggested is maybe to remove the article in the old Civil Code which
states that the husband has the final word in the decisions that need
to be taken in the household. The new draft law offers equal rights to
both man and woman to state their opinions over the household's
affairs. Secondly, the new law suggests that husband and wife will
choose the place they will live together as compared to the present
law which states that the husband would decide about where the couple
will live.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
----------------
CROSS BORDER SPRING OPERATION FROM TSK
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), started a cross border ''Spring
Operation'' against the camps which the PKK terrorists sheltered.
Nearly 1,000 security forces attended the operation which started
three days ago.
EYES TURNED TO THE SUMMIT
Coalition partners will convene on Monday and discuss the crisis.
''5+5'' crisis will be discussed at a summit where Prime Minister
Bulent Ecevit, Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, and Mesut Yilmaz,
leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), will attend. The partners will
also discuss ''Article 101'', ''bargaining with the FP'', and a ''new
name.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
-------------------
THE ECEVITS HAPPY IN TAJ MAHAL
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who officially visited India, held
intense contacts on Saturday. Ecevit and his wife Rahsan proceeded to
Agra city, where there was Taj Mahal, one of the seven miracles of the
world. Ecevit defined Taj Mahal as ''a wonder which unites the
differences in peace and in harmonization.''
CLASH IN CELL HOUSE
Police raided cell house of Vasat organization in Birecik township
of southeastern Sanliurfa province. A policeman died when the
terrorists encountered with fire. Five members of the illegal
organization were captured.
-ECEVIT RECEIVES HONOURARY DOCTORATE AT WISHWAR BHARATI
UNIVERSITY
SHANTINIKETAN- Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that Vishwar
Bharati University was a unique international education and culture
center and stressed that he felt very privileged to have been given a
honourary doctorate at Wishwar Bharati.
Ecevit who is on an official visit to India, went from Calcutta to
Shantiniketan on Sunday morning where he was given an honourary
doctorate at Wishwar Bharati University.
Ecevit noted that when he was young, he always dreamt of visiting
Shantiniketan and Wishwar Bharati University which was set up by the
great thinker, writer and poet Rabindranath Tagore.
Ecevit, in his speech, expressed his admiration to Rabindranath
Tagore and the Indian culture and how and why he translated two works
of Tagore into Turkish.
Ecevit also focuses on Turkish-Indian relations and their
historical roots. He said the two nations shared historical roots
which would enable to form closer relations than those that exist
today. Indian and Turkish democracies showed that democracy does not
only exist in the developed countries of the Western world.
''Turkey and India proved that the east and the west can join, and
the two civilizations can come closer to each other as opposed to
clashing with each other. Europe and Asia came together and formed
Eurasia with the contributions of Turkey and India,'' Ecevit concluded
his speech.
-INITIATIVE FOR URGENT RELEASE OF FEHRIYE ERDAL
BRUSSELS - Lawyers of Fehriye Erdal, one of the suspects of the
murder of Ozdemir Sabanci, appealed to Gent Urgent Decision Court.
Initiatives of the lawyers to implement decisions of Bruges Court and
Gent Appeals Court for ''the release of Erdal on bail and to be tried
without detention'', failed.
Lawyers of Erdal applied to Gent Urgent Decision Court with secret
initiatives, and requested the release of the suspect claiming that
Turkey's request for extradition was invalid.
The Court rejected the application.
Erdal would have been released if the court had found the
initative of the lawyers as right, and had taken a decision in this
direction.
Gent Court of Appeals earlier approved the court decision about
the trial of illegal Revolutionary People's Salvation Party-Front
(DHKP-C) organization members Musa Agaoglu, Kaya Saz, and Fehriye
Erdal without detention.
As Turkey requested the extradition of Erdal, her imprisonment
continued till Belgium responds to Turkey's extradition request.
Both Bruges and Gent courts found Turkey's request as right and
legal.
Lawyers of Erdal will oppose to these decisions and will use their
last appeal right on April 4 in Brussel in the Supreme Court.
If the Supreme Court finds Turkey's request positive, Erdal will
not have the right to oppose any more.
The judicial authorities will inform Marc Velwilghen, Justice
Minister, about their views with a secret report.
-KAYSERI PRIVATE KILICASLAN HIGHSCHOOL
TO HAVE A SISTER SCHOOL IN GREECE
KAYSERI -Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministries approved the request
of Kayseri Private Kilicaslan Highschool to have a sister school in
Greece.
Battalgazi Education Institutions General Director M. Yilmaz Aydin
told A.A that they want to support the improving relations between the
two countries by having a sister school in Greece.
They applied to the Greek Embassy in Ankara 4 months ago and later
they received a positive reply, Aydin noted.
He said they prepared brochures both in Turkish and English
languages and sent them to Athens to promote their school. ''Greek
Foreign and National Education ministries approved our request. Soon,
they will let us know about our sister school and we will go to Greece
with a delegation,'' Aydin added.
He also stressed that this project will enable Turkish and Greek
students to get to know each other better.
-TURKEY'S ADJUSTMENT PROCESS TO EU
ANKARA - It was stated that Turkey needs to be restructured in
agriculture, environment, health and social security fields while
adjusting to EU regulations.
Authorities of the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat (DTM) said the
adjustment to the EU will be a long process.
In September and October, Turkey and the EU will prepare a
Participation Partnership Document, and a national plan will be formed
within this framework, they noted.
The same authorities said Turkey needs to produce projects in
order to benefit from the financial aid which will be given for
Turkey's adjustment to EU regulations.
Works have been carried out in certain fields in Turkey after it
joined the Customs Union and these activities opened the way to Turkey
to compete in foreign markets, they also noted.
-PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT VISITS TAJ MAHAL
AGRA - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit on Saturday visited Taj Mahal,
which is one of the ''Seven Wonders of the World,'' within the
framework of his visit to India.
Ecevit and his wife Rahsan voiced their admirations during their
visit in Taj Mahal.
Ecevit, who signed the special notebook after their visit, said,
''Taj Mahal had been constructed by the most famous architects of the
world. Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world, unites differences
in peace and in harmonization.''
Emperor Shah Cihan ordered for the construction of Taj Mahal,
which is one of the seven wonders of the world, in the memory of his
wife Mumtaz Mahal who gave birth to his 14th child.
Taj Mahal was completed in 1653.
Architect of Taj Mahal was a Turkish citizen whose name is
Muhammed Isa Efendi.
-ECEVIT VISITS TAGORE'S HOUSE
SHANTINIKETAN- Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit visited the house of
Rabindranath Tagore, famous poet, writer and thinker, located at the
entrance of Shantiniketan on Sunday.
Ecevit was met by Prof. Dilip Sinha, rector of Wishwar Bharati
University at the museum's door.
Ecevit said he is very pleased to be in Tagore's house which is
full of his memories.
During his visits in Shantiniketan, Ecevit was accompanied by the
former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral and his wife.
Gujral will host a lunch in honor of Ecevit before Ecevit and his
delegation return to Calcutta from where he will leave for Turkey.
Ecevit is expected to be in Ankara's Esenboga Airport at 8.30 p.m.
-KUTAN, FP LEADER:
''WE WANT ARTICE 312 TO BE AMENDED, BECAUSE THERE CAN NOT
BE SUCH AN ARTICLE IN A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY''
ADAPAZARI - Recai Kutan, leader of the Virtue Party (FP), said on
Saturday that his party struggled for democracy and human rights, and
noted that they wanted Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) to
be amended in this respect.
Addressing his party's Sakarya Provincial congress, Kutan said
presidential elections blocked the agenda of Turkey, and noted that
problems like inflation and unemployment were ignored.
Pointing out that they were insistent on amending Article 312 of
the TCK, Kutan said, ''we want Article 312 to be changed. Because,
there can not be such an article, which is a democracy shame, in a
democratic country.''
Kutan, who mentioned presidential elections, reacted to the
statements of Devlet Bahceli, Deputy Prime Minister, regarding Article
312.
Kutan also claimed that another important problem of Turkey was
the declining trend in its economy.
-LANDSLIDE ON MAIN TRABZON-GUMUSHANE HIGHWAY
TRABZON- Main Trabzon-Gumushane highway was closed to traffic
because of landslide.
Officials of Highways 10th Regional Directorate said a landslide
occurred in the 48th kilometer of the Trabzon-Gumushane highway at
11:00 local time.
Officials said efforts started to open the highway to traffic.
-HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS OF TRABZON TO
BE PROMOTED INTERNATIONALLY
TRABZON - Trabzon Tourism Director Volkan Canalioglu said they
were working to promote historical places in Trabzon in the framework
of religious belief tourism.
Their works also include a series of activities to make Trabzon
famous in the international platform.
Canalioglu told A.A that they prepared brochures and booklets for
tourists which include information about the leading centers of belief
tourism. They will send these brochures to international travel firms
and also distribute them to tourists who visit Trabzon.
Semela Monastery, Ayasofya Museum, St. Anna Church, St. Maria
Church, Ortahisar Fatih Mosque, Santa Churches group, Vazelon
Monastery are Trabzon's main attractions, he said.
Canalioglu also added that they were planning to organize a
festival to help Trabzon's promotIon In the world.
-CONTACTS OF PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT IN INDIA
NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said Turkey showed to the
whole world that Islam world may reconcile with modernism and
secularism.
Ecevit responded to the questions of representatives of Indian
press within the framework of his contacts.
Question: Why didn't you go to Pakistan?
Ecevit: We wish democracy to be settled in Pakistan soon. I have
an intense agenda in Turkey. I wanted to visit India for a long time.
I wanted my visit to cover only India. We are friends with Pakistan,
however we can not support a military regime.
Question: What are your views about terrorism?
Ecevit: We have suffered a lot from terrorism for years. We are
against terrorism whereever it is.
Question:What do you think about secularism?
Ecevit: India and Turkey are secular and democratic countries. We
admire secularism regime in India. Turkey showed to the whole world
that Islam world can reconcile with modernism and secularism.
Question: What are your views about Afghanistan?
Ecevit: Afghanistan has an important position for the region and
the world. Turkey and India should help Afghanistan, and form a
politicial consultation. Yet, we should not encourage the existing
regime. This will form a threat to the whole world.
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit also recevied Sonia Ghandi, the
opposition leader and wife of Ragiv Ghandi, who was killed in an
assasination. Ecevit said he admired Ghandi's policy in India
regarding secularism. Pointing out that secularism was important also
for Turkey, Ecevit said he admired Ghandi's sensitivity against
fundamentalism.
Ghandi, in her part, said Taleban danger was still in the border
of India, adding that Kashmir incident caused concern for them.
Ecevit also said army in Turkey was the defender of secularism.
-PATRIARCH IWAS LEADS RELIGIOUS CEREMONY AT
ANTAKYA'S ST.PIERRE CHURCH
ANTAKYA - Patriarch Ignatios Zakka the 1st Iwas led the religious
ceremony in Antakya's historical St. Pierre Church on Sunday.
Antakya, is the second most important holy city after Jerusalem
for the Syriacs, Iwas said in his speech.
Patriarch Iwas said Christianity spreaded to the world from this
church, therefore they call Antakya ''the city of God''.
The ceremony ended with the reading of prayers.
-SECOND ROUND OF TALKS OVER ARTICLES 68, 86 AND 101
TO BE HELD ON APRIL 5
ANKARA - The second round of talks over the proposal which
envisages changes in articles 69, 86 and 101 of the Constitution will
take place on April 5, Wednesday.
During the second round of talks, the attenders will only debate
the changes proposed regarding the three articles and will not discuss
the proposal as a whole.
The Parliament's Justice Commission will start discussing the
draft law on the Turkish Civil Code on April 6 Thursday. The meetings
are expected to have a high participation from non-governmental
organizations as well as from related institutions. The draft law will
be later transferred to a sub-mission which will be formed for this
purpose.
-EIGHT NEW TRAINING BOATS TO THE NAVAL FORCES
ISTANBUL/KADIKOY- Eight training boats, constructed by Bora
Maritime Industry and Trade Coorp., were delivered to Naval Forces in
a ceremony.
Addressing the ceremony, Admiral Ilhami Erdil, Naval Forces
Commander, said these ships were built in a civilian shipyard, adding
that, ''success of this project is the success of Turkish ship
construction industry.''
Admiral Erdil recalled that they began new arrangements to
preserve ship construction and repair abilities following massive
August 17 quake.
Erdil said, ''after these eight training boats attend our Naval
Forces, abilities of our training fleet will increase. This ability is
an indispensable characteristic for our Naval Forces.''
According to an agreement signed between National Defense Ministry
and Bora Industry Maritime and Trade Coorp. dated December 30, 1997,
the first training boat was concluded on April 15, 1998, and the last
one was built on March 22, 2000.
-SECOND INTERNATIONAL EURASIA CONFERENCE TO BE HELD
IN ISTANBUL BETWEEN APRIL 5 AND 7
ISTANBUL- Aydinlik Magazine will organize the 2nd International
Eurasia Conference between April 5 and 7 in Istanbul.
Editor-in-chief of Aydinlik, Turan Ozlu said delegations from 40
political parties from 25 Eurasian countries will attend the meeting.
He also noted that the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC), Rauf Denktas has also been invited to the conference.
Ozlu said the aim of the conference was to discuss political,
economical and cultural relations among Eurasian countries. ''At the
conference, we will take solid steps to develop economic relations
among Eurasian countries. We are also planning to form a Eurasia
Conference Coordination Committee to strengthen cooperation in
Eurasia,'' he explained.
The 2nd International Eurasia Conference will be organized at
Macka Hotel and Labour Party leader Dogu Perincek will speak at its
opening.
A.A