Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
The 10th President of the Republic of Turkey, Ahmet Necdet Sezer,
took over the Presidency from Suleyman Demirel after swearing in
at the TGNA yesterday. Sezer will receive Premier Bulent Ecevit
and following the meeting Ecevit is expected to hold a press
conference. /All papers/
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has received a number of
congratulatory messages from world leaders. The US President Bill
Clinton, Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Pakistani Leader
Pervez Muserref, Iranian President Hatemi, the Leader of Cuba
Fidel Castro, the Leader of Libya Muammar Kaddafi, the King of
Sweden Karl 16th, the Russian Head of State, Vladimir Putin, and
the Secretary General of the European Council, Walter Schwimmer,
expressed their pleasure at Sezer's Presidency. /Aksam/
Erkut Yucaoglu, Head of the Turkish Industrialists' and
Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), said that he is sure new
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will be an implementer and inspector
of the economic and political reform process in the 21st century,
the Anatolia News Agency reports. In a written statement,
Yucaoglu said that Turkey has established its long-expected
political stability and that the first results of an inclusive
economic programme were starting to be achieved. He said that
this new stability was the determining factor in parties'
consensus on a presidential candidate.
The police, who captured the suspects in the murders of the
writers of the 'Cumhuriyet' daily, Ugur Mumcu and Prof. Ahmet
Taner Kislali, reached important information on the murder of
Associate Professor, Bahriye Ucok, who was killed in 1990. It was
stated that besides this murder, which is considered to be of
Iranian origin, there are also promising developments concerning
the assasination of Muammer Aksoy. After the interrogation of
Hasan Kilic, Necdet Yuksel and Ferhan Ozmen, who are still in
custody, and after the evidence gathered was investigated, the
information on the murderer of Ucok was obtained. An official
explanation was not made concerning this development but a
high-ranking official confirmed the news that these murderers had
been discovered. /Milliyet/
A delegation from the European Commission is to come to Turkey
tomorrow, the Anatolia News Agency reports. The arrival of the
delegation will see the start of the first official deliberations
on integrating Turkey's laws with the EU's and towards Turkey's
membership of the EU Environmental Agency. The delegation will
hold a series of meetings with the Foreign Ministry, the State
Planning Organization (DPT) and the Undersecretaries for the
Treasury and Foreign Trade together with the Turkish Atomic
Energy Agency (TAEK) and the State Institute of Statistics (DIE).
The delegation will leave on Friday.
Turkey received the support of its partners during the 'Defense
Ministers' and Foreign Affairs Ministers' Meeting', which was
organized by the Western European Union (BAB) in Porto. Turkish
Minister of National Defense, Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, who
represented Turkey during the meeting, stated that the clearest
support was from England, Norway and Sweden and that the other
countries were not against Turkey. It was noteworthy to see that
other countries were also viewing Turkey's problems seriously.
Meanwhile, NATO, which wants to increase its military power in
Kosovo, conveyed this request to Turkey. The General Secretary of
NATO, who met Cakmakoglu, wanted Ankara to increase the number of
its soldiers in Kosovo. /Milliyet/
It was uncovered that the Jerusalem Warriors' Organization, which
is ruled by the religious leader Hamanei and based in Iran, is
directing seven radical Islamic groups in Turkey. In addition, it
was revealed that the C-4 explosives, which were found in Sincan
as part of the operations for uncovering the murder of Kislali,
were of US origin and that these explosives were delivered to
Turkey through Iran. The first criminal investigation on these
weapons, which were seized during the operation's leg in Sincan
was completed. Then it was stated that the C-4s were of the 'old
type,' produced 20 or 25 years ago, and that these might have
been entered into this country during the period of time in which
there were good relations between the US and Iran before the
Islamic Revolution. /Milliyet/
The Minister of the Interior, Sadettin Tantan answered
journalists' questions on the progress of the Police Operation
Hope before joining the Parliamentary Internal Affairs
Commission, the Anatolia News Agency reports. When asked to
clarify what he meant by 'Search through the archives,' Tantan
replied, "Just by asking this question it proves that you have
not done any archive work. Not just police archives, but your
archives as well will bring you closer to the facts. We expect
our young journalist colleagues to do their archive work and
inform the public accordingly."
The "Bodrum-Cos Aegean Water Sports Festival" which is organized
together with Bodrum and Cos Offices of the Sub-governor is
on-going. As part of the festival, 60 Turkish and Greek sportsmen
are competing in various areas. Attending the opening of the
festival, Minister of State Fikret Unlu and Greek Deputy Minister
Responsible for Sports, Zaharapulos Spilios stated that the
festival would contribute to strengthening the friendship between
Turkish and Greek nations. The festival will last until May 19.
/Cumhuriyet/
The 'Toksotis-Vergina 2000' manoeuvres, which are being held
within the framework of Greek Joint Defense Doctrine, started at
the southern part of Cyprus yesterday. This manoeuvre, which aims
at developing the coordination between the Greek-Cypriot Army and
the Greek Armed Forces, will continue for two days and the Greek
war planes and the warships will also attend this manoeuvre.
/Milliyet/
During operations held by the Directorate of Security's
Department for Combatting Terrorism, nine teachers, including the
Director of Sakarya Primary School, Tahir Gunes, were detained
under suspicion of helping the Hizbullah terrorist organization.
It was stated that the interrogation of these teachers was
continuing. /Turkiye/
In an article that was published in the last issue of 'Time'
magazine, it was reported that the issue of the attack
helicopters, which should be sold by the US to Turkey, and which
amounts to four billion dollars was not clarified. In the
article, it was written, "The US promised to sell helicopter to
Turkey and now it should keep its promise." According to the
agreement, four billion dollars will be paid for 145 attack
helicopters, which are supposed to be sold by the US to Turkey.
/Turkiye/
Commander of the Air Forces, General Ergin Celasin, went to the
city of Veszprem in Hungary to pay an official visit. Celasin and
the accompanying delegation were welcomed by the Hungarian Air
Forces' Commander, General Istvan Talla, at the military airport.
The Turkish military delegation will meet Hungarian military
officials during meetings that will continue until Friday and
discuss ways to improve relations between the two countries, the
mutual training of officers and other military issues. The
Hungarian Air Forces will also present demonstrations of the
MIG-29 and MIH-24 war planes for the Turkish military delegation.
/Turkiye/
Romanian Chief of General Staff, Maj.Gen.Mircea Gheorge Chelaru,
has visited Turkey's Chief of General Staff Gen.Huseyin
Kivrikoglu. Maj.Gen.Chelaru was met by Gen.Kivrikoglu with a
military ceremony at the General Staff Headquarters.
Maj.Gen.Chelaru will stay in Turkey until May 19 and will then
visit Istanbul, Isparta and Antalya. /All papers/
Four Neo-Nazis who set fire in Solingen, Germany seven years ago
which caused the death of five Turkish girls and two women, were
ordered to pay compensation. In 1995, the four were sentenced to
prison terms between 10 to 15 years for "murder, attempt to
murder and arson in many places." Yesterday, they were brought to
court again. According to the decision of the Wuppertal Court of
First Instance, the four were sentenced to pay 250,000 DM and
monthly 360 DM to the families of the victims as compensation.
/Aksam/
A seminar was held entitled 'The world's integration on the issue
of earthquakes after those that occurred in Turkey and Athens in
1999,' which was organized by NATO, Scientific and Technical
Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and Istanbul Technical
University (ITU). The announcement presented during this seminar
was terrifying. The scientists are expecting earthquakes to occur
in Istanbul, Cinarcik, Biga, Tekirdag, Armutlu and Elmacik. A
lecturer at ITU, Prof. Naci Gorur, who undertook the management
of the seminar, explained the common point that was reached by
the scientists and said, "Most of these scientists agree that the
risk of an earthquake in the Marmara region increased after the
latest earthquakes occurred. This earthquake, which is expected
to occur in about 30 years, will be above 7.0 on the Richter
scale. However, this opinion should be considered to be only a
'possibility' for now." /Milliyet/
Iranian Foreign Minister Kemal Harrazi has claimed that Turkish
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has interfered in Iran's domestic
affairs. According to IRNA, the Iranian official news agency,
Harrazi in a statement yesterday said that Ecevit's statements
were not compatible with diplomatic traditions.
Meanwhile, Spokesman of the US State Department, Richard Boucher,
held a press conference yesterday and recalled that Turkish
police had captured many people related to the Mumcu and Kislali
murders. Boucher said, "However, the Turkish government has
avoided making any official comment concerning the allegations of
an Iranian connection to the incidents before it receives the
complete results of the investigations." /Hurriyet/
The Minister of the Environment, Fevzi Aytekin, stated that as of
today the Ministry of the Environment would be more effective in
investments. Aytekin stressed, "Anyone who wishes to invest in
our country will have to take the view of the Ministry of the
Environment. Without confirmation, the projects will not be able
to get EU loans." /Aksam/
The Turkish government's performance began to be examined
seriously for the first time yesterday within the framework of
the stand-by agreement, signed with the International Monetary
Fund (IMF). The IMF delegation, which arrived in Ankara
yesterday, is continuing the technical discussions during which
the developments of the last four months are being reviewed. The
delegation is also continuing its discussions with the
Privatization Administration Board (OIB), with the Ministry of
Finance and with the other related institutions. During these
meetings, the performance of the economy for the last four
months, State Economic Enterprises (SEES) balance, interior and
foreign borrowing, the public banks, the funds and the latest
situation of the local adminstrations will be discussed. The
Chief of IMF Turkish Office, Carlo Cottarelli, will also arrive
in Turkey tomorrow and meet the Treasury Undersecretary, Selcuk
Demiralp, on 22 May. The delegation will stay in Turkey for
nearly two weeks. /Turkiye/
Chairman of Istanbul Gold Exchange, Serdar Citak, stated that
they had provided the right to receive loans of silver and
platinum to have transactions at the Valuable Mines Loan Market.
Citak added, "Thus, a new solution was found to the problem of
the financing of the valuable mines sector. The people or the
establishments that take place within this sector will have the
opportunity of finding sources in more convenient conditions
thanks to these loans. This will increase the power of
competition both in the valuable mines sector and in the sector's
international market and, thus, contribute to the economic
improvement a great deal." /Milliyet/
Van-Et Factory will spend 4.5 million dollars for its turkey
poultry project. Director of Van-Et Factory, Mumir Karam, stated
that they had saved the Agricultural Vocational High School's
inactive facilites thanks to this project. Karam added, "The
turkey poultry project, which was started in order to improve the
turkey processing in the region and the marketing of it, reached
its final stage. First of all, we have completed the
infrastructure of the facilities belonging to the Agricultural
Vocational High School. In the following days, breading turkeys
will be started for four months and then they will be distributed
to the citizens. We will reach the position that we deserve in a
short period of time." /Milliyet/
Turkey won one of the awards for best automobile advertisement of
the year in the world. The advertising company, called
'Pars/McCann-Erickson, which is active in Turkey, won the mansion
award in the branch of the best press announcement with the two
press announcements prepared for Opel Corsa in the category of
'The Best Awards,' which is given by 'Advertising Age' magazine.
This award is the one and only award that was given by this
magazine to a Turkish advertising agency. /Turkiye/
ITF-Istanbul Fair Company, will organize the '2nd International
Home Textile Fair' between 25 and 28 May in order to exhibit the
latest developments in home textiles with the support of the Home
Textile Industrialists. 400 Turkish and foreign firms will attend
this fair, which will be held at the CNR International Fair
Centre. In addition, another fair, which will gather the latest
developments in metal technology, will be held between 24 and 28
May by the ITF-Istanbul Fair Company due to the Metal Week.
/Turkiye/
This year, Turkey is waiting for the highest figures in the
actual inflow of the foreign investment in its history. The
Foreign Capital General Director of the Undersecretariat of
Treasury, Mehmet Onaner, stated that they expected an actual
inflow of foreign investment about 1.5 billion dollars by the end
of the year 2000. /Aksam/
The Topkapi Palace CD-Rom prepared under the sponsorship of the
Turkish Economy Bank was promoted to the press yesterday. The
CD-Rom which aims to promote the Topkapi Palace to foreigners in
English, German, French and Turkish cost a total of nearly
$200,000. Everyone has the opportunity to order the CD-Rom from
this Internet address: 'www.amazon.com'. /Hurriyet/
The positive effect on world stock exchanges caused by the US
announcement saying that there was no increase in the consumer
prices in April also affected the Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB).
The IMKB index rose by 2.82 % yesterday and reached 17,429
points. /Hurriyet/
World Bank executive directors are scheduled to consider a $760
million Economic Reform Loan (ERL) to Turkey on May 18, the
Bank's Ankara office announced yesterday. The ERL, which is
designed to support the government's reform efforts in public
expenditure, management, social security, agriculture,
telecommunications and energy, will be released in two tranches.
The loan will also support the disinflation programme and
acceleration of privatization, the Bank said. A $384.6 million
first tranche is expected to be given once the loan is signed at
the end of May, the Turkish Treasury said yesterday. Release of
the second tranche will depend on the continued commitment of the
government to the economic reform programme.
Meanwhile, World Bank President James Wolfensohn will start a
three-day visit to Turkey on May 25, which is regarded as an
indication of the importance the Bank attaches to Turkey. /All
papers/
Turkish Agriculture Minister Husnu Yusuf Gokalp vowed not to
breach the government's stand-by deal with the IMF in setting
wheat support prices, despite reactions from the agriculture
sector. Gokalp said wheat support prices would be revealed soon
and would please everyone. "Wheat farmers will get a price
commensurate with their labour" he added. According to Turkey's
stand-by deal with the IMF, grain support prices must not be
higher than 35 % above world prices, which will mean around an 8
% nominal increase in Turkish wheat prices from last year. /All
papers/
The Treasury yesterday sold a net TL 1.44 quadrillion of 14-month
floating rate notes (FRNs) at an annual compounded yield of 46.13
%, which appeared in line with market expectations, dealers said.
Bids totalled TL 1.8 quadrillion, where uncompetitive sales to
primary dealers amounted to TL 145 trillion and those to the
public sector to TL 533.3 trillion. The FRNs are value-dated May
17 and mature on May 15, 2002. /All papers/
Turkey exported $597.3 million worth of unshelled hazelnuts
-172,100 tons- in the 1999-2000 export season that opened on
Sepember 1, according to the Black Sea Hazelnut Exporters' Union.
Over the same period last year, Turkey raised $626.6 million from
152,600 tons of hazelnut exports. /Turkish Daily News/
Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu evaluated statistical surveys of
Turkish tourism at a meeting held yesterday in Antalya, the
Anatolia News Agency reports. Mumcu said the occupancy-rate for
tourist accomodation would exceed figures from 1997, the 'golden
year in tourism.' Motherland Party (ANAP) Leader Mesut Yilmaz
joined the meeting following his visits to touristic sites and
met local administrators, representatives from chambers of
commerce and industry and non-governmental organizations.
Turkish football team Galatasaray will face British Arsenal team
in the UEFA Cup tonight. The kick-off will be at 21:45 on the
Parken Stadium in Copenhagen. The Turkish Television and Radio
Corporation (TRT) will broadcast the game. /Cumhuriyet/
Nearly 11,000 people have received visa to go to Copenhagen to
attend the Galatasaray-Arsenal match this evening. Eighty
airplanes will depart from Turkey for Copenhagen today. It is
reported that the income of tourism agencies almost amounts to TL
1.5 trillion.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Turkish Union of Travel Agencies
(TURSAB), Basaran Ulusoy, said that Galatasaray has made great
contribution to the promotion of Turkey with the matches it
played in various European countries and the successful results
it achieved. /Star/
Columnist Sami Kohen comments on the inauguration speech
delivered by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. A summary of his
column is as follows:
Ahmet Necdet Sezer who began his duty as President presented
messages regarding the policies he will follow both within the
country and abroad, in the inauguration speech he delivered
during the swearing in ceremony which took place at the Turkish
Grand National Assembly (TGNA).
