SPECIAL INVITATION TO SEZER

Iranian Presiden Muhammed Hatemi sent Deupty Foreign Minister Muhammed Huseyin Adeli to Ankara as his special envoy to invite President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit meeting. Deputy Foreign Minister Adeli responsible for ECO, paid a visit to President Sezer to convey him the invitation sent by President Hatemi. President Sezer stated to Adeli that he would convey his response to the letter through diplomatic channels as soon as possible. It was learned that Hatemi had pointed out the significance of Turkey's representation at the Summit at the highest level. He also mentioned that Turkey's stability and peace was of great importance to Iran./Hurriyet/

SEZER'S STATEMENT CONCERNING THE WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

'World Environment Day' was celebrated with various activities, organized by the Ministry of Environment and the other organizations. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer pointed out that wars, changes of regime and a process of industrialization which ignored the natural environment were experienced. Sezer added, "The basic principle for the solution of environmental problems, which threaten the world, is to control and protect the environment." In addition, Minister of Environment, Fevzi Aytekin, said that the air, water and soil polution make the nature impossible to live for all sorts of creatures. Within the framework of the activities, organized by the Ministry of Environment between 5 and 11 June, Fevzi Aytekin, Governor of Ankara, Yahya Gur, bureaucrats of the Ministry, representatives of the non-governmental organizations and the students visited Ataturk's Mausoleum. The delegation walked to Anitpark, where the ceremonies of the World Environment Day were organized. Gur recalled that the 'Environmental Education Pilot Project' was implemented so that an awareness of environment can be settled. /Cumhuriyet/

ECEVIT PROMISES MORE PROGRESS ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who is in Norway for a three-day official visit, said yesterday that Ankara was ready to take 'drastic steps' to respect human rights, and promised further improvements in the upcoming years. Ecevit, who arrived in Oslo on Sunday, also agreed in talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg to step up cooperation with Norway on economic issues, particularly in the area of energy and hydroelectric power. After this meeting with Stoltenberg, Ecevit held a joint press conference with his counterpart. Speaking on Turkey's efforts to improve its human rights effort, Ecevit said that human rights were improving in NATO member Turkey despite what he called 'constrains of separatist and religious terrorism' from certain Kurdish groups and other terrorists. Ecevit added, "If this government continues to fullfil his duties, we will catch the criteria necessary for the full membership to the European Union and implement the reforms in the parliament. /Turkish Daily News and Milliyet/

LOLOGLU MEETS IRAQUI DEPUTY PRESIDENT RAMADAN

Foreign Minister Undersecretary Faruk Logoglu was received by Iraqi Deputy President Taha Yasin Ramadan on Monday. Stressing that relations between Turkey and Iraq would provide the region with peace and security, Ramadan reportedly said during the reception that all the Iraqi officials, including Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, wish for improvement in relations with Turkey. Stating that both sides should refrain from foreign policies which have the potential to destabilize the region, Ramadan called for 'open and constructive dialogue' between authorities of the two countries in order to consider mutual benefits. Logoglu, speaking after Ramadan, stated that an improvement in relations would benefit both countries. Logoglu and the Turkish delegation are expected to meet Iraqi Oil Minister Amir Muhammad Rashad today. /Turkish Daily News/

CROATIAN CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF IN TURKEY

Croatian Chief of General Staff, General Petar Stipetic visited the Turkish Chief of the General Staff, General Huseyin Kivrikoglu. General Stipetic was welcomed by General Kivrikoglu with a military ceremony when he arrived in the Headquarters of the General Staff. No information was given on the meetings of the two Chiefs of Staff, which was closed to the press. /Turkiye/

ARGUEMENT BETWEEN DANYEL COHN-BENDIT AND YUKSEL YALOVA

Joint Parliamentary Commission meeting of the European Parliament and Turkish Grand National Assembly delegations has been the scene of a heated argument between European and Turkish porliamentarians. As the European Parliament Members continued to harp on the Kurdish issue and tried to base Turkey's relations with the EU on this statement, State Minister Yuksel Yalova, who attended the meeting, interrupted and stated that if Bendit continued passing judgement on Turkey the sides could not reach an agreement. Yalova also added that Kurds were not a minority in Turkey. When Bendit insisted that should Turkey invite Kurds from the eastern part of Turkey it would contribute to the solution of the problem, JPC Co-Chairman Kursat Eser stated that there were five citizens of Kurdish origin in the Turkish JPC delegation and added that Turkey instead of inviting them to Ankara was sending them to Brussels in a delegation. /Hurriyet, Milliyet/

DISPUTE BETWEEN ANAP AND MHP OVER SUPREME COURT

Ices have begun to thaw between the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) over the discussion concerning MHP's votes in favour of an investigation for ANAP Chairman Mesut Yilmaz at the Supreme Court. MHP Chairman Devlet Bahceli and ANAP Chairman Mesut Yilmaz asked of their aides not give statements which would create tension in the Government. Following these developments, ANAP Deputy Chairman Ersin Taranoglu took the first step in softening the atmosphere. He called Nazif Okumus from the MHP, and stated that he did not make any statement to the effect that ANAP would give a motion concerning the investigation of MHP leader Bahceli or Public Works Minister Koray Aydyn. The efforts to soften the climate was welcomed by the MHP. /Sabah/

AZERBAIJANI DOCTORS IN ANKARA

Minister of Health, Osman Durmus, invited Azerbaijani specialist doctors to Ankara for a three-months training at the hospitals in Ankara. Durmus settled 20 Azerbaijani doctors in Numune Hospital, High Specialization Hospital, Zekai Tahir Burak Hospital, Traffic Hospital, Dr. Sami Ulus and Oncology Hospital in Ankara. Yesterday, Minister Durmus also gave a banquet to the head doctors of the hospitals in which the guest doctors will be tranied. /Turkiye/

EARTHQUAKE IN DENIZLI

Tremors in Denizli which began on Sunday noon caused unrest among the citizens. People who panicked in Denizli which shook 21 times in 24 hours are afraid to go into their houses. On hearing rumours that an earthquake registering 7 on the Richter scale was expected, people spent the night at parks./Hurriyet/

PUBLIC BANKS TO BE PRIVATIZED

Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp gave information on the privatization of Ziraat Bank, Halk Bank and Emlak Bank, saying that the necessary draft law was prepared concerning the issue. Demiralp stated that this draft law would be presented to the Council of Ministers next week. These three banks are expected to be privatized within the framework of the special law. /Turkiye/

SUCCESS OF TURKISH BANKING

The number of the Turkish banks's financial participation and the partnerships attached to them increased by 40% and reached 95% when compared to the figures of 1999. According to the data of the Turkish Association of Banks, Turkish banks have participations and partnerships attached to them in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Germany, Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, Holland, Hungary, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Austria, England, Ireland, Switzerland, Romania, Kyrghyzstan, Bulgaria, Malta, Belgium, Luxembourg and Cayman Islands. /Turkiye/

FRANCE TELECOM'S INITIATIVE

French Minister of Communication, Francois Huwart, stated that France Telecom and Vivendi Group would participate in 20% of the block sale bidding of the Turkish Telecom. Huwart met the Turkish Minister of Communication, Enis Oksuz, after which he said, "France Telecom will participate in the Turk Telecom's bidding. As is known, with the purchase of Orange Company a little while ago France Telecom gained an international characteristic. What is more, this bidding will also be participated by Vivendi Group." Huwart added that they wanted to help and support Turkey to become a member of the European Union. /Aksam/

NET HOLDING TO OPEN HOTEL IN THE TRNC AND SHOP IN PRAGUE

Chairman of the Executive Board of Net Holding Company, Mehmet Ceritoglu, stated that their aim was to gain the endorsement amounting to 300 million dollars with an increase by 40%. Ceritoglu said, "We aim to increase our capital to 29 trillion TL with the capital increase that we will carry out this month. A member of the Executive Board of Net Holding Company, Reha Arar, also said, "Five-star hotels with a capacity of 450 beds will begin to operate in Northern Cyprus in August. The group will also open a shop in Prague." /Aksam/

