Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-06-04

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

04 JUNE 1998

CONTENTS

[01] TURKISH-SLOVAKIAN BUSINESS COUNCIL - SECKINER, THE STATE MINISTER: - ''TURKEY AIMS TO IMPROVE THE BUSINESS POTENTIAL WITH SLOVAKIA''

[02] EXPLOSION ON TRAIN - BOMB EXPLODES ON COMMUTER TRAIN KILLING ONE PERSON

[03] CONTACTS OF THE ALGERIAN MINISTER IN TURKEY - ERSUMER, ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER, MEETS WITH HIS ALGERIAN COUNTERPART YOUSFI

[04] ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER ERSUMER'S VISIT TO BAKU - ERSUMER: ''TPAO POSSESSES 5 PERCENT SHARES OF THE OIL IN KURDASI REGION WITH THE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN BAKU''

[05] GENERAL KIVRIKOGLU, THE COMMANDER OF THE LAND FORCES, IN BAKU - AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ALIYEV: ''WE GIVE GREAT IMPORTANCE TO MILITARY COOPERATION WITH TURKEY''

[06] SEMINAR ON TURKISH-JAPANESE KOBI COOPERATION - EKREN, CHIEF COUNSELLOR OF ECONOMY AT TURKISH EMBASSY IN JAPAN: - ''ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND JAPAN SHOULD BE MORE IMPROVED''

[07] 35TH GOLDEN ORANGE FILM FESTIVAL - ''FIRST INTERNATIONAL GOLDEN ORANGE FILM COMPETITION'' TO BE HELD THIS YEAR IN FRAMEWORK OF THE FESTIVAL

[08] REASONED VERDICT ABOUT TAYYIP ERDOGAN DISCLOSED

[09] TURKEY AND SLOVAKIA SUPPORT EACH OTHER FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES

[10] TURKISH-ALGERIAN JEC PROTOCOL WAS SIGNED - HUSAMETTIN OZKAN, THE STATE MINISTER: - ''THIS PROTOCOL WILL BE THE FIRST STEP FOR THE MUTUAL COOPERATION AND INVESTMENTS BETWEEN THE ENTREPRENEURS FROM BOTH COUNTRIES''

[11] PALERMO-EUROPEAN MEDITERRANEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING - TURKEY DOESN'T BELIEVE IN BARCELONA PROCESS

[12] PRESIDENT DEMIREL WARNS CIRCLES AIMING TO ENLIVEN SEVRES AGREEMENT

[13] EUROPEAN-MEDITERRANEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING - TURKISH DELEGATION FINDS MEETING USELESS

[14] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (1)

[15] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (2)

[16] BOMB ATTACK ON CAFE, SIX PEOPLE WOUNDED

[17] PRESIDENT DEMIREL LEAVES FOR YALTA - DEMIREL: ''A NEW PAGE TO BE OPENED IN HISTORY OF THE BLACK SEA''

[18] DRAFT RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS - KAFKASYA UNIVERSITY SENATE: ''TURKEY DOESN'T NEED TO DISCUSS WITH FRANCE THE EVENTS FOR WHICH SHE ISN'T RESPONSIBLE''

[19] ''FIRST FLYING BROOM WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL'' - THE FESTIVAL IS DEVOTED TO BILGE OLGAC, A FAMOUS WOMAN DIRECTOR WHO DIED FOUR YEARS AGO

[20] TERRORISTS WAYLAY ON DOGUBAYAZIT-CALDIRAN MOTORWAY - TERRORISTS ABDUCT TWO PEOPLE INCLUDING ONE GERMAN TOURIST WHO WAS LATER FOUND TO BE ALIVE

[21] PRESIDENT DEMIREL SENDS A LETTER TO HIS FRENCH COUNTERPART CHIRAC AND ASKS HIM TO USE HIS POWER CONCERNING THE DRAFT LAW ON THE SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS

[22] FOREIGN DEBT PAYMENTS - TURKEY REPAYS 4.5 BILLION DOLLARS IN FOREIGN DEBTS SINCE JANUARY 1, 1998

[23] FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING OF SOUTHERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

[24] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT EVALUATES HIS VISIT TO CHINA: - ''WE SHOULD SET UP CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS HUGE COUNTRY IN POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL FIELDS''

[01] TURKISH-SLOVAKIAN BUSINESS COUNCIL - SECKINER, THE STATE MINISTER: - ''TURKEY AIMS TO IMPROVE THE BUSINESS POTENTIAL WITH SLOVAKIA''

Addressing the Turkish-Slovakian Business Council meeting after the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meetings, Seckiner who is in Slovakia for a five- day official visit, emphasized that the current trade volume of 40 million US dollars between Turkey and Slovakia should increase to at least 200 million US dollars.