This speech has drawn attention to the priority the new President
attaches to the supremacy of law, democracy, human rights and
freedoms. Sezer, who mentioned these issues in his speech, stated
that Turkey had a lot to accomplish in these fields and that the
Presidency would play an active role in achieving them.
It is also an important point that the new President has said
that reaching modern standards would not be possible without
abandoning policies and implementations similar to those in a
police state.
In his speech, Sezer mentioned the necessity of protecting
secularism and the territorial integrity of the country, social
peace, fair income distribution, justice and education. He also
dwelt on the issues of corruption and terrorism. He maintained
that as the President, he would use all of his power to end
terrorism. On the issue of terrorism, he stated that although the
influence of terrorism was decreasing it has not been eradicated
as yet and the Turkish Armed Forces should be supported in this
fight.
On foreign policy the new President recalled that the basic
principles of Ataturk were still valid and stated that he would
follow an honourable foreign policy. He also mentioned the
criteria adopted by the EU and said that it was necessary to
adopt these values. According to Sezer, the success of Turkey in
improving democracy will increase its chances of integrating with
the EU.
It is apparent that the President knows the connection between
the stiuation in the country and foreign relations. In other
words, the speed with which Turkey can carry out the reforms
which will advance respect for human rights and freedoms and
democracy will determine Turkey's chances of integrating with the
EU. Sezer stated that Turkey has to carry out these reforms not
because our allies see it as a requirement, but because of the
importance we attach in catching up to modern standards.
As he was known to be in favour of new initiatives in the fields
of democracy, human rights and freedoms, his accession to
Presidency was viewed as an encouraging development. His speech
has reinforced this sentiment. In the words of Stephen Kinzer,
New York Times correspondent in Turkey, the accession of Sezer to
the Presidency is an indication of an extraordinary changes in
Turkey. 'The recent developments in Turkey show that Turkey seems
ready to welcome political reforms.'
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
SEZER'S TERM IN PRESIDENCY
CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE WORLD
TUSIAD SUPPORTS NEW PRESIDENT
UCOK'S MURDER ALSO UNCOVERED
EU COMMISSION DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY
SUPPORT FOR TURKEY INCREASES
IRAN'S HELP FOR TURKEY
TANTAN: "WE ARE INVESTIGATING EVERYTHING"
TURCO-GREEK FRIENDSHIP GETS TIGHT
MANOEUVRE IN CYPRUS
NINE MORE HIZBULLAH TERRORIST ORGANIZATION MEMBERS CAPTURED
TIME: "AMERICA SHOULD KEEP ITS PROMISE"
GENERAL CELASUN IN HUNGARY
ROMANIAN CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF IN TURKEY
COMPENSATION FOR SOLINGEN ARSONISTS
'DESTRUCTIVE EARTHQUAKE IS INEVITABLE'
HARRAZI: "ECEVIT HAS INTERFERED IN OUR DOMESTIC AFFAIRS"
APPROVAL FOR INVESTMENTS
IMF'S INTENSIVE AGENDA
PLATINUM AND SILVER LOAN AT ISTANBUL GOLD EXCHANGE
VAN-ET TO INVEST IN 4.5 MILLION DOLLARS
SUCCESS OF ADVERTISING AGENCIES
TWO FAIRS TO BE HELD IN ISTANBUL
RECORD IN FOREIGN INVESTMENT
PROMOTION OF TOPKAPI PALACE WITH CD-ROM
IMKB ON THE RISE
WORLD BANK TO CONSIDER LOANS TO TURKEY ON MAY 18
AGRICULTURE MINISTER VOWS TO STICK TO IMF DEAL
TREASURY SELLS NET TL 1.44 QUADRILLION FRNs AT AUCTION
HAZELNUT EXPORTS REACH $597.3 MILLION
RECORD SEASON IN TOURISM EXPECTED
WAITING FOR THE GAME
80 AIRPLANES TO COPENHAGEN TODAY
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
IMPORTANT MESSAGES BY PRESIDENT SEZER BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)