INTENSIVE AGENDA IN PARLIAMENT

Following a nine-day break in Parliament, Turkey's agenda will be very intensive in the next few days. Constitutional amendments such as the re-election of President Suleyman Demirel for five more years, Article 312, the Amnesty Law and the imprisonment of the former Chairman of the de-funct Welfare Party (RP) Necmettin Erbakan, will be on the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA). /Aksam/

VERHEUGEN: "CYPRUS SHOULD ENTER THE EU AS A WHOLE"

The EU Commissioner responsible for Enlargement, Gunter Verheugen, said that they wanted to continue negotiations concerning the EU membership of Cyprus, with a delegation of representatives from both sides of the Island. Verheugen said in a statement to the 'Elefterotipia' newspaper, published in Athens, that it was evident that Cyprus as a whole should realize the criteria. Verheugen stated that one third of the membership negotiations, launched on the application of the Greek-Cypriots, was completed and added that according to recent reports, all political and economic criteria had been carried out, apart from the current political situation. /Aksam/

UKRAINIAN MINISTER CALLS FOR INVESTMENTS

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk, who will pay an official visit to Turkey today, will ask Turkish businessmen to make more investments in his country. A statement issued by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that Tarasyuk and an accompanying delegation, consisting of businessmen, will meet with Turkish businessmen in Istanbul. Tarasyuk will be received by President Suleyman Demirel and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem concerning issues such as commercial cooperation and security. The statement added that a programme of exchange in the fields of culture, sports, education and science between Turkey and the Ukraine for the years 2000 and 2002 would be signed in the near future. /Aksam/

SIXTH FLEET COMMANDER IN ANKARA

Commander of the US Sixth Fleet, Vice-Admiral Daniel J.Murphy, will arrive in Turkey today as the official guest of the Commander of the Naval Forces, Vice-Admiral, Ilhami Erdil. Following a series of contacts in Turkey, Murphy will visit historic sites in Ankara and he will leave Turkey on Wednesday. /Star/

DENKTAS RECEIVES THE 'MAN OF THE YEAR' AWARD

Ankara Journalists' Organization's 'Success Awards 1999' will be given today. This organization deemed the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Rauf Denktas, worthy of the Award of the 'Man of the Year' due to his continual struggle concerning the Cyprus issue. Can Dundar, Bulent Capli and Nihat Ozcan will receive the Award for 'Publisher of the Year'. The Presidential Sypmhony Orchestra's Music Director, Prof. Gurer Aykal will receive the Award for 'Artist of the Year'. /Cumhuriyet/

CRESPO TO MEET THE MOTHERS OF DEAD SOLDIERS

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has taken a firm stand with the European representatives who met members of the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) and human rights organizations before starting their official visit. The European Parliament's Socialist Group Chairman, Baron Crespo, has asked to meet the mothers of soldiers killed during raids against terrorist organizations, during his visit to Turkey on 27 March. Crespo and three other parliamentarians delivered the news to the Prime Ministry and this was welcomed by the Prime Ministry. /Milliyet/

PILGRIMAGES RETURN

Yesterday, groups of Turkish pilgrimages began to return from Mecca. The Religious Affairs Department stated that all precautions had been taken to ease the return of the pilgrims. /Turkiye/

ALARM FOR NEVRUZ

The General Directorate of Security have taken extraordinary measures to prevent any provocation of the terrorist organizations during the Nevruz celebrations. Security forces will work for around the clock in order to enable citizens to celebrate the 'Nevruz' spring celebrations in peace. This year, the Minister of Culture is going to organize festivals, parades, panels and receptions for the celebrations. /Turkiye/

EXPORTS FROM GAP TO THE US

Exports worth $5.6 million were made to five countries on the American continent during the first two months of the year, from the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region. Exports of agricultural products from the region to the US increased by 37.3% and reached $4.3 million. A total of exports worth $3.1 million were made during the same period last year. Out of this total, $2.851 million were textile exports. /Aksam/

FAR EAST INTERESTED IN LICE MARBLE

It is reported that Far Eastern countries are highly interested in marbles produced in a factory established in the Lice district of Diyarbakir by the Toprak Conglomerate. The General Director of the Toprak Marble Company, Barbaros Satirlar, said that the production capacity in the factory, set up two years ago, were continuously increasing and the factory created employment for 280 people. He added that they would export 300,000 square metres of marble, worth $10 million, to foreign countries, especially to the Far East. /Aksam/

AEGEAN REGION OPEN FOR FOREIGN INVESTORS

The Head of the Chamber of Industry in the Aegean Region (EBSO), Atil Akkan, stated that they launched initiatives to increase foreign investments in the Aegean region and said that they aimed to attract foreign investments worth $1 billion to the region by the end of this year. Akkan remarked that Turkey had attracted foreign investments of nearly $850 million during the last 10 years and announced that the EBSO would open offices in Germany and Belgium in the near future. /Aksam/

BISCUIT EXPORTS INCREASE

The General Director of the Eti Marketing and Industry, Dr.Cafer Findikoglu, said that the annual biscuit consumption per capita in Turkey has increased in recent years and that Turkey ranked seventh, following Britain, Italy, France, the US, Spain and Greece in the annual consumption of biscuits. Findikoglu stated that the Eti Company had an annual production capacity of 130,000 tons and exported biscuits to 46 countries. /Aksam/

INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL FAIR TO BE OPENED IN KONYA

'Kon-Tarim 2000 International Agricultural Fair', which will be organized for the third time in Konya, will be held between 2 and 5 May. Officials stated that both Turkish and foreign companies were expected to attend the fair and that the work concerning this was continuing. /Cumhuriyet/

POSTAL SERVICE TO BE IMPROVED

'Turkish Postal Service 2000' Project, which was prepared thanks to the cooperation between the Postal and Telegraph Organization (PTT) and the French Postal Administration, aims for the automation of postal services in Ankara and Istanbul which will speed up the postal traffic. 4 trillion TL of a total of 5 trillion TL will be donated by France and the remaining 1 trillion will be met by the PTT. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKEY TO INVEST IN ARMAMENT

Turkey sped up its defence industry investments in parallel with its increasing influence in the region, thanks to being a candidate for membership of the European Union and a 'strategic partnership' with the US. The first stage of the projects, amounting to 20 billion dollars, are expected to be completed within 10 years. The total amounts for these projects surpass 150 billion dollars and aim to make Turkey the most important military power of the region. Turkey will have the most important conventional air power in the region, thanks to the AWACS planes, to be bought from the US. Turkey will then have a total of 561 helicopters and will take a place among the countries with the strongest fleets of helicopter. /Cumhuriyet/

EXPORTS AMOUNTING TO 2.3 BILLION DOLLARS TO EU COUNTRIES

The amount of exports to European Union (EU) countries during January and February this year was 299 million 378 thousand dollars. This was 2 billion 150 million 628 thousand dollars during the same period of last year. According to the data of the Exporters' Organizations, ready-to-wear clothes were the most exported goods amounting to 858 million 902 thousand dollars. This amount was 839 million 678 thousand dollars during the same period of last year. The second most exported products are automotive and by-industrial products. /Sabah/

AEGEAN REGION TO HAVE NATURAL GAS

The initiatives are underway to spread the use of natural gas to various regions. Following loan agreements for the Karacabey-Izmir natural gas pipeline venture, construction is to be started by a Turkish-Polish group of company. The venture will cost about 60 million dollars and will be financed by the German KFW credit organization. The pipeline will take a max. of 24 months to complete including its compressors and all other facilities. Natural gas will be piped from the Blue Stream pipeline which is also estimated to start operations the same year. /Turkiye/

ANKARA CHAMBER OF INDUSTRY'S BREAKTHROUGH

The Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) which has three thousand members, is putting into effect two ventures, in order to protect the rights of the consumer and to stop cheque-mafia issues. The 'Consumer Office', will ensure that defective goods are replaced or refunds of money are given. The 'Arbitration Office' also aims to solve debt-credit issues between ASO members without court action. /Hurriyet/

TANK MODERNIZATION TENDER

The Turkish Ministry of National Defence and Israel Military Industries (IMI) agreed on the modernization of 170 M-60 battle tanks for the Turkish Armed Forces, by Israel. This 250 million-dollar venture will be for the renovation of firing mechanisms, moving parts, armorplate, motors and the telecommunications systems of the M-60 tanks will be renovated. /Hurriyet/

VEHICLES COMING FROM IRAQ DISINFECTED

It is reported that vehicles and drivers coming from Iraq to Turkey are being disinfected at the Habur Border Gate in case of contagious diseases. Turkey is on alert as a result of the poverty and contagious diseases which have been caused by the UN embargo on Iraq. Facilities have been set up for disinfection at the Habur Border Gate along the Turco-Iraqi border. /Aksam/

ONE BILLION DOLLAR COMPENSATION

The General Director of the EGS Insurance Company, Mete Besener, said that $1 billion compensation had been paid for the damage caused by the earthquake in Turkey last year, which was envisaged at $6-10 billion. Besener stated that the earthquake disaster had made the insurance sector much more sensitive on this issue. /Star/

WORLD GOLD COUNCIL TO DISTRIBUTE ONE KILO OF GOLD IN KAPALICARSI

The World Gold Council (WGC) will distribute one kilo of gold every day during a festival to be held in Kapalicarsi (Covered Bazaar), Istanbul in September. The General Director of the WGC in Turkey, Murat Akman, stated that they were holding various activities in order to support developments in the Turkish gold market. Akman said they would organize a festival for the exchange of gold this year for the first time in Istanbul and added, "Two years ago, we held a festival in Side, Antalya. This festival will be probably held in September and will last for three or four weeks. Those who go shopping during this period in Kapalicarsi will have the opportunity to have one kilo of gold every day and will make positive contributions to this sector". /Aksam/

ATATURK TO BE TAUGHT IN AMERICA

Ataturk's revolutions and political philosophy will be published in American universities' course book. The course book will compare similarities between Ataturk and one of the most important Presidents of America, Thomas Jefferson, and will be published in May. The author of the book Prof. Garrett Ward Sheldon, entitled 'Jefferson and Ataturk: Political Philosophies', is a lecturer at the Virginia University, Department of Political and Social Sciences. According to Sheldon, both leaders can be identified with their countries. Jefferson is a person who believed in technology, and who respected equality and nationalism. Ataturk was the leader who formed the basis of the modern Turkish identity with his courage, determination and honesty. /Sabah/

DAYLIGHT SAVING

Daylight saving implementation will start this weekend which has for the last 15 years helped make vast savings of electricity. During this period, 650 million kwh of electricity will be saved. The clocks will go forward on Sunday, March 26, at midnight and last for 217 days, until to Oct. 29. /Turkiye/

DERYA BUYUKUNCU RANKS THIRD IN THE WORLD

Derya Buyukuncu ranked third in the World Championship in the 100-metre backstroke swimming competition held in Athens. Buyukuncu broke the world record of 52.88 and received the bronze medal. Derya Buyukuncu is the first Turkish swimmer to take a medal in a World Championship. /Star/

FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...

EFFECTIVENESS BY SEDAT SERTOGLU (SABAH)

Columnist Sedat Sertoglu comments on the effectiveness of Turkey in comparison to its importance in the field of foreign policy. A summary of his column is as follows: "Although Turkey has taken important strides in foreign policy and has become a power not to be ignored, in some respects she still continues to follow her old policies of letting sleeping dogs lie. For example, she has to become involved in solving the disputes in regions such as the Caucasus, the Balkans and the Middle East which have great importance for Turkey. In other words, she does not launch initiatives to host the Middle East countries to help towards a solution of their disputes like Switzerland. This is true not only for the Middle East, but also for the Caucasus and the Balkans. Turkey is a very strong and influential country in all three of these regions. Therefore, we believe that it is our right to ask Ankara to launch initiatives on these issues. We also think that they will bring positive points for Turkey not only in these three regions but also in the Islamic world. We should not remain indifferent to the developments in our backyard and in fact take a close interest in what is going on. Our main interest should not be confined to Northern Iraq but we should expand our vision. This is the way to be a strong power in the region."

PROTECTING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE REPUBLIC BY COSKUN KIRCA

(AKSAM) Retired Ambassador Coskun Kirca comments on freedom of expresion. A summary of his column is as follows: "The Declaration of European Human Rights accepts that certain restrictions could be brought to freedom of expression in order to protect law and order and the territorial integrity of the state but at the same time states that these restrictions should be in line with the conditions of democracy. In the West, in order to bring some restrictions, the territorial integrity of the state or law and order of the country has to be faced with a severe threats. Turkish law, does not stipulate that a severe threat should be present to be able to punish freedom of expression. Article 18 of the German Constitution states that those who want to change the Constitutional order or to abolish it altogether, could be deprived of their fundamental rights only by the Constitutional Court. Such authority could be given to the Turkish Consitutional Court only with an amendment. However, it is also possible to give such an authority by enacting a law. A solution may be not to accept the acts committed through the use of freedom of expression as a crime if the President has not stated them to be a severe threat to the characteristics of the Republic, after consulting with the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors, the National Security Council and the Cabinet. If we pass on this system we shall be conforming with the western standards.

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