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MARITIME UNIVERSITIES TO ARRIVE IN TURKEY

International Association of Maritime Universities' (IAMU) General Council Meeting will be held at Istanbul Technical University's campus in Maslak between 25 June and 2 July 2000. 250 scientists and 200 students from various countries will attend this meeting and the decisions taken during this meeting will be presented to the International Maritime Organization. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKISH FAIR IN JAPAN

Officials from the Japanese Foreign Trade Organization (JETRO) discussed the increase in exports from Turkey to Japan and the problems of trade between the two countries during their contacts in Ankara yesterday. Chairman of the JETRO, Noboru Hatakeyama, stated that they would open a Turkish fair in the year 2001 in Japan so that Turkey's exports to Japan will increase. /Cumhuriyet/

ZIRAAT BANK TO MERGE ITS BRANCHES ABROAD

Ziraat Bank, which has an active extent of 12 quadrillion 35 trillion 315 million TL, is preparing to merge its branches abroad under the name of 'Ziraat International AG'. The bank, whose own resource amounts to 250 million Deutsche Mark and capital amounts to 200 million Deutsche Mark, is expected to open in September. /Cumhuriyet/

OZINCE RECEIVES SUPERIOR SERVICE AWARD FROM METU

The Middle East Technical University (METU) gave awards of service to academicians and administrative personnel, who concluded their 20th and 25th service year at the METU and who retired from this university. Rector of METU, Prof. Suha Sevuk, issued a speech during the ceremony held at the METU Culture and Congress Centre, said that METU Day and the Graduates' Day was celebrated on the same day since last year. Sevuk added that this year it was decided that 'METU Superior Service Award' would be given to the General Director of Is Bank, Ersin Ozince. /Sabah/

TURKISH ASSOCIATION OF INDUSTRIALISTS AND BUSINESSMEN

Turkish Association of Industrialits and Businessmen's (TUSIAD) representative will represent public and private institutions, non-governmental organizations and TUSIAD by the government in Ankara. TUSIAD aims to contribute to process of making political, economic, social and cultural decisions. Meanwhile, Zafer Ali Yavan was appointed as the TUSIAD's representative in Ankara. /Star/

NEW INCREASE IN THE SALARIES

The amount of the workers', retired officials', widows' and the orphans' salaries for June was determined. According to the figures released by the State Statistics Institute (DIE) for May, the salary of the workers, retired officials, widows and orphans were determined as minimum 103 million 329 thousand TL and maximum 196 million 521 thosusand TL. /Star/

INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY

Turkish Electricity and Distribution Joint Stock Cooperation (TEDAS) increased to the unit price of electricity by 2.1% in accordance with the inflation targets for the year 2000. This increase will be valid as from 1 June. /Star/

TOSKAY'S STATEMENT CONCERNING THE INFLATION RATE OF MAY

State Minister Tunca Toskay stated that the lowest rate of inflation for May was reached after ten or fifteen years in terms of both Wholesale Price Index (TEFE) and the Consumer Price Index (TUFE). After receiving the Japanese Foreign Trade (JETRO) delegation, Toskay answered the questions of the journalists. While answering the question of a journalist concerning the figures of inflation rate in May, he said that the decrease in the inflation rate was continuing. /Turkiye/

RECORD IS BROKEN IN FOREIGN CAPITAL OF THE LAST TWENTY YEARS

Treasury Undersecretariat's General Director of the Foreign Capital, Mehmet Sahin Onaner, stated that they were expecting amount of the direct entry of the foreign capital's amount to reach nearly 1.5 billion dollars for the first time in the last twenty years. Onaner answered the questions concerning the increase of the foreign capital, saying, "During the first three months of this year, the rate of the permission given to the foreign capital increased by 24%. There are positive developments in terms of the foreign capital." /Turkiye/