Meanwhile Seckiner concluded his official contacts in Bratislava and attended the reception given in his honour by Nurettin Nurkan, the Turkish Ambassador to Slovakia.

Seckiner will leave Bratislava on Thursday for Nitra to attend the COOPEXPO fair. Turkey is taking part in the fair with the Ministry of Tourism and more than 20 companies.

The memorandum of understanding of the Turkish Slovakian JEC meeting will be signed by Seckiner at an historical castle in Nitra. Seckiner and the accompanying delegation will return to Turkey on June 5.

[02] EXPLOSION ON TRAIN - BOMB EXPLODES ON COMMUTER TRAIN KILLING ONE PERSON

The incident happened when the bomb exploded in the second wagon of the train immediately after it left the Yesilkoy Station. Hasan Sezer (39) who lost one of his arms died afterwards. Ayse Temur (40) and Hikmet Yurdakul (52) were immediately hospitalized.

Eye witnesses said that four suspicious persons got on the train and left the train at the Bakirkoy Station after leaving a nylon bag in the wagon.

Investigation is underway about the incident which resulted in the death of one person and wounded two others.

Police sealed off the area around the railway station while the bomb disposal experts searched the train for other possible explosive devices.

[03] CONTACTS OF THE ALGERIAN MINISTER IN TURKEY - ERSUMER, ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER, MEETS WITH HIS ALGERIAN COUNTERPART YOUSFI

Addressing the journalists after the meeting, Ersumer noted that they plan to purchase nearly 4 billion cubic metres of liquid natural gas (LNG) from Algeria in 1999.

Youcef Yousfi said that they will give an offer for the LNG terminal project, which is planned to be constructed at Aliaga this year. He added that they presented a proposal to Turkey about making joint investments on energy, transporting the liqufied natural gas from the terminals which will be established in Algeria and setting up a joint company to organize the transports.

[04] ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER ERSUMER'S VISIT TO BAKU - ERSUMER: ''TPAO POSSESSES 5 PERCENT SHARES OF THE OIL IN KURDASI REGION WITH THE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN BAKU''

Responding to the questions of the journalists about his visit to Baku, Ersumer quoted Haydar Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, that Azarbaijan is doing her utmost to realize the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

Ersumer reminded that an agreement related with the Kurdasi region was signed by the Japanese Mitsui, the Italian Agip, the TPAO and the SOCAR yesterday.

Cumhur Ersumer emphasized that Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia reached an accord concerning the unlimited loan promised by the American Eximbank for the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline. These three countries will decide how to finance the project within three months.

[05] GENERAL KIVRIKOGLU, THE COMMANDER OF THE LAND FORCES, IN BAKU - AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ALIYEV: ''WE GIVE GREAT IMPORTANCE TO MILITARY COOPERATION WITH TURKEY''

Aliyev received General Hussein Kivrikoglu, the Commander of the Turkish Land Forces, who is in Baku as the official guest of the Sefer Abiev, the Azerbaijani Minister of Defence.

Addressing the meeting, Aliyev noted that Kivrikoglu's visit to Baku will contribute to the improvement of military cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Quoting the words of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, ''the sorrow of Azerbaijan is our sorrow and her joy is our joy'', Aliyev stressed that he uses the same words for Turkey.

Aliyev also stressed that the French Parliament's adoption of the draft resolution concerning the so-called genocide on Armenians, caused reactions in Azerbaijan.

General Kivrikoglu thanked Aliyev for their reactions and condemnation to the mentioned draft resolution.

[06] SEMINAR ON TURKISH-JAPANESE KOBI COOPERATION - EKREN, CHIEF COUNSELLOR OF ECONOMY AT TURKISH EMBASSY IN JAPAN: - ''ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND JAPAN SHOULD BE MORE IMPROVED''

Addressing the seminar on ''the Turkish-Japanese KOBI (Small and Medium Scaled Enterprises) Cooperation'' organized by the Gaziantep Chamber of Industry and the Halk Bank, Ekren requested Turkish industrialists and exporters to make more efforts to improve the economic relations with Japan.

Reminding that only 67 of the 15 thousand Japanese companies working abroad, prefer Turkey, Ekren pointed out, ''Turkey and Japan have good relations, but their economic relations are underdeveloped''.

Mehmet Aslan, the Chairman of the Gaziantep Chamber of Trade (GTO), invited Japanese businessmen to Gaziantep, and added that the Japanese companies can find appropriate production conditions in Gaziantep and export their products easily from the region.

[07] 35TH GOLDEN ORANGE FILM FESTIVAL - ''FIRST INTERNATIONAL GOLDEN ORANGE FILM COMPETITION'' TO BE HELD THIS YEAR IN FRAMEWORK OF THE FESTIVAL

Nalan Cebeci, the Coordinator of the Festival, said, ''the Golden Orange Film Festival aims to assist with the improvement of the Turkish cinema''.

Reminding that the Golden Orange Film Festival is the oldest film festival in Turkey, Cebeci noted that 10 Turkish films will compete at this year's festival and 450 guests will attend the activities.

The 4th International Golden Orange Short Feature Film and Video festival will be organized between the same dates. A total of 20 films will vie with each other at the Short Feature Film Competition and the Antalya Golden Orange Culture and Art Foundation will grant the films with the ''Best National Short Feature Film'' and ''Best National Short Video Film'' awards.

Cebeci also reported that the First International Golden Orange Film Competition will be organized this year with the acceptance of Turkey's application by the International Association of Film Producers (FIAPF). The competition in which the films and directors from the Mediterranean participate, will also be organized between October 5-8.

[08] REASONED VERDICT ABOUT TAYYIP ERDOGAN DISCLOSED

The reasoned verdict said that Erdogan used religion and race and provoked people to hatred and enmity and that he was sentenced to a term of 10 months imprisonment and to pay a fine.

The ''Indictment Summary'', part of the reasoned verdict said that the high- ranking officials of the Welfare Party (RP), closed by the Constitutional Court, had accelerated the anti-regime fundamentalist activities and speeches and as a result of this, people were separated into camps as ''believers and non-believers'' and that social peace began to be disorted and that the country was dragged into an atmosphere of clashes and civil war.

The indictment summary said that Erdogan, who was shown as the crown of the RP, aimed at continuing tension between the people with the words, ''the mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers'' last December.

The indictment summary said ''...it is clear that this regime showed several institutions and organizations as targets in the speech and that it isn't possible to evaluate this speech within the framework of the freedom to express his political views and religious concepts.''

In the ''Defense'' part of the reasoned verdict, Erdogan didn't accept the accusations and said that the words in question were quoted from a poem by Ziya Gokalp.

The reasoned verdict, prepared by the Diyarbakir DGM said that when the speech of Erdogan was considered as a whole, it is understood that it was directed at the aim of establishing a state based on religion and that the responses given by Erdogan to the questions weren't credible.

In the ''Judgement'' part of the reasoned verdict it was reported that it was understood that Erdogan committed the crime of promoting people to hatred and enmity by using religion and race. Erdogan was sentenced to a term of 10 months imprisonment and that there was no meaning in postponing the decision and that it was open to an appeal at the High Court of Appeals.

[09] TURKEY AND SLOVAKIA SUPPORT EACH OTHER FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Slovakia will sport Turkey for the Istanbul-2008 Games and Turkey will support Slovakia for the Tatra-2006 Games.

Yucel Seckiner, the Minister of State, who is in Slovakia for a five-day official visit, met with the officials of the Slovakian National Olympic Games Committee.

Seckiner told the A.A correspondent that they reached an accord on a Slovakian ice hockey coach coming to Turkey for six months and training the Turkish athletes. He added that the coach will come to Turkey within a month.

[10] TURKISH-ALGERIAN JEC PROTOCOL WAS SIGNED - HUSAMETTIN OZKAN, THE STATE MINISTER: - ''THIS PROTOCOL WILL BE THE FIRST STEP FOR THE MUTUAL COOPERATION AND INVESTMENTS BETWEEN THE ENTREPRENEURS FROM BOTH COUNTRIES''

Addressing the meeting, Ozkan said, ''this protocol will be the first step for the mutual cooperation and investments between the entrepreneurs from both countries''. He added that they reached an accord on improvement of the bilateral cooperation on industry, agriculture, transportation and contracting, joint investments and increasing the trade volume between the two countries.

The protocol also foresees the improvement of the cooperation between the Turkish Study Center for Development of Exports (IGEME) and the Algerian Export Organization (SAFEX) and providing information exchange between the chambers of trade. It stressed that the cooperation between banks and financial organizations should be improved.

The Turkish and Algerian delegations will come together to discuss the cooperation opportunities on energy, mining, maritime affairs and ports, it was stated in the protocol.

[11] PALERMO-EUROPEAN MEDITERRANEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING - TURKEY DOESN'T BELIEVE IN BARCELONA PROCESS

The Foreign Ministers of 12 European countries apart from Austria, Denmark and Greece participate in the meeting headed by Robin Cook, the British Foreign Secretary.

Uluc Ozulker, the Deputy Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry, is representing Turkey at the meeting which was also attended by 11 countries having shores on the Mediterranean and the Greek Cypriot side.

Diplomatic sources said that Turkey, which didn't participate at the Partnership Council meeting of the European Union held on May 25, carries out her cautious foreign policy line in Palermo in response to the European Union countries.

Diplomatic sources said that the internal balances of Europe were spoiled as the EU expanded towards northern and eastern Europe after the collapse of the Berlin Wall and stressed that the ''Barcelona Process'' initiated by Italy, France and Spain which forsaw cooperation between the countries which are on the two sides of the Mediterranean, was about to die.

Turkish diplomatic sources said that the ''Barcelona Final Document'', which was signed by 15 EU and 11 Mediterranean countries in Barcelona, Spain in 1995, targetted establishing peace, security, stability and partnership in the Mediterranean, but that it couldn't be implemented.

Diplomatic sources said ''there is only the name of this partnership'', adding that Turkey, within the context of providing peace in the Mediterranean, will bring the ''Cyprus question, cooperation in the struggle against terrorism in the region and immigration'' into the agenda of the meeting.

Officials said that the MEDA project financial aid which the EU gave to the Mediterranean countries within the framework of the European-Mediterranean partnership couldn't be released due to the Greek veto and recalled that this financial aid would be given on the condition that it will be used in the Southeast.

[12] PRESIDENT DEMIREL WARNS CIRCLES AIMING TO ENLIVEN SEVRES AGREEMENT

Addressing a meeting with the Turkish American Association Assembly (TADA) delegation, Demirel said that Turkey was criticized as if it occupied the territories of others and violated their rights ''Several circles in the west didn't forget Sevres. A total of 26 countries was formed from the Ottoman Empire. The Armenians and Kurds couldn't form a state and they won't be able to form one.''

Demirel said ''Turkey knows her enemies and is strong enough to defend herself. We will oppose it if people are coming together and carrying out enmity against Turkey.''

Demirel said they didn't want to recognize Turkey's National Pact of 1920, adding that he relied on the Turkish people and state.

Mentioning the French Parliament's decision to recognize the draft resolution on the so-called genocide on Armenians, Demirel said he hoped the decision wouldn't pass from the Senate.

Demirel said this issue came onto the agenda with the establishment of the Republic of Armenia, adding that Turkey, when Armenia was founded, said that it wouldn't show enmity to Armenians because of the incidents which happened in the past and that they may make use of harbours, airlines and railways, ''but this time Armenia brought the Nagorno-Karabakh problem onto the agenda and forced one million Azerbaijani people to leave their homes and caused the death of 30-40 thousand people.'' Demirel said it was natural that Turkey reacted against this.

President Demirel said that the pain Turkey has had to endure in Europe was dependent on the unsettled structure after the Ottoman Empire and recalling the recent terrorist attack in Pertek County said ''people from the West don't seek the rights of these people who were killed.''

Appreciating the activities of the TADA, Demirel said ''these kinds of activities reflect Turkey's real image and form bridge between Turkey and the US.''

[13] EUROPEAN-MEDITERRANEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING - TURKISH DELEGATION FINDS MEETING USELESS

Speaking to the A.A correspondent after the meeting Ozulker said that although the meeting was expected to extend support to the peace process in the Mediterranean appropriate to the spirit of the European-Mediterranean Partnership Conference held in Barcelona in 1995, it turned into an Arab- Israeli Summit.

