ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 6, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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''PUT THAT COLONEL IN HIS PLACE''
Turkey requested the United States to do all necessary proceedings as soon as possible against U.S. Colonel Bill Mayville, who raided the bureau of Turkish Special Team in northern Iraq and arrested Turkish soldiers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has given a note to the United States and requested U.S. officials to release Turkish soldiers immediately, to apologize from Turkey and to do all necessary proceedings against Colonel Mayville. Meanwhile, it was reported that 24 detainees including Turkish soldiers were taken to Baghdad.
ASTOUNDING DIPLOMACY TRAFFIC
Following detention of Turkish soldiers by U.S. soldiers in northern Iraq, an astounding diplomacy traffic has begun between Ankara and Washington. General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok called Supreme Allied Commander and U.S. Forces in Europe Commander General James Jones and U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers on the phone.
POWEL: ''I WILL DO MY UTMOST''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul called U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on the phone about detention of Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq. Gul stressed that such an event was unacceptable between the two allied countries and requested immediate release of Turkish soldiers. Meanwhile, Powell said that he would do his utmost to resolve the problem.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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UGLY AMERICANS
Nearly 100 U.S. soldiers detained 11 Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq by blindfolding them with sacks. Hands of Turkish soldiers were tied on their back. Ankara reacted harshly to the event. Tension escalated in relations between Turkey and the United States. Turkish soldiers have been in the region to prevent infiltration of members of terrorist organization PKK. A major, two first lieutenants and eight noncommissioned officers were detained and taken to Baghdad by U.S. soldiers.
HELLISH NIGHT IN ANKARA
A powerful explosion occurred as a tanker was discharging liquefied petroleum gas at a gas station in Incesu district of Ankara. Two other explosions followed the first one. A total of 189 people were injured, seven of them seriously. Eight automobiles blew up and 100 dwellings suffered heavy damage. Meanwhile, a shanty house collapsed. Fire-brigade teams succeeded in taking the fire under control in three hours.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TUZMEN DUE TO MOSCOW
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen will pay a visit to Russian capital Moscow between July 8 and 10, 2003. Tuzmen will leave for Moscow on July 8 to attend opening of the Sixth International Leather and Fur Fair ''LeShow''. The fair will remain open till July 10. A total of 250 firms from Turkey, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Korea, India and Greece will take part in the fair. Foreign Trade Undersecretary Tuncer Kayalar will also join the visit. Turkish delegation is expected to meet with some Russian ministers.
GUL: ''WE WILL FIND A SOLUTION TO CYPRUS QUESTION THIS YEAR''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that they targeted to find a solution to the Cyprus question this year. On his way back from Britain, Gul told reporters, ''we want to find a solution in the United Nations in the second half the year.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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SOLDIER CRISIS WITH UNITED STATES
Serious tension: Eleven Turkish Armed Forces personnel were arrested in Suleymaniyah and taken to Baghdad. The government observed the event passively. Americans did not stoop to speak with the high-level delegation including Special Forces Vice Commander that Turkey sent to Suleymaniyah to take soldiers. Instead of releasing the Turkish soldiers, the United States arrested them and took them to Baghdad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that relations with Washington might be damaged. The Foreign Minister took initiative for the detention scandal in Iraq while Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was just an onlooker to the event. In the hours during which soldiers were under detention, Erdogan attended his party's central decision-making board meeting told party members at about 12.00, ''they had been released at 08.00, I suppose they were released.'' Due to tension with the United States, passage of trucks which carry logistic support to U.S. forces in Iraq from the Habur Border Gate was suspended. Only passage of U.N. food aid and goods from Turkey is allowed while Turkey does not allow transfer of logistic support like gasoline and foodstuffs to U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
SHARIA PROPAGANDA
The 'Sharia propaganda' is made in the web page that was prepared by the teachers of a secondary school for the training of Islamic religious personnel (Imam Hatip) in Nevsehir province in central Anatolia. In a document under the headline of 'Imam Hatip Poem' in this web page, the republic is defined as 'dark history'; a vocational high school of the Ministry of National Education is defined as a 'school that wears armor of patience and submission'; and students are described as 'persons who believe in God not the West'.
