COMPULSORY SERVICE IN SOUTHEAST

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit declared that in order to be promoted to high positions in bureaucracy, to serve in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia would be compulsory. The complaints of the Governors in the region, during his recent visit to Diyarbakir, led Ecevit to formulate such a regulation. Premier Ecevit instructed Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan to carry out a work on the procedures concerning promotions and appointments in bureaucracy and the result of the work is expected to be presented Ecevit in a few days. /Hurriyet/

ECEVIT'S CONDOLENCES

Yesterday, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit went to the Syrian Embassy in order to sign the condolence-notebook designated for the death of the Syrian President Hafiz Esad. Greeted by the Syrian Charge d'affairs, Muhammed Said Al-Bunni, Ecevit wrote in the notebook that Turkish people share the grief of Syrian nation and expressed his condolences. /Hurriyet/

TURKEY REJECTS UN'S DECISION

Ankara stated that it had not accepted the decision of the United Nations (UN) concerning the Cyprus issue and that Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would review the future of their relations with the UN Peace Force comprehensively. Ankara further stated that the decision taken concerning the Cyprus issue would not positively contribute to the international efforts in finding a solution to the Cyprus problem and that the Peace Force's activities in Northern Cyprus would be effective only with the cooperation of the TRNC. /Cumhuriyet/

YILMAZ MEETS POPE

Today will be an historic day for both Islamic and Christianity world. The Director of the Religious Affairs, Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz, will meet Pope John Paul II in Vatican. Paying a visit to Rome at the invitation of Pope with an eight-person delegation, yesterday, Yilmaz met Papal Interfaith Dialogue Council Chairman Cardinal Francis Arinze. During the meeting, Yilmaz will offer Pope cooperation against terrorism and xenophobia. In the meantime, Yilmaz will convey to the Pope President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's official invitation to Turkey. /Hurriyet/

AGCA BEFORE JUDGE

Terrorist Mehmet Ali Agca, detained in Kartal Prison, will be brought before the judge at Kadikoy Tribunal today. The decision rendered in his absence is expected to be read to his face. /Turkiye/

AEGEAN TO BE DISCUSSED

The meeting of political administrators, which will be held on 23 June between Turkey and Greece, will form an important step in the process of raprochement that began last summer between the two countries. During the meeting, which will be held by the political administrators of the two countries with an 'open agenda', the suggestion to establish a committee comprising the military and the civilians to solve the problems of Turkey on the Aegean Sea will be on the agenda again. Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary, Ambassador Yigit Alpogan, will represent Turkey whereas Greece will be represented by Ambassador Anastas Skopelitis during these meetings. /Cumhuriyet/

BOOK OF FRIENDSHIP PROMOTED BY PAPANDREOU

Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Papandreou, delivered a speech during a meeting to promote the book that was written by the retired Turkish diplomat and lecturer Ozdemir A. Ozgur about the Cyprus issue. Papandreou stated that the Turkish-Cypriots' and the Greek-Cypriots' common aim was to live together in Cyprus. In his speech, Papandreou dismissed the claim that living of these two societies together was impossible as a 'silly tale' and that the Cypriots' aim was to live together in harmony. Papandreou also stated that the third tour of proximity talks carried great importance in finding a solution to the Cyprus problem. Meanwhile, Ozgur, who is the author of the book entitled 'Cyprus in My Life' stated that this book was an autobiography and that his aim was to tell the young generation that the two societies can live together peacefully on Cyprus just like in the old days. /Aksam/

SUMMER RECESS AT SCHOOLS

1999-2000 school year is ending today for the elementary and secondary schools. 15,127,524 pupils and 522,524 teachers will begin a vacation to last about three months. The new school year is expected to begin on September 11, 2000. Meanwhile, on Sunday, June 18th, the Examination for Student Selection and Placement (OSYS) will be held. /Turkiye/

ELECTRONIC CITIZENSHIP

The software for the project of Central Registry Management System which is carried out by the Interior Ministry Directorate General of Population and Citizenship has been completed. Accordingly, alive and dead, about 110 million Turkish citizens will be granted a number and an identity card with that number. The numbers will be given randomly and will never change. /Turkiye/

EFFORTS TO CLEAN MOGAN AND EYMIR LAKE

The first technical meeting to clean Mogan Lake and Eymir Lake was held and chaired by the Minister of Environment, Fevzi Aytekin, at the Special Environment Protection Organization. Aytekin delivered a speech during this meeting, which was also attended by the Governor of Ankara, Yahya Gur, and said that now it was not time to talk, but the time to act. Aytekin stated that the second meeting in line with the decisions taken concerning the cleansing of Mogan Lake and Eymir Lake would be held next week. /Aksam/

BAYAR: "TURKEY VIEWED POSITIVELY FROM ABROAD"

Chairman of the Privatization Board, Ugur Bayar, explained the privatization programme in Turkey to the biggest fund administrators in the world. Bayar talked about the meeting, which was attended by 25 administrators of 12 fund companies and during which the investments and opportunities in Turkey and in the region were discussed, said, "I got the impression that the foreign investors consider Turkey's general picture to be quite positive". Bayar issued a statement after this meeting, which was closed to the press and said that he explained the general situation of Turkey and the developments in the process of privatization of both GSM and Turk Telecom during the meeting. Bayar added that he also told the fund administrators that the privatization programme was implemented correctly and that the macro economic programme was headed in a positive direction. /Cumhuriyet/

SWITZERLAND SUPPORTS GAP

The government of Switzerland will give 4.4 million dollars to the project which aims at contributing to the improvement of the provinces in the Southern and Southeastern Anatolia and 2.2 million dollars of this amount would be spent for the projects that will be implemented for the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP). Switzerland's Ambassador Kurt O. Wyss signed the agreement concerning this donation yesterday. It was stated that this donation would be used in the advancement of the young people in the GAP region and to improve the social status of women in the region. /Cumhuriyet/

