TRKNWS-L x0x Anadolu Ajansi News -- 25 Jun 00
Turkish Radio San Francisco
ANADOLU AGENCY NEWS
25 JUNE 2000 Sunday
Turkey
Turkey
-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN
These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in
Turkey's press on June 25, 2000. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify
these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
-----------------
ISO:''2001 IS MOST CRITICAL TERM OF ECONOMIC PROGRAMME''
Istanbul Industry Chamber (ISO) Chairman Husamettin Kavi evaluated the
first six months of the three year economic programme which Turkey
will run with the IMF. ''We spent the first six months trying to
understand what the programme was about but now we should work to
lighten the burden of next year,'' he said and stressed that 2001 will
be the most critical term of the economic programme.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
I MISSED THE SEA
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who couldn't swim in the sea as he is in
politics for 20 years, expressed his longing for the blue sea. When
journalists asked Ecevit whether he will go on a holiday, he just
smiled. ''No we can't go on a holiday, as we are politicians,'' Ecevit
added.
GUVEN ERKAYA DIES
Retired Admiral Guven Erkaya, one of the chief consultants of Prime
Ministry and former Naval Forces Commander died at KasImpasa Naval
Hospital on Saturday. Erkaya, who was having medical treatment due to
''colon cancer and its metastasis (the transfer of disease from one
organ or part to another not directly connected with it), went into a
coma and died. The funeral of Erkaya, who was 62 years old, will be
held in Istanbul.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
----------------
ECEVIT'S CALL FOR BUDGET
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit requested the ministers to prepare the
budget of 2001 in line with the economic programme and to refrain from
issuing statements which damage the programme. Ecevit noted that the
first five-month results of the application of 2000 budget yielded
good results.
COVERED BAZAAR REVIVES
The number of tourists which visit and buy things from the Covered
Bazaar in Istanbul increased by 30 percent this year when compared to
last year.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
MINISTER CRITICIZES TRT
Rustu KazIm Yucelen, the State Minister responsible for the Turkish
Radio and Television Board (TRT) harshly reacted to the news broadcast
from the TRT Channel 1 live on TV yesterday. When his opinion was
asked about the recent developments between the political parties,
Yucelen noted that ''such kind of news don't coincide with the
seriousness of TRT, which is a state organization.'' Many people
reacted to these words of Yucelen after the programme saying Yucelen
tries to limit the freedom of expression.
TANK DECISION TO BE GIVEN ON JULY 3
Germany will announce its decision regarding the sale of Leopard 2
Tanks to Turkey on July 3. German coalition party SPD is uneasy about
the attitude of Joschka Fischer, the German Foreign Minister who is
from the Greens Party as he opposes giving the tanks to Turkey.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
TURKISH NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM BEATEN BY PORTUGAL
The Turkish national football team played in the quarter-final match
yesterday but it was beaten by the Portuguese national team by 2-0.
The team played well in the beginning of the match, however Alpay got
a red card from the referee and he was taken out of the match. Turkish
team also missed a penalty.
TERROR IN PRISONS
In the clashes that erupted between Alaattin CakIcI and Nuri Ergin
gangs in the prisons, five people including three innocent citizens
died. Nothing has been done till today to prevent the clashes between
the two mafia bosses.
YENi BiNYIL (LIBERAL)
----------------------
LESSONS FOR EU
Speaking at a symposium in Istanbul, EU Commission's Turkey
representative Karen Fogg said freedom of press, meeting, forming
unions, economic and social rights were basic human rights. Turkey can
achieve to raise its standards to Copenhagen criteria in every field,
she said and also noted that all EU member countries are having
difficulties in accepting the EU's regulations. EU, since its
foundation, has become more mature and it is being more demanding in
environmental policies, legal and domestic fields, Fogg said.
Prof. Bakir Caglar who also spoke at the symposium said there must be
a social demand for the EU and noted that he was not certain if that
social demand existed in Turkey.
