ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 9, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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GOVERNMENT NOT TO WAIT FOR NSC MEETING FOR ADJUSTMENT PACKAGE
The government prepared the road map about the European Union adjustment package. In order to pass the package which received objections from soldiers, the government will not wait for the meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) which will convene under EU special agenda on June 26. The sixth adjustment package will be transferred to the parliament shortly after it is discussed at the Council of Ministers meeting this week. The package will be adapted this week or next week at the latest. Speaking at a meeting with his senior aides, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said that there was not a problem about the package, giving the message that problems stemming from objections of soldiers were overcome. Soldiers object mostly to an arrangement about 'places of worship' which caused public debate on 'a mosque to each apartment house'. The government took this arrangement out of the scope of the package while it does not take a backward step regarding broadcast in Kurdish. As it is foreseen in the package, broadcast in Kurdish will be made also on private television channels in addition to the Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) channels.
HE INVITES ERDOGAN TO ISRAEL
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan yesterday telephoned Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmut Abbas whom U.S. President George W. Bush brought together at Peace Table, and he expressed Turkey's strong support to peace process. During the telephone conversation, Sharon invited Erdogan to Israel. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said they were expecting Israeli President's visit to Ankara, adding that he would tour the countries in the Middle East following Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's visit to Israel in near future.
AGAIN OCALAN AT THE DEHAP CONGRESS
Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) Second Extraordinary Grand Congress was held yesterday in Ankara. Nearly twenty thousand people attended the congress. Fatma Ocalan and Mehmet Ocalan, the sister and brother of Abdullah Ocalan, the head of terrorist organization PKK who is staying at the Imrali Prison, were greeted with standing ovation of thousands who chanted slogans: 'Biji serok Apo' and 'Ocalan'. A Turkish flag was hung at the congress building, but the Turkish National Anthem was not sung. Speaking at the congress, former DEHAP leader Mehmet Abbasoglu said, ''there should be a general amnesty as soon as possible. A law should be adopted for democratic participation and to have the KADEK lay down arms. This can't be provided with repentance law.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TREASURE IN SUBWAY
Construction of subway in Istanbul was stopped in some places due to historical works of art. During construction of Aksaray, Vezneciler and Yenikapi stations of Istanbul subway, many historical works of art including; golden coins, mosaics and remains of baths and port have been found so far. Foundation of subway was laid in 1992. Construction works were stopped in Vatan street in Aksaray district, after Murat Pasa Bath was found three years ago. Archaeologists started excavation and found remains of some buildings dated back to Ottoman, Byzantine and Roman periods. Historical works of art were also found in construction of Vezneciler and Yenikapi stations. Remains of Theodosius Port which is a commercial port belonging to Byzantine period found in Yenikapi station of the subway. Istanbul Archaeology Museums Director Halil Ozek said that they took under protection historical works of art which were found during construction of subway.
INDUSTRY PRODUCTION INCREASES 4.2 PERCENT
Industrial production increased by 4.2 percent in April of 2003, from the result of monthly industrial production index over to the same month of the previous year. The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) declared that manufacturing industry production increased by 5.5 percent, mining industry production decreased by 27.5 percent, electricity, gas and water production increased by 4.6 percent, in April of 2003, over to the same period of the previous year. According to the statement released by DIE, total industrial production increased by 6.8 percent, and mining industry decreased by 18.5 percent, manufacturing industry increased by 8.1 percent, and electricity, gas and water industry increased by 7.3 percent in four months of 2003, over to the same period of the previous year.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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GUL: ''MEET IN TURKEY''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, which remained behind the developments in Middle East due to motion issue in Iraq war, started an initiative for holding peace negotiations of Israel and Palestine in Turkey. While, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was meeting with prime ministers of Israel and Palestine, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met with foreign ministers of both countries and suggested Middle East peace negotiations to be held in Turkey. Gul said that Israeli Foreign Minister approached positively to his suggestion.
PROTEST IN ISTANBUL STRAIT
Environmentalists, who wanted to draw attention to the danger of oil tankers, held protest in Istanbul Strait with more than 250 boats. The boats, which wanted to draw attention to transportation of dangerous materials by huge tankers in Straits and Black Sea, closed the Strait to tanker traffic by carrying Turkish and English banners as ''Turkish straits are not oil pipelines'' and ''We want security more than disaster''. A total of 50 non-governmental organizations also supported the protest.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ERDOGAN SUPPORTS ROAD MAP
Prime Minister Erdogan telephoned his Palestinian and Israeli counterparts Abbas and Sharon and said that Turkey would strongly support the road map for peace in the Middle East. It was announced that during the telephone conversation, Sharon had expressed his opinion that 'if there is going to be a Middle East conference, it should be held in Turkey'. Meanwhile, Abbas said he was planning to pay a visit to Turkey when Erdogan invited him to Ankara.
FOUNDATION LAID NEWLY FOR OLD PROJECT
The ''fast train project'' of which foundation was laid yesterday by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan caused debate. Vedat Bilgin, former director general of the State Railways (TCDD), said, ''they hold ceremony for an ongoing project. We initiated the project, but they laid its foundation. I wish they had shown respect to people who earlier put the project into practice.'' Bilgin was removed from office following the November 3, 2002 general elections. Bilgin stressed that the 'Ankara-Istanbul Railway Rehabilitation Project' had been put into practice while he was serving as the TCDD Director General.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ADJUSTMENT PACKAGE TO BE SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT NEXT WEEK AT LATEST
European Union (EU) adjustment laws were discussed during AK Party Central Decision Executive Board (MKYK) meeting which was held on Sunday. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that EU adjustment package will be submitted to the parliament as soon as possible and stated that there was not any problem on that issue. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that they should come to an end on the issue till July and added that since Greece would hand over its EU term presidency to Italy. According to program of the government, EU adjustment package will be submitted to the parliament next week at the latest.
DIFFICULT APPOINTMENT WITH RUSSIA
Turkish and Russian officials will come together in Moscow on June 16 to start talks on formula about price of natural gas which will be transported from Russia to Turkey. Turkish and Russian officials will work to remove some problems on Blue Stream Natural Gas Project during meetings in Moscow which will continue for three days. Botas (State Owned Turkish Pipeline Company) and Foreign Ministry bureaucrats are working hard for the meeting.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ISN'T IT SHAMEFUL A LITTLE BIT?
Income tax statements in 2003 prove that tax evasion has reached peak point. It is seen that tax payers who inclined towards tax peace are avoiding to pay their normal taxes. The poverty limit is now 1.4 billion Turkish liras in Turkey. However, according to these tax statements, monthly income of steel-iron merchants is 885 million TL, dam-motorway contractors earn 701 million TL a month and doctors' monthly income is 476 million TL. Situation of industrialists, jewelers, hotel owners, furniture sellers is much grave. Contractors earn 206 million TL, bakers earn 229 million TL, jewelers earn 322 million TL, iron-steel industrialists earn 403 million TL and hotel-motel owners earn 272 million TL a month. With such income, they earn less than the monthly income of workers they employed.
START TO FAST TRAIN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the first step on 'Fast Train' project which will decrease trip between Istanbul-Ankara to 3.5 hours with train. Erdogan said, ''the Justice and Development Party is making history by doing the things which have not been done so far. One of my dreams of my life is going to come true.''
SHARON: ''TURKEY CAN BE MEDIATOR''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan telephoned Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Sharon told Erdogan, ''Turkey can host a summit which is very important for stability in the Middle East.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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GUL: ''WE WILL COMPLETE EU ISSUE THIS WEEK''
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that they would adopt the Sixth Adjustment Package at Parliament this week. Noting, ''we will complete this issue this week,'' Gul said that freedoms were more important than concerns on the path to the European Union (EU). He said that they would not draw back in freedom of thought issue.
JAPANESE CARTOONS EXHIBITED IN SAFRANBOLU
The second of Japanese cartoons exhibition on ''Turkey with Japanese Brush'' was opened in Safranbolu town of Black Sea Karabuk province. Various social and cultural ways of Turkish people were reflected in the exhibition which was opened within the activities held for Turkish Year in Japan and for peoples of two countries to know each other closer.
(MS-EÖ-GC-AÖ) 09.06.2003