Ozulker said that the peace process in the Middle East became the main topic of the meeting and that this was wrong. Ozulker stressed that that the peace process should only be supported by being faithful to the Barcelona Declaration.

Ambassador Ozulker also said that none of the topics closely concerning Turkey was brought onto the agenda at the meeting and that bilateral contacts couldn't be held with the other delegations.

The Turkish delegation said that the meeting was extremely useless.

Officials in the German delegation said they couldn't understand why this meeting was held and that they didn't expect a positive outcome to be issued from the meeting.

[14] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (1)

(Derived from the Newsspot of the Turkish General Directorate of Press and Information.)

YILMAZ: ELECTION GOVERNMENT IN NEW YEAR, POLLS IN APRIL
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP)and Deniz Baykal, the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP) have both agreed on the resignation of the current minority coalition government and on the holding of joint general and municipal elections in April 1999. Both leaders announced their agreement on Wednesday at a press conference following their meeting which lasted for more than one hour. Yilmaz said he would step down as prime minister at the beginning of next year. His earlier agreement to hold joint elections on March 29 was vehemently opposed by the leaders of his coalition government's other partners, the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Democrat Turkey Party (DTP).

Yilmaz, who provided the main details of the agreement package, said that the ruling coalition partners and the CHP would propose that the Parliament hold elections next April, ''most likely on the 18th''. Yilmaz also indicated that a different caretaker government system would lead the country to the elections, a system which he said would be discussed with President Suleyman Demirel in the coming days. /All papers/

DEMIREL CRITICIZES FRENCH DECISION
President Suleyman Demirel received a delegation from the Turkish-American Associations' Assembly yesterday and harshly criticized France, which has approved the so-called Armenian genocide draft law. Demirel said that lobby activities in the US and Europe were trying to darken Turkey's image. He noted that he hoped the draft law, which has been approved by the French National Assembly, wouldn't be ratified by the Senate.

Meanwhile, Haydar Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, also criticized France for her decision and noted that the French National Assembly, which approved the draft law, was unjust and didn't comply with today's conditions. Aliyev, who met with Christian Pierret, the French Minister for Industry, who is in Baku to attend a ''Caspian-Oil-Gas-98 International Fair'', said that Azerbaijan was concerned about the decision of the French National Assembly. Aliyev declared that throughout history, the Armenians had frequently made genocidal attacks against Turks and Azerbaijanis, and added that though these had all been forgotten, the incident in 1915 was still on the agenda. It is reported that French firms won't be included in the Izmir International Fair in protest against the approval of the so- called genocide on Armenians draft law by the French National Assembly. /Sabah/

BOMB EXPLODES IN ISTANBUL: ONE DEAD
One person died and six were injured when a bomb exploded in a commuter train, which was travelling on the Sirkeci-Halkali line in Istanbul yesterday. Atilla Cinar, the Chief of the Department for the Struggle Against Terrorism, said later that an investigation into the incident was continuing. /Sabah/

PRIME MINISTRY EVALUATES CURRENT TURKEY-EU RELATIONS
Prior to a European Union (EU) meeting to be held in Cardiff, Wales, on June 12, Turkish officials evaluated the current situation in the Turkey-EU relations at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday. /Cumhuriyet/

''TURKEY IS NOT PLANNING TO PRODUCE NUCLEAR WEAPONS''
The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement yesterday and declared that Turkey didn't aim to produce any nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, and that the latest suggestions by some newspapers that Turkey plans to cooperate with Pakistan in producing nuclear weapons were definitely untrue. /Cumhuriyet/

EXPORTS INCREASE
Turkey's exports in May increased by 3 percent when compared with the same month in 1997 and reached 2,308 billion US dollars. Exports in the iron- steel sector, which were supposed to be most affected by the crisis in Asia, increased by 10 percent. In the January-May 1998, exports increased by 5 percent when compared with the same period last year and amounted to 11,036 billion US dollars. /Sabah/

TUSIAD IN EUROPEAN SUMMIT
The Turkish Association of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSIAD) will attend a meeting of the European Union of Confederations of Industrialists and Employers to be held in London on June 5. Muharrem Kayhan, the Chairman of the TUSIAD, is representing Turkey at the meeting. Kayhan will point out at the meeting that Turkey's full EU membership will make an important contribution to Europe's global competitive power. /Sabah/

