ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 2, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ATTACK OF EU PROMOTION
The Economic Development Foundation (IKV) prepares to organize a series of seminars in twenty-four provinces to promote the European Union (EU) within Turkey. An informative meeting was held for press in which concerned institutions attended in Turkey's Secretariat General for the EU (ABGS). Speaking at the meeting, Turkey's Secretary General for the EU Murat Sungar said that the EU issue was a ''serious transformation project'' that concerned whole country and every circle of the society, and social transformation could happen only through social compromise.
TURKEY BROKE EXPORT RECORD
Turkey's export amount in June became three billion 829 million 549 thousand U.S. dollars with an increase of 39.1 percent. According to figures of Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), the export amount became 21 billion 691 million 968 thousand dollars with an increase of 34.6 percent in the first six month of 2003.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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GUL: ''GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO SUBMIT PACKAGE WITHOUT ANY CHANGES''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that they would not change the arrangement about Article 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which was vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. He stressed that the government intended to submit the sixth European Union (EU) adjustment package again without making any changes. Meanwhile, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said prior to his visit to Macedonia, ''I explained my objections during meeting of the National Security Council (NSC). I returned the package to be debated at the parliament once again.''
UNITED STATES EULOGIZES GENERAL OZKOK
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''the U.S. administration sent a letter to General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok. In the letter, the U.S. administration stressed that it appreciated positive leadership of General Ozkok. The letter also includes eulogizes for the Turkish Armed Forces and Turkey.''
ISTANBUL TO HOST 21ST WORLD PHILOSOPHY CONGRESS
Istanbul will host the 21st World Philosophy Congress between August 10 and 17, 2003. The congress is held once in five years. The main theme of the 21st congress was announced as ''Philosophy against Problems of the World''. Problems of the humanity in the threshold of a new century will be taken up in line with philosophical knowledge. Issues such as role of philosophy, ethic and philosophical problems in news developments in science and technology, globalization and cultural identity, human rights and state and international order. Leading names such as Juergen Habermas, Gianni Vattimo, Iris Young, Jelyu Zhelev, Agnes Heller, Edgar Morin, Rene Girard, Seyla Benhabib, Otfried Hoeffe are expected to attend the congress. Prof. Dr. Ioanna Kucuradi, the chairperson of International Federation of Philosophical Institutions and Turkish Philosophy Institution, carries out chairmanship of National Organization Committee for the congress.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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'EITHER 2010 OR 2011'
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul stated his estimation regarding the European Union (EU) membership calendar while giving information about EU National Program in Parliamentary General Assembly yesterday. Noting that regulation changes regarding political criteria would be completed before Parliament closed, Gul said that if Turkey completed its homework without deficiencies, it could be full member of EU in either 2010 or 2011.
SEZER: I WARNED IN NSC
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer went to Skopje for his visits to Macedonia and Croatia. Releasing a statement prior to his departure to Macedonia, Sezer said that he would visit Macedonia as the guest of Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski for two days and then visit Croatia as the guest of Croatian President Stjepan Mesic between July 3 and 4. Upon questions of reporters about his vetoing of the Sixth Adjustment Package, Sezer said, ''I have told my reservations and rejections in the last National Security Council (NSC). I sent it back to Parliament for reconsideration.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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SEZER: I WARNED THE GOVERNMENT
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that he warned the government before he returned the arrangement regarding the lifting of Article eight of Anti-Terrorism Law that took place in the Sixth Adjustment Package. Sezer said, ''I have told it in the last National Security Council (NSC). I sent it back to Parliament for reconsideration yesterday.''
GUL: WE WILL SEND PACKAGE WITHOUT CHANGE
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that they did not agree with the warnings of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer regarding that a vacuum would happen in laws if terrorist propaganda was not considered as a crime. He emphasized that the government had the intention to send the Sixth Adjustment Package without any change.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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EU MEMBERSHIP IS DIFFICULT WITH SUCH A MENTALITY
Associate Professor Ihsan Dagi and Associate Professor Metin Toprak carried out a survey in 15 provinces on ''Human Rights and Freedom of Expression in Turkey''. According to results of the survey, 73 percent of people and 48 percent of jurists think that human rights violations are widespread in Turkey. 89 percent of people and 73 percent of jurists defend that thought cannot be considered a crime. Meanwhile, 74 percent of people and 73 percent of jurists are in favor of European Union (EU) membership.
PARLIAMENT TO TAKE FINAL DECISION
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said about President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's decision to return some articles of the sixth European Union (EU) adjustment package to be re-debated at the parliament, ''we listened to views of everyone while preparing the package. The package will be debated at the parliament again. Our parliament will take the final decision.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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COHEN: ''RELATIONS WILL DEPEND ON IRAN''
Ariel Cohen, an expert of Washington D.C.-based Heritage Foundation, said that future of Turkey-the United States relations would be shaped in line with Turkey's support to efforts to solve the issue of Iran's nuclear weapon program.
''I WILL EXPLAIN THE TRUTH TO AMERICAN PEOPLE''
U.S. documentary director Mrty Callaghan, who came to Turkey to cover the excavations in a mass grave in Derecik village in eastern province of Kars in which 360 Turkish people were buried by Armenians, said that most of American people received information from Armenians and therefore they were not aware of difficulties of Muslim people during the World War I. Callaghan noted that he would explain difficulties of both Turkish and Armenian civilians in his documentary film impartially. ''I am visiting the region for the first time. I understood that Turks were exposed to massacre,'' he added. Meanwhile, excavations in the mass grave were finalized. Prof. Dr. Abdusselam Ulucam from the Yuzuncu Yil University in eastern province of Van said, ''we have found nearly 40 skulls and a number of bones and skeletons so far. Most of these bones belonged to children and women. These skulls and bones were re-buried in the mass grave after being shrouded. Confederation of Turkish Associations in Europe will erect a monument in the area out of respect to these people.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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EU PACKAGE WILL BE RETURNED TO CANKAYA PALACE WITHOUT CHANGE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that the Sixth Adjustment Package, of which President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed two articles, was adopted at Parliament unanimously. Noting that they discussed the articles of package with Sezer, Erdogan said, ''package is sent back to Parliament with such an interpretation. It will be discussed and we will do what is necessary.''
BAYKAL CALLS RULING POWER TO ELIMINATE ITS COMPLEX ABOUT EU
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that Turkey could not be a European Union (EU) member by pleasing it, while evaluating the government's activities regarding the adjustment to EU. Baykal called the ruling power to eliminate its complexes. Releasing a speech at CHP group meeting, Baykal emphasized that nobody had the right to interrogate CHP's attitude towards EU.
(GC-UK-AÖ) 02.07.2003