PARLIAMENT TO CONVENE ON SUNDAY

The new Parliament will convene for the first time on Sunday, May 2 at 3 p.m., following the announcement of the official results of the April 18 elections by the Supreme Election Board (YSK) yesterday. According to parliamentary by-laws, Parliament must hold its first meeting five days after the YSK verifies the election results. Parliament's Sunday session will be chaired by its oldest member, True Path Party (DYP) Elazig Deputy Ali Riza Septioglu. Septioglu will continue to act as Speaker of Parliament until a replacement is elected. All elected deputies will be sworn-in at the meeting, in accordance with the Constitution. /All papers/

DEMIREL AT THE "WASHINGTON INSTITUTE"

President Suleyman Demirel met with senior representatives of US defence, telecommunication and energy companies yesterday at the Turco-American Council in Washington. During the meeting Demirel invited American businessmen to invest in Turkey. Later, Demirel attended a meeting organized by "The Washington Institute". In his speech at the Institute Demirel asked Greece not to support terrorists and terrorist activities. Concerning the Cyprus issue Demirel noted that there was a state comprisisng Turkish-Cypriots on the island; however, it was under an heavy embargo. There were two states on the island, Demirel added, and both of them ought to be equally recognized. He said that the Cyprus issue should not be a part of Turco-American relations. Answering a question Demirel said that the construction of the Baku-Ceyhan oil and natural gas pipeline would start next year. Meanwhile, President Suleyman Demirel met with US leading journalists, representatives of TV stations, former Ambassadors, politicians and military officials during his last day in Washington. /Turkiye/Aksam/

REFLECTIONS ON ESDI CONTINUE

The EU Foreign Minister are expected to take up the question of the European Security and Defence Identity (ESDI) in their next meeting, which is set to take place on May 17 in Brussels. Meanwhile, Turkey hopes that the results of the Western European Union (WEU)'s Bremen Summit and the EU's Cologne Summit will give more clarity to the EU's hopes for a defence identity of its own and clear up how it will integrate non-EU European states into the ESDI. /All papers/

BAHCELI: "A KURDISH STATE IS A DREAM"

The British Ambassador to Ankara, David Logan, visited the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahceli yesterday and congratulated him over his success in the General and Local Elections held in Turkey on April 18. During the meeting, Bahceli said: "Turkey will never approach approving the establishment of a Kurdish state". Replying to a question on the PKK problem, Bahceli said: "The PKK Chief Abdullah Ocalan has been captured. However, PKK terrorism has not ended". Bahceli also expressed his uneasiness over the news published in the Western press concerning the MHP and said: "Turkey does not want to isolate itself from the European Union (EU)". /Hurriyet/

CONTRACT SIGNED WITH IRAQ

A contract was signed with Iraq concerning the import of crude oil in lieu of an $81 million debt to Turkish exporters, said Gaziantep Trade Chamber (GTO) Chairman Mehmet Aslan. Aslan noted that talks with Iraqi officials over a period of more than a month had been fruitful, adding that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit was fully aware of the meetings. Aslan stated that he had conveyed a letter from Ecevit to Iraqi Chief Deputy Prime Minister Taha Yasin Ramazan in Baghdad and praised Ecevit for his determination to find a solution to this chronic debt problem with Iraq. /All papers/

WARM MESSAGES FROM SHEVARDNADZE

Georgian President Eduard Shervardnadze said that relations between Ankara and Tbilisi should be an example for all countries in the region. Shevardnadze delivered a speech at a ceremony held to mark the occasion of the admittance of Georgia to full membership of the Council of Europe in which he said that political, economic and cultural relations between Turkey and Georgia were continually developing. He noted that they shared similar views on many international issues with Turkey and added that Turkey and Goergia were also in cooperation concerning the development of the Silk Road, the Anatolia News Agency reports.

TURKEY SECURES APPROVAL FOR RESOLUTION ON TERRORISM IN UN

Following lengthy debates, Turkey had its draft resolution on terrorism approved by the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva yesterday. Without openly mentioning their names, the resolution criticized Italy and Germany for their stances during the stay of the PKK Chief Abdullah Ocalan in Rome last year. The resolution called on all UN members to abide by their obligations in the struggle against terrorism and to comply with the relevant international agreements on terrorism. The document stressed that terrorists must not remain unpunished. It said that no terrorist act can be justified, whatever the reason behind it. Terrorism is a violation of a basic human right, the right to live, and it is a major threat to democracy, the rule of law and civil society, the resolution stated. It also drew attention to the direct links between terrorism and organized crime, particularly drug and arms trafficking, money laundering and extortion. /All papers/

BRITISH CONSTITUTION FOR CYPRUS

President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Rauf Denktas, has stated that Britain is researching into preparations for a Constitution for Cyprus. Denktas who met British Deputy Foreign Minister, Joyce Quinn, and British Special Envoy to Cyprus, David Hanney, a few days ago remarked that this initiative was unacceptable. Denktas expressed his anger and added: "We have asked them who gave them the authority to prepare a Constitution for Cyprus. They have not given us an answer, neither have they confessed". Denktas remarked that Greek Cypriots were trying to own Cyprus through the use of force. The British Foreign Office stated that Quinn's visit to Lefkose aimed to support a process initiated by the UN and these efforts would continue with contact being made between the two sides on the island. /Milliyet/

KLERIDES URGES RENEWAL OF DIALOGUE IN CYPRUS

Greek Cypriot Leader Glafkos Klerides has said that they are ready to restart dialogue with the Turkish Cypriot side no preconditions and on the basis of related UN resolutions. The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Rauf Denktas, has been refusing to talk with his Greek Cypriot counterpart since the European Union (EU) decided in December 1997 to admit Southern Cyprus as a full member. Denktas says that a federation is no longer on the table, and a confederation should be established between Southern Cyprus and the TRNC. The proposal foresees the international recognition of the TRNC as a state. /All papers/

KOCHARYAN SAYS ARMENIA WANTS DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH TURKEY

In a surprising move after years of bilateral tension, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has said that his country is ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey with no preconditions. Speaking at a conference in Washington on Monday, Kocharyan said that Armenia was trying 'to melt the ice' between Yerevan and Ankara and that small-scale dialogue had already started between the two countries. /All papers/

TURKISH ARMENIANS SUPPORT KOSOVARS

The Patriarch of the Turkish Armenians, Mesrob Mutafyan, has offered 12.5 billion TL as a contribution to the aid campaign launched by the Istanbul Governor's Office for the Kosovar refugees. Mutafyan, who handed over the money to Istanbul Governor Erol Cakir yesterday, said that with an awareness campaign begun in 38 churches, financial assistance had been received and clothes and foodstuff had been collected. Cakir said for his part that they were trying to do their best for the Kosovar refugees. /Cumhuriyet/

OPERATIONS IN SOUTHEAST

According to a statement made by the Emergency Rule Region, during operations in Southeastern Anatolia carried out by Turkish security forces against the PKK terrorist organization, four PKK members were killed and three were captured while one terrorist surrendered to security forces, the Anatolia News Agency reports.

IMF: "TURKEY IS A SUCCESS"

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced that the financial position of the Turkish economy is strengthening while inflation is decreasing as well. In the report, "View on the World Economy", it was reported that the Turkish economy had not been badly effected by the Russian economic crisis as a result of the successful economic programmes which have been applied during recent years. It was said that Turkey ought to apply structural measures to maintain her powerful development. /Aksam/

38 MILLION EURO IN CREDITS FROM EU TO TURKEY

The European Investment Bank (EIB) said that a contract loaning 38 million Euros for the development of Tarsus and its environs has been signed with the Turkish government. The EIB evaluating investment projects worth 82 million Euro aimed at improving the infrastructure of the Municipality of Tarsus remarked that the Turkish government saw these projects as being of great significance. The EIB based in Luxembourg stressed that the Tarsus projects would be completed in 2003. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKEY'S GROWTH RATE TO BE 2 % IN 1999

A report prepared by the IMF on Turkey noted that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate is projected to be 2 % this year, rising to 3.6 % in the year 2000. The report stated that the Turkish economy was mostly affected by the Russian crisis last year. It stressed that as a result of economic policies, the negative effect of the Russian crisis has decreased and foreign borrowing has resumed. The report said that the current account surplus in Turkey would be 1 % this year, dropping to 0.1 % next year. /Milliyet/

TOURISM ON NSC AGENDA

It is reported that during a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) on Friday, the issue of tourism will be the main topic to be discussed. Tourism Minister Ahmet Tan will explain the measures taken against the activities of the PKK terrorist organization which aim to damage Turkish tourism. The NATO operation against Yugoslavia and the political situation in Turkey following the April 18 elections will also be deliberated during the meeting. /Hurriyet/

TOURISM ORGANIZATIONS DETERMINED TO REVIVE TURKISH TOURISM

A counter-attack on prejudiced tourism information has been launched by several organizations in Turkey in order to ease the difficulties currently being experienced in Turkish tourism, the Anatolia News Agency reports. Three companies -the Turkish Travel Agencies' Union (TURSAB), the Mediterranean Tourist Hotels' Union (AKTOB) and the DETUR Travel Agency which is part of the Dedeman Group -invited 16 journalists from the Ukraine to the Antalya region for four days. The Ukrainian journalists, who met Turkish journalists following their holiday, said: "We have seen that there is no security problem in Antalya at all" and added that the Antalya region is a unique holiday destination.

INITIATIVES FOR TOURISM SECTOR

Semahat Arsel, a member of the Executive Board of the Koc Group and the founder of the Semahat Arsel Nusring Education Research Centre, said that Turkish tourism suffered from a lack of image; thus, she added, a supreme council should be established under the umbrella of the Ministry of Tourism to initiate short and long-term projects. She also stressed that the Turkish media holds great responsibility in the tourism sector. Arsel, the seventh biggest tax payer in Turkey, said that Turkish businessmen should invest in the health sector in order to ease the health conditions throughout the country. /Aksam/

LOANS FOR THE EASTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN REGIONS

The Treasury announced that low interest rate loans would be issued to complete the constructions of small and medium-scale investments in the Eastern and Southeastern regions. Every investment will be offered not more than 300 billion TL in loans. The support will include those incomplete investments in the production, agriculture, health, education and tourism sectors in 26 districts in the regions in order to make them productive within the economy and to increase employment opportunities in the region. /Aksam/

KOC TO PRODUCE WHEEL PART WITH FRENCH MICHELIN

The Koc Group has reached an agreement with world-leading French tyre-producer Michelin to produce wheel-rim. According to the agreement they will be made in Turkey and production will start at the end of the year 2000. It is aimed to produce 2.4 million wheel-rim annually and more than 50 % of them will be exported to Europe, the Turkish Speaking States, Russia and the Middle East. /Aksam/

ITALIAN PIRELLI TO INVEST IN TURKEY

The Italian Pirelli Corporation has decided to make a $ 250 million investment in Turkey. Representatives of the Pirelli Group, which is still producing wheels in Izmit, said that they would increase their investments in Turkey. They added that immediately after they have been given permission by the Prime Ministry they would implement their plan. /Sabah/

PROMOTIONAL AWARD TO SABANCI

Turco-American Businessmen's Association (TABA-AmCham), will give the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Sabanci Group, Sakip Sabanci, the "Turkey Promotional Award". In a written statement it was said that TABA-AmCham decided to award a prize to Sakip Sabanci because of his efforts to promote his country by opening his Calligraphy Arts Exhibition in important regions of the US such as Los Angeles and New York. The award will be presented today in Istanbul. Meanwhile the "Golden Letters: Ottoman Calligraphy Arts from the Sakip Sabanci Collection" exhibition, which is still in Los Angeles, will move to Harvard University Museum in Harvard between 7 October 1999 and 2 January 2000. /Turkiye/Aksam/

EXPOTECNIA'99 PROMOTIONAL CONFERENCE

Many Turkish and Spanish bureaucrats, businessmen and press members attended a promotional conference prior to the meeting for 'Expotecnia'99, Spanish Industry and Technology Fair to be held in Istanbul on June 1-6, 1999. Metin Sahin, who delivered a speech at the meeting, said that foreign trade volume did not reflect the current potential between Turkey and Spain and present opportunities should be expanded in order to develop bilateral relations. /Cumhuriyet/

ASIAN PACIFIC LEATHER FAIR

The 1999 Asian Pacific Leather Fair has been beneficial in overcoming the negative effects of the Russian crisis on Turkey. During the Fair held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on April 20-23, Turkish leather products were promoted on Turkish stands. Turkish officials had managed to make contact with many businessmen throughout the world during the Fair. /Hurriyet/

TURCO-GERMAN COOPERATION

Esin Ucer, Head of the Karsiyaka Street Children's Association, stated that were working in cooperation with a similar association with the German city of Bremen to fight drug addiction among street children. Ucer noted that the two associations had their first encounter last year at a seminar in Bremen concerning the rehabilitation of street children. She said: "This year the seminar will once again be held in Germany". /All papers/

THIRD BALKAN CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL

Guests who came to Turkey as part of the 'Third Balkan Children's Festival' have returned to their countries following a farewell dinner held by the Municipality of Silivri. A total of 20 guests from Romania and 36 from Bulgaria took part in the Festival this year. /Cumhuriyet/

TREASURE OF THE MILLENNIUM TO TURKEY

Elmali coins, known as the Treasure of the Millennium, have been handed over to Turkish representatives. During a ceremomy yesterday in New York Culture Minister Istemihan Talay was given the coin collection. Turkey has been struggling to take back the collection since 1988. Meanwhile, the General Director of Religious Affairs, Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz, was given back a wooden carved emblem which dates from 13th and 14th centuries. The emblem was stolen from Divrigi Mosque in 1995. Yilmaz and Talay will bring the coins and emblem on 29 April to Turkey and on 30 April they intended to exhibit the coins and emblem in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara. /Turkiye/Aksam/

TURKISH CANDIDATE IN BELGIAM POLITICS

The Belgian Liberal Party (PRL) organized a press conference to introduce its Turkish MP candidate to the public. Belkis Sever, a member of the PRL, said that she was the first woman MP candidate originating from Turkey in Brussels. Sever is the manager of a tourism agency. /Aksam/

MIGROS IN BULGARIA

Migros, a chain of supermarkets owned by the Koc Group, has decided to open a store in Bulgaria. The capital and the investment cost of the project has not been determined yet. Representatives of the Group said that they aimed to increase the number of their supermarket stores in various regions of Bulgaria. Koc Group already has supermarket stores in various parts of Russia. /Sabah/

MTA-JICA COOPERATION

The third training programme on `Mineral Research and Processing', jointly organized by the Mineral Research and Administration Institute (MTA) and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will begin on May 3. According to a statement issued by the MTA, within the framework of the programme,those participants from Central Asian countries and Bosnia-Herzigovina will be presented with seminars by MTA experts, a number of academics and Japanese experts, reports the Anatolian News Agency.

GALATASARAY IN THE EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE

In its latest meeting, UEFA has decided to implement the European Super League project, which will begin in 2003 with 18 teams. Meanwhile, due to the UEFA's evaluation process based on the last five years, only Galatasaray has been chosen from Turkey for the Super League in which the giant teams of Europe will struggle. Of all other European teams, Galatasaray is the one which has participated in the Champions' League the most. /Turkiye/

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

SEE WHAT SOROS' CO-PARTNER SAYS - BY ERTUGRUL OZKOK (HURRIYET)

Ertugrul Ozkok, a columnist for the `Hurriyet' daily, reflects on an interview with Jim Rogers, the copartner of international financer George Soros. Ozkok writes: "There was a very important interview in a Wall Street Journal supplemant two weeks ago. However, it did not attract the attention of our media mainly because of the Election earthquake. The interview was conducted with Jim Rogers, the copartner of George Soros, the leading financial investor in the world. Following his great success in financial circles, Rogers has put an end to his engagement in financial markets and begun to travel all around the world. His latest trip covered Hungaria, the Balkans, Turkey and the Central Asian Republics. Most of these countries are `emerging markets', as they are called by Western financial circles. The first question by the Wall Street Journal to Rogers asks about the most interesting thing he experienced during his visits. Rogers says, `During my entire trip the most interesting country for me was Turkey.' Rogers says that he had visited Turkey for the second time after nine years. He claims that Turkey has changed enormously in these nine years. `Turkey will surely be a country of amazing investment opportunities within three years', says Rogers, and adds, `Such a rapidly developing country is likely to be the superpower of the region in the near future.' Rogers is not a politician. Thus noone can claim that he aims to flatter Turkey. Moreover, his copartner Soros is a figure who can challenge the Russian economy or affect the economic balance of a country with a single statement. Therefore, for my own part, this is a very important interview for Turkey. For it can help our new MPs to understand what Turkey really is. Certain Western press organs and experts in evaluating the results of the recent Election argue that this result will engender a government which will isolate Turkey from the West. However, I hold that the Turkish economy can by no means be isolated, given its present level of development. The two parties who are being expected to form the new government have original worldviews. Both the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Nationalist Action Party (MHP)pursue different policy goals to the centre-right parties. Hence, it does not seem a feasible alternative to overrate these differences and escape from the universal economic rules which apply to the entire world. The outlines of economic activity have already been drawn in the world. In this respect, I do not find it reasonable for businessmen to gather under certain organizations which have rigid political or religious references. Such divisions are harmful not only to those organizations and businessmen but also to Turkey. Now, everybody should understand that political parties have specific fields where they can present their preferences without intervening in the universal economic rules."

EUROPE FORMING ITS OWN ARMY, TURKEY EXCLUDED - BY EROL MANISALI (CUMHURIYET)

Columnist Erol Manisali from the daily 'Cumhuriyet' comments on the forming of a European army with the exclusion of Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows: "An important decision has come out from the NATO summit. From now on the European Union will deal with military problems within the boundaries of the EU through an institution whose name will be the European Security and Defence Identity(ESDI),a strategic institution replacing the Western European Union. In the future the EU alone will decide on the manoeuvres stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, the Aegean, and the Eastern Mediterranean. The EU wants to be not only the economic and political but also the military power in Europe. On the path to a European State, the military power of this institution will be the ESDI in line with its policies. However, it will not be able to use the forces of NATO. Turkey is excluded from the EU by also being excluded from the WEU and the ESDI which are also EU institutions. The European State currently formed of 15 and in the future 26 states will decide and act militarily within the framework of these boundaries. However, they will not be able to use NATO forces as the US and Turkey have opposed it. NATO will deal with more comprehensive world problems. The ESDI is of great interest to Turkey. In time, NATO will be left outside of the boundaries of Europe. The new decision is the first step towards it. The founding of the ESDI has an important impact on Turkey: 1- Turkey which was excluded from the future European State by not being admitted to the EU, is also left out of the ESDI, the military formation of the EU. Turkey's ties within NATO will be seen in places outside Europe, and they will probably switch to the Caucasus and Central Asia. 2- Just as in the Customs Union, the EU will have the opportunity to pressurize Turkey concerning her relations with Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration by using the ESDI, as the Aegean and the island of Cyprus will be seen within the boundaries of the EU. Even today it is considered as such. 3- The "strategic balance" between Turkey and Greece will be altered completely. While Greece is both in NATO and the ESDI, Turkey participates only in NATO. Greece will begin to use the EU militarily against Turkey. 4- Due to the exclusion of Turkey from Europe, Turkish relations with the US will achieve a greater significance from the Turkish viewpoint. The EU has proven that it will not admit Turkey into its new military formation, the ESDI, or the EU. If it had any intention of doing so, it would acknowledge Turkey's privileged status as she has served for 46 years in NATO to protect the security of Europe and admit her to the ESDI and the WEU. The EU will try to use the ESDI as a means of political pressure as it has used the Customs Union. Turkey might not take her place within the future European State. This is not the end of the world; the Europeans may have justifiable economic, social, and cultural reasons for this. We shall live together in peace."

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