![]() |
Compact version |
|
![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
Thursday, 15 August 2024
![]() |
||
![]() |
![]() |
|
Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-03-13Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.gov.tr/>13 MARCH 1998CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA - CULTURE MINISTER TALAY IN MOSTAR - TALAY VISITS THE MOSTAR BRIDGE WHICH WAS DESTROYED DURING THE WARMOSTAR, March 13 (A.A) - Istemihan Talay, the Culture Minister who is currently in Bosnia Herzegovina, visited on Thursday the Mostar Bridge which was destroyed during the civil war.Addressing the journalists, Talay said that the Mostar Bridge is very significant for Turkey. Pointing out that the Turkish Government contributed one million US dollars for the repair of the bridge, Talay said that the reconstruction of the bridge has not started yet. Noting that the Turkish contracting companies can participate in the activities on the bridge, Talay said that Turkey will continue to support the activities after the reconstruction begins. Talay also visited the Koskę Mehmet Pasha Mosque near the Mostar Bridge. Talay said that many historical buildings were also destroyed and Turkish companies can also initiate reconstruction studies for those historical monuments and buildings. Talay will return to Turkey on Friday after meeting with Midhat Haracic, the Chairman of the Canton of Sarajevo. [02] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ LEAVES FOR GEORGIAANKARA, March 13 (A.A) - Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz left for Georgia on Friday on a two-day official visit.Husamettin Cindoruk, the leader of the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP), Ministers of State Refaiddin Sahin, Yucel Seckiner, Rifat Serdaroglu, Eyup Isik; Murat Basesgioglu, the Minister of the Interior, and Cumhur Ersumer, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources will accompany Yilmaz during the visit. Yilmaz is also being accompanied by businessmen and members of the press. Speaking before his departure, Yilmaz said that Georgia is an important neighbor having joint interests with Turkey. Yilmaz identified Georgia as a country with which Turkey has joint interests and with which Turkey was willing to strengthen cooperation in every field, being an independent and sovereign country which favors ensuring peace and stability in the Caucasus. Yilmaz said that he will discuss bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues concerning the two countries during his visit and added that he will also sign several bilateral agreements. The Prime Minister said that he would attend the opening of a branch of the Emlakbank in Tbilisi noting that ''I believe that our trade and economic relations will gain a new dynamism due to the talks which our businessmen will hold and due to the bank branch which will be opened in Tbilisi. Also, during the visit, the new Turkish Air Lines office in Tbilisi will be opened. The issue of opening Batumi Airport for mutual usage will also be discussed. We will also discuss the construction of the Kars-Tbilisi railway that will link Turkey to the Central Asian Republics.'' Yilmaz said that he hopes this visit will be a step taken to improve Turkish-Georgian relations in every field. [03] TERRORISM - 30 TERRORISTS KILLED, THREE OTHERS SURRENDEREDDIYARBAKIR, March 13 (A.A) - The security forces killed 30 terrorists during operations launched in Southeastern Diyarbakir, Sirnak and Tunceli Provinces in a bid to eradicate the separatist terrorist organization. Meanwhile, three terrorists surrendered to the security forces, it was reported on Friday.The Emergency Regional Governor's Office gave a statement that 23 terrorists had been killed during operations carried out in the Besteler and Dereler regions of Sirnak Province. Two people from the security forces died during the clashes. Meanwhile, four terrorists were killed in Yedisu region in Genc County of Bingol Province, two killed in Lice County of Diyarbakir Province and another one was killed in Hozat County of Tunceli Province. It was also reported that three terrorists who fled from the separatist terrorist organization surrendered to security forces in Tunceli, Sirnak and Silopi Counties. Operations are continuing in the region. [04] TURKEY-EUROPEAN CONFERENCE - CHIRAC: ''BOTH SIDES ON CYPRUS SHOULD BE REPRESENTED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE EULONDON, March 13 (A.A)- Addressing the journalists at the end of the European Conference, Jacques Chirac, the French President said on Thursday that the representatives of the Turkish Cypriot side and the Greek Cypriot side should participate together in the negotiations for full membership in the European Union.Reminding that they wanted the Turkish Cypriot representatives to join the delegation which will participate in the full membership negotiations, Chirac offered to wait until both sides take their places in the same delegation. Responding to a question on whether France will prevent negotiations with the Greek Cypriot side, Chirac told the reporters that France is waiting for the Britain's attitude concerning the issue. Pointing out that they felt regret because Turkey did not participate at the European Conference, Chirac said, ''Turkey misunderstood the results of the Luxembourg Summit. Turkey's existence in Europe is very significant for us.'' [05] RELATIONS WITH CROATIA - FOREIGN MINISTER CEM MEETS HIS CROATIAN COUNTERPART GRANICANKARA, March 13 (A.A) - Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister met on Friday with Mate Granic, the Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.Interdelegational talks took place following a tete-a-tete meeting of the two foreign ministers. Croatian officials said developments regarding implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement will be discussed. The same sources also said that Granic will call for support from Turkey for the construction of a motorway that will encompass the Bosnia-Herzegovina Federation starting from Zagreb. The two foreign ministers will sign two protocols arranged between Turkey and Croatia and will make a joint press release. Granic earlier said that he would discuss cooperation facilities in the fields of the economy and culture with the Turkish officials. Granic stressed the constructive role which Turkey played for the establishment of peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina and also said that he would exchange views with the Turkish officials about the preservation of peace in Europe. The guest minister is expected to depart from Turkey on March 15. [06] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (1)These are brief summaries of some of the leading stories in Turkey's press on March 13, 1998. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.(Derived from the Newsspot of the Turkish General Directorate of Press and Information.) PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN GEORGIA EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IN DISPUTE OVER CYPRUS 77th ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM Hikmet Cetin, the Speaker of the Parliament yesterday sent out a message commemorating the 77th anniversary of the Turkish National Anthem, and said, ''The National Anthem is the glorious epic of our nation and a source of confidence for us. It represents our independence and loyalty to our country.'' /Cumhuriyet/ WORDS OF CAUTION FOR ARMENIA SIMITIS TURNS DOWN SECOND PROPOSAL FROM ANKARA CENTRAL BANK FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES REACH 19.8 BILLION USD (To be continued) [07] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (2)These are brief summaries of some of the leading stories in Turkey's press on March 13, 1998. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.(Derived from the Newsspot of the Turkish General Directorate of Press and Information.) TURKEY-TRNC MEETINGS MILLER MEETS GUREL Commenting on the deadlock on Cyprus, Miller stressed that both sides should be realistic, but was pessimistic about any imminent final solution. He also said that he had not conveyed any special message from the US administration. /All papers/ YILMAZ'S ATTACKER EXTRADITED TO TURKEY YILMAZ-MERAL MEETING Yilmaz received Bayram Meral, the Chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Labour Unions (Turk-Is) and members of the Board of Directors of Turk-Is. Meral said that the aim of their visit was to have their demands met by the government. /All papers/ TURKEY, FRANCE SIGN JOINT ANTITANK PRODUCTION DEAL (To be continued) [08] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (3)These are brief summaries of some of the leading stories in Turkey's press on March 13, 1998. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.(Derived from the Newsspot of the Turkish General Directorate of Press and Information.) GAZI NEIGHBOURHOOD VIOLENCE PROTESTED MIDDLE EAST JOURNALISTS IN ANKARA MINISTER OF CULTURE IN MOSTAR PKK ATTACK IN OSMANIYE The ''Spring Operation'' being carried out in the southeast regions by the Turkish Armed Forces is continuing to block the infiltration of PKK terrorists into Turkey. The General of the 2nd Command, Rasim Batum, said that Turkish helicopters were flying over the region throughout the day to ensure a tight control. /Sabah/ TURKISH YACHT CONSTRUCTION SECTOR EMERGES AS RISING STAR [09] EUROPEAN CONFERENCE - BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR: ''TURKEY KNOWS THAT THE EU'S DOORS ARE OPEN TO HER'' - FOREIGN MINISTER COOK: ''WE WANT A DEEPENED DIALOGUE WITH TURKEY'' - SIMITIS: ''WE FEEL REGRET AT TURKEY'S DECISION NOT TO PARTICIPATE AT THE CONFERENCE''LONDON, March 13 (A.A)- Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister sent positive messages to Turkey which did not join the Conference and said, ''Turkey knows that the European Union's doors are open to her.''Addressing the journalist with Jacques Santer, the President of the European Union Commission and Robin Cook, the British Foreign Minister at the end of the Conference, Blair said that the countries who joined the Conference had an opportunity to discuss joint values. Responding to a journalist who reminded that Glafcos Clerides, the Leader of the Greek Cypriot side, had prepared an offer package for the Turkish Cypriot side, Cook said that they found the offer to be satisfactory and added, ''we prefer a joint delegation which represent both sides. In the meantime we want both sides to obtain benefits from the EU's offers. We hope Rauf Denktas węll find this decision to be positive.'' Blair said, ''we want to set up close relations between Turkey and the EU.'' Reminding that the European Commission has an offer to improve relations between Turkey and the Customs Union, Cook said, ''Turkey can still join us. We will welcome her participation.'' Santer said that Turkey is a part of the European family and did not join the conference because she misunderstood the decisions taken at the Luxembourg Summit. Addressing a press conference, Kostas Simitis, the Greek Prime Minister, said that they felt regret at Turkey's decision not to join the Conference. Simitis pointed out that all countries who join the Conference apply the decisions taken at the Luxembourg Summit, but Turkey refuses to apply them. Simitis said that they invited the Turkish Cypriots to join the full membership negotiations along with the Greek Cypriot side. Simitis also added that Clerides' last approach showed that he applies the decisions concerning Cyprus taken in the Luxembourg Summit and said, ''Denktas will say the last word.'' A journalist reminded him that France and some of the other countries criticise the full membership negotiations to be started without the Turkish Cypriot side, and Simitis replied, ''we did not feel an attitude against the Greek Cypriot side for the negotiations to be started for full membership in the EU.'' [10] US STATE DEPARTMENT UNDERSECRETARY TALBOTT: ''IF THE EU OPENLY SAYS IT HAS A PLACE FOR TURKEY, THEN IT WILL BE EASIER FOR TURKEY TO MAKE THE CORRECT CHOICES FOR HER FUTURE''WASHINGTON, March 13 (A.A) - Strobe Talbott, the Undersecretary of the US State Department said on Thursday, ''if the European Union (EU) openly says it has a place for Turkey, then it will be easier for Turkey to make the correct choices for her future.''Addressing a meeting titled ''European Conference'' staged by the British Embassy, Strobe Talbott said that the US was a defender and supporter of integration in Europe and enlargement of the NATO and the EU. Stressing that the doors of the EU should be open, Talbott said nobody thought that the integration of Turkey with Europe would be easy. Talbott said that Turkey herself created the obstacles preventing her integration with Europe and listed them as the files on human rights, and her share of the responsibility on the inability to solve the Cyprus question. However, he added, ''on the other hand, Turkey has been a part of the European system for 400 years.'' He said that Turkey strategically turned her direction to the West and at the same time still improves her democratic institutions and tries to find a balance between the beliefs of her citizens and secularism and between values of tolerance and order. He said that they are both the friends of Turkey and the EU and the fates of both of them interest us. Tension and uncertainity which I tried to mention requires the EU to stress that Turkey will be a part of the new Europe. Talbott noted that solution on Cyprus was a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation which its citizens having equal rights. Meanwhile, Jamie Rubin, the US State Department Spokesman, responding to a question about Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit rejection of a meeting with the US's Special Coordinator to Cyprus Thomas Miller, said ''Miller had benefical contacts on Cyprus.'' Rubin said Miller was welcomed warmly in Ankara at was always the case. He also said that Miller met with Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, Gen. Cevik Bir, the Deputy Chief of General Staff and Sukru Sina Gurel, the Minister of State. He said ''the news reports which are reflected to the press are not true. Thomas Miller did not request a meeting with Prime Minister Yilmaz and his meeting with Ecevit could not be realized although it was on the program.'' Rubin identified Miller's contacts in Ankara as ''comprehensive and beneficial. [11] TAX REFORM - FIRST 23 ARTICLES OF TAX REFORM DRAFT LAW APPROVED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSIONANKARA, March 13 (A.A) - Zekeriya Temizel, the Minister of Finance, said on Thursday that an additional 4.5 quadrillion Turkish Liras in tax revenues could be collected if every income was taxed, emphasizing that the income tax responsibility of each taxpayer would be distributed according to his/her shares in the Gross National Product (GNP).The Parliament Planning and Budget Commission approved the first 23 Articles of the Tax Reform Draft Law. These articles include the ''Changes in the Taxation Procedure Law'' and the ''Changes in the Law for the Method of Collection of Public Receivables''. The Commission started to discuss the draft law's third part foreseeing the ''Changes in the Income Tax Law''. The Commission also approved Article 18 that arranges the topic and the context of the agreement for the Administration of Taxes. In accordance with this Article, the tax fines will be removed from the context of the agreement and the fines will be decreased by a ratio in the tax deduction if there is an agreement about the amount of tax. Article 19 foresees ''the decreasing of the effective limits and amounts related to tax to the legal levels'' while Article 20, which includes several temporary articles, obliges the taxpayers, who do bookkeeping in accordance with the principles of the operations account, no matter what the amount, to do bookkeeping on that principle for three years. Following the approval of Article 20 of the draft, Biltekin Ozdemir, the Chairman of the Parliament Planning and Budget Commission, said that the discussions on the first part of the draft regarding the ''Changes in the Taxation Procedure Law'', were concluded. Then the Commission started to deliberte the second part of the draft, ''Changes in the Law for the Method of Collection of Public Receivables''. Articles 21, 22 and 23, which were approved within the framework of the draft's second part, rearrange the ''public debts of the limited companies'' and the ''calculated queue of the public receivables''. Responding to the question of Cevat Ayhan, the Sakarya Deputy of the Virtue Party (FP), Zekeriya Temizel, the Minister of Finance, said that the public debts of the limited companies were nearly 250 trillion Turkish Liras. The Commission later started to discuss the third part of the draft including the ''Changes in the Income Tax Law''. Briefing the Commission on Article 24 that arranges the definition of the income and targets to expand the tax base, Temizel said that Article 24 was one of the most important Articles of the draft. Recalling that the claim ''tax will be collected on wealth'' was also one of the criticisms brought into the scope of the draft, Temizel said, ''in this draft, the collection of tax on wealth is out of the question.'' Stating that the amount of tax revenues would be 9.8 quadrillion Turkish Liras in the 1998 budget, Temizel said, ''an additional 4.5 quadrillion Turkish Liras in taxes can be collected if every income is taxed and if there is not any tax evasion.'' Article 24 was approved after the debates. The Parliament Planning and Budget Commission continues to discuss the Tax Reform Draft Law. Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |