ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on May 15, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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FIRST EXECUTION BEFORE AL-QAIDA STAGED IN ISTANBUL
Dev-Sol militants wearing police uniforms who raided office of Vinnel Brown Root (VBR) company, which carries out transfer and customs transactions of U.S. soldiers coming to Turkey, in Yesilyurt, Istanbul, had killed the general manager with a gun having a silencer 12 years ago. John Hilton Ganday, who was a retired colonel, was killed by two bullets.
''WE CAN BECOME AN EU MEMBER IN 2007''
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that Turkey had reached a critical stage regarding the European Union (EU) membership process and noted that signs were evident for a new phase. Gul said, ''what Italian Prime Minister said is right. We have reached the stage of starting negotiations for a new phase. During the Copenhagen summit, it was decided that we would start negotiations at the end of 2004. We don't have much time.''
HEROIN OPERATION IN INDUSTRIAL ZONE
International drug smuggling gang was collapsed in operations staged in southern Hatay and Gaziantep provinces. A total of 43 kilograms of heroin was confiscated in a car driven by Abdi Kurt at Cilvegozu border gate. According to Kurt's testimony, police raided a workplace in Gaziantep and seized 50.7 kilograms of heroin, 77 kilograms of opium and 2 tons of acid anhydride. Mehmet Sari, the owner of the workplace, Yasar Deniz Delen and Selahattin Dana were detained. The heroin had a market value of 10 trillion Turkish liras (TL).
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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MOTION PUNISHMENT
Two bad news from the United States: The project of qualified industrial zones which provide tax free sales has been suspended and significant projects will not be given to Turkey in Iraq. The project of qualified industrial zones which came onto the agenda during prime ministry of Bulent Ecevit but which could not be adopted by Washington in the way Ankara wanted is de facto on the shelf. As cooperation with Turkey in Iraq war could not be made as the United States had expected, the U.S. administration decided not to take up the issue in the Congress. The project was not included in the agenda of the two wings of the congress.
CORRUPTION IS BIG PROBLEM
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who attended the first meeting of Kelkit Platform and Gaziosmanpasa University Youth Festival, said that fight against corruption was obligatory for a lasting development. Sezer advised the young people to defend the clean society.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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PRESIDENT SEZER CALLS ON EVERYONE TO FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
Addressing students at the Gaziosmanpasa University in northern province of Tokat, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer called on academicians and students to fight against corruption and poverty. ''As nation, state, non-governmental organizations and academic circles, we should fulfill our responsibilities to find a solution to this problem. We should launch an influential campaign against corruption in order to reach a lasting development. We expect you to act as the most powerful defender of a clean society,'' he added.
''IF STABILITY IS SETTLED, WE WILL START PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES''
Sung Meen Cho, the director general of the Samsung Electronics, which is one of the biggest companies in South Korea, said that Turkey could become their production center after settling stability in its economy. Noting that Turkey would have great opportunities after providing a stable growth, Cho said that Turkey could be their production center with its young population, by-industry and markets.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TURKEY SENDS A DELEGATION TO IRAQ
Turkey has sent a delegation led by Ambassador Selim Karaosmanoglu to Iraq in order to observe developments and to hold direct contacts with the groups. Meanwhile, Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Osman Paksut, who returned to Baghdad last week, send reports to Ankara saying, ''security conditions do not exist here. I could not find any interlocutor.''
PRESIDENT SEZER DUE TO TUNISIA TOMORROW
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will pay a visit to Tunisia between May 15 and 16, 2003, as the official guest of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia. Relations between Turkey and Tunisia will be taken up in detail, and regional and international issues including the Iraq crisis and the Middle East peace process will be discussed during the scheduled contacts between President Sezer and his Tunisian counterpart Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
''ARMENIANS WERE NOT MASSACRED. THEY MIGRATED''
Turkish History Institution (TTK) Chairman Prof.Dr. Yusuf Halacoglu said, ''as a result of a detailed study we carried out in nine countries including the United States, Britain, France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Russia and Iran, we unveiled that nearly 1 million 450 thousand Armenian people did not die, but migrated to these countries.''
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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IS SADDAM'S MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY?
U.S. officials, who think that Saddam Hussein and his relatives sent some money between 2 and 10 billion U.S. dollars outside Iraq and who are searching for that money and Saddam's assets, applied to the Foreign Ministry two weeks ago and asked Turkish officials to freeze the accounts if they observed such money flow. U.S. officials went to the Finance Ministry and Central Bank. The answer was there was not such movement in Turkey at the moment.
NO MILITARY JURISDICTION TO CIVILIANS
The draft Turkish Penal Code (TCK) foresees a significant arrangement on the road to European Union (EU) membership. Civilians can only be tried by civilian courts. The government ends trial of civilians in military courts and takes a very serious step in democratization with the new draft TCK. In accordance with the draft, civilians who commit civilian, military and political espionage crimes won't be tried before General Staff Military Courts.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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FACILITATION TO FOREIGN INVESTORS
In accordance with the bill on encouragement of direct foreign investment which was passed from the parliamentary commission, it will be sufficient for foreigners to invest in Turkey as they ''inform'' the state. The investors can acquire properties without the need for investment activities and can be considered as having equal status with the Turkish investors before the laws.
MINING TO BE ENCOURAGED
Bill which was sent to the parliament to make use of the underground resources within the scope of the urgent action plan foresees superb incentives for mining explorations. Bureaucratic hurdles are lifted and all provinces are included within the scope of the incentive.
ERDOGAN TELEPHONES BUSH! RELATIONS WARM UP WITH UNITED STATES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan phoned U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday and offered condolences over the terrorist attacks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and warmed up relations with Washington. After the phone conversation, Bush administration announced that Turkey and the United States would continue to work together.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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AK PARTY PREPARES IMPORTANT CHANGES IN CONSTITUTION
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has taken action to make a series of important changes in the Constitution in order to fulfill political criteria of the European Union (EU) membership. Environment and Forestry Minister Osman Pepe said that they would bring a new constitutional amendment package onto agenda of the parliament soon.
PRESIDENT SEZER'S AUTHORITIES TO BE LIMITED
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) officials said that the Ministry of Justice and AK Party jurists had been carrying out works on the new constitutional amendment package. The package includes annulment of the State Security Courts (DGMs). After re-arrangement of the Higher Education Board (YOK), some authorities of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will be limited. The AK Party plans to reach compromise with the Republican People's Party (CHP) on the package. If such a compromise is reached, an amendment to the Article 83 of the Constitution about political immunity will be included in the package.
(UK-BRC-AÖ) 15.05.2003