COALITION LEADERS TO MEET

The leaders of the coalition government, chaired by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, will convene today. During the first meeting in the new year, economy will be the main topic to be discussed. The timetable of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) will also be decided at the meeting. /Star/

ECEVIT DRAWS ATTENTION TO GERMAN-RUSSIAN RAPPROCHEMENT

Ankara closely observes the strategic cooperation between Russia and Germany. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit drew attention to the fact that such a rapprochement may have drastic effects on the international balance of power. Mr. Ecevit said, "This kind of cooperation may affect the relations of the United States with Russia and Europe. We should carefully analyze the possible effects on Turkey's relations with other states." Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said one of Turkey's 2001 objectives is to search for new areas useful for cooperation with Russia. /Milliyet/

BAHCELI CALLS FOR COOPERATION

Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli stated the objectives of the government for 2001. He summarized the targets in seven points: 1. The coordination and cooperation will be increased between the concerned bodies and institutions. 2. The rehabilitation in the banking sector will be completed in a short time. 3. More efforts will be exerted to draw foreign investments to the country. Cooperation and harmony are required between private and public sectors in order to achieve this. 4.All financial relations will be closely followed by the related institution especially after the Treasury guarantee given to overcome the liquidity crisis. 5. People should refrain from making speculative announcements that will negatively affect the markets. 6.Economic actors should be dtermined on the success of the disinflation and economic restructuring program. 7. An expenditure reform should be put forth in order to provide for the success of tax arrangements. /Milliyet/

CYPRUS IN DOCUMENTS OF BRITISH PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

According to the British secret documents announced every 30 years by the British Public Record Office, Turkey warned the US and Britain in 1970, four years before Cyprus Peace Operation, about a possible operation it would hold owing to Greek junta's attempts to organize a coup in Cyprus. It was stated Turkey informed these countries about the operation to be held unless they took the necessary measures. Greek Cypriots negatively reacted to the newly announced facts saying that they viewed Turkey's Peace Opeations as an occupation of the island. Meanwhile, Britain will send its Special Representative to Cyprus, Sir David Hannay to Cyprus. Mr. Hannay is expected to meet with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek-Cypriot leader Glafkos Clerides. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKEY ABSTAINING IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ICC

US President Bill Clinton's approval of the agreement foreseeing the establishmet of an International Criminal Court (ICC) has received different reactions. The most important part of the agreement will be the establishment of an international court for war and genocide criminals and crimes against humanity. International Judge of Bosnia Herzegovina Human Rights Court, Prof. Rona Aybay said, "The agreement should be also approved by the US Senate. This agreement was accepted in Rome after a conference held within the UN structure in 1998. Turkey proposed that terrorist crimes should also be included into the crimes against humanity. However, Turkey abstained as its proposal was rejected." /Cumhuriyet/

GERMAN FEDERAL ASSEMBLY DOES NOT WELCOME ARMENIAN BILL

Various institutions formed mostly by Germans of Armenian origin put forward a motion to the Petition Commission desiring the recognition of so-called Armenian genocide at the Federal Assembly. However, reportedly, the Petition Commission, chaired by Heidemarie Luth, a representative of the PDS, was not in favor of presenting a motion to the Federal Assembly regarding the petition. A SPD parliamentarian who wanted to be anonymous said, "The Federal Assembly is not a place to discuss the Armenian genocide allegations. It is the duty of historians. We, social democrats, do not believe the subject will be brought to the Federal Assembly floor." /Hurriyet/

INTERNATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL LAW CONGRESS IN JANUARY

The Turkish Bar Association will organize an "International Constitutional Law Congress" between January 9 and 13, 2001. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Minister of Justice, Hikmet Sami Turk, and Chairman of Turkish Bar Association, Eralp Ozgen, are expected to deliver opening speeches. /Cumhuriyet/

FOURTH G-20 MEETING TO BE HELD IN TURKEY

Turkey will host the fourth meeting of G-20 countries' ministers and deputy governors to be held in February in Istanbul. According to the Ministry of Finance's statement, the meeting is a preparation for the future meeting of member countries' Central Bank governors and ministers. /Cumhuriyet/

NEW MEMBERS FOR YOK

The Higher Education Board (YOK) will begin the new year with new members. The current members' term in office comes to an end on Jan. 6. According to the YOK Law, the President has to choose a replacement for one member and the General Staff has to choose a replacement for its member. /Turkish Daily News/

VIRTUE PARTY'S WEEK OF FATE

The Constitution amendment package, suspended after the Constitutional Court's annulment of the 103rd article of the Political Parties Law, is expected to be discussed by the Constitutional Commission next week. The Virtue Party (FP), under threat of closure, is launcing initiatives for the amendment of the Constitution's 69th article which makes it difficult to close political parties. /Aksam/