GURKAN:''LEGAL STATUS FOR KURDS IS IMPOSSIBLE''
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly's Head of the Turkish Group
Uluc Gurkan from the Democratic Left Party (DSP) said it was
impossible to grant legal status to Kurds or any other ethnic group.
Noting that Turkey has serious work to do in the field of democracy,
human rights and protection of minorities, Gurkan said EU regards the
issue of minorities in Turkey as nothing but Kurds. ''Turkey's fight
against fundamentalism is seen as closure of political parties,''
Gurkan noted. ''They are telling us to negotiate with the PKK becaue
they laid down arms. It is impossible for Turkey to grant legal status
to Kurds or any other ethnic minority and this is very well know by
the governments in the EU. Individual rights rather than collective
rights are being discussed in Europe. In Turkey, collective rights
draw more attention. We have to remove the double standards of the EU
through dialogue.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
----------------
LOOKING FOR CASH FOR AGRICULTURE
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Husnu Yusuf Gokalp who is going
to the United States will ask for credit from the World Bank for
agriculture projects worth of 1 billion 588 million U.S. dollars.
During his stay in the U.S., Gokalp said he will meet with U.S.
Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and discuss with him cooperation
in agriculture between Turkey and the United States.
CIVIL SERVANTS PROTEST WAGE INCREASES
Civil servants protested the wage increase of the government by
holding demonstations in Ankara and Istanbul. About 6,000 people
joined the march which started in Istanbul's Sisli Abide-i Hurriyet
square. Many representatives of non-governmental organizations, labour
unions and confederations joined the march. In the meantime a group of
PKK supporters tried to provoke the protestors by chanting slogans
praising chief terrorist Abdullah Ocalan. However, the civil servants
remained indifferent to their provocation.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
-------------------
CEM SAYS ENTRANCE FEE MUST BE LIFTED
''We are doing well in tourism but I must admit that we are still
making some mistakes,'' Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said on Saturday.
''I think it is wrong to charge entrance fee from tourists who are
coming to visit Turkey,'' he noted and said more tourists will come to
our country if this fee is lifted.
GUVEN ERKAYA DIES
Retired admiral Guven Erkaya who was diagnosed with colon cancer five
years ago dies at the Naval Hospital on Saturday. Erkaya was appointed
as the head advisor to the Prime Ministry regarding the straits.
Despite his strict attitude against fundamentalism, he was a supporter
of peace with Greece. He also submitted a report saying that the
Aegean Army which he set up three years ago should be dispersed.
-TWO TURKISH FISHERMEN TO RETURN TO TURKEY FROM UKRAINE
ANKARA - Cevat CelikkIran and Mehmet YalcIn, two Turkish fishermen who
were arrested on March 22 for ''fishing illegally in the economic zone
of Ukraine,'' were released on Sunday upon the initiatives of the
Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Embassy in Kiev.
Foreign Ministry said that the necessary visa proceedings have been
provided for the two Turkish fishermen to leave Ukraine.
The two are expected to return to Istanbul by Turkish Airlines (THY)
on June 26, Monday.
A suit was filed against the two Turkish fishermen at Sivastopol Court
which sentenced them to pay fines. The lawyers of the fishermen
appealed the court decision, those hearings have not been heard yet.
The boat ''Cemil Reis'' was seized by Ukranian officials. The other
ship namely ''Yavrum Ahmet'' had sunk when Ukranian coast guards
opened fire on it.
-MINIMUM WAGE TO INCREASE
ANKARA - Minimum wage which is currently a net of 80 million 550,000
TL will increase to 86 million 922,000 TL as of July 1.
The gross mimimum wage will increase from 109 million 800,000 TL to
118 million 800,000 TL. The increase will be 8.2 percent in gross
wage, and 7.91 percent in net wage.
In the meantime, Turkish Confederation of Labour Unions (Turk-Is),
said the 6 million TL increase is only enough to buy three kilos of
white cheese or three kilos of olives. Turk-Is also stated that a
family with four members needs a minimum of 450 million TL to meet
their most basic needs and noted that the minimum wage only meets one
fifth of this need.
