ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 26, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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''RETURN HOME'' LAW TO BE PASSED
The government will pass a law named ''return home'' under the Reassociation Law regarding the members of the terrorist organization PKK. The issue will be taken up in the National Security Council (NSC) meeting today and the interior minister will unveil the law on Friday.
FIRST TURKISH SOLDIER IN ARMENIA
A group of Turkish soldiers arrived in Armenia for the first time within the scope of NATO after dissociation of former Soviet Union. The Armenian parliament firstly objected to entrance of Turkish soldiers in Armenia for a cyber operation named ''Cooperative Best Effort-2003'' performed with participation of 400 soldiers from 19 NATO member countries. Armenian President Robert Kocharian permitted participation of Turkish soldiers in the exercise despite objections of the parliament. Turkish soldiers are joining the war maneuvers in Armenian territory within the scope of the NATO exercise performed between June 16 and 27.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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THREE SECRETS IN REPORT
In the hidden part of the report of the State Inspection Board, three former ministers are kept responsible for the process regarding the sunken banks. In the report of the Presidential State Inspection Board (DDK) sent to the Parliamentary Commission for Investigation of Corruption through the Prime Ministry which was about the banks transferred to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF), formation of a commission in the parliament was proposed if necessary regarding former ministers Gunes Taner, Hikmet Ulugbay and Recep Onal.
WE WANT TO PLAY FINAL THIS TIME
Turkish national football team, which qualified for the semi-final in FIFA Confederations Cup by overtaking Brazil and the United States, will play a match with France today and try to win this match to play the final. The critical match with host country France will start at 10.00 p.m.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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REBELLION OF JURISDICTION
Supreme Court of Appeals Chairman Eraslan Ozkaya rebelled when no result could be got from the 100th tour of voting in election of new head of the Supreme Court of Appeals Eight Criminal Department. Ozkaya said, ''justice can't be achieved with 0.075 percent budget, jerry-built buildings and this Constitution. Legal reform is obligatory.'' Ozkaya said, ''the Constitution doesn't write how a head of a department can be chosen. There will be many tours unless this Constitution is amended. But, the Constitution can't be amended due to the disagreement of government and opposition. Independence of jurisdiction is harmed.''
MARKETS UNEASY, WAITING CONTINUES
Delay in commitments made to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) continues to create uneasiness in markets. Also, decisions which impose burden on budget and rise expenditures increases tension. Interest rates in bond market rose from 51 to 51.9 percent. In foreign exchange market, the rate was around 1 million 435-445 thousand Turkish liras (TL).
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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LAST WORD BELONGS TO NSC
In the arrangement, which the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) described as ''Re-association Law'', leader cadre of the terrorist organizations were kept outside the scope. The draft law envisages reduced punishment implementation in stages to those who killed members of security forces. The terrorist who give inaccurate information will be sentenced to five more years punishment.
Council of Ministers accepted the draft which is publicly known as ''Repentance Law''. However, they did not put signatures for the changes that may be made within the scope of the criticisms that may be made by military.
NATO SUMMIT TO BE IN TURKEY IN 2004
Turkey will host NATO summit that will take place in 2004. Heads of state and government of 46 countries will participate in the European-Atlantic Council that will convene during the summit.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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LAST PACKAGE IN EU ADJUSTMENT
The government which wants to meet Copenhagen political criteria before the summer holiday intends to lift obstacles before freedom of thought with the seventh and last European Union (EU) adjustment package. Articles 159, 169 and 312 of Turkish Penal Code will be amended. In line with the opinion of the Secretariat General for the EU, Articles 159 and 312 of TCK, due to which Turkey is often sentenced by European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), and Article 169 which regulates the crime of ''aiding and abetting'' will be changed.
THREE DIPLOMATIC ATTACKS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul announced that Turkey would host NATO heads of state and government summit and Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) foreign ministers meeting in the following year. Turkey will also run candidacy for United Nations (U.N.) Security Council permanent membership.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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CIVIL SERVANTS CAN BENEFIT FROM PRIVATE HOSPITALS! WHY CAN'T SSK MEMBERS?
Legalization of the bill which enabled civil servants to be treated in private hospitals and health institutions forced people who are under the auspices of the Social Security Agency (SSK) to rebel. SSK members who always have to wait in long queues said, ''why can't we benefit from the same practice? The government should listen to us now. These rights given to the civil servants should also be granted to us as soon as possible.''
CONFESSION FROM MESUT YILMAZ: ''WE BOUGHT RUSSIAN GAS AT AN EXPENSIVE PRICE''
The testimony that former prime minister Mesut Yilmaz gave to Parliamentary Commission for Investigation of Corruption was unveiled. Yilmaz stated that the parliament made the decision regarding the Blue Stream agreement and claimed that the agreement was in Turkey's favor. Yilmaz added, ''if we had not accepted these conditions, Turkey would have had been without any gas.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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WORK ON RENEWAL OF TURKISH PENAL CODE CAUSES DISCUSSION AGAIN
Work to amend Turkish Penal Code (TCK) continues. Jurists claimed that the bill covered deficiencies regarding Articles 141, 142 and 163 which had earlier been abolished. Prof. Dr. Donmezer, who has been trying to prepare the bill since 1984, thinks criticisms are ''irrelevant.'' Jurists claim that the bill included provisions even more restrictive than the current law in regard with human rights. In case the bill is adopted in this current shape, it is stated that democratization efforts started by European Union (EU) adjustment laws will be harmed. Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy and Constitution Commission spokesman lawyer Mehmet Ali Bulut said that the TCK bill submitted to parliament was prepared with an understanding of etatism not by giving priority to people. Emphasizing that the bill did not belong to AK party, Bulut drew the attention that the amendment to Article 146 of TCK was open to comments which would re-bring into agenda Articles 141, 142 and 163 which had earlier been abolished. Bulut noted that the bill should not be legalized in its current shape and asked it to be withdrawn or revised in the commission.
WE HAVE DEMANDED PROTECTION FROM UNITED STATES FOR KIRKUK-YUMURTALIK PIPELINE
Turkey asked for help from the United States for protection of Kirkuk-Yumurtalik oil pipeline which carries Iraqi oil to the world. Upon sabotage on the pipeline, the Foreign Ministry conveyed the official demand to U.S. authorities. Turkey stated that de facto administration was in the hands of coalition forces in Iraq and recalled that ''it was their duty to protect that region.''
(AY-BRC-AÖ) 26.06.2003