SEZER CONGRATULATES CHIRAC ON ELECTION VICTORY
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday sent his congratulations to French President Jacques Chirac for his counterpart’s reelection to a new term in office. In his message, Sezer said, “During your new term, I hope to build upon the existing friendly political and cultural relations between our nations to promote our mutual interests.” On Sunday, Chirac soundly defeated extreme rightist Jean-Marie Le Pen in the second round of a closely watched French election. /Turkiye/
PRESIDENT SEZER TO PROMOTE NATIONAL EFFICIENCY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is planning to launch a “National Efficiency Movement.” Sezer yesterday met with National Productivity Center Executive Council Chairman Gungor Yener and other members of the council. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Yener stated that they had prepared a report and discussed the details of a project aimed at boosting national efficiency. /Cumhuriyet/
DENKTAS TO VISIT ANKARA
In the leadup to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s visit to Cyprus later this month, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas is scheduled to visit Turkey this Friday and Saturday to hold discussions with Turkish officials over the future of the island. Denktas is expected to meet with President Ahmet Necet Sezer, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. The negotiations, which began five months ago with the join efforts of both sides, recently reached an impasse after the Greek Cypriots expressed dissatisfaction with Denktas’s written proposal suggesting that a “partnership state” be established on the island. /Cumhuriyet/
NATO MILITARY COMMITTEE MEETS IN BRUSSELS
NATO’s top military decision-making body, its military committee, began a meeting yesterday in Brussels. All the NATO chiefs of staff were represented, including Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu. The meeting began with a European-Atlantic Cooperation Committee composed of the military committee and military leaders from friendly, non-NATO countries. /Star/
PEARSON HONORS TURKISH OFFICIALS FOR ANTI-SMUGGLING SUCCESS
US Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson yesterday presented Turkish Security Director General Kemal Onal, Customs Director General Hakki Teke and Gendarmerie Operations Chairman Brigadier General Mustafa Býyýk with a plaque to honor their successful work in combating drug smuggling in league with the US. In his speech delivered in Turkish at a ceremony held at Ankara’s US Embassy, Pearson said that Turkey’s victories against the illicit drug trade were another sign of the success of Turkish-US relations. As an example of cooperative efforts, Pearson told how a recent joint Turkish-US operation had netted nearly seven-and-a-half tons of base morphine, the largest illegal drug cache ever seized. “The spread of drug smuggling and its widespread usage constitute a threat to our mutual democratic beliefs,” the ambassador added. /Aksam/
GEMICI TO SUGGEST APRIL 23 AS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL
State Minister Hasan Gemici said yesterday that during this week’s UN Special Session on Children at UN headquarters in New York, he would suggest that April 23 be celebrated as an international children’s festival throughout the world. Speaking at Ataturk Airport before leaving for the US, Gemici said that at the UN General Assembly to be attended by nearly 80 government delegates from 184 countries, he would make a speech emphasizing the importance Ataturk put on the world’s youth. He added, “During this special session, I will suggest that our April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Festival, which every year is being celebrated with the participation of an increasing number of countries, be honored as a children’s festival all over the world.” /Aksam/
IMF TEAM TO VISIT TURKEY ON SECOND REVIEW
International Monetary Fund (IMF) representative Odd Per Brekk said yesterday that a team headed by Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen would visit Turkey on May 15 in order to carry out discussions on Turkey’s second review under its standby agreement with the IMF. Brekk said that the team would focus on the achievement of government budgetary and monetary targets. Brekk also said that if the discussions were completed as planned and the necessary steps taken, then the IMF Executive Board would conclude its second review in mid-June and then release a $1.1 billion loan tranche to Turkey. /Turkiye/
CLERIDES REJECTS DENKTAS’ “PARTNERSHIP STATE” PROPOSAL
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas last month presented a 20-page written proposal to Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides suggesting a number of “permanent and sustainable” solutions to the problems of the island. In his proposal, Denktas focused on the idea of the establishment of a “Partnership State of Cyprus,” one based on the idea of equal sovereignty of the two states. However, the Greek Cypriot side didn’t consider the proposal a positive initiative, arguing that it would mean the establishment of two separate states on the island. Despite Clerides’ cool reception of the proposal, Denktas is still hoping to make progress during the negotiations. /Cumhuriyet/
EX-ANAP MINISTER TO FOUND NEW PARTY
Husnu Dogan, who previously served as government minister under the Motherland Party (ANAP), said yesterday that he had finished laying the groundwork for a new political party and that he would soon submit the necessary paperwork to the Interior Ministry. Dogan is to hold a press conference tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. at the new party’s headquarters in Ankara. /Star/
NAZIM HIKMET COMMEMORATED IN AMSTERDAM
Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet was commemorated in Amsterdam this week with a series of events organized by the Turkish-Dutch Theatre Foundation. The events helped reinforce cultural relations between the two countries and promoted Turkish poetry in the Netherlands. /Cumhuriyet/
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE SINGS CESME’S PRAISES
German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine recently published an article by Peter Hahn praising the beauty of the Aegean town of Cesme and the surrounding area and inviting the paper’s readers to make a visit. Describing the coastal town as a place filled with “romance, sun, sea, and health,” Hahn also praised the winding streets of Dalyan, the hot water springs in Ilica, and the healing effects of the region’s waters. /Hurriyet/
FOUNDATIONS LAID FOR NEW ANKARA CULTURAL CENTER
Foundations for the new 11-hall Buyulu Fener Cultural Center were laid yesterday in Ankara. Culture Minister Istemihan Talay attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the center, which is being built by Irfan Demirkol, the owner of the Denk Agency and the Buyulu Fener and Kavaklidere movie theaters. The new 1,150-capacity center will be able to host exhibits, conferences, plays, and a wide variety of audiovisual presentations and performances. The center’s construction is due to be completed in 2004. /Hurriyet/
COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF ARCELIK ACQUISITION
A court ruling in Nanterre, France this week declared Turkish durable goods producer Arcelik the winner of a recent bid to acquire a subsidiary firm of French corporation Brandt, effectively making Arcelik the subsidiary’s new owner. The acquisition of Austrian firm Elektra Bregenz gives Arcelik a new foothold in the European market. Recently Arcelik also won a bid to buy another former Brandt subsidiary, Blomberg. \Milliyet
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT GREENLIGHTS TURK TELEKOM PRIVATIZATION
The Constitutional Court ruled Tuesday in favor of a law to privatize state landline monopoly Turk Telekom, rejecting an appeal to annul some sections of the law. The ruling paves the way for the long-delayed privatization of the telecom. Constitutional Court Deputy Chief Justice Hasim Kilic said that the Court had voted unanimously against the appeal filed by the now-defunct Virtue Party. \Milliyet
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION