14.08.00

Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning

CONTENTS

  • KHK BACK TO THE CANKAYA PALACE
  • ECEVIT DUE IN NEVSEHIR
  • "TURKEY WILL BE A MODEL TO THE ISLAMIC WORLD"
  • "OPERATION HOPE" SUSPECTS FACE TRIAL TODAY
  • IMF COMMENDS THE ECONOMIC PROGRAMME IN TURKEY
  • TURKEY NEEDS 3,000 MW IN NEW ENERGY CAPACITY NEXT YEAR
  • TUPRAS RECOVERS FROM QUAKE DAMAGE
  • PERMANENT HOUSING FOR QUAKE VICTIMS
  • AN INTERNATIONAL FAIR FOR GAP
  • YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE "PEACE SUMMIT"

    KHK BACK TO THE CANKAYA PALACE

    The decree in the force of law (KHK) concerning the dismissal of the civil servants who are allegedly involved in reactionary and separatist actions will be sent to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer either today or tomorrow. It is reported that the letter explaining government's reasons for sending the decree back to the President without any changes will be attached to the KHK. The letter is prepared by State Ministers Sükrü Sina Gürel (DSP), Faruk Bal (MHP) and Yüksel Yalova (ANAP). The government claims that President Sezer does not have the right to reject a government decree and has to sign it this time. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, "The President must sign the decree which will be returned to him, but he can appeal to the Constitutional Court if he choses to do so". /Turkiye/

    ECEVIT DUE IN NEVSEHIR

    Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will leave for Nevsehir to attend the 11th International Hacibektas Veli Commemoration Culture and Art Events which will be held on August 16-18. /Aksam/

    "TURKEY WILL BE A MODEL TO THE ISLAMIC WORLD"

    A two-day Mufties Seminar which was held in Istanbul with the participation of 81 mufties ended yesterday. A final declaration was issued after the seminar. Evaluating the seminar, Chairman of the Religious Affairs Department Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz said, "Turkey will appear in the international arena with a new message of Islam and she will be a model to the whole Islamic World. Re-interpretation of the Holy Koran by Turkish experts will be beneficial for the Islamic World." Stressing that their next target was to ensure unity in the Islamic World, Yilmaz said "without ensuring unity among Moslems nothing can be done." /Sabah/

    "OPERATION HOPE" SUSPECTS FACE TRIAL TODAY

    Seventeen suspects rounded up in "Operation Hope" of the Interior Ministry to solve 22 different cases, including the assassinations of columnist Ugur Mumcu, academicians Ahmet Taner Kislali, Muammer Aksoy and Bahriye Ucok, will be tried today at the Ankara State Security Court. /Aksam/

    IMF COMMENDS THE ECONOMIC PROGRAMME IN TURKEY

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that Turkey's export of bonds attracts many investors thanks to the success of the economic programme that it pursues. According to the information obtained from the IMF report entitled "Financing in the Developing Markets", Turkey's bonds' exports in terms of euro are the most attractive ones among other developing countries. /Cumhuriyet/

    TURKEY NEEDS 3,000 MW IN NEW ENERGY CAPACITY NEXT YEAR

    Turkey must increase its new power capacity from 2,500 to 3,000 megawatts (MW) to the existing system every year so as to avoid an energy bottleneck and to secure an inexpensive electricity supply to users, a report by the Energy Ministry said. The nation's demand for electricity is projected to reach 134 billion kilowatt-hours in 2000, 199.6 billion kWh by 2005, 290 billion kWh by 2010 and 574 billion kWh by 2020. A draft energy annual report has recommended that Turkey should seek to develop alternative energy sources other than hydroelectric in order to keep pace with growing electricity demand. It stressed the considerable potential in solar, wind and biomass resources. The report also called for building nuclear power plant, which would allow Turkey to utilize nuclear technology. /Turkish Daily News/

    TUPRAS RECOVERS FROM QUAKE DAMAGE

    At the "Quakes and Crisis Management" meeting organized by the Human Resources Management Association (INKADE) in Istanbul, Turkish state-run refinery administration (TUPRAS) general director Husamettin Danis discussed the fires at TUPRAS's Izmit refinery following the August 17 Marmara earthquake and gave an update on the latest situation. Stating that the Aug. 17 quake had damaged 2 percent of the Izmit refinery, Danis said the repair works would be finished by Sept. 30 and that the refinery would start to work at full capacity again. Danis also said that the Aug. 17 and Nov. 12 tremors resulted in losses of almost $10 billion, and in a 6 percent contraction of the Turkish economy in 1999. He confirmed that TUPRAS's targets had been postponed for two or three years. /Turkish Daily News/

    PERMANENT HOUSING FOR QUAKE VICTIMS

    Housing and Public Works Minister Koray Aydin said, "The ministry has started a building campaign, and we are aiming to complete 20,200 houses before the end of the year. A further 12,000 units donated by the World Bank and 4,500 others donated by private bodies will be finished in May 2001. The repair work on 53,000 partially damaged buildings is also continuing in the region". /Turkish Daily News/

    AN INTERNATIONAL FAIR FOR GAP

    The Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) will be presented to the foreign companies at an international fair on October 13-17. The aim of the fair, which will be organized by Piramit-Ayyntap Fair Company, is to encourage the foreign and domestic companies to invest in Turkey's southeastern region. Company's executive council chairwoman Ayten Genc said new investments will lead to an increase in the economic and social development of the region and added international fairs will be organized in the region every year. Genc stated that the latest technological developments will be presented to the people living in the region. In the fair which has already attracted the attention of the world's leading investment companies, marketing of the basic materials produced in GAP will be presented. Companies active in infrastructure, transportation, industry, health and tourism sectors will participate in the fair this year. /Turkiye/

    YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE "PEACE SUMMIT"

    In the framework of the UNESCO's "Peace Culture and Opposition Against Violence" program, 200 university students from various countries will attend the "Peace Summit" in Kusadasi between 16 and 27 August. This activity is supported by the Prime Ministry's Promotion Fund, European Commission, European Culture Fund, European Youth Fund and many universities. It is reported that during the Summit, issues such as seeking solutions to the conflicts will be discussed. /Cumhuriyet/

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