PROGRAM SET FOR ECEVIT'S US VISIT
The official program for Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's upcoming visit to the US was released yesterday. During the visit to be held on Jan. 14-19, Ecevit is scheduled to meet with US President George W. Bush as well as the chairmen of both the World Bank and the IMF. Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis along with a delegation of Turkish businessmen will accompany Ecevit. The Turkish premier will stay in the Blair House, which is part of the official White House. /Turkiye/

TURKEY TO COMMAND AFGHAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN THREE MONTHS
French Defense Minister Alain Richard said yesterday that the command of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), would pass to Turkey after a period of three months. While on an official visit to Pakistan, Richard stated that the ISAF would made up of British, Turkish, German and French troops and that Britain would hand over the command of the force to Turkey after three months. Additionally, the number of soldiers in the ISAF is expected to reach 4,500 by end of this month. /Turkiye/

TURK CRITICISIZES EU FOR APPLYING DOUBLE STANDARDS
In a press conference yesterday, Turkish Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk briefed reporters on the Finance Ministry's schedule of activities for 2002. Turk noted that since the attention had now turned to the effective implementation of recent constitutional amendments adopted by the Turkish Parliament, enacting harmonization laws in accordance with these amendments would be the Finance Ministry's main target for the coming year. Remarking that the devastating attacks in the United States and their aftermath had proven the urgent need for redefining the concept of terrorism, Turk criticized the European Union for applying double standards in its fight against the terror menace. "EU countries fail to see organizations which commit acts of terrorism outside Europe to be real terrorists. This policy is both mistaken and unjust," said Turk. "No matter which country it targets, any illegal organization carrying out acts of terrorism must be labeled as terrorist. The EU shouldn't turn a blind eye to the fact that these organizations are real terrorists who are responsible for killing countless innocents merely because the groups aren't active in EU countries. The members of these organizations are terrorists, and they must be punished." /Cumhuriyet/

YILMAZ: "2001 HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR RADICAL CHANGES"
Speaking to Turkish daily Milliyet yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party leader (ANAP) Mesut Yilmaz said that 2001 had paved the way for radical changes for Turkey. "This year will be a turning point for Turkey preparations for its negotiation process with the European Union. Turkey's target should be to start this negotiation process, otherwise its relations with the EU will suffer," Yilmaz stated. He further remarked that recent developments concerning the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) and the Cyprus issue had effectively wiped away problems between the EU and Turkey. Turkey should follow its economic and National Program as planned over the curse of the year, and to be successful in these programs the nation needs the support both the Parliament and the coalition government, Yilmaz added. /Milliyet/

TURKEY TO SIGN AGREEMENT WITH AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA
Turkey will soon sign a security agreement with Azerbaijan and Georgia in the interests of maintaining its military influence in the Caucasus region. The Prime News agency reported yesterday. Turkish Ambassador to Baku Unal Cevikoz reportedly said that this trilateral agreement would establish a coalition to fight against international terrorism and drug smuggling. Cevikoz stated that the agreement would be signed later this year, but added that the date was not yet fixed. Cevikoz also said that Turkey could undertake the construction of a military airport in Georgia just as it did in Azerbaijan. /Milliyet/

TURKEY'S POPULATION TOPS 67 MILLION
State Minister Tunca Toskay released yesterday the results of the state census conducted in October 2000, revealing for the first time that Turkey's population had topped 67.8 million. According to the census, the 1990-2000 period saw Turkey's population increase 1.83%, with the largest increase taking place in Marmara region with the lowest in the Black Sea region. Istanbul's population in 2000 exceeded 10 million while Ankara's was over 4 million. Toskay also disclosed that the census had cost the state some TL 30 trillion. /Turkiye/

WORLD BANK LOAN PLANNED TO CUSHION TURKEY'S NEEDIEST
Meetings concerning a $6-9 billion World Bank loan to Turkey under the bank's Country Aid Strategy (CAS) will reportedly begin this year, WB officials said yesterday. The officials were quoted as saying that Turkey had begun to successfully implement its economic program in 2001 and that the loans would be targeted to protect society's neediest from being damaged by the program. If the WB approves the CAS funds, the loan will be disbursed over a period of three years, from 2003-2005. /Aksam/

CENTRAL BANK ISSUES REPORT ON TURKISH ECONOMY
The Central Bank released its official monetary policy for 2002 yesterday, the first working day of the new year. The CB's report entitled "Monetary and Foreign Currency Policy and Possible Developments in 2002" reported that the system of floating foreign currency would continue this year and that a policy focusing on next quarter's inflation would be pursued. The report further stated that all the targets towards ensuring financial discipline and reconstruction would be met. The report went on to emphasize that the political and economic chaos seen in Argentina had occurred because that country failed to implement necessary economic reforms, and stated that Turkish markets were now in a better situation thanks to contacts held with the IMF and the reforms enacted at the end of last year. /Sabah/

2001 EXPORTS INCREASE BY 14.2%
Exports last year increased by 14.2% when compared to 2000, to reach an annual total of $31.63 billion annually, the Turkish Exporters' Union announced yesterday. The industrial sector made $25.6 billion in exports last year, and the agricultural sector made $4.8 billion, the union added. /Sabah/

BAD WEATHER WREAKS NATIONWIDE HAVOC
Turkey has been suffering from heavy snowfall and bad weather conditions since the early days of the new year. Life came to a standstill over the last two days in most cities and villages throughout the country. Schools were closed in Istanbul and Ankara yesterday and remained closed today. Bad weather caused hitches in transportation and traffic, even while government crews worked hard to keep main roads open. /All Papers/

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION