LEADERS TO IMF: "WE STAND BY OUR LETTER OF INTENT"
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and deputy prime ministers Mesut Yilmaz and Devlet Bahceli yesterday sent to International Monetary Fund Managing Director Horst Koehler a supplement to their Letter of Intent, saying, "We are doing what is necessary for our country's economic and financial recovery and we stand by our Letter of Intent." With the IMF's support the economic program that our government is currently implementing is starting to show results, the leaders added. /Hurriyet/
SEZER, ECEVIT LAUD TURKEY'S SECULAR CONSTITUTION
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday issued a message to mark the 65th anniversary of the incorporation of the principle of secularism in the Turkish Constitution. Stressing that attaining democracy and freedom would be impossible without secularism, Sezer said in his message that secularism also ensured that generations would be brought up with the freedom of thought and conscience. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit also issued a message for the occasion saying that the principle's incorporation in the Constitution constituted a milestone in Turkish democracy. "Secularism is a guarantor of our freedom of religion and liberty of conscience," he added. /Turkiye/
BAHCELI: "ECONOMY WILL IMPROVE THANKS TO NEW LETTER OF INTENT"
Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli yesterday said that the Turkish economy would improve thanks to the resources and possibilities entailed by the International Monetary Fund's recent approval of Turkey's Letter of Intent. During his party's group meeting, Bahceli spoke about developments in the economy. Stating that the Turkish economy suffered from a defective structure which weakened the social fabric through high interest rates and inflation, Bahceli said the government was implementing reforms to repair this sick structure. /Cumhuriyet/
DERVIS: "TURKEY HAS TURNED THE CORNER"
Speaking in a meeting in London yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis said that Turkey had turned the corner on the economic crisis which began last year and would not need an additional International Monetary Fund package in the future. Dervis also said that after last September's attacks Turkey had chosen to stand with its allies, and that this courageous stand had helped to improve its economic situation. /Hurriyet/
DENMARK'S FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ANKARA
Denmark's Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller yesterday arrived in Turkey to pay a two-day official visit on behalf of his government, which will assume the EU term presidency in the second half of this year. Moller will first meet with his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem today and will then be received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz. Among the issues to be discussed during his visit are recent amendments in the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), reforms towards Turkey's EU accession, the Cyprus situation and the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). Moller is also expected to receive a number of representatives from human rights organizations and non-governmental organizations. /Cumhuriyet/
CAKMAKOGLU TRAVELS TO PAKISTAN, PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN RECONSTRUCTION
Turkish Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu yesterday traveled to Pakistan upon the official invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Abdul Sattar. During his visit, Cakmakoglu is also due to meet with Pakistan's head of state Pervez Musherref. Speaking to the press at Etimesgut Military Airport prior to his departure yesterday, Cakmakoglu stated that he believed Turkey and Pakistan would cooperate to help the reconstruction of Afghanistan. "For many years, Turkey and Pakistan have been close allies which have supported each other," said Cakmakoglu. "I believe our two countries might cooperate to help the Afghan people rebuild their country. Turkish businessmen and contractors in Afghanistan will also contribute to this process and a Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) contingent of 261 soldiers is due to arrive soon. Turkey will help the country to keep peace and stability and also establish a permanent government which will represent all the Afghan people." /Cumhuriyet/
PEARSON: "THERE WON'T BE ANY INDEPENDENT STATE IN NORTHERN IRAQ"
US Ambassador in Ankara Robert Pearson yesterday delivered a speech on Turkish-US relations at a conference organized by the Center for Strategic Research (SAM). Reiterating US President George W. Bush's call for measures to prevent what he called an "axis of evil" -namely Iran, Iraq and North Korea - from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, Pearson remarked that since Washington administration advocates Iraq's territorial integrity it would not allow any independent state to be established in northern Iraq. Evaluating Turkish-US relations in the wake of last September's terrorist attacks, Pearson said that the US understood Turkey's wish to lead the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan as Turkey had from the very beginning given its full support to the war against terrorism. Pearson also remarked that European Union's recent list of terrorist organizations should be revised to include the PKK and DHKP-C, two terrorist groups which have targeted Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/
YILMAZ, CILLER VISIT QUAKE-STRICKEN AREAS
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday visited the towns in Afyon which were hit by Sunday's earthquake. He talked to the citizens and listened to their concerns. Yilmaz told reporters that the basic needs of the people in the region were accommodation, food, and keeping warm. Stressing that there were still some problems waiting to be solved, Yilmaz especially pointed to the need for more tents. He also announced that tax debts of taxpayers in the region would be postponed. True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller also toured the Afyon area yesterday. Visiting the earthquake survivors living in tents, Ciller listened to their problems and was briefed by the authorities. She stated that the DYP would work in Parliament to get the region officially declared a "disaster area." President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is also due to visit the quake area today. /All Papers/
TURK TELLS PROSECUTORS: "WE MUST STEM WAVE OF THEFT"
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk yesterday sent a circular to all of Turkey's chief public prosecutors asking them to expend maximum effort to investigate the crimes of theft so that perpetrators of such crimes would be apprehended in the shortest time possible. In the circular, Turk stated that recently Turkey had seen a spike in snatching-type thefts, which were leaving the citizens shaken in their wake. Turk remarked further that any delays in investigating and solving such crimes could damage the nation's sense of confidence and also encourage would-be perpetrators. /Sabah/
TURKISH BUSINESSMAN PREPARE FOR US ECONOMIC MEETING
Turkish businessman are preparing for the first meeting of the US-Turkish Economic Partnership Commission on Feb.26-27. Union of Turkish Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said yesterday that Turkish business leaders would work to prepare for the meeting until it convened. The Turkish and US governments decided last month to establish the economic commission during Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to Washington. /Star/
SECURITY OFFICIALS' WIVES SEND AID TO EARTHQUAKE REGION
The Security Officials' Wives Solidarity Association, which is attached to Ankara's Security Directorate, yesterday sent food aid and toiletries to Afyon, where 43 people died and hundreds of people were injured during an earthquake last weekend. Over 300 packages containing wheat, lentils, beans, pasta, drinking water and assorted toiletries were collected and sent to the region in police vehicles belonging to the Cankaya District's Security Directorate. The association said that even more aid was being organized for the quake-hit region. /Milliyet/
FITCH UPGRADES TURKEY'S CREDIT RATING
International credit rating agency Fitch announced yesterday that Turkey's credit rating in Turkish liras had been raised from B- to B. Fitch also reaffirmed Turkey's long-term foreign currency credit rating at B, while they also raised Turkey's outlook from negative to stable. /Turkiye/
DEUTSCHE BANK OFFICIAL: "2002 GROWTH IS VITAL FOR TURKEY"
Deutsche Bank Developing Markets Chairman Leonardo Leiderman said yesterday that this year constituted an important test for Turkey's economy. Speaking at a conference on "The Impact of Inflation Targets on Finance Markets," Leiderman said, "There should be an improvement in the value of the US dollar in the coming months, and this will have a positive impact on Turkey. But if Turkey doesn't show growth this year of 2-3%, it will cause great disappointment abroad." /Milliyet/
NAZIM HIKMET PLAY TO BE STAGED IN AUSTRALIA
As part of this year's worldwide celebration of the "Year of Nazim Hikmet" as declared by UNESCO, an Australian theater group announced yesterday that it would be staging one of the renowned Turkish writer's plays. Hikmet's "Kuvayi Milliye Destani" (Legend of National Forces) will be performed by Australia's Production Group in association with Turkish groups in Sydney and Melbourne through the middle of this year. /Cumhuriyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION