ECEVIT VOICES DETERMINATION TO DEVELOP SOUTHEAST

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit went to Diyarbakir to attend the Democratic Left Party's (DSP) Diyarbakir convention and to hold a series of meetings with governors in the region and local businessmen, the Anatolia news agency reported on Sunday. Speaking at the Diyarbakir convention Ecevit said that the biggest obstacle to development in the region was that there was an insufficient number of civil servants to meet public expectations. Ecevit also made a vague reference to the issue of border trade and said that a new arrangement would be devised to lighten the oil trade burden on the Habur border gate. Ecevit did not give details about the new arrangement however. Ecevit also put emphasis on the terrorism issue and said that terrorism was one of the most important facts in the underdevelopment of the region. The Prime Minister said that under the current coalition government the terrorism problem had been solved. /Turkish Daily News/

KECECILER: "SEZER'S EXCUSE WAS UNDERSTOOD"

State Minister Mehmet Kececiler said that he delivered the message of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who did not go to Tehran to attend the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), who wished successful results from the ECO. Kececiler, who represented Turkey in Tehran and who returned to Turkey yesterday, said, "I delivered the news that President Sezer could not attend the ECO due to his intensive programme and his message that included his wish for successful results, to the ECO Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the State Ministers both during the meeting and during the bilateral meetings. The excuse of Sezer was understood." /Milliyet/

TURCO-SYRIA RELATIONS

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit evaluated the situation in Syria after the death of President Hafez Assad on Saturday. Stating that Assad was a very experienced politician and statesman, Ecevit said, "Lately there have been developments in our relations and we wish that to continue." In the mean time, Ankara is expected to attend the funeral at ministry level which will be held on Tuesday. /Hurriyet/

US ATTACHE IN VAN

The US Administration's interest in Southeastern Anatolia is continuing. After the visit of Mark Parris, the US Ambassador to Ankara, the US Embassy's Military Attache, Lieutenant Colonel Steve Button went to Van to make observations in the region. /Aksam/

COMMISSION'S DECISION WEEK

The investigation commissions will give their final decision for the two leaders of the central right, Mesut Yilmaz and Tansu Ciller, this week. One of the two commissions left from eight investigation commissions for Mesut Yilmaz will convene today to decide on the allegations for GSM bidding. Tomorrow, the investigation commissions will decide on Ciller's slush fund and Yilmaz's tourism allocation allegations. The decisons of the commissions will be voted at General Assembly of the TGNA. True Path Party (DYP) and Motherland Party (ANAP) are expected to cooperate. /Aksam/

YALOVA'S STATEMENT

State Minister Yuksel Yalova, responsible for the relations with the European Union (EU), explained the timetable of this summer to 'Sabah' daily. Yalova, who attended the Meeting of the Turco-EU Joint Parliament Commission in Brussels, said that 450 million euros of the loan amounting to 750 million euros, which was promised by the European Investment Bank to be given to Turkey, would be released. Yalova added, "I told them that the Customs Union should fulfil its responsibilities. They will donate 375 million dollars to Turkey. We will use this resource for the improvement of eight years basic education and for the development of the vocational education." /Sabah/

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION'S CONGRESS

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Yasar Okuyan, who is in Geneva now for the 88th Labour Congress of the International Labour Organization (ILO), stated that nearly 1 quadrillion TL was spent due to corruption and unfair payment at the social security institutions, misuse and wasteful expenditure of medicine. Okuyan added that the system of full automation should be implemented so that these can be prevented. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKISH RED CRESCENT 132 YEARS OLD

Chairman of the Turkish Red Crescent, Dr. Ertan Gonen, stated that the Turkish Red Crescent gained the ability to adopt to the conditions of the new world and to meet the rapidly increasing needs thanks to the implementation of the project of restructuring the Turkish Red Crescent. During the press conference, which was held due to the 132th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Red Crescent, Gonen said that the Turkish Red Crescent was giving an important service based on the principles of independence, humanitarianism, impartiality, unity and universality. /Turkiye/

COMPULSORY EARTHQUAKE INSURANCE

After March 27 2001, the State will not build houses or give repair loans to earthquake victims who do not have compulsory quake insurance. The villages will not be included in the compulsory insurance. The State will pay for damages which may occur in villages. The World Bank gave 100 million dollar-long term loan to use for this insurance. /Aksam/

HEROIN SEIZED AT THE BORDER

The team attached to Istanbul's Directorate of the Department of Narcotics, seized 49 kg of heroin amounting to 1 trillion TL in a lorry at Harbur border gate. Eight people were detained concerning the incident. Detectives also found 146,500 Deutsche Marks and 3,000 Dutch Gulden in the lorry. /Turkiye/

ADDITIONAL TAX OF 200 TRILLION FROM IMKB

The income earned by the additional tax so that the damage caused by the earthquake can be healed surpassed one quadrillion TL. 200 trillion TL of this amount was given by Istanbul Stock Exchanges (IMKB). Ministry of Finance's General Director of Incomes, Akif Hamzacebi, stated that the target concerning the additional tax and other taxes will be reached. /Milliyet/

TREASURY TO PAY FOREIGN DEBT

Treasury will repay its foreign debt amounting to 232 million dollars this week. Thus, the foreign debt paid during the first five and a half months of this year, will reach 4 billion dollars. 31% of the borrowing will be used again for the repayment of foreign debt. The Treasury will pay 300 thousand dollars today. /Cumhuriyet/

CENTRAL BANK'S GAP CONFERENCE

Conference on 'GAP's (Southeastern Anatolia Project) Place in the Future of Turkey', organized by the Central Bank, will start today. During this conference, which will be held at the Conference Hall of the Central Bank between 12 and 16 June, GAP will be discussed. /Cumhuriyet/

TURCO-GREEK RAPROCHEMENT IN FINANCE

National Bank of Greece will open a representation in Turkey. Finansbank and the leading Greek banks, Alpha Credit Bank and National Bank of Greece will exchange its personnel within the framework of sharing of information. The Chairman of the Executive Board of Finansbank, Husnu Ozyegin, stated that in the syndication loan consortium there were four big Greek banks for the first time and that the amount of this loan surpassed 21.5 million dollars. /Milliyet/

SERRA'S POSITIVE COMMENT ON THE TURKISH BANKING SECTOR

General Director of Euro Turk Merchant Bank, Gilles Serra, stated that Turkey was a part of Europe with its geographical situation and its historical characteristics and that Europe's need of qualified personnel will be met by Turkey in the following years. Serra added, "The biggest obstacle before the foreign investors from staying in Turkey is the inflation in Turkey. This is also valid for the international banks and small industries. In the Turkish banking sector, whose growth potential is very high, there will be a merge in a few months. Turkey is an attractive market for the Turkish and foreign investors." /Milliyet/

COOPERATION BETWEEN DORINT HOTELS AND PARK PLAZA HOTEL

Germany's famous chain of hotels, Dorint Hotel, has entered into cooperation with Park Plaza Holding, which belongs to Park Holding Company. Chairman of the Executive Board of Park Holding, Turgay Ciner, administrators of the hotel, Rene Verhagen, Yesim Alicikoglu, Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Ali Mufit Gurtuna, Tugrul Turkes, Sadan Kalkavan, Deputy Director of Istanbul's Security Department, Ercument Yilmaz, Mayor of Beyoglu, Kadir Toptas, Director of Istanbul's Sport Department, Deputy Mehmet Agar and many guests from Germany attended the reception, which was given for the cooperation as a result of the agreement that was signed on 1 January 2000. Ciner stated that they would be very successful due to this cooperation and that they were happy to bring German technology to Turkey. /Sabah/

BURSA FESTIVAL TO BEGIN TODAY

39th International Bursa Festival, organized by Bursa Metropolitan Municipality's Foundation of Culture, Art and Tourism, will begin today. The festival will be opened with the musical performance entitled 'Cradle of Civilizations, Anatolia 2000', which was prepared within the framework of the 'Programme of Celebrating the World Peace and Culture Year 2000' by the Ministry of Culture. This festival will end on 12 July and will be organized at the Open Air Theatre, Tayyare Cultural Centre and on some streets of Bursa. /Cumhuriyet/

FESTIVAL AT ASPENDOS

The seventh International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival started with Beethoven's 9th Senfoni the day before yesterday. About seven thousand art lovers, most of them were foreign tourists listened to concerts staged by the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, the State Opera and Ballet's Chorus, the Culture Ministry State Chorus and Mersin State Opera and Ballet's Orchestra and Chorus. /Hurriyet/

PICASSO'S STOLEN PAINTING

Prominent painter Pablo Picasso's painting, La Fermiere, which was seized in Izmir last week, will be exhibited in Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum. The General Director Fine Arts of the Culture Ministry's, Mehmet Ozel, stated that the painting was being repaired by the Culture Minister's painting experts and it would be exhibited as soon as the reparation was completed. /Hurriyet/

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

SEPARATISM AND POLITICS BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)

Columnist Fikret Bila comments on Ecevit's words pointing to the relation between separatism and politics. A summary of his column is as follows: "Prime Minister Bulent Eceevit made an important statement on the airplane, during his trip to Southeastern Anatolia. He said that the political dimension of separatism gained more weight which is as important as its armed aspect. Ecevit added that this was noted both in the Government and the National Security Council and stated that they would take political measures against it. Ecevit said, " First of all we have to provide a healthy development. We have to attract investments to the region, encourage private sector and foreign capital for investments in the area. Tourism has to be encouraged. The shortcomings in education and health should be eliminated. Return to villages should be solved in a secure atmosphere." The Prime Minister believes that as a result of these measures, the ecomonomic and social climate in the region which fosters separatism will be eradicated. When pointing out to the efforts to politicise the PKK and separatism the Prime Minister also mentioned support from abroad and within the country. However, he added that there was no Government or State supporting them. "Everyone has seen the true face of the PKK. Still, there are some groups supporting it. They are confusing human rights with terrorism. There are some PKK members living abroad and in prosperity who are using the youths in mountains." Prime Minister Ecevit also stated that the security problem has been solved to a great extent but pointed out the problems across the border."Terrorists are lying in wait in Northern Iraq and Iran. We have to be careful and take them into consideration." Prime Minister Ecevit also talked about the abolishment of capital punishment during Democratic Left Party's Convention in Diyarbakir. He said, " We shall abolish capital punishment as soon as possible." Without mentioning by name, he also sent a message to HADEP by saying, "There cannot be a political party based on race. Political parties are established according to their ideologies, economic and social views. A party based on race separates a nation. "

A NEW ERA IN SYRIA BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (MILLIYET)

Former Ambassador Sukru Elekdag comments on the passing away of Syrian Head of State Hafez El Assad and its implications in the region: "Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger talks highly of Hafiz Esad in his memoirs. He believes that Esad is a poker player who can win the game with a weak hand. There are many things which could be said for and against Esad. However, it is an indisputable fact that with Esad, Syria has enjoyed 30 years of stability... In fact, Syria had found itself in a turmoil with the withdrawal of French troops in 1946. Coups and counter coups followed one another in the country. However, with Esad's coming to power in 1970, the chaos and anarchy stopped once and for all. Certainly, the cost of this stability was very high as Esad established a regime which did not tolerate any kind of opposition. Many people died for the sake of stability. Hafiz Esad who is described as a great statesman by the press has not achieved anything worthwhile both economically and socially. Furthermore, he passed away without seeing his lifetime dream come true, that is, the taking back of the Golan Heights, Israel had captured in 1967. In fact, it was Esat who opened the doors of his country to terrorist organizations and used terror to achieve his political ends and thus led his country be labeled as a 'terrorist state'. Hafiz Esad was most successful in hindering the carrying out of the GAP (Southeastern Anatolia Project) for 15 years and playing the Kurdish card against Turkey to have its demands on the Euphrates be accepted by Turkey. It seems that Esad has prepared his son as his successor. However, it is not known whether young Esad will be able to govern Syria with an iron fist as his father. Therefore, the potential of a chaos in Syria should be taken into account. In the near future, Syria may lose its influence to a certain extent. Therefore, it cannot follow policies which will lead to deterioration of relations with Turkey. However, it may not take initiatives on the issue. Turkey has made great mistakes in the policies followed towards Syria and paid a high price for it. Syria has continued a low-level war for 15 years aimed at dividing Turkey. During all this time, those in power chose to ignore the fact that Syria was to blame for all these and did not take any deterrent measures. This insensitivity and inaction ended with the initiative of the Turkish military."

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