EU DRAFT DOCUMENT BY VERHEUGEN

In the draft document of the participation partnership that the EU Commissioner for the Enlargement, Gunther Verheugen, has submitted, apart from the issue of so-called minority rights, the issues of Cyprus, death sentence, human rights and independence of judiciary were included. The existence of Turkish society living in Cyprus was ignored in the draft and Greek-Cypriot Administration was referred to as "Cyprus Republic". The draft created an unease in the Turkish government. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, " EU's attitude clearly shows that EU has sided with the Greek Cypriots. There cannot be any solution in the island as long as EU intervenes in the Cyprus issue. For, Greek Cypriots act with Greece depending on the EU support". Regarding the human rights issue, Turkish representatives said that torture was not a state policy and in the process of the full EU membership death sentence will be abolished. European criticism on lack of independence of the judiciary was regarded unjust. /Hurriyet/

41 AMENDMENTS REQUIRED

European Union requested amendments in Turkey's certain laws to the full EU membership of Turkey. EU Commissioner responsible for Enlargement Gunther Verheugen stated that the Secreteriat of High Council of Human Rights Coordination's report, presented to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit should be given an official form. In the report it was stated that 41 amendments in certain laws were required until 2002. The reforms which EU demanded could be summarized under four main titles. The abolition of death penalty, elimination of obstacles to the rights of thought and expression, approval of constitutional citizenship and an increase in the number of civil members in National Security Council (MGK). /Cumhuriyet/

KUTAN: "YILMAZ PASSING THROUGH A TEST"

Virtue Party (FP) leader Recai Kutan said that Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz was passing through a difficult test. Kutan said that the FP is optimistic that Yilmaz's presence in the Cabinet will help bring about some serious and positive developments in democracy, freedom and human rights issue. Speaking at the FP headquarters in Ankara, Kutan also spoke on the FP's stand on lifting of Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). Kutan said, "The Article 312 is not a problem of Erbakan, but Turkey". He also claimed that all parties had a stance supporting the amendment of the article. /Hurriyet/

BAHCELI: "ARTICLE 312 CANNOT BE TOTALLY ABOLISHED"

State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli participated in the fifth Black Sea Turkish Cultural Congress in Samsun. Delivering a speech at the Congress, Bahceli said that Turkey has enough experience to maintain its democracy and national union at the same time. Bahceli said, " It is easy to estimate the consequences of a complete abolition of article 312." Bahceli added that Nationalist Movement Party has not changed its stance on the abolition of the death penalty. /Cumhuriyet/

ALBANIAN CHILDREN RETURN TO THEIR COUNTRY

72 Albanian children, who arrived in Turkey as the guests of the Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and his wife Rahsan Ecevit, returned to their country yesterday. Meanwhile, another group of 72 Albanian children arrived in Istanbul yesterday. Istanbul's Director of Social Services, Kahraman Eroglu, delivered a speech during the ceremony while welcoming the new group and said that the friendly relations between the children of the two countries would be improved thanks to these visits. /Aksam/

BAKU-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE PROJECT

Within the framework of Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline the first official tender has been opened. BOTAS Directorate General has launched an international tender for the preparation of the detailed engineering services regarding the section of the project in Turkey. Companies will hand over their biddings by August 17. The pipeline will be 1,730 km long and 1,037 km of it will be in Turkey. The annual capacity of the pipeline is planned to be 45 million tons. /Turkiye/

TURKEY DELIVERS SHIPS TO AZERBAIJAN AND TRNC

Turkish Naval Forces will deliver a TCG AB-34 hunter boat to Azerbaijan and a Turkish 80-class coast-guard boat, built at the Turkish Naval Forces's Taskizak dockyard, to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Naval Forces. The Turkish 80-class coast guard boat will be delivered in a ceremony on July 19 for the 26th anniversary celebrations of the Turkish Peace Operation in Cyprus. The TCG AB-34 hunter boat will also be delivered to Azerbaijan after a ceremony to be held in Izmir's Emircakabey pier. /Turkiye/

INVESTMENT IN IRAQ

One of the Turkish companies achieved great successes abroad STFA has won one more tender in Iraq. Accordingly, STFA will carry out services for design, material supply and assembly supervision of six transformer centres. The contract which is worth of $ 23 million has been signed between STFA and Iraqian Energy Administration. /Turkiye/