KURDISH GROUPS INCITE
Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani who feel uncomfortable due to Turkish troops in the region are inciting the United States against Turkey. KADEK which had some of its terrorists infiltrate into Turkey clashes with Iranian soldiers while trying to have some of its terrorists infiltrate into this country. In clashes, 31 Iranian soldiers and 22 terrorists were killed.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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WHAT A STRATEGIC PARTNER!
Ankara reacted harshly to detention of Turkish soldiers by U.S. soldiers in northern Iraq. U.S. soldiers raided the bureau of the Turkish Special Team in Suleymaniyah. They handcuffed three Turkish officers and eight noncommissioned officers and took them to Kirkuk first. Turkish soldiers were accused of planning to assassinate the governor of Kirkuk. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that it was distressing event. He stressed that such events were not appropriate in relations between the two allied countries.
CLASH ERUPTS BETWEEN SECURITY FORCES AND TERRORISTS
A soldier lost his life in a clash which erupted between security forces and a group of terrorists in rural area between Ovacik and Hozat towns of eastern province of Tunceli. Tunceli Governor Ali Cafer Akyuz said that three soldiers were injured in the clash. Meanwhile, three terrorists were killed.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ANKARA'S 'DETENTION' REACTION TO WASHINGTON: ''IT DID NOT SUIT FRIENDSHIP''
Ankara reacted harshly when nearly 100 U.S. soldiers raided the bureau of Turkish Special Team in Suleymaniyah and detained three officers and eight non-commissioned officers. In the reaction they conveyed to Washington, the government and the General Staff said, ''this humiliating event can never be accepted.'' Meanwhile, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, ''it is a very ugly event. It does not suit relations between two allied countries. Such a treatment of an allied country by one of the countries in the alliance cannot be described with any political manner.'' Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''from every point, it is not appropriate and suitable.'' Meanwhile, General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok came together with the commanders and they assessed military option possibilities.
GENERAL STAFF: ''WE INTERVENE''
The General Staff harshly reacted to detention of eleven Turkish special team members by U.S. forces in Suleymaniyah. General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok intervened in the event by telephoning NATO Supreme Allied Commander and U.S. Forces in Europe Commander General James Jones. Sources said that Ozkok said, ''this event humiliates the Turkish army. It is an event that we can never accept. We think of every measure option in addition to pressure on the United States for correction of the event.'' After information reached Turkey, commanders assessed all possibilities until the morning. Reviewing the possibility of rejection of Turkey's request for release of soldiers, the General Staff noted that all measures could be taken. If it is necessary, military intervention might be made in the region, and to this end, increase in number of Turkish troops in the region is on the agenda.
SOURCE OF TROUBLE CLEAR: ''TALABANI INCITES''
Sources said that Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani who is worried that his biggest friend PKK/KADEK would get weak with the reassociation bill that the Turkish government is going to adopt, had always been inciting the U.S. officials by saying, ''take Turkish troops away from the region''.
PROTEST TO AMBASSADOR
As U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson is not in Ankara, U.S. Embassy in Ankara Undersecretary Robert Deutch was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry said it protested the event and asked Deutch to contact to his government for a written explanation.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TURKEY'S ANGER WITH UNITED STATES DUE TO DETENTION: ''THERE CAN'T BE SUCH AN ALLIED COUNTRY''
Ankara harshly condemned detention of eleven Turkish soldiers assigned in northern Iraq by U.S. forces. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked for release of soldiers as soon as possible and punishment of U.S. officials responsible for the event. Making a statement on the event that happened two days ago in Suleymaniyah, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, ''it is totally an ugly event. Such a treatment of an allied country by one of the countries in the alliance can't be defined with a political manner.'' After nearly 100 U.S. soldiers raided the Turkish Special Team Bureau in Suleymaniyah and detained eleven Turkish military personnel and took them to Kirkuk, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul telephoned U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and said, ''it is unacceptable''. The government which harshly condemned the detention of Turkish soldiers closed the Habur Border Gate. Putting an end to use of Incirlik Airbase and increase in number of Turkish troops in northern Iraq are on the agenda.
(UK-MS) 06.07.2003