EUROMONEY CONFERENCE IN TURKEY
A conference on ''Turkey: Investment in the Future'' was held in Istanbul yesterday. Delivering a speech at the conference attended by many foreign investors, Ugur Bayar, the Chairman of the Privatization Administration (OIB), said that during the first five months of this year privatization worth 2 billion US dollars has been achieved. Talking about targets for 1998, he added, ''Privatization worth 12 billion US dollars will be achieved by the end of 1998. A total of 500 people from 20 countries participated at the conference. /Sabah/

[15] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (2)

(Derived from the Newsspot of the Turkish General Directorate of Press and Information.)

HOLBROOKE'S VISIT POSTPONED
The US Special Cyprus Envoy Richard Holbrooke's visit to Cyprus planned for the beginning of June has been postponed. It was reported that this decision is based on the results of a visit of Thomas Miller, Holbrooke's deputy, who held contacts at the end of May on Cyprus. /Sabah/

FENER GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCH RETURNS TO TURKEY
Bartholomeos, the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch, who has been holding contacts in the US and Canada, completed his visit and returned to Turkey yesterday. Replying to the questions from journalists at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, Bartholomeos said that he had attended a ceremony at Yale University in the US to give him an honorary doctorate. /Sabah/

SEA WOLF'98 NAVAL MANEUVERS COMMENCE
Sea Wolf '98, a routine Naval Forces exercise, began when warships sailed from their bases yesterday. The maneuvers will take place between June 3 and 26 in the international waters of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, as well as in the Marmara Sea. Adm. Ilhami Erdil, the Navy Commander is in command of the maneuvers. /All papers/

NINE KILLED AND TWO INJURED IN TUNCELI
Terrorists killed nine people and injured two in the village of Salman near the Pertek District in Tunceli Province in the Southeast yesterday. The terrorists stopped a minibus and machine-gunned the passengers. Security forces have begun a large operation to capture the terrorists.

COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND RUSSIA
Bulent Akarcali and Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkovo put their signatures on the protocol between the Turkish Democracy Foundation and the Russian Association for International Cooperation for a Turco-Russian Research Centre in a ceremony held at the State Guest House in Ankara yesterday. The protocol points to bilateral relations in many areas. /All papers/

IMF DELEGATION COMING TO TURKEY
Stanley Fischer, the First Deputy Chairman of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Michael Deppler, the Director of its European Department, are going to visit Turkey as guests of Gunes Taner, the Minister of State Responsible for the Economy, between June 5-6, according to a press release from the Prime Ministry, Undersecretariat of the Treasury. A report on Turkey prepared by the IMF experts will be discussed by the IMF's Executive Directors' Council in July. /All papers/

HIGH MILITARY COUNCIL CONVENES
In a move to deal with situations involving officers alleged to have been involved in Islamic fundamentalism, the Turkish High Military Council will convene on June 16. The meeting, which will be headed by Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, aims to halt the growth of Islamic fundamentalism within the Turkish Army. Therefore, many officers are expected to be removed from the Army. /Milliyet/

TURKISH, GREEK ADMIRALS MEET IN ISTANBUL
Admiral Salim Dervisoglu, the Turkish Chief of the Naval Forces, and his Greek counterpart Georgios Ioannidis met yesterday in Istanbul where a NATO ''Maritime Commanders Meeting'' is being held. After a one and one half hour meeting with his counterpart, Dervisoglu said that the recent Turkish military exercises, the ''Sea Wolf Maneuvers'' hadn't created further tension between Greece and Turkey and stressed the friendliness of their meeting. /Hurriyet/

[16] BOMB ATTACK ON CAFE, SIX PEOPLE WOUNDED

An unknown assailant threw the bomb into the cafe shortly before 23:45 p.m (21:00 GMT) in the Kucukcekmece District.

The bomb exploded injuring Ramazan Sahin, Kenan Sahin, Ali Kaya, Kazim Demir, Abdulkadir Lalei and Kemal Ozturk.

A second bomb left nearby exploded about 10 minutes later while the injured were being carried out of the cafe. None of the victims were badly injured.

Wide-scaled operations were launched by the security forces to capture the assailants.

[17] PRESIDENT DEMIREL LEAVES FOR YALTA - DEMIREL: ''A NEW PAGE TO BE OPENED IN HISTORY OF THE BLACK SEA''

Addressing a news conference before his departure Demirel said he would go to Yalta as the official guest of Leonid Kuchma, the Ukrainian President and to sign the ''Charter Text'', which will turn the BSEC into a regional economic organization having an international legal personality.

Demirel said that the BSEC was founded on June 25, 1992, with the initiative of Turkey after the signature of the ''Istanbul Document'' by heads of states or governments of 11 countries to turn the Black Sea into a basin of peace, stability and joint affluence, to reconciliate people and countries with the understanding of a common fate, and with the ideal of establishing a cooperation mechanism in the region which will be an example to the world.

''The signature of this document in Yalta is of a special importance because the process extending from the 1945 Yalta Conference to the 1998 Yalta BSEC Charter was long and troublesome. We will keep this period in our shared memories. Yet, we will work altogether to write a new history in the Black Sea and to reach more affluence in the future. The BSEC is a product of this joint will'', Demirel said, adding ''we believe that golden opportunities presented by history for the establishment of a lasting peace in the region and for the joint affluence of the people living in the Caspian basin should be evaluated well.''

Demirel said that Turkey was proud of this cooperation, adding that concrete projects produced by the BSEC played an important constructive role in the Black Sea region.

[18] DRAFT RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS - KAFKASYA UNIVERSITY SENATE: ''TURKEY DOESN'T NEED TO DISCUSS WITH FRANCE THE EVENTS FOR WHICH SHE ISN'T RESPONSIBLE''

The University Senate stated, ''the French Parliament's decision shows France's hurry to realize her imperialist aim towards the Caucasus and Central Asia rather than the historical facts. The recent French genocide on her colonies in Africa, including Algeria take place among the events which should be discussed on the international platform.''

''If the members of the French Senate want to reach a impartial decision that depends on the historical facts, then they should visit the mass graves of the people massacred by Armenians in Turkey and the Caucasus, instead of making policy about the monumentary graves whose undersides are empty, in Erivan and in Marseilles. Turkey doesn't need to discuss with France the events for which she isn't responsible.''

''We condemn France and believe that these kinds of small calculations will damage the good relations between France and Turkey and don't contribute to peace in world and the region.''

[19] ''FIRST FLYING BROOM WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL'' - THE FESTIVAL IS DEVOTED TO BILGE OLGAC, A FAMOUS WOMAN DIRECTOR WHO DIED FOUR YEARS AGO

Istemihan Talay, the Minister of Culture, and Imren Aykut, the Minister of the Environment, attended the opening ceremony of the festival. The leading Turkish actresses such as Turkan Soray, Hulya Kocyigit and Perihan Savas also took part in the ceremony.

A documentary film about the life of Bilge Olgac, who was poisoned by smoke fumes from a stove and died four years ago, was displayed at the opening of the festival.

The actresses who played roles in Olgac's films such as Turkan Soray, Hulya Kocyigit, Sevda Ferdag, were given awards at the ceremony.

During the festival 25 foreign and 3 Turkish films will be displayed, panels on ''Women Behind the Camera'', ''The Image of Women in the Turkish Cinema'' and ''Women Film Directors'' will be held.

Films of the women directors from Greece, France, Norway, Australia, Argentina, Britain and Hungary, can be watched at the festival.

[20] TERRORISTS WAYLAY ON DOGUBAYAZIT-CALDIRAN MOTORWAY - TERRORISTS ABDUCT TWO PEOPLE INCLUDING ONE GERMAN TOURIST WHO WAS LATER FOUND TO BE ALIVE

A group of terrorists, who built a barricade on the Dogubayazit-Caldiran motorway last night, tried to stop a minibus, which was being driven by Engin Atan, on its way from Caldiran to Dogubeyazit.

Engin Asan, who broke the barricade, was saved although he was injured when the terrorists opened fire on the minibus.

Later, the terrorists stopped a car, which was beng driven by a German tourist, Harilt Martin Becker, on his way to Dogubeyezit from eastern Van Province.

Meanwhile, the terrorists opened fire on a tanker approaching the barricade from the opposite direction. The terrorists set fire to the tanker driven by Levent Enler and then the separatist terrorists abducted Levent Enler and the German tourist Becker.