"BLUE STREAM" AT FULL SPEED

The Russia-Turkey natural gas pipeline project, known as "Blue Stream", is being implemented as it was scheduled. It is stated that the factory will be built in Samsun to carry out the welding and isolation process of the pipelines. The factory will be constructed on a closed area of 2,500 squaremetres and completed in four months. After welding and isolating works, 12-metre long pipes, to be brought from Japan in November, will be laid down to the bottom of the Black Sea. /Turkiye/

OKUYAN'S NEW DECISION

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Yasar Okuyan, stated that Institution of Social Security (SSK) hospitals would be controlled by the new local administrators that will be formed. Okuyan said, "A council of eight people, comprising a representative that will be elected by the Governor, Mayor and the unions, the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, Head Doctor of the hospital and the Director of the Management, will control the hospitals. It is impossible for us to inspect the hospitals frequently. This local administration will help to improve the situation in our hospitals." /Aksam/

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL MEASURES

According to Turkey's second letter of intention given to International Monetary Fund (IMF), if current operations deficit exceeds $ 6 billion, additional financial measures will be taken. Authorities said that by the end of the year the proportion of current deficit to the gross national product per capita (GSMH) would reach % 3 and added that Turkey could change this situation with revenues expected from tourism. /Cumhuriyet/

GREEK AND BRITISH INVESTORS IN TURKEY

Global Stock Exchanges held a meeting to introduce the Turkish electronic market and the media market to the foreign investors last week. The guests, mainly Greek and British investors, had the opportunity to receive information about Turkish internet market and Turkish media market for three days and to see the steps that were taken by Turkey on the way to the European Union (EU). Altec Computer's representative, David Arar, spoke to 'Sabah' daily and said, "I think Turkey is on the right track and it has turned out to be a big market. When the number of computer users reach 15 million, then I might think of opening a branch in Turkey." Meanwhile, an English investor, Paul Staines, said, "Besides these actitivities, if Turkey fulfils the conditions of the EU, then we can consider Turkey as a big power." /Sabah/

TUZMEN: "IMPORTS AND EXPORTS WILL INCREASE"

Foreign Trade Undersecretary, Kursad Tuzmen, stated that the figures for exports and imports would be near their target at the end of the year 2000 and that they were expecting exports to reach 28 billion dollars and imports to reach 47-48 billion dollars. Tuzmen added, "Turkey's exports amounted to nearly 15 billion dollars during the period between January and April in the year 1998. This year, this figure is 15.6 billion dollars." /Sabah/

BOND BIDDING BY TREASURY

Treasury will prepare a twelve-months-term bond bidding on 18 July, which is the second bidding of this month. Repayment of this bond bidding will be made on 18 July 2001. A sale of 700-900 trillion TL is envisaged to be made in this bond bidding. /Sabah/

TREASURY TO PAY FOREIGN DEBT

Treasury will make the highest amount of internal debt repayment on 19 July, which is 755 trillion TL. This amount will include the principal of 697 trillion TL and the interest of 58 trillion TL. Thus, the Treasury will repay a total of 2 quadrillion 46.9 trillion TL in July. /Milliyet/

BIDDING FOR 7,650 HOUSES

According to an announcement of Ministry of Public Works and Housing, the houses for the regions damaged by the earthquake were offered to tender. Since foreign credits could not be received, the establisment of 7,650 houses will be financed by domestic credits. /Cumhuriyet/

DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF FOUNDATIONS: "HISTORICAL ARTEFACTS WILL SURVIVE"

Directorate General of Foundations is planning to give management rights of historical artefacts on the Silk Road to the private sector. General Director of Foundations, Nurettin Yardimci, said that they had developed a new system so that these historical artefacts can survive. He added that some caravanaserais and inns on the Silk Road would be re-opened and that the right to manage them would be given to private sector by build-operate-transfer model. /Aksam/

ANSEN: "WE ARE READY FOR PRIVATIZATION"

It was learned that decree in the force of law (KHK), which will be enacted by the government for the privatizing the public banks and giving them an autonomous status is in final stage. General Director and the Chairman of the Executive Board of Halkbank, Yenal Ansen, said, "As soon as the KHK is enacted, the main contracts would be prepared by a commission, chaired by the Minister, responsible for the Treasury. These main contracts will include the arrangements concerning the main autonomy, privatization, structure of shares, partnership and administration of the banks." /Milliyet/

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN TEXTILE SECTOR

Collective bargaining in the textile sector of Turkey is approaching to decide the future of workers. Union of Turkey's Textile, Knitwear and Weaving Industry Workers (TEKSIF), Union of Textile Industry Workers (TEKSTIL), and Union of Turkey's Unions of All Weaving, Yarn, Knitting and Weaving Industry Workers (ÖZ YPLYK-Y?) are preparing to sit at the bargaining table for the wages with the Union of Textile Employers (TIS). These three Unions will also negotiate with the private sector companies for 41,000 thousand members./Türkiye/

TAI: WE CAN BUILD PLANES TO EXTINGUISH FOREST FIRES

The recent forest fires which broke out due to the hot weather conditions, recalled the mind the idea to form a Fleet of Fire Brigade Planes. General director of Turkey's Aviation and Space Industry (TAI) Kaya Ergenç stated that these planes are badly needed in Turkey. He reminded that TAI transformed one of the Naval Station Planes into a fire extinguisher costing $3.5 million. The Turkish Naval Forces had donated with necessary equipment 14 Naval Stations for TAI within the framework of this project. Kaya Ergenç emphasized that TAI could not complete the project for they urgently needed about $40-45 million cash for all the 14 planes, and $3.5 million were needed for technical works to transform each plane. /Turkiye/

TURKEY WINS FOUR MEDALS IN THE BIOLOGY OLYMPICS

Turkey won one gold medal and three silver medals in the Biology Olympics, organized by the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK). During the olympics, which were organized in Belek, Antalya and lasted for one week, 156 high school students from 39 countries competed with each other. /Hurriyet/

AWARD TO TURKISH COMPANY

Izomas has been elected as the "highest quality company" in the world during the World Quality Summit 2000 which was held in New York. Regarding its Izo-PST Process System application, Izomas came first among 3,000 companies in the world. /Turkiye/

PROTEST CONCERT FOR AKKUYU NUCLEAR POWER-PLANT

"Cooperation Against Nuclear Power-Plants", a group consisting of Chambers of Engineers and Architects, labour unions, environmental organizations and some political parties, will organize a concert for protesting the building of Akkuyu power-plant. The concert will take place today at 19.00 at Harbiye Open Theater. This organization aims to draw public attention for the preservation of natural sceneries. Various music groups, such as 'Bulutsuzluk Ozlemi',' Mogollar', 'Ayna' and some musicians like Vedat Sakman, Kubat, Fuat Saka, Tolga Candar and Tolga Sag will participate in the concert. /Hurriyet/

CONCERT OF COMPAY SEGUNDO AT THE ISTANBUL JAZZ FESTIVAL

At the last day of the Istanbul 7th Jazz Festival, Cuban musician Compay Segundo,93, gave a concert with his group consisting of eight musicians. As being the eldest member of the Buena Vista Social Club, Segunda played his guitar along the two hours-long concert. /Cumhuriyet/

LASER RADIAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN CESME

Youth section of Laser Radial World Sailing Championship started in Cesme. On the first day of the championship, 139 competitors from 35 countries participated in the championship. After two events, Polish Miguel Vidinha placed first. Gural Zumbul from Turkish team placed eight in the general ranking./Cumhuriyet/

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

NATIONAL WILL FOR THE EU BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)

Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna writes on Turkey and the EU relations. A summary of his column is as follows: "There has to be national will to enter the EU. Most political parties and a majority of the people is in favour of EU membership. However, there were some reservations twenty five years ago, and even during recent years. The hesitation on the issue stemmed from not having satisfactory information. The conditions and the state of this Union were not known. What is more, people were not aware of the recent Turkish history covering a few centuries... There were every kind of people from those who were afraid of becoming Christians or losing the independence of the State. Even if this was not the case, it was certain that the Turkish people would be exploited! Today there is a national will to enter the EU and the demonstration of political will is awaited on the issue. This should be a full political will with no concessions attached. There are those who would like to relax our will. However, they are not opposing right out. They are running deep to slow down the momentum by finding excuses. Their main reason is that they are used to illegal profits. However, they make up five percent of the whole population together with their supporters. The absolute majority which live on an income 1/10s of the Europeans, with less freedom than the people in those countries, do not in any way concern this minority. Some bureaucrats are afraid to lose the respectability coming from the days of the Ottoman Empire. We have to relieve them by saying that bureaucrats in Europe are both respected and prosperous. Bureaucrats had the same fear some 50 years ago when Turkey passed to multi-party democracy. The main reason for all these is a dreadful habit of sustaining the status quo. This has turned every reform into a state structure which does not operate in a modern way, and as it should."

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