ECEVIT GREETS CHINESE PRIME MINISTER RONGJI
Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji, who is currently visiting Turkey, yesterday met with his Turkish counterpart Bulent Ecevit. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations as well as recent developments concerning the Middle Eastern conflict and eastern Turkistan, a region in northwest China with a large population of mainly Muslim, Turkic-speaking Uighurs. Voicing his wish to improve economic relations between Turkey and the People's Republic of China, Rongji also conveyed his concern about certain groups in eastern Turkistan pursuing an anti-government agenda. Rongji stated that the Chinese people appreciated Turkey's stance concerning both the Xinjiang-Uigur region and separatist groups in eastern Turkistan. For his part, Ecevit stated that Turkey placed a high premium on China's territorial integrity and considered all acts of terrorism crimes against humanity. "Ours is a democratic country," said Ecevit. "However, we try to do our best to prevent the growth of extremist movements." Rongji also criticized the United States policy on Iraq, saying that the problem of weapons of mass destruction should be solved in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions. After the meeting between the two prime ministers, they signed four agreements to boost economic relations between Turkey and China, namely ones on Agricultural Cooperation, Cooperation in Information Technology, Mutual Aid Between Turkish and Chinese Customs Administrations, as well as an agreement regulating Turkey's export of 1,000 Honda Civic automobiles to China. /Cumhuriyet/
YILMAZ: "THE PKK'S RECENT PLOYS WON'T ALTER TURKEY'S POLICIES"
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) Chairman Mesut Yilmaz returned to Turkey yesterday after representing the country at the European Union Partnership Council meeting in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday. Speaking to journalists prior to leaving Brussels, Yilmaz addressed the news that the terrorist group PKK had announced it was changing its name to the "Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress" (KADEK). Yilmaz stressed that the Turkish state would never change its policy on the PKK regardless of the terrorist organizations' purported recent efforts to reform itself into a political movement by re-labeling itself. Later, Yilmaz held a press conference at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. Remarking that the European Union was in the process of reviewing its list of terrorist organizations, a review that could reportedly add the terrorist PKK and DHKP-C to the list, Yilmaz said, "I hope that the list will be revised this week." Telling of his recent meeting with EU Commission Chairman Roman Prodi, Yilmaz said, "I conveyed the message to Mr. Prodi that Turkey is determined to attain its short-term goals listed in its National Programme as soon as possible. I also emphasized the need to prepare a calendar for Turkey's accession negotiation period." /Cumhuriyet/
EU: "NEGOTIATIONS WILL BEGIN AFTER TURKEY IMPLEMENTS COPENHAGEN CRITERIA"
During the European Union Partnership Council meeting in Brussels yesterday, Turkey's representatives asked for a date when they could expect membership negotiations with the EU to begin. Declining to answer the question directly, EU officials stated that the Union welcomed Turkey's current reforms. They added, however, that Turkey had not yet fully implemented the Copenhagen criteria. EU Commission Representative for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said, "If Turkey fully implements the Copenhagen criteria, negotiations could begin in even 4-5 weeks." The EU took up a 22-page report about the progress made by Turkey at the meeting yesterday where the Turkish delegation was led by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. Following the meeting, Cem held a joint press conference with Verheugen and EU Term President Spain's Foreign Minister Josep Pique. Commenting on the recent decision by terrorist group PKK to call itself by a new name, Cem remarked, "If Al-Qaeda changed its name, would the EU and the US strike it from their lists of terrorist groups?" Cem also emphasized that Turkey would continue its reforms in order to begin accession negotiations with the EU as soon as possible. /Turkiye-Sabah/
GROSSMAN: "THE US SUPPORTS TURKEY'S DEAL ON ESDP"
Turkish Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal met yesterday with US Undersecretary of State for European Affairs Marc Grossman, a former US ambassador to Turkey currently on an official visit to Ankara. Speaking to reporters after their meeting, Ziyal said, "Our meeting was important in the leadup to this November's NATO summit in Prague, Czechoslovakia." Ziyal also related that his talks with Grossman had focused on three topics, namely NATO's new tactics after the last September's attacks on the US, NATO's enlargement process and NATO's relations with the Russian Federation. For his part, Grossman told reporters that the US stood behind the deal Turkey, the US and Britain had reached on the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), adding that NATO member Turkey should be included in the new European Union defense structure. /Star/
US SUPPORTS STATIONING HIGH-LEVEL PREPARATION FORCE IN TURKEY
As part of the 17th High-level Joint Defense Group meeting which began yesterday in Ankara, meeting co-chairmen Deputy Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and US Deputy Secretary of Defense Jack D. Crouch visited Third Army Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Ergun Saygun. Saying that the US was supporting and would continue its support for the existence of a High-Level Preparation Force in Istanbul, Crouch said, "If this is done under NATO, we will support the establishment of such a headquarters as well. In addition, we plan to station 19 of our personnel here." /Milliyet/
BRUSSELS COURT TO CONTINUE ERDAL PROCEEDINGS THROUGH MID-MAY
A Brussels appeal court decided yesterday that its deliberations concerning the fate of fugitive from Turkish justice Fehriye Erdal would continue through May 14. The Belgian court also said that it would rule on that date as to whether or not to continue Erdal's trial in the country. Erdal is wanted in Turkey in connection with the murder of a Turkish businessman, but she has committed offenses in Belgium as well. Turkey has been pressing for Erdal's extradition from Belgium for several years. /Hurriyet/
TERRORIST PKK TRIES TO PULL WOOL OVER EU'S EYES
At a press conference in Brussels yesterday, the terrorist group PKK announced its expected name change to the "Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress" (KADEK). PKK so-called high official Osman Ocalan said that the PKK had completed its "historic mission." Ocalan claimed that the announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz regarding the PKK's inclusion on a revised EU terrorist organizations list was tantamount to preparing the grounds for denying the presence of Kurds or laying plans for their destruction. Hinting that the group could resume terrorist activities, Ocalan said that even if Europe doesn't support the Kurds, it should not stand in their way either. /Hurriyet/
WORLD BANK APPROVES $1.3 BILLION IN LOANS
The World Bank Executive Board met yesterday to take up a $1.3 civil and financial sector adjustment loan (PFSAL 2), and the board approved the first tranche of that loan to Turkey. The loan is to be distributed to Turkey in three tranches, the first totaling $450 million. /Star/
US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HEAD MAKES GROUNDBREAKING VISIT TO TURKEY
US Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue will arrive in Turkey today to pay a two-day visit with the aim of lending impetus to Turkish-US economic and commercial relations. Donohue is scheduled to meet Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu tomorrow at a press conference to be held by the Turkish-American Business Council. Since Donohue's trip marks the first official visit of a US Chamber of Commerce head to Turkey, Turkish officials and businessmen are attaching great importance to the visit. /Cumhuriyet/
IMF'S KRUEGER PRAISES AND CAUTIONS TURKEY
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board approved a first loan tranche of $1.1 billion to Turkey on Monday, but yesterday IMF Deputy Managing Director Anne Krueger also sounded a note of caution. Stating that Turkey was progressing well but that there were still some risks facing the national economy, Krueger said, "The Turkish government has made a great deal of progress in the implementation of its economic reform program. In the past, Turkey has been unable to make full use of its economic potential due to a lack of financial discipline as well as structural weaknesses, and it was left exposed to an atmosphere of unstable growth and inflation. The current program, which is working to eliminate these weaknesses, should decrease the economy's vulnerability to shocks as well." Stating that she was continuing to alert Turkey to the timing of production growth and the possibility of new economic blows, Krueger added, "Therefore it is absolutely essential that the program be implemented vigorously with the full support of the coalition government so that the Turkish economy can enjoy uninterrupted growth." /Aksam/
OZTRAK LAYS OUT NEW RULES OF ECONOMIC GAME
Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak said yesterday that Turkey's private sector should be aware of changes to the rules of the economic game and advised them to restructure themselves accordingly. Oztrak remarked that if the sector does not restructure itself quickly, the costs would only grow larger and the transition to the new conditions of economic growth would take even longer. Therefore, he stressed, the private sector must take appropriate measures in its own self-interest. Oztrak added that long-term credit resources with low interest could be obtained from development banks and that the banks should not hesitate to allocate these funds to the private sector. "For economic growth to begin, necessary capital must be put into the banks," Oztrak commented. /Milliyet/
AGREEMENT SIGNED ON TREATING BRITISH PATIENTS IN TURKEY
A preliminary agreement was signed yesterday between Turkey's Acibadem Health and Hospitals Group and UK consultancy firm Operations Abroad on sending British patients to Turkey to receive medical treatment. Operations Abroad has been working on a deal for several months on behalf of the British government to send heart surgery candidates to hospitals abroad owing to a waiting period in Britain that stretch to 16 months. Under the deal, such patients could be treated at Acibadem Group and German hospitals in Istanbul. /Milliyet/
ATAA HOLDS FAREWELL RECEPTION FOR BAYAR
The Assembly of Turkish-American Associations (ATAA) held a farewell reception in Washington D.C. last night for Mehmet Ali Bayar, who recently stepped down from a successful tenure as counselor and spokesman at Turkey's Embassy in the US capital. Bayar is to return Turkey to attend the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) Congress on May 18 and to stand as a candidate for the party's leadership. /Turkiye/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION