SEZER MARKS THE 76TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ENACTMENT OF THE TURKISH CIVIL CODE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer issued a message yesterday on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the enactment of the Turkish Civil Code (TMK). Sezer remarked that Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s (the founder of the Republic of Turkey) revolutions greatly helped Turkish people to establish a secular and modern state adhering to the supremacy of law. “The Turkish Civil Code provided Turkish women with the basic rights and freedoms and helped them actively participate in the social life,” said Sezer. /Cumhuriyet/

ECEVIT ON CYPRUS
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit talked about the Cyprus issue last week and said, “As long as the European Union (EU) intervenes in the Cyprus issue, this problem cannot be solved because the Greek-Cypriots leaned on the EU.” Saying that President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot Administration leader Glafcos Clerides resuming the direct talks also started the process of dialogue, Ecevit added, “They will meet in a few days again and they will be able to take a concrete step soon. However, unless the reality about the Cyprus issue is accepted, this problem cannot be solved. There are two peoples and two states on Cyprus. Solutions have to be searched for the issue taking this fact into consideration.” /Aksam/

BUSH CONGRATULATES TURKEY AND GREECE
US President George W. Bush congratulated Turkey and Greece on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their NATO membership and sent messages to Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and his Greek counterpart Constantinos Stefanopoulos. Bush in his letters praised both countries’ assistance to NATO. /Hürriyet/

CILLER: “WOMEN SHOULD LIVE IN BETTER CONDITIONS”
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller yesterday issued a message to mark the 76th anniversary of the approval of the Turkish Civil Code. She said, “We should ensure better living conditions for our women.” Stressing that Turkish society had turned its face to modern world with the acception of the Turkish Civil Code, Ciller pointed to DYP’s support for the new amendments in Parliament. She added, “In the new code, sex-discriminating articles were completely removed.” /Turkiye/

TURK REQUESTS PRESS TO IGNORE PRISONERS ON HUNGER STRIKE
In an address to the Turkish Parliament yesterday, Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk evaluated the recent developments considering ongoing hunger strikes in the prisons. Turk stated that he believed the hunger strike campaign would end soon if the prisoners lose the media interest. Turk stated that the number of prisoners on hunger strikes significantly diminished after certain measures being taken. Turk has repeatedly defended the prison reform, saying that in the past prisons, which had wards that could house up to 100 prisoners, were no different from the training and indoctrination camps of terrorist groups. Turk defended the government’s efforts to improve conditions in the F-type prisons, saying amendments to relevant laws allowed the prisoners to take part in communal activities at intervals to be specified by the prison administration. /Cumhuriyet/

HASAN EKINCI: “WE DON’T TRUST THE GOVERNMENT”
True Path Party (DYP) Deputy Chairman Hasan Ekinci yesterday claimed that citizens’ confidence in the government was gradually decreasing. He said, “Early elections are the best way to overcome this erosion of confidence.” In a press conference at the DYP headquarters, Ekinci criticized the government saying, “There is no harmony between the coalition partners.” Stressing that “citizen’s lack of trust in the government” was the major problem of the country, he said that recent surveys showed 70 % of the people were in favour of elections. /Turkiye/

STEARNS IN ANKARA
The US House of Representatives member Cliff Stearns said, “All that has been done in Iraq was carried out in coordination and cooperation with all our ally countries, including Turkey. From now on consultations will be held on every issue..” The US-Turkish Interparliamentary Friendship Group’s five representatives arrived in Ankara yesterday. Stearns, who is in the delegation that is currently in Ankara, said he would meet with the business and parliamentary circles in Ankara. /Aksam/

HOLIDAY VILLAGE FOR DISABLED PEOPLE TO BE BUILT IN ANTALYA
The holiday village for the disabled people, the foundation of which was laid nearly three months ago, will be built in Manavgat, Antalya and serve all the disabled in the world, nearly 250,000 people. Flamingo Tourism Executive Board Deputy Chairman Saadettin Ulubay said that the 60% of the holiday village with a capacity of 960 beds would serve for the disabled people and 40% for the accompanying ones. Saying that the holiday village to be established will work like a fully equipped hospital, he added, “For every ten disabled persons there will be a nurse and for every five a doctor.” /Milliyet/

TORCH AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES TO BE KINDLED BY TURKISH GAS
Turkey and Greece are preparing to establish a relationship in the field of energy. Turkish natural gas company BOTAS and Greek natural gas company DEPA will meet tomorrow in Istanbul to discuss the “South Mediterranean Gas Ring Project.” BOTAS is proposing to sell natural gas to Greece and to the islands in the Aegean. If an agreement is reached the Olympiad torch will be kindled by Turkish gas. /Hürriyet/

TURKISH CONTRACTORS TRAVEL TO AFGHANISTAN
A delegation consisting of the representatives of the Turkish Union of Contractors and the Turkish Union of Chambers and Stock Exchanges (TOBB) is to travel to Afghanistan at the beginning of March. The delegation is to be chaired by State Minister Mehmet Kececiler. Turkish-Afghan Business Council Chairman Guven Sazak stated that four representatives would participate in a ten-day meeting to be organized by the Asian Development Bank on March 2 in Islamabad. /Cumhuriyet/

WORLD BANK VICE PRESIDENT LINN PRAISES TURKEY’S SUCCESS
The World Bank Vice President Johannes Linn stated that Turkey was successful in implementing the “Project for Direct Income Support to the Farmers”. Linn stated that the World Bank granted $600 million to Turkey for the implementation of the project. /Cumhuriyet/

TREASURY TO SELL TWO-YEAR BILLS
Tomorrow, the Treasury will hold an auction of bills with a redemption period of two years. The bills are value dated Wednesday, Feb. 20 and their redemption is scheduled for January 21, 2004. /Turkiye/

INTERNATIONAL CHESS FESTIVAL IN ESKISEHIR
The International Chess Festival organized by the International Union of Chess and Chess Federation began in Eskisehir. Turkey, Greece, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and Russia participate in the festival which is to end on Feb. 20. /Cumhuriyet/

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