Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-05-17

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From: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.gov.tr/>

17 MAY 1998

CONTENTS

[01] MURAT OPERATION - 99 TERRORISTS WERE KILLED IN MURAT OPERATION

[02] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''TALKING STATE TO STATE IS NOT AN OBSTACLE FOR A JOINT STRUCTURE'' - HAKTANIR, THE FOREIGN MINISTRY UNDERSECRETARY: ''IT IS OFF NO USE TO APPROACH THE ISSUE WITH OLD SLOGANS''

[03] 17TH TURKISH DAY PARADE IN THE US - MAYOR GIULIANI DECLARES MAY 10-16 AS ''TURKISH HERITAGE WEEK''

[04] YENEL, ALCATEL TELETAS GENERAL DIRECTOR: ''WE ARE NUMBER ONE IN CALL OFFICES IN AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA'' ''WE WILL START SELLING MOBILE PHONES IN THESE COUNTRIES SOON''

[05] THE PRIVATIZATION OF POAS - DUE DATE FOR BIDDING IS MAY 18 - PRIVATIZATION PROCEDURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN THE END OF JUNE

[06] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MAY 17, 198

[07] GREECE - THE CAR OF ANASTASIA CONSTANTINOU, WORKING IN TURKISH CONSULATE GENERAL, WAS SET ON FIRE

[08] THE AKKUYU NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TENDER - A DELEGATION HEADED BY YIGITGUDEN, THE UNDERSECRETARY OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, LEAVES FOR JAPAN - THE DELEGATION WILL LATER VISIT SOUTH KOREA AND GERMANY

[09] CYPRUS TURKISH DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM IN TRNC - TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS CALLS TURKISH BUSINESSMEN TO INVEST IN TRNC

[10] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MAY 17, 1998 (2)

[01] MURAT OPERATION - 99 TERRORISTS WERE KILLED IN MURAT OPERATION

A statement from the office of the Chief of General Staff said that 99 terrorists were killed, and 23 terrorists were captured alive during the operation.

The stament said that Murat Operation has ended, and one officer and 9 soldiers were also killed during the clashes.

Many weapons, amnution, and food were also seized, during the operation, the statement added.

[02] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''TALKING STATE TO STATE IS NOT AN OBSTACLE FOR A JOINT STRUCTURE'' - HAKTANIR, THE FOREIGN MINISTRY UNDERSECRETARY: ''IT IS OFF NO USE TO APPROACH THE ISSUE WITH OLD SLOGANS''

Denktas received Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Korkmaz Haktanır. Stating that ''they give up saying Cyprus issue is in an important period, '' Denktas said in the meeting that the Cyprus issue reached to a point by 23 April Declaration, and they will continue to defend their right within this line.

''We are aware that there is a very coordinated effort in the world to leave Turkish side alone and to force us to give concession as it happened in Crete. We follow Turkey's struggle for her just cause,'' Denktas said.

Emphasizing that talking state to state is not an obstacle to form a joint structure, Denktas said, ''the principle of talking state to state is not an obstacle for a political structure which both sides will create by their own will after there is peace, and the atmosphere of trust is created. On the contrary, it will help. The ones who want a joint structure should evaluate this well. I think that they will also loose this opportunity one day.''

Haktanır also said that the joint policies of Turkey and TRNC are determined by the April 23 Declaration.

Stating that they do not want to talk about an issue called Cyprus problem anymore, Haktanır said, ''what is important for us is that establishing peace between the two states in Cyprus. We expend our efforts to this direction.''

Haktanır also stressed that the attitudes of the Greek Cypriot side and their purchase of S-300 missiles prove that they are far away from the line of peace.

''It is off no use to approach the issue with old slogans and cliches,'' Haktanır said.

Stating that some circles loved the two states thesis of Turkish side all of a sudden after rejecting it for years, Haktanır said ''we have to ask these where they were before?''

Haktanır stressed that there are two states, two parliaments, two administrations, and two motherlands in Cyprus.

[03] 17TH TURKISH DAY PARADE IN THE US - MAYOR GIULIANI DECLARES MAY 10-16 AS ''TURKISH HERITAGE WEEK''

Thousands of Turks joined the parade which started in Madison Avenue, including Baki Ilkin, Turkey's Ambassador to the US, and Aytug Plumer, New York Representative of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The people who attended the parade formed a 4 kilometers convoy and walked from the Madison Avenue to the 1st Avenue where Turkish house is located in two hours.

Meanwhile Greek provocations which started weeks before the Turkish Day parade yielded no result. The Greeks called Greek and Greek Cypriot youth to make propaganda against Turks during the Turkish Day parade. In spite of all these efforts, only 10 Greek demonstrators were there.

Turkish and American veterans of Korea War also joined the parade.

President Suleyman Demirel sent a message to the parade saying the Turkey is rapidly improving on every field, and taking her deserved place in the World.

TRNC President Rauf Denktas also sent a a message and said that ''our cause is to protect the right of Turkish Cypriots, and prevent the Turkish-Greek balance from being spoiled.''

Stating that the Greek Cypriot side aimed to spoil Turkish-Greek balance with their one-sided application to the EU, Denktas said, ''Turkey declared the world that spe will not allow that Turkish Cypriots to be taken as hostage. We will not submit to Byzantinian games.''

Denktas also stressed that it must be accepted that Turkish Cypriot people has an another state for the talks to restart.

Denktas said that the expansionist policies of Greece and Greek Cypriot side is the biggest obstacle in front of a compromise.

New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani also declared the week between May 10 and May 16 as ''Turkish Heritage Week''.

Giuliani said in a statement that Turkish New Yorkers share their rich cultural heritage with other New Yorkers and the Turkish community contributed significantly to the city which forms an ethnic mosaic.

[04] YENEL, ALCATEL TELETAS GENERAL DIRECTOR: ''WE ARE NUMBER ONE IN CALL OFFICES IN AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA'' ''WE WILL START SELLING MOBILE PHONES IN THESE COUNTRIES SOON''

Lutfi Yenel, the General Director of Alcatel Teletas, told A.A on Sunday that their firm is the number one in call offices in Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Stating that they are active in Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, Yenel said they have offices in four of these countries except Tajikistan.

Yenel said they closely cover the projects and investments by these offices.

''Our investments reached significant dimensions. We are changing the telephone systems which came from the Soviet era with the new systems which we produced in Istanbul. Taking into consideration the share in the market with the other international firms, we are the one who leads the business, '' Yenel said.

Stating that they put into service the new telephone systems in Baku and Quba last week, Yenel said Turkish firms have more advantages than the US and European firms. ''Because we speak the same language,'' he said.

Yenel said that they will diversify their services with selling of mobile phones soon.

He said that they have initiatives to enter into the Russian market as well.

[05] THE PRIVATIZATION OF POAS - DUE DATE FOR BIDDING IS MAY 18 - PRIVATIZATION PROCEDURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN THE END OF JUNE

The Privatization Administration Board (OIB) officials told A.A that the firms will submit their bids in closed envelopes and then negotiations will be held.

The firms which submit their biddings have to deposit temporary guarantee fund of 10 million dollars.

The 93,3 percent of the shares of the POAS which have 7 trillion TL paid capital belongs to the OIB, and the remaining shares are transacted in the IMKB.

The biggest fuel distribution firm of Turkey has 5,769 stations and 6,200 personnel.

A total of 650 million dollars income is expected from the privatization of POAS.

[06] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MAY 17, 198

The dried apricots were exported to the US, France, Britain, Australia, Germany, Israel, Canada, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Russian Federation.

ANKARA - Turkish Tractor and Agricultural Machines Inc., increased its exportation more than four fold.

The exportation of Turk Tractor, which was 483 in the first four months of 1997, reached 2,104 in 1998 by an increase of 4,36 percent.

The firm officials plan to produce 25 thousand tractors, and export 6 thousand of these tractors in 1998.

LEFKOSA - State Minister Burhan Kara who wrapped up his contacts in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) left the island.

Kara joined the Maritime Council meeting which was first time organized in TRNC.

Stating that TRNC has an important maritime potential, Kara said that they fixed the problems of TRNC maritime affairs which has a fleet of 38 ships.

The more the TRNC is developed, the Cyprus problem will be solved easier, Kara said, stating that they will expend efforts to increase the competitive power of the TRNC in maritime affairs.

OBERHAUSEN - Turkish-German Forum under the structure of German Christian Democratic Union Party (CDU) organized a meeting which the problems of Turkish students in Germany was discussed.

