DEMIREL TO VISIT UZBEKISTAN

President Suleyman Demirel will go to Uzbekistan today as the official guest of Uzbek President Islam Kerimov for a three-day visit. Bilateral relations, regional and international issues will be taken up during the meetings. A delegation comprising State Ministers Sukru Sina Gurel and Aydin Tumen and other high-level officials will accompany Demirel. /Cumhuriyet/

PARLIAMENT'S EXTRAORDINARY MEETING

The Parliament convened on Saturday upon the will of 116 deputies most of whom are disgruntled because of their exclusion from candidate lists by their parties and Parliament decided to continue working, the Anatolia News Agency reported. Parliament rejected the motion to hold a general debate about the developments that took place after the capture of the chief of the terrorist organization. After the rejection of the first motion, Parliament accepted a second motion submitted by several deputies from the Virtue Party (FP) and other disgruntled deputies. The second motion was accepted by 268 votes against 216. After the vote, Hikmet Cetin, the Speaker of Parliament said that Parliament would re-convene on 16 March and he closed the session.

STATE MINISTER GEMICI LEAVES FOR MALI

Hasan Gemici, the State Minister, left on Sunday for Mali, a West African country to hold official contacts. Gemici will be accompanied by a delegation including representatives from the Office of the General Staff, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade and Istanbul Municipality in his visit to Mali, the Anatolia News Agency reported. Issues of signing a Commercial, Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement between Turkey and Mali, the present situation in Cooperation Agreement on Military Training, the opportunities of cooperation in industry, trade, agriculture, education and construction business will be discussed in the contacts. The Turkish delegation will return to Ankara on 19 March after wrapping up its contacts in Bamato, the capital of Mali.

TURKISH-MACEDONIAN RELATIONS

A delegation headed by Adnan Kail, the Macedonian State Minister responsible from economy will arrive in Ankara on Monday, the Anatolia News Ageny reported on Sunday. It is reported that Turkish-Macedonian free trade agreement will be signed during the Macedonian delegation's visit to Ankara. The agreement foresees lifting the customs duties on the Macedonina exports to Turkey for the first five years, likewise Turkish exports except raw materials will benefit from the same exemption. Macedonian State Minister Kail said that Turkey had extended all kinds of support to improvement of Macedonian economy.

DRUG OPERATION IN GAZIANTEP

Security forces captured a gang which was preparing to produce heroin by operations launched in Southeastern Gaziantep province on Sunday, the Anatolia News Agency reported. Totally 13 people were taken into custody. While Gendarmarie forces were checking vehicles on Gaziantep-Kilis highway, they found a car left near Kazikili village. A series of operations started when material for producing heroin was found in the car. Investigation concerning the suspects is underway.

QUOTA LIST IN TEXTILES

Deputy Prime Minister Hikmet Ulugbay has demanded the US Trade Representative Charlene Barshevsky that textile quotas towards Turkey be softened. It is reported that a list has been presented to Barshevsky who said that they would consider the Turkish demand. Ulugbay met Barshevsky during his contacts in Washington. Intellectual property rights were taken up during the meeting. Turkey is cited as a 'followed' country in the annual reports of the US Trade Representation. /Hurriyet/

$1.9 BILLION FOR GAP EVERY YEAR

The Head of the Regional Development Administration of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), Olcay Unver, said that new master plans for the completion of the GAP in a shorter time were being drawn up and noted that to this end, annual public expenditures worth $700 million would be increased to $1.9 billion. Olcay pointed out that it was decided that the project would be completed in 2010. Unver said that in new master plans, they were in search of the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model in some sectors in addition to energy. /Hurriyet/

NATURAL GAS AGREEMENT WITH TURKMENISTAN

A new agreement for the purchase of natural gas has been signed between Turkey and Turkmenistan. According to a statement made by the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, the agreement was signed in the Turkmen capital of Ashkabad two days ago. With the agreement, it is foreseen that a contract regarding the purchase of natural gas would be signed by the end of May. A framework agreement which envisages natural gas sale through a pipeline from Turkmenistan via Azerbaijani and Georgian territories to Turkey was signed by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel and Turkmen President Saparmurat Turkmenbasi on October 29, 1998. /Hurriyet/

ECEVIT IN TRABZON

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday that the General Elections would be held on April 18 and added that there were no other alternatives. Ecevit who went to Trabzon yesterday delivered a speech to people and noted that the reason for the current unease was the Virtue Party (FP) and Deniz Baykal, the Chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP). Ecevit added that the Democratic Left Party (DSP) would rank first in the General Elections. /Hurriyet/

DEMIREL CONDEMNS THE ATTACK

President Suleyman Demirel condemned the attack which caused the death of 13 people in Istanbul and said: "It is extremely sorrowful and it is a brutality". Members of the PKK terrorist organization threw molotov cocktails to a shopping area in Goztepe, Istanbul on Saturday. Meanwhile, Istanbul Office of the Human Rights Association issued a message on the massacre which caused the death of 13 people and said that no words could explain the reason of this activity. /Hurriyet/

PKK ATTACKS ON RAMAN-3

Members of the PKK terrorist organization attacked on Raman-3 oil station which belongs to the Turkish Petroleum Board (TPAO) with rockets and automatic weapons yesterday in Batman. Terrorists escaped when Turkish security forces retaliated. No casualties were reported during the attack, however some oil tanks were striken. PKK terrorists had recently held another attack on Raman-3 oil station in which three special security officials died. /Hurriyet/

ATTACK ON CHP OFFICE

An armed attack was held two days ago on the Derbent election office of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in the Mamak district of Ankara. Three people were taken into custody regarding the incident. /Cumhuriyet/

ASSAILANTS ARRESTED

The accused, Bulent Erturk, Kemal Erturk and Leyla Acik, who were involved in the assault against Cankiri Governor Ayhan Cevik, have been arrested and sent to the prison. Meanwhile, Alpay Evirgen, who had been seriously injured during the attack and taken to Ankara Numune Hospital, died two days ago. /Cumhuriyet/

VICTORY WEEK BEGINS

The 84th anniversary of the Canakkale Naval Victory will be celebrated with various activities. An opening ceremony will be held in the Cimenlik Citadel today. The activities will last until March 21. Canakkale Governor Ekrem Ozsoy issued a written statement yesterday and said that they bore the honour of celebrating the 84th anniversary of the Canakkale Naval Victory. /Cumhuriyet/

CHESS OLYMPICS

The International Chess Federation (FIDE), during a meeting of the Council of Chairmen yesterday in Ankara, decided that the 34th Chess Olympics would be held in Istanbul on October 27-November 13, 2000. FIDE Honorary Chairman Florencio Campomanes thanked Co-Chairman Emrehan Halici for Turkey's efforts on the chess olympics. It is expected that 2,000 chess players including Kasparov from 150 countries will attend the olympics. /Cumhuriyet/

A PROPOSAL FROM EU

Hans Van Den Broek, a member of the EU Commission responsible for foreign affairs, stated that they made proposals including financial issues on Turkey to the European Council and the European Parliament. Broek noted that the EU Commission supported the projects for the development of Southeastern Anatolia from the economic and social standpoints and said that the Southeastern problem should be excluded from the discussions on the PKK and its chief, Abdullah Ocalan. /Cumhuriyet/

CAPPADOCIA AIRPORT

The scheduled flights from Istanbul to the Cappadocia Airport, Nevsehir, started yesterday. The Minister of Transportation, Hasan Basri Aktan, who was on the plane was welcomed with a ceremony in Cappadocia yesterday. Aktan stated that the airport would contribute to the development of tourism, agriculture and industry in the region. /Cumhuriyet/

ATHENS PREPARES FOR SURPRISE VISIT TO ANKARA

George Papandreu, the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, implied during the unofficial EU Foreign Ministers' Summit in Germany that he may visit Turkey. Remarking that there are no specific decisions concerning his visit to Turkey, Papandreu added that a foreign minister must try every means in order to pursue the interests of his country. Meanwhile, according to the Greek `To Vima' daily, the Greek government aims at the recovery of the Turco-Greek relations due to joint diplomatic efforts by Papandreu and Prime Minister Simitis. It is also reported that Athens is anxious over the possibility that the `Ocalan fiasco' and the unmasked Greek support for the terrorist PKK organization may undermine these efforts. Accordingly, it is stated that a successful visit by Papandreu to Ankara may also lead to an official Turco-Greek Summit during the NATO meeting to be held in Washington. /Milliyet/

BAYKAL: "WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANYBODY DISCUSS THE ELECTIONS"

Following the extraordinary congregation of Parliament due to the Virtue Party (FP) support for those alleged `disgruntled' MPs, Deniz Baykal, the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), which is condemned for giving covered support to the `disgruntled' movement, remarked that it is not plausible to force Turkey into debates over the April Elections. Baykal added, "However, there are various problems in Turkey. If this extraordinary assemblage of Parliament aims at enacting laws necessary to overcome these problems, we may lend our support as well." /Milliyet/

SPANISH BUSINESSMEN TO TURKEY

Spanish businessmen will organize an industrial fair, Expotecnica '99, in Istanbul between June 1-6, 1999, which aims at the exhibition, promotion and marketing of the Spanish industrial products. It is reported that the Spanish business circles attach specific emphasis upon the Turkish market mainly because it will facilitate them to enter the vivid markets in the Central Asian Turkish-Speaking Republics. /Milliyet/

PRIVATIZATION INSURANCE TO WORKERS

Ugur Bayar, the Head of the Privatization Administration, declared that following the April Elections they will submit a plan to ease the social problems due to privatization. Bayar noted that they plan to continue paying wages for 16 or 18 months to those workers who will lose their jobs due to privatization. Bayar said, "Privatization requires a problematic process for two or three years, which is to be faced by every sector of society. While continuing to pay the wages of those workers who lose their occupation because of privatization, we will implement training programmes and create new jobs." /Milliyet/

MILLER: "OCALAN ISSUE IS AN IMPORTANT CRISIS BETWEEN TURKEY AND GREECE"

The US special envoy to Cyprus, Thomas Miller, said that the recent tension between Turkey and Greece concerning the chief of the terrorist organization was a very serious one. In his statement to weekly To Vima newspaper, Miller said that Abdullah Ocalan issue was very sensitive from the standpoint of Turkey because Turkish people felt themselves treated unjustly concerning the Ocalan issue. Miller emphasized that the United States had made its stance clear, by saying that it considers Ocalan to be the head of a terrorist organization. /Turkiye/

A PKK SUPPORTER IS CAPTURED IN BELGIUM

As a result of operations carried out by Belgian gendarmerie, a PKK supporter and arms smuggler, Seho Celik, was captured in Brussels. According to the Flemish TV channel, VRT, Celik was a bloody terrorist sought by red-bulletin for a long time. /Turkiye/

TURCO-SOUTH AFRICAN TRADE RELATIONS

Ataturk Organized Industry Region Industrialists' Cooperation Association (ASAD) decided to increase trade relations with South Africa. Chairman of the Executive Board of the ASAD, Sayil Dincsoy, said that they linked the Conjectural Catalogue prepared by ASAD to the Web-site of the Cape Town Trade Chamber. Dincsoy noted that they had looked for new ways to increase trade opportunities with South Africa. /Aksam/

NO CONCESSION IN TURKEY'S IRAQI POLICY

Diplomatic circles noted following the recent visit of the US Deputy Secretary of State, Martin Indyk in Ankara, that Ankara reminded Indyk that Turkey would give no concession from its present policies concerning Iraq and the Middle East. It is reported that Turkey was very determined in the territorial integrity and political unity of Iraq. Turkey believed that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein would not be toppled down by "out-side" forces, said the same sources and added that the US and Turkey shared the same view stressing that UN embargos imposed on Iraq should be eased by international arrangements. Ankara reminded Indyk that the "Turkish foreign policy does not have the habit of exerting efforts to change the regime of other countries." /Aksam/

SPANISH DELEGATION TO COME TO TURKEY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TALKS

A Spanish business delegation will meet their Turkish counterparts in the central office of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) in Ankara on 17 March. The meeting is being coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and its topic is environmental concerns and cooperation opportunities between the two countries. The Ministry of Environment signed a "Financial Protocol" with Spain in June 1998. The protocol allows Spain to extend a $ 450 million-loan to Turkey if the environment is given a special place amongst the sectors which can benefit from the loan. /Turkiye/

ECZACIBASI WINS THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

The Turkish Eczacibasi became the European Women Volleyball Cup-Winners' Champion, following a 3-1 win against the Italian Reggio Emilia, the Confederation Cup Winner of the last year, in the final match in Bursa yesterday. Thousands of Eczacibasi fans fervently supported the Turkish team during the match, while Irina, who was also elected as the best player of the tournament, presented a wonderful performance. Eczacibasi won all of its nine matches throughout the championship and succeeded in being the first Turkish volleyball team to become the European Champion. Meanwhile, the Turkish Vakifbank placed second in the European Women Volleyball Champions' League, losing against the Italian Bergamo during the final match in Italy. /Milliyet/

GALATASARAY CONTINUES LEADERSHIP

Galatasaray has continued its leadership in the Turkish Premier Football League, smashing Genclerbirligi with 2-1 in Ankara. On the other hand, during the derby match of the week on Saturday, Fenerbahce won against Trabzonspor with a single goal scored by Balic. /Milliyet/

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

THE TASK FALLS UPON MUNICIPALITIES -BY ORHAN ERINC (CUMHURIYET)

Orhan Erinc, a columnist in the 'Cumhuriyet' daily newspaper, says the following in his article today: "It has been expected that the PKK terrorist organization which has lost its power in rural areas following the capture of the PKK chief Abdullah Ocalan would carry out massacres in big cities especially in Istanbul. We condemn those who think that they could prove their strength by killing innocent people and committing crimes of humanity. The European countries, which shelter murderers involved in drug and arms smuggling on behalf of human rights and democracy since the second half of 1960s, should be proud of the barbarians whom they have created. Following the achievement of the Turkish Armed Forces in rural areas, the task now falls upon security officials in cities. The capture of the assailants partially relieves our pain. However as we have seen in the attack in Goztepe, the most important task falls upon the municipalities. They should review the licence of the places mostly visited by many people and they should examine the entrances and exits, fire stairs of the buildings and overcome the inadequancies as soon as possible. No one should doubt that Turkey will also overcome this misfortune". /Cumhuriyet/

WHAT MUST WE DO NOW? -BY CUNEYT ULSEVER (HURRIYET)

In his column in Hurriyet, Cuneyt Ulsever analyzes the problem created by the disgruntled members of Parliament by convening the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA). A summary of his column is as follows: "On 13 March 1999, the Turkish Parliament accepted to begin working again and in another development 'terror' took 13 lives. Eventually all of us should analyze calmly what the capture of Ocalan by Turkey means to international balances. We have to see that 'terror' is the postmodern version of international war.... Therefore we have to understand that there is a bloody conflict going on Turkish territory, despite our wishes and out of our control....Until now, the only organization which has been aware of this chess game and is trying to play according to the rules of this game is the Turkish Armed Forces... Notwithstanding the opposition of the Government, the disgruntled members of Parliament were able to convene the TGNA. However the Government can use this opportunity to its advantage. It can take some historic decisions which no one can oppose such as: The Repentance Law, Civilianization of the State Security Courts (SSC), Changes in laws against organized crime. The Repentance Law can have a deterring affect on PKK militants. The link between urban and rural terror can be severed. The Civilianization of the SSCs is a necessary democratic decision and it would justify the process of trying Ocalan. The changes in the law concerning organized crime would facilitate the work of security forces. The amendmends to the Banking Law are not that much essential. The changes in the 312th article can wait the elections. If the ruling parties agree on it, we can be a country which can heal its own wounds without leaving any damages on general elections. "

MARKETS WATCHING THE PARLIAMENT -BY HAYRI CETINKAYA (HURRIYET)

Columnist Hayri Cetinkaya looks into the impact of the latest political development on economy. "The 18 April Elections had become the focus of interest for everyone. In such an atmosphere, while everyone was making new calculations, the efforts for trying to protect individual interests suddenly blurred our vision... If the campaign to call Parliament had been left as an effort by the disgruntled members of the TGNA nothing would have changed. But the support lent by the Virtue Party, in turn that their former leader Erbakan was permitted to the political arena, has upset all balances. The extraordinary meeting of Parliament also created a small tremor in the markets. The politics cast a shadow on interest rates and stock exchanges throughout the whole week. At the beginning of last week the interest rates of state bonds fell below 100% during the last seven months with the support of low inflation rates. However, due to the efforts of the politicians it did not stay there for long... IMKB (Istanbul Stock Exchange) is promising and foreigners who are optimistic about the future of the IMKB after the elections are fearful only of Turkish politics. Both Turkish and foreign investors are watching Parliament for the latest political developments".

OLD ISSUES