VERGUS: "JAPANESE INVESTORS PLEASED WITH TURKS"

Japan's biggest investment consultancy company, Nomura's Deputy Director to Capital Markets, Alexander Vergus, stated that the Japanese investors' opinion on Turkey was positive due to the economic programme that is being implemented in Turkey. Vergus, who served as a mediator during Turkey's bond sale of 50 billion yens, stated that they were expecting the Samurai bonds to attract many attentions. Meanwhile, Treasury Undersecretary, Selcuk Demiralp, previously went to Japan to hold various economic contacts. Demiralp is expected to sign the agreement concerning the four-year term bond export with the Japanese mediator company, Nomura. /Cumhuriyet/

RTUK DRAFT LAW TO BE DISCUSSED IN THE TGNA

The draft law that will change the entire structure of the Supreme Radio and Television Council (RTUK) was presented to the Bureau of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA). This draft law envisages that RTUK will consist of four people who will be elected by various organizations and the Council of Ministers and by five people that will be elected by the political parties. This draft law also changes the principles of broadcasting and the shares of partnership. Accordingly, it will be harder to close a channel from bradcasting and the prohibition of the owners of private radio and television channels to enter into public biddings will be removed. /Aksam/

MADO ICECREAM IN ITALY

Kambur brothers, who became famous by producing the icecream of Kahramanmaras under the brand of 'Mado', are continuing their efforts to open up to the Italian market. Kambur brothers, who are evaluating the icecream market in Italy with the office that they opened in this country, said, "Rome will be the door that leads to the world for us. Therefore we are very sensitive about our work in this city." Kambur brothers sell icecream in the branches they opened in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Germany, Romania, England and Saudi Arabia and produce 45 kinds of icecream in the factories of 3,000 square meters. /Sabah/

MINA URGAN DIES

Prof. Mina Urgan, who was a retired lecturer at Istanbul University's Department of English Language and Literature and who wrote many books on the leading English authors and playwrights such as Shakespeare, Virginia Woolf and D. H. Lawrence, passed away at the Hospital of the Medical School of Istanbul University yesterday at the age of 84. /Milliyet/

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

UN AGAIN OPTED FOR THE 'EASY' WAY OUT BY ILNUR CEVIK

(Turkish Daily News) The third round of proximity talks between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders is scheduled to begin in Geneva on July 5, and the UN Security Council has already hurt the prospects of success of these negotiations with its latest move, which only shows indecisiveness and a lack of understanding of the Cyprus question. When the proximity talks were due to start, the United Nations, with the help of behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts by the Americans, executed a shrewd maneuver and tried to appease the Turkish Cypriots, who wanted to be treated on an equal footing with the Greek Cypriots. The fact that the Greek Cypriot government is recognized by the international community as the only administration on the island has promoted the Turkish Cypriots to secure some kind of a legal status for themselves. Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas has insisted that some form of recognition of the Turkish Cypriots is needed before he can sit down for any kind of talks with his Greek Cypriot counterpart. So after some arm-twisting the United Nations included an addendum to the UN secretary general's report on Cyprus in December when said the UN peacekeeping force on Cyprus will have to get the approval of the Turkish Cypriots to operate in Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus. That satisfied Turkish Cypriot President Denktas, who went ahead with the proximity talks. However, now that same United Nations is making a U-turn under Greek Cypriot pressure and is once again setting the clock back, which only serves to sabotage the proximity talks. The security council has decided to drop the addendum that was vital for the Turkish Cypriots. The United Nations cannot have the best of all worlds. At times it has to be decisive and unbending. If it fails to do that and pays lip service to the Greek Cypriots, we will never, ever have a meaningful dialogue for genuine peace on Cyprus.

TEST OF INSIGHT BY GUNGOR MENGI (SABAH)

Columnist Gungor Mengi writes on the recent developments in Turkey and their impact on stability. A summary of his column is as follows: "Turkey had spent a great deal of effort to defeat inflation and comply with the criteria which would help it to enter the European Union. Just as we began to believe that we were taking advantage of this historical opportunity of stability, are we relinquishing all we have achieved? The Coalition parties are criticising each other in styles reminiscent of old times. The Parliament is using its duty of control as if forsaking justice, cleanliness, and stability. Mesut Yilmaz is exonerated of the Turkbank case and his relations with gangs but accused of allocating land for Ford investments and GSM tenders. Thus, great harm is done to a country waiting for foreign investments. Which international company would like to invest in a country where it will be left in an adverse situation after spending a lot of money? As if these are not enough, the political atmosphere is getting more clouded by rumours of early elections. Turkey has two important problems which have to be given priority. First, securing a stable atmosphere which will not allow for the threats of early elections and a government crisis and secondly establishing a system which will try the accusations of corruption within the fairness of law, away from the interests of politics. In fact, these two issues complement each other and should not be seen as alternatives to the other. The leaders are expressing their opinions through the press. They should see that the present conditions of the country require the understanding of compromise which was a determining factor in the formation of the present coalition. They have to take control in hand with a summit of leaders and realize that they have to bring a solution which will protect stability and fight with corruption at the same time. All parties accept the fact that the control mechanism of the parliament has been politicized. However, they cannot prevent the blackmail of sending a case to the Supreme Court incurring damages on stability. All parties have proposals to turn the fight with corruption from being a political weapon and bring a system based on law. Commonsense dictates that the search by all parties should unite in a common path. The Coalition leaders were praised for never losing the dialogue among themselves and working in harmony. They are facing their first serious test of insight and goodwill now."

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