SEZER'S SPEECH AT THE UN MILLENNIUM MEETING

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer delivered a speech at the UN Millennium Meeting yesterday. President Sezer said that he had the honour of participating in the UN Meeting which had the highest number of participation among the UN meetings held so far. Mr. Sezer said in his speech, "We are in search of opportunities to leave a better world for the next generations. Eliminating the poverty, getting rid of the fears and the next generation's freedom of sustaining their lives are the three complementary principles to maintain sustainable development for the mankind. Globalization has created new opportunities for humanity, however we should be careful not to make the rich the richer, and the poor the poorer. The developed countries should attach great attention and care to, first, reducing the poverty which is currently at a global level and later removing it. Turkish nation's struggle for the sake of development and prosperity has taught us to trust the will of people and to respect it as the most important value of a nation. Other values stem from the will of people and the rule of law can dominate where the will of people is respected." Mr. Sezer ended his speech by saying that the children all over the world deserved a better world and the UN Millennium Meeting had this responsibility. /Cumhuriyet/

SEZER MEETS PUTIN AND CLINTON

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who is currently in New York for the UN Millennium Meeting, first met Russian Head of State Vladimir Putin and later the US President Bill Clinton yesterday. Mr. Putin said that Turkey and Russia had common interests, therefore he wished that cooperation betweeen the two countries would be improved. Mr. Putin stated that the Blue Stream Project was a good example for the cooperation between Turkey and Russia through which both countries showed their determination in improving the friendly ties. Mr. Sezer told his Russian counterpart that Turkey was ready to cooperate with Russia in Central Asia and in the Caucasus. Mr. Sezer also invited Mr. Putin to Turkey. Later, Mr. Sezer met US President Bill Clinton. Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his US counterpart Madeleine Albright were also present at the meeting. Mr. Sezer stated that he was pleased with the improving relations between Turkey and the US. Mr. Sezer stated that the American firms should increase their investments in Turkey which would contribute greatly to the rapproachement between the two countries. President Sezer expressed Turkey's views over the so-called Armenian genocide bill which is waiting to be discussed in the US Congress. He stated that Turkey requested the US administration to prevent the bill from being passed and also to try to avoid any other attempts which would negatively affect bilateral relations between the US and Turkey. Meanwhile Mr. Clinton stated that they were always against these kind of attempts and they would do their utmost to prevent them. Stating that they were following Turkey's steps on its path towards the full EU membership with great appreciaiton, Mr. Clinton said he believed that Mr. Sezer would contribute greatly to Turkey's accession process to the EU. In addition, during the meeting, Mr. Sezer and Mr. Clinton discussed Turco-Greek relations, the Cyprus issue, UN sanctions on Iraq and Turkey's current economic situation. Meanwhile, President Sezer also met the UN General Secretary Kofi Annan and discussed the Cyprus issue. /Cumhuriyet/

SEZER MEETS GERMAN PRIME MINISTER SCHROEDER

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer received German Prime Minister Manfred Schroeder at the Turkish House in New York. Mr. Sezer said that with the cooperation of other countries, a country can successfully fight against terrorism and the point Turkey reached after 15 years in combatting PKK terrorism was a clear result of this cooperation. Mr. Sezer also pointed out that Turkey expects more cooperation from Germany on the issue. Mr. Sezer also discussed the reactionary activities with Mr. Schroeder. Mr. Schroeder congratulated Mr. Sezer and praised his personality. Mr. Schroeder said that Sezer's taking-over the presidency was a guarantee for the reformation efforts of Turkey on the way to the EU. Mr. Schroeder said, "In academic and political circles your name is most esteemed. The views you defend are regarded as a guarantee for the reforms." /Sabah/

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS' MEETING

Council of Ministers met yesterday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. After the meeting, State Minister and Government Spokesman Sukru Sina Gurel said that the topics such as public inspection, job security, and the restructuring process of Turkish State Monopolies (TEKEL) were taken up. Gurel said: "During the meeting it was decided to summit the public inspection draft resolution, known as Ombudsman's Office to the parliament after certain amendments." He added: "In order to establish such an ofice, the Constitution should be amended and the bill should be passed through the parliament." /Turkiye/

CEM: "TURKS AND GREEKS ARE NATIONS WHO LOVE EACH OTHER"

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem who is in New York to accompany President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and to participate in the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the UN General Assembly during the Millennium Summit, attended a meeting entitled "World Leaders Forum 2000", organized by the Foreign Policy Association. Replying to a question on the Turco-Greek relations, Mr. Cem said: "Turks and Greeks are two nations who love each other. And I belive that, if, we, politicians did not exist, the citizens of the two nations would become more closer and all problems between the two countries would be solved immediately." /Turkiye/

KLERIDES: "SECURITY COUNCIL MAY INTERVENE"

Greek-Cypriot Leader Glafkos Klerides claimed that if no result can be obtained during the fourth round of the proximity talks which will be held on Sep. 12 in New York, the EU Security Council might intervene. Refusing the existence of two confederate states on Cyprus, Klerides said: "We will change our stance" in case no result is obtained from the fourth round of the proximity talks. However, he did not elaborate on the subject. Accusing the Turkish side of failing to get results from the proximity talks, Mr. Klerides asserted that the island was divided into two as Turkish side and Greek-Cypriot side. He also said that the Turco-Greek rapprochement alone was not sufficient in solving the Cyprus issue. /Turkiye/

WAPC CONFERENCE IN MAGOSA

The World Association of Press Council's (WAPC) "Improving the Freedom of Press Conference" began in Magosa despite the all Greek-Cypriot efforts to obstruct. The three-day conference has great significance from the political standpoint, since it is the first conference of an international organization held in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The conference will end tomorrow during which ethical issues in the press and the roles of the press councils are being discussed. In the first day of the Conference the agenda was about the Greek-Cypriots efforts to prevent the conference from being held in the TRNC. WAPC General Secretary Rama Gunasingam stated that Turkish Cypriots should be recognized according to the UN Constitution. Mr. Gunasingam said, "The decision to hold the conference in the TRNC was taken in Cairo in May. However, Greek-Cypriots told us that the TRNC is occupied and there was no sufficient infrastructure in the TRNC to hold the conference. They said the participating members would not be safe there. However, I observed during my visit to the TRNC that the Greek claims are not true." Speaking before Mr. Gunasingam at the conference, a Bangladesh delegate said, " Here, we see how developed countries can distort the truth and how the international press can be an instrument for this distortion. We have believed what the international press said about the TRNC. But I realized now that what they have told us is not the truth." /Hurriyet/

CEM DEMANDS AN URGENT REPORT FROM BELGIUM

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem demanded an urgent report from the Belgian Foreign Ministry on Belgium's not giving visa to a Turkish folk dance group. Belgian officials had not let the Turkish folk dance group enter the country since they asserted that the members of the folk dance group were from the military and would try to kidnap Fehriye Erdal who is one of the defendants of the Sabanci murder. Officials from the Turkish Foreign Ministy regarded the incident as a comedy which will leave a mark on the world diplomacy history. A high-level official from the Ministry said, "Belgium damages itself by not extraditing Fehriye Erdal to Turkey. It is humiliated in the eyes of its own society because of the news over the issue published in the Belgian press." Meanwhile, the Belgian Foreign Ministry started an investigation on the issue. /Hurriyet/

DANISH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY UNDERSECRETARY TO COME TO TURKEY

Danish Foreign Affairs Ministry Undersecretary Friis Arne Petersen will come to Turkey on Sept. 11, in the framework of regular contacts between the two countries. The issues of bilateral and Turkey-EU relations will be discussed during Petersen's contacts in Turkey. /Turkish Daily News/

JOHNSTON: "WE SUPPORT TURKEY"

State Minister Recep Onal yesterday received the Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Donald Johnston. Mr. Onal said, " Mr. Johnston is currently in Turkey to observe the implementation of the economic program. During our talks I explained the economic program being implemented in Turkey and Mr.Johnston conveyed his experiences to us regarding the issue. Mr. Johnston said, " OECD supports the economic program backed by the IMF in Turkey. I was highly impressed by the cooperation of the coalition government." Mr. Johnston said that declining budget deficits and decreasing rate of inflation were hope-inspiring and he was optimistic about the future of Turkey. Upon a question from the journalists, Mr. Onal added that there was no problem regarding the privatization of the state-owned banks and they would be privatized according to the existing program. /Hurriyet/

IMF DELEGATION VISITS PRIVATIZATION ADMINISTRATION

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Chief of Turkey Desk, Carlo Cattorelli and an accompanying IMF delegation yesterday visited Chairman of the Privatization Administration, Ugur Bayar. Following the 1.5-hour meeting, Cottarelli said: "The privatization process is being carried out successfully." Stressing that the privatization of the Turk Telecom was a very important operation, Mr. Cottarelli said that he hoped its privatization process would be speeded up. /Turkiye/

ISBANK'S GRADE POSITIVE

International Rating Agency, Standard and Poors, announced Turkish Isbank's grading for deposit and credit accounts B+ in the long run and B in the short run. The financial situation of the bank was considered positive. Standard and Poors said that those high grades were given to Isbank due to its leading commercial position, high rate of liquidity and capital profile. /Sabah/

TURKISH FIRM BUILDS CONCERT CENTER IN MOSCOW

ENKA, a leading Turkish construction firm, undertook the construction of Moscow International Music House to cost $60 million. The Chairman of the Executive Board of ENKA Sarik Tara said that the construction of the concert hall streching on 200,000 square meters would be finished in 18 months. /Milliyet/

PSYCHODRAMA FOR QUAKE TRAUMAS

A group from Therapeutic Spiral International, consisting of four American psychotherapists and psychologists, is visiting Turkey to hold drama sessions with 80 victims of the Marmara quake. Four American therapists, hosted by Istanbul Psychodrama Institute, said that they could rehabilitate psychological trauma in six months. In the psychodrama session an environment resembling the actual scene is created and victims talk to their relatives they lost in the quake. /Milliyet/

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

BREAKING THE EMBARGO BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)

Columnist Tufan Turenc comments on the conference held by some members of the World Association of Press Councils in the TRNC despite the propaganda waged against it. A summary of his column is as follows: "The embargo which has been imposed on the Turkish side for 26 years by the Greek-Cypriots aiming to suffocate the Turkish-Cypriots has been broken for the first time by an international conference. The conference jointly held by the World Association of Press Councils (WAPC) and the Turkish-Cypriot Press Council on 'Improvement of Freedom in Press' began yesterday. The first international conference held in the history of the Turkish Republic of Cyprus was attended by 100 delegates from 18 countries. The number of those present reached 300 by the representatives coming from Turkey and the TRNC. Although it was the first of its kind held in Magosa(Famagusta), the organization was flawless. Last May, when the executive board meeting of the WAPC was held in Cairo, Turkish-Cypriot Press Council suggested that the next meeting take place in the TRNC. The Greek and Greek-Cypriot delegates attending the meeting strongly opposed the proposal. However, notwithstanding all opposition and barriers, the proposal was accepted by a large majority and the date of meeting was set as September 7. As soon as the preparations for the meeting started, the Greek-Cypriots began to lobby against it. The Greek-Cypriot Foreign Ministry called on delegates and the Foreign Ministers of the member countries not to attend the meeting. The meeting was held and the rest can be explained by the words of the Malaysian Secretary-General of the WAPC, Rama Gunasingam: 'There has been such intense lobby against this conference that I came to the TRNC to see the situation for myself before the meeting. I was surprised to see that all that was said was a bunch of lies. The situation was distorted in an unbelievable fashion. On my return I stated the facts as they were to all the delegates and urged all of them to attend the meeting. Today, the delegates of 18 countries are here and they have seen that all that was said against the TRNC was a pack of lies. We shall hold another international conference in April or May here and I believe full participation will be realized by all delegates will.' The speech of Rama Gunasingam has proven the untruth about the Greek-Cypriot libel and defamation campaign against the TRNC for years at an international platform. The delegate from Bangladesh had stated that they had seen how powerful countries distorted the facts and how the international press had been used as a tool for this purpose. 'For years we believed what the world press had to say on Northern Cyprus. However, we now see that we have all been deceived.' Certainly, this meeting did not solve all, however, it has opened a hole in the steel wall built around the TRNC to suffocate its people. If this hole can be used wisely, and new holes can be opened, a fair and just solution can be brought to the Cyprus problem. Patient societies which do not waver in their faith see that lies are bound to vanish in the face of truths.

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