ATTEMPTS TO FIND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES

"Dokuz Eylul" University Center for Environmental Research and Implementations member, Prof. Necdet Alpaslan said that research is underway all over the world to find alternative energy sources. Mr. Alpaslan said, "Necessary infrastructure should be constructed to be able to make use of biogas, an important alternative energy, in Turkey." Experts emphasize the importance of biogas in line with the research on alternative energy sources all around the world. It was stated that biogas, obtained by putrefying organic wastes in an environment containing no free or dissolved oxygene, is a great source of energy for Turkey as the conditions of rural areas are concerned. /Cumhuriyet/

"TURKEY HAS MORE GOLD RESERVES"

A research based on the Mineral Research and Administration Institude (MTA) and the State Planning Organization (DPT) reports has revealed that Turkey has more exploitable gold reserves than expected. It said if the search for gold continues, after five years Turkey's exploitable gold reserves may reach over 1,000 tons. Additionally, the report pointed out that $8 billion is needed for search investment and $12 billion for operation. /Aksam/

BANKING SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL

The directors of the Treasury Undersecretariat, the Central Bank and some banks which comprise the "Market Structuring Advisory Board" will meet today in Istanbul. On the other hand, the Treasury will decide this week on the method to liquidate the losses of the state-owned banks by way of issuing state bonds. The IMF and World Bank representatives will also take part in this meeting. One alternative is to issue forex bonds for the state-owned banks. The other is to use $1 billion borrowed from international banks and $500 million received from World Bank to reduce the daily borrowing requirements of these banks. The third alternative is the joint action by all the state-owned banks, so that these banks will determine an upper limit for deposit interest rates. /Milliyet/

ONLINE BANKING SPREADS

Turkish online banking, which competes with European banking, is spreading rapidly. Stating that the number of internet users will reach 1,900,000 this year and 15-20 million in the next four years in Turkey, Turkish bankers began to attach more importance to their online services. /Cumhuriyet/

BOTAS' INVESTMENT YEAR

The Turkish Pipeline Transportation Company (BOTAS) has started an intense investment breakthrough for the consumption of 26-billion cubic meters of natural gas to be transported from Iran and Russia. The transport and distribution lines to the cities and subcribers' installations should be completed before the transport of the gas. /Turkiye/

CAR MAKERS RESUME OUTPUT

Two major Turkish car makers, Tofas and Oyak Renault, are resuming output on a limited scale and have rehired workers who were on leave. The two car makers suspended production in late December as domestic demand vanished amid surging interest rates during the financial crisis that rocked Turkey's banking sector. /Turkish Daily News/

A NEW PEARL ON THE BOSPHOROUS

The Atik Ali Pasha Residence on the Bosphorous is a candidate to be one of the best hotels in the world. Through a project to be jointly carried out by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and International Tourism Investments, the hotel is expected to be opened by the end of 2002 after being renovated at a cost of $60 million. /Aksam/

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

TURKISH ARMED FORCES AND THE EU BY EROL MANISALI (CUMHURIYET)

Columnist Erol Manisali writes on the views of the Turkish Armed Forces regarding the EU. A summary of his column is as follows: "The Turkish General Staff expressed that it was not against the EU in a statement. The TAF is not against Turkey's full EU membership such as France or Spain. It should be regarded as natural. Some speculative publications led the TAF to make a statement on the issue. The Turkish Armed Forces is not against Turkey's being a full EU member in the same status as other members and having relations which are not unilateral. However, until today, the TAF and military circles had some reservations regarding the Turco-EU relations. These issues can be listed as: 1) When the EU Parliament and Brussels intended to direct impositions against the territorial integrity of Turkey, the TAF and military circles opposed these plans and said, 'the EU cannot call for such unacceptable conditions.' 2) The TAF has reacted when impositions and provocations were made against the territorial integrity of the country under the guise of 'ethnic minorities'. 3) When the EU has put forth conditions for the solution of the Cyprus problem and the Aegean issue using theTurco-EU relations as an excuse, and even exploiting them, the TAF has opposed such acts. 4)The TAF has opposed the unilateral system the EU wanted to impose on the European Security and Defence Identity(ESDI) -NATO relations. Naturally, the TAF is against all unilateral structures in Turco-EU relations and justifiably so. 5) When Brussels wanted to impose solutions concerning the National Security Council the TAF has reacted against it. The TAF also opposed the bringing forth of the Cyprus issue as a condition in the Accession Partnership Document. Furthermore, Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, TRNC President Rauf Denktas, Ankara Government and the General Staff clearly explained their opinions and stances on the issue. Finally, the TAF has reacted against the exclusion of Turkey from the ESDI in the Nice Summit and delaying the country by putting 2010 as a probable date it will be able to be admitted into the Union. The TAF is not against the EU but duly opposes the insistence of the EU on the subjects mentioned above in its relations with Turkey. The TAF accepts the EU membership under normal conditions. However, the EU is coming up with proposals which are not in line with Turkey's national interests. It is trying to delay the admittance of the country into the EU while trying to get concessions from it. The TAF is not against the EU but opposed to these demands and it has revealed its opposition with its reactions. No one should try to exploit the issue. It is one thing not to be against the EU and another to accept impositions which are against its national interests."

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