BUKET UZUNER'S BOOKS TO BE PUBLISHED ABROAD

Buket Uzuner's novel entitled 'Kumral Ada-Mavi Tuna' was published in Italy by the Italian Sellerio Publishing House and now it will be published in Israel by Cartaben Publishing House. In addition, Her story entitled 'Yerli Filmlerle Buyumus Kiz Cocuklarindan Biri' will be published in the Modern Balkan Literature Anthology, entitled 'Balkan Tapestry' in English, which was prepared by the University of California's Publishing House. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKISH AND SYRIAN ARMY FOOTBALL TEAMS TO PLAY FOR PEACE

Turkey and Syria, which came to the verge of war two years ago, have recently been taking steps to improve their economic, social and military relations. As a result of these measures, the Turkish army football team is to play its Syrian army counterpart in Istanbul today. According to a statement released by the Turkish General Staff the match will be a first in the two armies' history. /Turkish Daily News/

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

PRESIDENT SEZER AND COPENHAGEN CRITERIA BY SEDAT ERGIN (HURRIYET)

Columnist Sedat Ergin writes on President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's views on the Copenhagen criteria. A summary of his column is as follows: "President Ahmet Necdet Sezer made his first important statement reflecting his views on the European Union during his reception of EU Commisioner of Foreign Policy Javier Solana. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in a statement said that the efforts which have been launched to fulfil the requirements of the Copenhagen criteria will be expedited in near future. According to the statement, Sezer stressed that the harmonization of Turkish legal system with the EU law, development of the institutional infrastructure within this framework were among its aims. In the speech he delivered at the TGNA, during his swearing-in ceremony Sezer had touched upon the EU with the words that Turkey had to integrate with the values EU had adopted. It can be said that in his message to Solana, Sezer has stated his commitment to full-membership of the EU more strongly. Furthermore, he expressed the need to expedite efforts for harmonization with the political standards which is a must for the Copenhagen criteria. In Turkey, the Copenhagen criteria is approached by a certain sensitivity on the part of decision-makers. The reason behind this sensitivity is the expectations of the EU on the composition of the National Secruity Council within the framework of the Copenhagen criteria, the steps to be taken concerning the Southeastern problem, and the abolishment of capital punishment. It is understood that the first expectation of the EU can be met by increasing the number of the civilian members and that the military does not have any objections to the issue. However, on the Southeastern problem, it is not certain how the expectations for steps on cultural issues be met. The abolishment of capital punishment is as critical as the Southeastern problem. Therefore, it is not certain how the commitments made by President Sezer will be fulfilled."

WHAT CHANGED? BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

Columnist Sami Kohen writes on US-Russian relations. A summary of his column is as follows: "Following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the US had seen Russia as a friend, and even a 'strategic partner'. When the ices of Cold War thawed, Washington actively supported Moscow stumbling in political and economic instability and helped it to get out of a bottleneck. However, as a Russian newspaper stated yesterday, the strategic partnership concept is pushed aside and both sides do not know how the relations will develop. The summit held between US President Bill Clinton who will leave office in eight months and Russian Head of State Vladimir Putin who is newly elected, did not yield concrete results in major issues which showed that the US-Russian relations were not to be the same as before. This is due to important changes seen in Russia. When Russia was weaker it was taking care not to disturb the US which had extended a helping hand. However, despite all its problems Russia is quickly recovering and Putin does not want Russia to be considered a second class state and therefore, is trying to develop more independent policies. The summit between Clinton and Putin showed that there were common interests between the US and Russia on certain matters as well wide gaps on others. The US has displayed its dissatisfaction with the policies Putin wanted to follow on Clinton's visit. To understand what the Moscow summit means for Turkey, it is necessary to wait and see what has been taken up behind closed doors. It is not surprising that neither an accord nor a concrete result has been achieved at the summit. Talks will go on concerning the US Missile Defence System project and the Chechnyan problem will continue to fall on deaf ears. However, the important point is that, Russia is strengthening and its inrfluence is being felt in the region. What will be the US policy, will it remain silent on some issues not to get into a dispute with Russia or be insistent on the policies it has defended all along? It is understood that President Clinton has stayed firm on the project over Eurasia which concerned Turkey closely. If Clinton is not too insistent on these matters, it is beacuse his term of office as President is coming to an end. Putin may use this opportunity."

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