ECEVIT, “FEELING BETTER,” LEAVES HOSPITAL
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who was hospitalized on Saturday with severe stomach and back pains, was discharged from the hospital yesterday after an overnight stay for observation. On his way home he told reporters that he had had an intestinal infection but that now he was feeling better. Ecevit (76), a national political leader for the last 40 years, has been charting a centrist course for Turkey for three years during his most recent turn as prime minister. /All Papers/
BAHCELI TRAVELS TO AZERBAIJAN
Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli will travel to Baku, Azerbaijan today to pay an official visit upon the invitation of President Haydar Aliyev. Bahceli is scheduled to meet with Aliyev, Azeri Parliament Speaker Murtuz Aleskerov, Prime Minister Artur Rasizade and representatives of domestic political parties. During the meetings, international and regional issues as well as bilateral political, economic and cultural relations will be taken up. Bahceli is to be accompanied by State Minister Resat Dogru, Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu and Health Minister Osman Durmus. Bahceli will return to Turkey on Wednesday. /Turkiye/
YILMAZ: “KADEK SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE EU’S TERRORIST GROUP LIST”
Speaking to reporters after returning from a visit to Germany, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that KADEK was clearly a continuation of the terrorist PKK, and that therefore it should be added to the European Union’s list of terrorist groups. “Otherwise the EU will have been deceived,” Yilmaz stressed. Yilmaz also said that the PKK and the terrorist DHKP-C had been added to the list due to Turkey’s initiative and that in doing so, the EU had rectified a mistake, referring to the previous list which failed to include those groups. Speaking on Turkey’s full EU membership process, Yilmaz stated that it was up to Turkey to fulfill the criteria in order to get its negotiations process started. /Sabah/
KECECILER: “TURKEY WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AFGHAN GOVERNMENT”
State Minister Mehmet Kececiler said yesterday that Turkey believed that the Afghan government would overcome all the difficulties it now faces. On the second day of his visit to Afghanistan, Kececiler met with its Cabinet ministers and other officials. At the meetings, Kececiler remarked that Turkey had given all kinds of support to the Afghan government for the nation’s benefit and would continue to do so. Pointing out that the Turkish-Afghan Business Council had begun its work, Kececiler said, “Turkish businessmen are ready to invest in Afghanistan, to help construct infrastructure and to share their technical expertise to aid in the country’s development.” /Turkiye/
INDUSTRIALISTS TO VISIT SEZER
Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) Chairman Tanil Kucuk and ISO Assembly head Husamettin Kavi are scheduled to visit President Ahmet Necdet Sezer today. The ISO is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and will invite Sezer to ceremonies to honor this landmark. /Star/
CITING TURKEY, US OFFICIAL CALLS FOR BETTER TIES WITH MODERATE MUSLIM WORLD
US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz made a speech at a World Affairs Council meeting in California on Friday calling for more cooperation with moderate Muslim countries. Remarking that moderate Muslim countries including Turkey had taken many risks in order to protect their relations with the Western world, Wolfowitz stated that the US must support these countries. He stressed that since the huge gap between the Western world and some Islamic countries might lead to serious problems and crises, the US had to improve its relations with moderate Muslim countries. This March, Wolfowitz, also stated, “It is the great fortune of the United States to have in Turkey a friend and ally that has stood with us through war and peace.” /Cumhuriyet/
SHARON SUPPORTS TURKEY TO HOST OF MIDEAST PEACE CONFERENCE
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon yesterday stated that he supported the idea of Turkey hosting a Middle East peace conference which would bring together all the involved parties to end the current conflict in the region. “I appreciate the US’ attempts to encourage Turkey hosting a meeting to help bring peace and stability to the Middle East,” said Sharon. No decision on where and when the meeting will be held has been made yet. This issue is expected to be discussed during Sharon’s meeting with US President George W. Bush starting tomorrow. /Hurriyet/
AERONAUTICAL ASSOCIATION TURNS 67
The Turkish Aeronautical Association yesterday celebrated the 67th anniversary of its foundation with an elaborate ceremony in Etimesgut, Ankara. Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel and many high-level commanders attended the ceremony. An air stunt show by the Turkkusu pilots’group entertained the crowd. Turkish Aeronautical Association Chairman and Air Marshall Erdogan Karakus said that Republic Founder Ataturk had established the association in order to bring Turkish aviation into the modern world. /Turkiye/
TASAR VOWS TO CUT TOURISM RED TAPE
Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar vowed this weekend to cut out red tape and simplify procedures in the tourism sector, adding that his ministry had drafted a circular for this purpose. Tasar said that his goal was a ministry that implements projects quickly and officially. /Turkiye/
MERCEDES REAFFIRMS INVESTMENTS IN TURKEY
Mercedes Benz Turk Director Cetin Atsur stated over the weekend that Mercedes had recently made a decision to continue its investments in Turkey, remarking that the company was optimistic about the Turkish market. Atsur stated that Mercedes was planning to export 85% of the cars it produces in Turkey. /Hurriyet/
COMPULSORY RETIREMENT PLANNED TO CUT STATE OVERSTAFFING
State workers who have 30 or more years of service are slated for compulsory retirement to reduce public sector overstaffing under a new Treasury and Finance Ministry plan, sources said yesterday. The World Bank recently told the Turkish government that the number of people it employs is both excessive and unaffordable in the long run. The number of redundant employees was put at 130,000. Echoing the WB, the International Monetary Fund also warned Turkey that it should not employ more than 1.7 million civil servants. /Hurriyet/
TOBB CHAIR HISARCIKLIOGLU EASILY REELECTED
Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu this weekend easily won a second term at his post in elections at the TOBB’S General Assembly in Ankara. Delegates voted overwhelmingly, 113-8, for Hisarciklioglu’s slate for the TOBB Executive Board. /Hurriyet/
GOKALP: “GLOBAL CRISES BEGAN IN 1979”
Agriculture Minister Husnu Yusuf Gokalp told a baker’s group yesterday that the economic crises that hit countries such as Japan, Brazil, Russia and Turkey in recent years began after 1979 when international conglomerates made a series of moves to manipulate the public agenda worldwide. Speaking to Turkey’s Chamber of Bakers, Gokalp said that these moves began in the United States and Great Britain and that “Reaganomics” in the ‘80s was a symptom of this. He added that if during those years the basis of economic production had been attended to, the crises would not have occurred. /Aksam/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION