THE STRAITS AND BRAINS BY MUMTAZ SOYSAL (HURRIYET)
The National Security Council (MGK) will hold its regular monthly
meeting March 30. Recent reports on domestic security issues,
including the fight against the PKK terrorist organization, will
be discussed at the meeting. A report on the PKK's recent
attempts to politicize and the amount of support given by
Europeans to the terrorist organization will be presented during
the meeting. The Cyprus issue and relations with Turkey and
Greece are among the other issues on the meeting's agenda.
/Cumhuriyet/
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said premiums for the Social
Security Institution(SSK) and the Security Institution for the
Independents(BAGKUR) should be reconvigured in order to obtain
additional domestic resources for the economy. /Sabah/
State Minister Responsible for the Economy, Kemal Dervis, held a
press conference in the US. He is currently seeking foreign
support to help Turkey overcome its recent economic crisis.
Replying to a question, "What happens if you can not get any
foreign support?", Dervis said, "We must do everything to get it.
Actually, Turkey's partners and international financial
organizations will also benefit, the returns will be high."
Hoping to get aid in the $10-12 billion range. Dervis said, the
amount will be used this year, and after putting the programme on
track, he assumes no more aid will be required. Pointing to
Turkish public support for the new programme, Dervis said,
"However, we also need the support of the International Monetary
Fund (IMF). We can not say to the IMF, go home." The Minister
then attended a dinner organized by TUSIAD. Recalling Devlet
Bahceli's statement that there was no need to rush in the state
affairs, Dervis said, "In principle, Bahceli may be right.
However, to get financial support ,we must inspire confidence.
For this reason, the programme should be approved in Turkey
soon. We do not have the luxury of losing time." /Turkiye/
Kemal Dervis appeared yesterday on CNN's "Questions & Answer" by
Riz Khan. Dervis said, "Turkey has a very dynamic and strong
private sector. Other countries could not have coped with such a
strong financial crisis. I trust these dynamic forces and that is
why I accepted this position. There is also no reason for us not
to be successful with such kind of talented bureaucrats in the
Treasury and the support of the government." /Sabah/
The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Assistant Director, Al
Stettner, arrived in Ankara the day before yesterday. Stettner
and an accompanying delegation were welcomed by American Embassy
officials at Esenboga Airport. /Cumhuriyet/
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit
received Macedonian Turkish Democratic Party Chairman, Erdogan
Sarac and Kosovo Turkish Democratic Union Chairman, Mahir
Yagcilar, yesterday. Turkish representatives from Macedonia and
Kosovo gave information about the conditions of people of Turkish
origin in those regions. Ecevit said after the meeting, "Turkey
will continue her efforts to help protect the rights and status
of Turkish people in Kosovo." According to a statement by the
Office of President, Sezer said Turkey attaches great importance
to Macedonia's independence and territorial integrity adding he
supports all kinds of efforts to improve the living standards of
Turkish people in Kosovo and to protect their rights.
/Cumhuriyet/
The six Black Sea countries, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Romania,
Bulgaria and Georgia, will sign the Black Sea Naval Cooperation
Task Group (Blackseafor) Agreement next Monday, April 2, in
Istanbul. The Turkish Foreign Minister, Russian, Ukrainian and
Romanian Deputy Foreign Ministers and Bulgaria's Chief of Staff
are expected to attend the ceremony. The project was proposed by
Turkish former Naval Forces Commander, Salim Dervisoglu, in 1998.
The countries signed the letter of intent in Ankara June 28,
2000. Blackseafor will participate in search and rescue
operations, for humanitarian needs, mine sweeping, a joint action
force for protecting the Black Sea environment, and organizing
good will visits amongst Black Sea countries. /Turkish Daily
News/
British Defense Minister Geoffrey Hoon visited Defense Minister
Sabahattin Cakmakoglu yesterday. Recalling the relationship
between the two countries in the military and defense fields,
Cakmakoglu said they discussed bilateral and regional issues. The
British Minister said Britian supports Turkey in various areas
including her EU membership process. /Turkiye/
Following official meetings in Tashkent, the capital of
Uzbekistan, Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) Speaker, Omer
Izgi, and his accompanying delegation left for Bukhara yesterday.
The Turkish delegation will pay a visit to historical sites in
Bukhara, then travel to Samarkand in the afternoon. Izgi is
expected to proceed to Astana, capital city of Kazakhstan, after
completing his visit to Uzbekistan. /Turkiye/
The Armenian Tashnak Party sped up its activities against Turkey
after the adoption of the so-called Armenian genocide in the
French Parliament. Reportedly, new goals of the party include
asking for compensation and land from Turkey. Mario Nalbandyan,
a member of the Tashnak Party, claimed the Turkish-Armenian
border would change and at the end , Eastern Anatolia would he
annexed to Armenia. Nalbandyan also asserted that Greece, the
Greek-Cypriot Administration and Iran pledged to support
theTashnak Party in its activities on the so-called Armenian
genocide. /Turkiye/
Ukranian Defense Minister Olexander Kuzmuk visited Chief of the
General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu, yesterday. During the
meeting, Ukranian Minister presented Gen. Kivrikoglu with a model
of a T-84 tank, produced by the Ukraine. The Ukraine is competing
with Germany, French and American firms in a bidding launch by
Turkey for the purchase of 250 tanks. Additionally, Ukranian
Deputy Defense Minister and Naval Forces Commander, Admiral
Mykhailo Yezhel, visited Naval Forces Commander, Admiral Ilhami
Erdil. /Turkiye/
Prime Minister of the Gagauz Autonomous Republic, Mihail
Kendigelen, visited Nationalist Action Party (MHP) Deputy
Chairman, Sevket Bulent Yahnici, at his office's in the Turkish
Grand National Assembly (TGNA) yesterday. Kendigelen presented
Yahnici with a medal for his support of the Gagauz people. The
occassion was the 10th Anniversary of the foundation of the
National Assembly of the Gagauz Republic. /Turkiye/
Deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit spoke at the Greek
National Day reception in Ankara saying that Turkey's relations
with Greece should be taken up with long-term results in mind.
Buyukanit commented on the statement by Greek Defense Minister
Akis Tsohatzopoulos who said his country was ready to reduce its
army and clear the mines on the Turkish-Greek border. "These
issues shall be solved in time. Soldiers will not be withdrawn
back to their barracks just because of defense ministers'
statement." Buyukanit also denied reports that NATO had asked for
Turkish troops to be deployed in Macedonia as a peacekeeping
force. Macedonian troops are fighting ethnic Albanian rebels on
the Kosovo border. /Turkish News/
The PKK is searching for ways to establish a "Kurdish Culture
Center-Kurdish House" in Neuss, Germany. The so-called German
representatives of the PKK applied to the Neuss mayor for
confirmation of their project in November 2000. This application
was rejected as it was found to have a disturbing effect on the
public. Currently, a "Kurdish House" already exists in Neuss.
/Turkish Daily News/
The Kandilli Earthquake Research Institute decided to install a
"quake anticipatory system" in three of the Institute's stations.
The director of the Institute, Ahmet Mete Isikara said data will
be compared and announced to the public. /Milliyet/
CNN Turk News Channel received an award for its contributions to
Turkish media. The Turkish-American Business Council gave the
'Best Joint-Venture' award to the channel. /Milliyet/
The state of emergency rule in Diyarbakir, Hakkari, Sirnak and
Tunceli was extended for four more months. /Milliyet/
Van Independent Deputy Mustafa Bayram was stripped of his
political immunity in yesterday's plenary session at the TGNA.
Bayram will be prosecuted for attempted murder and historical
artifacts smuggling. /Milliyet/
Robert Anhegger, the founder of the Turkish-German Cultural
Association, passed away in Amsterdam. Anheggen received degrees
in the Turkish language and Islamic philosophy as well as
literature, law and economy from various universities. He first
visited Turkey in 1935 and established the Turkish German
Cultural Association in 1957. He wrote books and articles on
Turkish culture and history. /Cumhuriyet/
Turkey is planning to take additional measures in the Bosphorous
traffic as the danger of a spill has increased due to Russia's
desire to transfer oil through the Novorossisk pipe line.
Planning to implement new restrictions concerning the sizes and
ages of the tankers which will pass through the Bosphorous,
Turkish officials said they will discuss the issue of Istanbul's
security with Russian officials. An electronic radar control
system which will closely follow Bosphorous traffic will open in
July. /Cumhuriyet/
According to a paper titled "Potential Struggles in Macedonia" by
the Turkish Research Center (TAM), Albanians living in Macedonia
are exposed to discrimination. TAM representatives state, that
although rights and freedoms are guaranteed before law they are
violated in daily lives of the Albanian people. Albanians, who
form 22.9 % of total population, have only 2.9 % of
administrational positions and 87 % of Albanians see themselves
subject to discrimination. /Cumhuriyet/
State Minister for Economy Kemal Dervis said international
financial circles and the US administration have enumerated six
conditions for lending money. The main pre-conditions are the 15
bills to be adopted by Parliament, political support for the
government, adjustment in exchange rates and signing the letter
of intent with the IMF. /Milliyet/
Industrial production increased by 6.1 % during the last quarter
of last year compared to the same period year two years ago.
According to data by State Statistical Institute, production in
the manufacturing sector increased by 6.7 %, the electricity, gas
and water sectors by 3.8 % and the mining sector by 1.9 %.
/Cumhuriyet/
Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) Development Administration
Chairman, Olcay Unver, said he would attend the Turkish American
Associations annual meetings in Washington this weekend. He will
provide information about the opportunities for possible
cooperation between Turkey and the US on GAP. /Cumhuriyet/
The paintings of four Turkish painters, Feride Binicioglu,
Aysegul Izer Drahsan, Ahmet Ozel and Mehmet Uygun are being
exhibited at the Tonami Art Gallery in Japan. The exhibition
named "Friendship with Turkey" will run until April 8.
/Cumhuriyet/
'Clouds of May' directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan was awarded the
Silver Rosa Camuna prize at the Bergamo International Film
Festival. 'Clouds of May' has been awarded its 12th international
award. /Cumhuriyet/
Culture Minister Istemihan Talay said the theater educates
people, makes them think, and opens new horizons to them. In his
message celebrating the World Theater Day March 27. Talay said
financial assistance will be given to the private theaters in
April and October this year. /Hurriyet/
Columnist Mumtaz Soysal comments on the recent developments
concerning the oil pipeline from the Thengiz fields in Kazakhstan
to the Russian Novorissisk port on the Black Sea. A summary of his
column is as follows:
"The oil pipeline extending from the Kazakh Tenghiz region to
Russian Port of Novorissisk in the Black Sea was opened. The oil,
which begins its flow in Atrau, will reach the port in ninety
days. The first tanker will be filled at the end of June. This
year, seven to eight tons of oil will be transported to test the
issue. It is foreseen this amount will first increase to 28
million tons of oil and then to 67 million tons. At present, the
amount of oil passing through the Straits is 40 million tons. As
a result, 120 million tons of oil will soon pass through the
Straits. This amount is equal to the passage of 10 big tankers
through the Bosphorous every day.
Is there any need to describe the dimensions of a collision near
the Black Sea coast or an accident in the Straits? The Turkish
Sea Research Foundation has been calling on the international
public for years to prevent environmental pollution. Chairman of
the Foundation, Professor Bayram Ozturk commented on the recent
developments:'Following such a pollution it would be very
difficult to return the Black Sea back to its old condition as it
is an inland sea.'
What about the officials? They are silent at the moment. Maybe
they are remaining silent because their incompetent policies did
not yield any results concerning the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline. In
fact, the pipeline fiasco is a result of the Caucasus policy
followed by Ankara and this is the consequence.
Reuniting with our kinsmen, following an interval of eight to ten
centuries, required knowledge of their situations and tremendous
financial means to follow through with the policies mentioned.
Without knowledge or money, the relations we entered into
backfired emotionally. Our greatest mistake was to neglect the
significance Russia carried in these areas, and the relations
between Moscow and the newly independent countries. These
republics could have helped bridge the gap between Turkey and her
northern neighbour and we could have developed common stances
which wouldhave aided both sides as a result.
At present, Turkey's image in the Central Asian republics is a
country who produces better goods in her own country, but tries
to sell the second-rate goods to Central Asia. Turkey is also
seen as a know-it-all.
It is apparent that the position we currently find ourselves in
is a due to our mistakes. Turkey who has a bad image in the East
as well as in the West, she must come to her senses and use her
brains to prevent the formation of negative viewpoints. These
adverse results not only affect Turkey abroad, but as in oil
transportation threaten the lives of our citizens. An
administration which ignores the high brain power of its country
and lacks any sort of organisation is sure to reap bad results."