Bulent Arslan, the chairman of Turkish-German Forum, urged the officials to carry the problems of foreign students into the political platform, and look for the ways of solution.

German parliamentarian Theo Kruse said that the foreign students do not have a problem of adaptation, and the real problem stems from the language.

DENIZLI - The 14th International Theater Festival organized by the Denizli Municipality started on Saturday.

Amateur theater groups from Yugoslavia, Singapore, Netherlands, and Romania take part in the festival which will end on May 22.

ISTANBUL - State Minister Mehmet Batallı said on Saturday that Lebanon is a good market for Turkish contractors.

Batallı, who left for Lebanon, told reporters that they want to improve the cooperation between Turkey and Lebanon in the field of contracting and counseling, and his visit will serve to this aim.

LEFKO&THORN;A - Cyprus Turkish Development Platform delegation met with the businessmen of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Saturday.

Kamil Raif, the chairman of the platform said that thair aim is to contribute the social and economic development of TRNC, stating that they have no alternative other than development.

Ahmet Cıraklı, the chairman of Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Industry, said that TRNC will exist as long as Turkey exists.

Hasip Erel, the Executive Board member of Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Trade, said that there must be a solution in Cyprus which is based on the political equality of the two sides.

[07] GREECE - THE CAR OF ANASTASIA CONSTANTINOU, WORKING IN TURKISH CONSULATE GENERAL, WAS SET ON FIRE

The police told A.A that the car was damaged during the assault, but noone was injured.

Somebody who telephoned Athens radio undertook the responsibility of the attack on behalf of an organization called ''Incendiaires de conscience.''

The organization had undertook the responsibility of similar attacks in the past.

[08] THE AKKUYU NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TENDER - A DELEGATION HEADED BY YIGITGUDEN, THE UNDERSECRETARY OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, LEAVES FOR JAPAN - THE DELEGATION WILL LATER VISIT SOUTH KOREA AND GERMANY

Before the tender which was expected to reach a result in June, a delegation headed by the Yurdakul Yigitguden, the Undersecretary of the Energy and Natural Resources, left for Japan, the first leg of a tour which also includes South Korea and Germany, to make observations in the reference nuclear power plants of the consortium which submitted their bids, on Sunday.

The delegation will make observations in OHI-3 nuclear power plant of Japan which was stated as reference by Westinghouse and Mitsubishi firms.

The delegation then will proceed to South Korea and make observations in Wolsong 2 nuclear power plant shown as reference by Canadian AECL firm. The final leg of the tour is the Neckarwesthaim nuclear power plant in Germany shown as reference by the Siemens firm. The delegation will return to Turkey on May 24.

The three consortiums submitted their biddings on October 15, 1997 for Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. The firms taking part in the consortiums are as follows:

1- Westinghouse (US), Mitsubishi (Japan), Enka-MNG (Turkey),

2- AECL (Canada), Kuarner John Brown (Britain), Hitachi (Japan), Gama- Güri&thorn;-Bayındır (Turkey),

3- NPI (France-Germany), Siemens (Germany), Framatome (France), Campenon Bernard-Hochtief-Garanti Koza (Germany-Turkey), Simko, STFA, Tekfen (Turkey).

[09] CYPRUS TURKISH DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM IN TRNC - TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS CALLS TURKISH BUSINESSMEN TO INVEST IN TRNC

Denktas told a meeting held by Cyprus Turkish Development Platform in Girne that the national cause should be strengthened by economy.

TRNC Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu also said that development is of vital importance for Turkish Cypriots.

Ertugrul Apakan, Turkey's Ambassador to TRNC, also said that the TRNC enters into an investment period, and this development will bring new opportunities for the businessmen.

Apakan said that the investment agreement between Turkey and the TRNC will enter into force soon.

[10] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MAY 17, 1998 (2)

The contests on seven branches including ''the highest flying kite'', the most interesting kite'', and ''the most beautiful kite'' were held.

Kite fans from the US, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and Britain staged a show with their kites.

UZUNKOPRU - A total of 26 Moroccan who entered into Turkey illegally was caught in Uzunkopru district of Edirne province.

The Moroccans said that they came to Istanbul by minibus, and they wanted to go to Greece.

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