ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on May 20, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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F-TYPE MIRACLE
The Bayrampasa Prison in Istanbul which was used as training camp by terrorist organizations for years, has now a modern outlook after start of F-type prisons system. Since the transfer of inmates who were convicted of terrorist crimes from Bayrampasa Prison to F-type prisons in December of 2000, any incident like murder has not occurred in the prison.
SURPRISING VISIT OF OZKOK TO ERDOGAN
Following letter of Gen. Tuncer Kilinc, Secretary General of National Security Council (NSC) to the Prime Ministry, about laws on adjustment with the European Union (EU), General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok will pay a surprising visit to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan today. The meeting which was programmed upon Ozkok's request will start at 5.30 p.m. at the Prime Ministry. Sources said that remarks of Tuncer Kilinc who opposed the EU adjustment package might be brought onto the agenda of the meeting, and Ozkok might convey his point of view about the EU issue and adjustment package. Besides, latest developments in northern Iraq, security issues and news saying that 'Kurdish groups undertook control of Kirkuk' are expected to be discussed during the meeting. Ozkok previously visited the Prime Ministry to attend the summit meeting which was held on April 11 after Kurdish groups entered Kirkuk during the Iraq war.
USD 500 MILLION OF AUDIT
International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen will come to Turkey today for fifth review of stand-by deal. IMF which will control what things have been done about the promises that Turkey gave in the letter of intent it submitted in April and about the points stressed by IMF First Deputy Managing Director Anne Krueger who visited Turkey, will approve 500 million U.S. dollars loan tranche in case of completion of the fifth review. The fifth review is important because Krueger said it would be a criterion for Turkey's credibility and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Treasury John Taylor said U.S. aid would depend on it.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY WILL MEET WITH 'CY' LICENSE PLATE
The arrangement, which allows Greek Cypriot administration citizens enter Turkey, will be implemented on May 22. Greek Cypriots can make free passages to Turkey as of this date with their ''Cyprus Republic'' passport and ''CY'' license plates which Ankara does not recognize. According to the implementation which allows Greek Cypriots enter Turkey as tourists after 40 years, Greek Cypriots can visit Turkey for one month and with touristic purposes.
GUL: ''THEIR SENSITIVITY IS NORMAL''
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul evaluated the objection of National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Tuncer Kilinc to the package which was prepared for adjustment to the European Union (EU) as ''some institutions will surely express their sensitivity''. Gul said that Turkey caught a big opportunity on the path to full membership to EU and added, ''our relations with EU has never been such good. We will accept one more reform package at Parliament soon. We will receive views from all institutions of our state while accepting the package.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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LET'S FLOW OVER STADIUM
University students started a campaign to save May 19 celebrations from stadiums. National Education Minister Huseyin Celik also supported the students. University students, who were members of 'Meeting Forum', started a campaign to save May 19 celebrations from stadiums during the panel they held at Parliament. Celik supported the campaign in his speech. Students, representing 45 universities, said that youths were only crowds during the celebrations and the ceremonies were ''torture''.
DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD TO PAMUK
Novelist Orhan Pamuk won another award with his novel ''My Name is Red''. Pamuk was awarded with IMPAC Dublin Literary Award which was one of the world's richest literary prizes. Pamuk, who won the award worth of 100 thousand euro with his novel ''My Name is Red'' that was published in 20 different languages, will receive 75 thousand euro of the award. The rest of the award will be given to Erdag Goknar who translated the novel to English. Pamuk will receive his award in Dublin on June 14.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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GUL CHANGED HIS TUNE
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who kept responsible Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas from the protests of Turkish Cypriots during Antalya camp of Justice and Development Party (AK Party), changed his tune and said that Denktas had important contribution to positive developments in Cyprus. Gul said that TRNC and Turkey took important steps for solution of Cyprus issue and added, ''injustice has been made in Cyprus and Denktas is the one who has brought Cyprus issue to these days.'' Noting that they were expecting hundreds of thousands Greek Cypriots to come to Turkey, Gul said, ''after 40 years, for the first time Greek Cypriots can come to Turkey. These developments will increase bilateral confidence. Denktas has important contributions to these developments. Both Turkish Cypriot side and Greek Cypriot side have objected to Annan Plan. But, as Turkish Cypriot side expressed its reaction loudly, Denktas has become the target.''
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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SAHIN: ''REPORT IS NOT IN THE CABINET''
Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said that the report, which was claimed to be sent by National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Tuncer Kilinc regarding his objections against adjustment package to the European Union (EU), reached neither him nor Council of Ministers. Sahin said, ''public institutions can always send their views about different issues to the related places. The issue is discussed when it reaches to Council of Ministers. This is very normal.''
FIRST TURKS WHO MIGRATED TO U.S. ARE SEARCHED
A project is prepared to find the traces of first Turkish people who migrated to the United States. Already a total of 1500 people were held contact for the project that will last eight years. A seminar was held in New York regarding the project which was prepared by Yeditepe University scholar Riza Kucukoglu and researcher Sedat Isci. Isci said that first generation Turkish immigrants came to the United States between 1860 and 1921. The number of those Turkish people was estimated as 60-80 thousand and they settled 14 states including New York, Cleveland, Massachusetts, Detroit, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ALSO KIRKUK GONE
After Mosul and Arbil, also Kirkuk went under control of Kurdish groups. Kurds who carried out close cooperation with the United States during the Iraq war are now getting the result of this cooperation. Washington Post reported that Iraqi Kurds had undertaken control of also Kirkuk after Turkmen cities Mosul and Arbil under approval of the U.S. forces, and they had recorded important progress.
DAUM SIGNS FOR FENERBAHCE SECRETLY
Superleague soccer club Fenerbahce has ended their efforts to seek new coach. They secretly signed a three-year contract with technical director Christoph Daum of Germany. Fenerbahce will pay 1.7 million euro to Daum per year.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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U.S. PUTS PRESSURE ON TURKMENS TO 'RELINQUISH TURKEY'
It was mentioned that Iraqi Kurds who carried out close cooperation with the U.S. army during Iraq war undertook control of Kirkuk with support of the U.S. forces while it was revealed that U.S. forces excluded Turkmen elements in fight for power in Kirkuk. Giving information about the impositions on Turkmens, Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) leader Sanan Ahmet Aga told the newspaper that the atmosphere was ''very complicated''. Meanwhile, it is mentioned that the real reason for exclusion of the ITF was ''its emotional tie with Turkey''. It was mentioned in the news coming from the region that the U.S. administration directly gave ITF officials the message saying 'cut off your tie with Turkey''.
TURKMENBASI REQUESTS POPULATION, TUZMEN SAYS 'WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE. WE CAN SEND THEM TO YOU'
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen was received by President Saparmurad Turkmenbasi of Turkmenistan. When Turkmenbasi recalled that they had requested ex-president Turgut Ozal to give them two or three million Turkish population and Ozal had accepted their request, State Minister Tuzmen said, ''we have a lot of people. We can sent five or six million people.'' It was mentioned that nearly eighteen thousand people had migrated from Turkey to Turkmenistan.
PAPENDREOU IN CONTRADICTION WITH GREEK CYPRIOT MINISTER
Speaking to the newspaper, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou and Greek Cypriot administration Foreign Minister Georgios Iacovou were mutually in contradiction about Ankara's decision on passage of Greek Cypriots to Turkey. Papandreou defined Turkey's decision which allows Greek Cypriots' visit to Turkey with their passports but without visa as a 'positive step' while Iacovou defended that it ''did not mean anything''.
(GC-MS-AÖ) 20.05.2003