ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 12, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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HAND BOMB ATTACK IN FRONT OF U.S. CONSULATE IN ADANA
Two hand-grenades were thrown at the U.S. Consulate in southern province of Adana on Tuesday. Cumali Kizilkoca, who came to the consulate at 14.30 local time, wanted to enter from the main gate on Ataturk Avenue.
Kizilkoca, who was stopped by the bodyguards, wanted to flee after throwing the two hand bombs he was carrying, to the garden. One of the bombs, thrown by the assailant, exploded. When police said there was another bomb in the garden, bomb experts were called. The street was closed to the traffic and defused the bomb. Some windows of the consulate building were broken. Urine and blood samples were taken from the assailant to determine whether or not he used drugs. As police took him from the forensic medicine, Kizilkoca said, ''I did it to hit Americans''.
VISIT TO MALAYSIA DESPITE SARS
Recep Tayyip Erdogan starts his longest visit since he became the Prime Minister. Emine Erdogan and wives of three ministers participate in the 5-visit covering Malaysia and Pakistan.
A 239-people delegation, comprised of 109 businessmen, 37 journalists and some consultants accompany Erdogan. There are nine parliamentarians, and ministers Ali Babacan, Kursad Tuzmen, Hilmi Guler, Binali Yildirim. Five Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) cases were seen in Malaysia so far. Two people died because of SARS in this country. Despite this, no special measure has been taken in Erdogan's delegation against SARS. Only a doctor will accompany the delegation.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TRILLIONS OF TL BURIED
The AKP government announced betterment of existing railway that will shorten Ankara-Istanbul route to 3,5 hours as the rapid railway project, but annulled the real rapid railway project.
Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim said that they had halted the Ankara-Istanbul Rapid Railway Project since it was unfeasible. The project started 28 years ago. A total of 650 trillion Turkish lira (TL) have been spent for the project so far.
''400 SUICIDE BOMBERS ARE WAITING FOR ORDERS''
Mehmet Gungordu, a member of the terrorist organization PKK-KADEK who escaped from the organization and surrendered to security forces in southern province of Antalya, said, ''the organization having 7 thousand armed militants decided to increase number of its armed groups in Southeastern Anatolia in 2003. Meanwhile, 400 suicide bombers are waiting in Zap and Kandil for orders.''
TRT OPPOSES TO BROADCAST IN KURDISH
The Turkish Radio and Television Corp (TRT) applied to the Council of State with a request for annulment of the Regulation about Language of Radio and Television Broadcast. If the Council of State decides to annul the regulation, the TRT will not broadcast in Kurdish. In the first adjustment package, television channels were enabled to broadcast in different languages and dialects.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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LATE RENAISSANCE IN EDUCATION
''Vocational Training Project'' is started with a source of 52 million Euros taken from the European Union (EU). Students will be accepted to vocational high schools according to the demand of private sector and nobody will be unemployed. National Education Ministry is starting the term ''student according to business'' to draw attention to vocational high schools. The number of vocational high schools will be increased according to the needs of private sector within the scope of the project that will be carried on with the source provided by EU. Education process will be arranged by taking the demands of businessmen for qualified staff into consideration.
TRT'S AUTONOMY SENSITIVITY
Turkish Radio and Television Corporation's (TRT) not starting broadcast in Kurdish language in spite of the regulations which was accepted in line with ''Adjustment Law'' that came into effect last year is stemming from its ''autonomy sensitivity''. TRT applied to Council of State for the cancellation of the regulation which brought the obligation of broadcast in local language and dialects.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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BOMB ATTACK IN ADANA
Person who threw hand grenade to U.S. Consulate in Adana as retaliation to Israel's attack against Palestinian people and to the assassination of Hamas leader was captured. Bomb experts defused the second bomb which was used in the attack.
SEZER: ''TRT APPOINTMENT IS AGAINST LAWS''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that he returned back the decision on appointment of director general to Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) as it was against Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) Law. He added that only new RTUK could choose director general candidates of TRT.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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EU DEFENDS GREECE IN AEGEAN
Greek government's claims about Turkey's violations in the Aegean will be included in the Progress Report. The European Union (EU) shed green light to Greece, which has been trying to put solution of the Aegean dispute among Turkey's EU membership criteria. Foreign Minister George Papandreou of Greece claimed during his meeting with EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen for enlargement that two Turkish planes harassed a Greek passenger plane. Verheugen said that they expected candidate countries to set up good neighborly relations. He implied that Greece's claims could be included in the Progress Report. Greece will submit monthly reports to the EU about its relations with Turkey in the Aegean.
SIXTH ADJUSTMENT PACKAGE WAITS FOR SIGNATURES
The sixth adjustment package was opened to signatures of members of the Council of Ministers. Later, it will be submitted to the parliament. Turkey will have taken important steps in democratization after enactment of the sixth adjustment package.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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POLITICAL PARTIES LAW TO BE AMENDED TO MAKE CITIZENS HAVE MORE RIGHTS IN POLITICS
Government started to take action to amend Political Parties Law which for a long time bottlenecked Turkey's path. With the new amendments, ''leadership'' will be ended, and the citizens will have more rights to say in politics. Candidates will be determined with a pre-election, and leaders will be given a limited right of quota.
Election expenses of the parliamentarian candidates will be under control. A bank account will be opened for this, and the candidates will be able to spend money only from those accounts. Those who fail to make expenses apart from this account will be punished.
REPENTANCE LAW TO BE READY NEXT WEEK
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said European Union (EU) Adjustment Package could be ready next week.
Speaking to a private tv, Cicek said the package, which would be send to the Parliament, was a draft text, stating that changes could be made without changing the essence of the package.
Evaluating discussions pertaining to Adjustment Package and Turkish Armed Forces, Cicek said, ''the only institutions which examines every detail in Turkey is the Turkish Armed Forces. Only their views are discussed because they express their views and concerns.''
Cicek said Repentance Draft Law would be ready next week, stating that the draft did not have the quality of amnesty.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ERDOGAN: ''EU ADJUSTMENT PACKAGE TO BE ISSUED BEFORE HOLIDAY''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said they were determined to pass European Union (EU) 6th Adjustment Package before it recess.
Recalling that they decided to have one-month holiday, instead of three months, to hold necessary studies regarded with the EU standards, Erdogan said, ''we will issue the 6th adjustment package rapidly.''
WE ARE CLOSE TO FINAL IN EU PROCESS
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said Turkey was close to the final on the way to the European Union (EU). Cicek said Turkey would take a decision to ''stop or continue'', stressing that candidate countries should abide by the EU criteria.
Cicek said they would complete adjustment laws by the end of this year, stating that implementation would start in 2004. Cicek said the 6th adjustment package, including arrangements like giving right to private televisions to broadcast in Kurdish and removal of article 8 of Anti-Terrorism law, was the easiest package that is easy to adopt. According to Cicek, the 7th and 8th packages, which are under preparation, preparations, target reforms which would be discussed more.
(GC-UK-AY-AÖ) 12.06.2003