The security forces staged an immediate operation to capture the terrorist kidnappers and found the German tourist Becker alive at a distance of 100 km from the scene towards morning on Thursday.

The operation is underway.

[21] PRESIDENT DEMIREL SENDS A LETTER TO HIS FRENCH COUNTERPART CHIRAC AND ASKS HIM TO USE HIS POWER CONCERNING THE DRAFT LAW ON THE SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS

Addressing a statement at a weekly press briefing, Necati Utkan, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman, quoted the views of President Demirel in his letter to Jacques Chirac as ''I would like to express the views of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish people concerning the draft law which was adopted by the French National Assembly on May 29, 1998.''

''We know that there are sad events in the history of all countries. It is an historical reality that both Turkish and Armenian people died during the revolt and violence of the Armenian side against the Ottoman Empire due to foreign provocations in 1915 and consequently the efforts for trying to locate the Armenians in the regions not engaged in the First World War. However, description of these events as 'genocide on Armenians' doesn't fit into the dimensions of fairness or political ethics or law. Moreover, it has not been proved by even one source during the last 83 years that a genocide had been committed. Judging historical events should be left to history. The decision of the French Parliament has the attribute of provocating terrorist activities. I would like to stress the fact that this decision, which offended both Turkey and nearly 300,000 Turkish people living in France, won't be useful for anyone except those who want to disturb the improving Turkish-French relations and the establishment of peace and stability in the Caucasus.

''The French Parliament took a wrong step, but I still hope that this mistake will be corrected in the upcoming legal process and the perfect relations between the two countries will not be overshadowed. I believe that your influence on the French legislative organs will be useful and I trust in your belief in the importance of the Turkish-French relations.''

[22] FOREIGN DEBT PAYMENTS - TURKEY REPAYS 4.5 BILLION DOLLARS IN FOREIGN DEBTS SINCE JANUARY 1, 1998

The Central Bank data shows that the Treasury paid 3 billion 437.5 million US dollars; the Central Bank paid 141.1 million US dollars; the Ministry of National Defense and the Defense Industry paid 872.6 million US dollars and the Turkish Defense Fund paid 45.8 million US dollars in foreign debts in this period.

Meanwhile, the amount of foreign debt payments between June 1 and 3,1998 was 61.4 million US dollars.

Turkey paid 1 billion 346.7 million US dollars in January; 916 million US dollars in February; 785.8 million US dollars in March; 765.8 million US dollars in April and 621.1 million US dollars in foreign debts in May.

[23] FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING OF SOUTHERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Necati Utkan, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman told a weekly press briefing that the main concern of the meeting is to ''make the Balkan countries claim responsibility for their own problems.''

Recalling that Turkey has always supported the improvement of relations among the Balkan countries, Utkan said that the ''Process of Southern European Countries Cooperation,'' which is the main aim behind the meeting is the new formulation of the Balkan cooperation during the times of Ataturk.

Utkan stated that Turkey attributes great importance to political efforts which contribute to the atmosphere of peace and stability in the region.

Responding to a question, Utkan said that the Balkan Peace Force can be discussed during the sessions of the meeting and a joint declaration can be issued at the end of the meeting.

Utkan added that there is no special plan concerning a bilateral meeting between Foreign Minister Cem and his Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos.

[24] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT EVALUATES HIS VISIT TO CHINA: - ''WE SHOULD SET UP CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS HUGE COUNTRY IN POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL FIELDS''

Evaluating his six-day visit to China, Ecevit said after wrapping up his contacts that China was becoming a giant economic country and that he believed China's gradually increasing power would become clear at the beginning of the 21st century.

''Several coutries are aware of this. Thus hundreds of foreign companies have opened branch offices in Shanghai. However, the majority of our entrepreneurs couldn't set up economic cooperation with China and the Chinese market,'' he said.

Pointing out that Turkey should improve her economic relations with China, Ecevit said, ''our history and geography force us to realize this improvement. Because, Turkey has re-entered the process for discovering her historical roots in Asia.''

Noting that the geopolitical structure of the world had changed significantly after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the establishment of the new Republics in the Caucasus, Ecevit said, ''the importance of Turkey and China have increased. Turkey is located to the west of the Central Asian republics while China is to the east. Then Turkey and China should cooperate with the Central Asian and Caucasus Republics.''

Ecevit will leave China on Friday.

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