According to a law that was passed on July 11, 1992, the government
has the authority not to deduct taxes from people who work for minimum
wage, Turk-Is reminded authorities and asked the government to stop
deducting tax from minimum wage receivers.
-FOREIGN MINISTER CEM SAYS NO PROBLEMS EXIST BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND
MGK
KUSADASI - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said on Saturday that there is
no disagreement between the government and the National Security
Council (MGK) over the ''comprehensive constitutional citizenship
principle'' and ''lifting of language ban in expression of thought''.
Responding to some articles that appeared recently in newspapers about
disagreement between the MGK and the government, Cem said, the MGK is
not blocking the government over Copenhagen criteria.
''The MGK and the government should be perceived as two separate
units,'' Cem said. ''Each unit has a different task. But the MGK is
not an obstacle in front of the government. All institutions were
asked to present their own views for a research carried out by the
Prime Ministy six months ago and there were of course some difference
of opinion. Now they are writing about it as if these differing views
are something new. Recently, there have been efforts to create
friction between the different units of the state.''
Speaking about lifting the entrance fee, Cem said a part of this fee
has been already lifted and there are ongoing activities to lift it
totally. They also have some initiatives to lift the visa requirement
from Turks when they travel in Europe, Cem said and noted that they
have so far received a positive approach to this request only from
Greece.
''We have good relations with Greece but I am still cautious,'' Cem
noted. ''We have no problems however my Greek counterpart has
difficulty in expressing himself. If this positive atmosphere lasts
for another year, it will always continue like that. Having good
relations with Greece will create good effects in tourism, export and
agriculture.''
-U.N. DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL ARLACCHI GIVEN A BRIEFING BY ISTANBUL
SECURITY DIRECTORATE ABOUT DRUG SMUGGLING
ISTANBUL - The U.N. Deputy Secretary General Pino Arlacchi, who is
also the Executive Director of U.N. International Drugs Control
Programme (UNDCP), was given a briefing by Istanbul Security
Directorate on Saturday about drug smuggling, corruption and organized
crime.
The briefing was close to the press and lasted nearly one hour.
Hasan Ozdemir, the director of security of Istanbul told journalists
after the briefing that they exchanged information about drug
smuggling, corruption and organized crime.
Arlacchi who came to Turkey the same day, will leave Turkey on June
27.
-MIRZAOGLU SAYS TREASURY WILL GAIN 19 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS IN THREE
YEARS FROM DROPPING INTEREST RATES
MALATYA - State Minister Ramazan Mirzaoglu said on Saturday that the
dropping interest rates will make the Treasury gain 19 billion U.S.
dollars within three years.
Mirzaoglu stated that the interest rates rose up to 150 percent in the
recent years due to wrong economy policies and said now they are down
to 35 percent through the government's stability programme.
-OPERATION AGAINST TERRORIST ORGANIZATION PKK
-11 TERRORISTS KILLED
DIYARBAKIR - Security forces killed 11 PKK terrorists in Semdinli
township of eastern Hakkari province. One security official died and
another one was injured.
Emergency Regional Governor said in a written statement on Sunday that
11 terrorists were killed in a clash that erupted between security
forces and a group of PKK terrorists in Ikiyaka Lakes Region of
Semdinli township.
Operations are underway in the region.
-RESERVATION RATES AT ISTANBUL'S HOTELS RISE TO 100 PERCENT
ISTANBUL - Reservation rates at Istanbul's leading hotels rose to 100
percent and hotel managers are hoping to make up for last year's
losses this year. They are also thinking that 2001 might be a year of
great success in tourism.
Conrad Hotel's Marketing and Public Relations Director Ayferi Ertek
said in May and June their hotel was 100 percent full. ''1999 was like
a nightmare. But after maintaining stability both abroad and in
Turkey, the tourism is alive again through the promotion efforts of
the Tourism Ministry,'' Ertek said and added that if hotel owners in
Istanbul follow right price policies next year will be even be a
greater success.
Ceylan Intercontinental Marketing and Communication Director Yasemin
Kaya also said the improvement in tourism is much higher than what
they expected.
Ciragan Hotel Public Relations Director Gulduren Tugcu also noted that
the reservation rate at their hotel is close to 100 percent and they
hope that it would continue like that in the following months.
In the meantime, U.S. Arthur Andersen company carried out a research
in 21 European cities. Below is a table showing the increase in the
reservation rates in hotels in leading European cities.
city increase in the
reservation rate (percent)
---------- -----------------
Lisbon 14.1
Bolonia 12.2
Istanbul 10.3
Geneva 9.3
Amsterdam 6.8
Athens 3.2
Paris 3.1
Milan 2.8
Madrid 0.3
Budapest -1.1
Dublin -1.9
Prague -1.9
Florence -4.1
Zurich -5.4
Vienne -6.3
Brussels -7.1
Malta -9.3
Moskow -10.1
Rome -11.0
Venice -12.0
Salzburg -17.9
-CONSTRUCTION OF WATER PIPELINE BETWEEN TURKEY AND TRNC TO START IN
2001
ANKARA - Water pipeline project which will be built between Turkey and
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to provide drinking
water to the island will start in 2001 if 350 million U.S. dollar
credit is found.
This credit will finance both engineering services and construction
investments of the project.
State Water Works (DSI) authorities who are in charge of the
coordination of the project said they were waiting for the Treasury
Undersecretariat's credit approval. They said engineering works will
be completed in a short time with a cost of 10 million U.S. dollars.
The water pipeline project which is also known as the ''Peace Water''
project will carry Anamur Dragon stream's waters to the TRNC through a
pipeline built on the sea ground. The pipeline will be 108 kilometer
long and 78 kilometer part of it will be under the sea and the
remaining 30 kilometer part of it will be on land. The pipeline will
transport 75 million square meters of water annually. The project also
includes construction of Alakopru dam in Turkey and Gecitkoy dam in
the TRNC.
Alarko company will be in charge of feasibility works and DSI General
Directorate will be responsible for the technical aspects of the
project.
The 350 million U.S. dollar cost of the project will be met by
completely foreign credits. The contract agreements for the pipeline
and the two dams are expected to be signed in 2000.
-WORLD BANK PLANS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUND THAT WILL BE SET UP TO
SUPPORT USAGE OF
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
ANKARA - The World Bank plans to give money up to 500 million dollars
for the fund that will be founded to support the usage of renewable
energy sources like water, wind and sun energy.
World Bank suggested on Sunday that the fund should be in line with
the law of electric market that will be adopted.
The World Bank also advised the Turkish officials that priority should
be given to renewable energy sources.
Important promotion is planned to be given to those who will produce
electric energy by using renewable energy sources by the law of
electric market.
-AMBASSADORS OF TURKISH REPUBLICS GATHER IN ESKISEHIR
ESKISEHIR - Ambassadors of the Turkish Republics came to Eskisehir on
Saturday to attend the Turkish Culture and Business World Consultation
Meeting which will last for two days.
Azerbaijani Ambassador Mehmet Aliyev Nevruzoglu, Kazakhstan Ambassador
Mehmet Saribay, Krygyzstan Ambassador Medethan Serimkulov,
Turkmenistan Ambassador Nur Muhammed Hanamov attended the meeting.
Uzbekistan Ambassador Abdullahad Calilov who earlier announced that he
was going to join the meeting, did not come.
The ambassadors visited Deputy Governor of Eskisehir Muammer Yasar
Ozgul. Azerbaijani Ambassador Nevruzoglu noted that there are many
students from the Turkish Republics studying in Eskisehir and thanked
Ozgul for their close attention for these students.
Nevruzoglu said cooperation in every field between Turkey and the
Turkish Republics which recently gained their independence was very
important.
-ZEUGMA ANCIENT CITY TURNS GAZIANTEP FOCUS OF ATTENTION FOR WORLD
GAZIANTEP - Gaziantep Tourism Director Mehmet Dogan said on Sunday
that Zeugma ancient city of Gaziantep which is partly inundated by the
Birecik Dam had important contributions to Gaziantep's tourism.
Dogan told A.A correspondent that sculpture of Mars, the god of war,
and fascinating mosaic pieces which were unearthed during efforts to
save them turned Zeugma the focus of attention of the whole world.
There is a significant increase in the tourism activities in
Gaziantep, Dogan said and added that people who want to see South
Anatolia Project (GAP) and Gaziantep boosted tourism in the city. The
hotels in Gaziantep sometimes fail to host all the visitors due to the
high number of people visiting Gaziantep, he said and noted that there
are many people coming to their city also to attend the scientific
meetings organized by the Gaziantep University.
After the world started discussing the flooding of Zeugma, the
reservation rate of the hotels which was around 90 percent exceeded
100 percent. ''Gaziantep has become a place known by the whole world.
Americans are saying that they can bring 100,000 tourists once the
excavations are complete,'' he noted.
-GAP'S EXPORTS TO EAST EUROPE AND CIS INCREASE
GAZIANTEP - An important increase recorded in the exports from the
Southeast Anatolian Project (GAP) region to the East Europe and
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in the first five months of
this year.
Agricultural products worth of 18 million dollars with an increase of
61.2 percent were exported to East European countries and products
worth of 3 million with an increae of 37.2 percent were exported to
CIS countries.
It is Romania which comes the first among the East European countries
to which GAP region exports goods and it is the Russian Federation
which buys the biggest amount of goods from GAP region among CIS
countries.
-TURKISH-GREEK FRIENDSHIP SEEN IN MOTORCYCLE RALLY
IPSALA - Turkish motorbikers entered Greece from Ipsala border gate of
Edirne province on Saturday due to the Second Traditional Aegean
Motorcycle Rally.
Emre Erdil, a biker told A.A correpondent that they held the rally for
Turkish-Greek friendship, adding they entered Greece with 117
motorbikers.
Erdil noted they will go through Xanthi, Kavala, Commotini, Salonica
and Rhodes in Greece, adding ''70 motorbikes will accompany us in
Greece. After Greece, we will return to Izmir from Bodrum and KusadasI
and end the rally in Izmir.''
The rally started in front of Dolmabahce Palace, Istanbul on June 23.
-TURKISH WORKERS LIVING ABROAD START COMING TO TURKEY TO SPEND THEIR
SUMMER VACATION
EDIRNE - Turkish workers who live abroad have started coming to Turkey
to spend their summer vacations. In the last 24 hours, 100 Turkish
workers entered Turkey from Kapikule border gate.
Adem Kilic who was entering from Kapikule told A.A correspondent that
they started off in Germany and had no major difficulties in the
countries they drove through except for being stopped by the police
and paying fines three times in Bulgaria close to the Turkish border.
Halef Onal who works in Norway with his wife and two children said
they prefer Turkey to spend their vacation. The Onal family had to
drive through Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and
finally Bulgaria to reach Turkey. Onal said they were stopped by the
police five times in Romania and had to bribe them with 200 German
Marks. ''If such things did not exist, more Turkish workers will drive
to Turkey. Such incidents are frustrating. It is not the money, but
being stopped by the police is upsetting,'' Onal said.
Customs authorities said they were expecting a rise in the number of
Turkish workers entering Turkey from Kapikule. They have increased the
security personnel working at Ipsala customs gate to complete customs
processes more quickly.
In the last 24 hours, 100 workers passed from Kapikule, and 16,000
workers passed from Ipsala customs gate.
-PICASSO'S STOLEN ''DORA-MAAR'' OIL PAINTING FOUND IN IZMIR
IZMIR - Izmir Police Chief Hasan Yucesan said on Sunday that the
''Dora-Maar'' oil painting of famous Spanish painter Picasso which had
been stolen was found in Izmir.
Yucesan noted that two persons were captured and two others were
wanted in connection with the incident.