ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 9, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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WHY SHOULD TURKEY WANT TO KILL ME?
Abdurrahman Mustafa, Governor of Kirkuk with Kurdish origin who was claimed that he would be assassinated by Turkish soldiers, announced that he was not informed of anything. Mustafa said, ''why should Turkey want to kill me? I can't understand this. I don't discriminate among Kurds, Arabs and Turkmens. I exert efforts for co-existence of all people in tranquility.''
ATTACK ON TUNCELI GOVERNOR
When the United States accused Turkish soldiers of 'planning to attack on governor of Kirkuk with Kurdish origin', members of the terrorist PKK/KADEK organization attacked on the convoy of cars including the car carrying Tunceli Governor Ali Cafer Akyuz. When returning from Pulumur town with a convoy of 15 vehicles, PKK/KADEK terrorists who laid an ambush on the road attacked on Akyuz and the convoy. Governor Akyuz was not injured in the armed attack. Two privates died while another was injured as clashes occurred between the security officials and the terrorists.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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''DON'T EVER TRY AGAIN''
Supreme Allied Command Europe (SACEUR) and U.S. European Command (COMUSEUCOM) Commander General James Jones who paid a very rapid visit to Ankara was given the message that it is natural for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to use its self-defense right. The TSK will retaliate in case similar events like the bureau raid in Sulaimania reoccur. The General Staff which told its military interlocutors that detention of eleven Turkish soldiers by handcuffing them and covering their faces with sacks damaged the honor of the TSK, stressed that counter measures would be taken if such events reoccurred again. The message ''it is natural for the TSK to use its self-defense right'' was given to Gen. Jones who paid a very rapid visit to Ankara yesterday. The General Staff also ordered the Turkish troops in northern Iraq to defend themselves against any attack. The General Staff stressed that Turkey would not take any backward step from its military existence in northern Iraq. The United States which carried out a military action against Iraq due to its own security reasons beyond the Atlantic Ocean was told that terrorist organizations that posed threat against Turkey's national security had taken shelter in northern Iraq and given the message that ''if existence in Iraq is a right, Turkey is the country which should have such a right first''. In light of the statement of General Staff Chief Gen. Hilmi Ozkok who said, ''there is another thing as much important as relations between Turkey and the United States, and it is the national honor and the honor of the TSK. The United States has responsibility about this issue,'' officials are working on an action plan that would be put into practice if the United States would not take steps to repair its aggressive attitude. Possible steps under this plan are as follows:
-Closure of airspace to U.S. planes.
-Restriction of use of Incirlik airbase with logistic purposes.
-Increase in Turkey's military existence in northern Iraq.
-Activation of psychological war elements in the region.
''TURKEY WILL UNDERSTAND THE REASON OF THE EVENT''
U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson said that the United States was determined in the issue of eradication of the PKK/KADEK, and dialogue was established with them in coordination under instructions. Pearson said that Turkey would understand well the reasons of the event as a result of the preliminary information they gave about detention of Turkish soldiers on July 4 in Sulaimania. Pearson said that dialogue was established with the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK under instructions and in coordination with the Turkish government. Upon Turkey's request, the United States had sent preliminary information which would constitute a part of the issues that Turkish-U.S. joint commission would discuss, Pearson said and added that they had not requested withdrawal of the TSK from northern Iraq. What the Turkish and U.S. officials talk was cooperation of the Turkish and U.S. forces in the region through a very good coordination, he said and noted that they had not made an official request to Turkey for closure of the bureau in Sulaimania. Pearson said that Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's visit to the United States was still valid, and stressed that the United States was determined in the issue of eradication of PKK/KADEK, and they had not set up any contact either with PKK or its supporters.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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7 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE BY 2 U.S. DOLLARS IN TURKEY
According to U.N. Development Index, Turkey regressed by 11 steps in 2002 when compared to 2001. Turkey was ranked the 96th among 175 countries in the U.N. list of development. Countries of Fiji, Libya, Cuba, Samoa, Mauritius are better than Turkey in the list. According to the U.N. Humanitarian Report 2003, Turkey was ranked the 96th among 175 countries. U.N. list showed that 7 million people in Turkey earned their living with money less than 2 U.S. dollars per day.
EXPORTERS COMPLAIN ABOUT EXCHANGE RATE
Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) and Association of Independent Businessmen and Industrialists (MUSIAD) asked the IMF delegation to revise the economic programme due to the difficulty in exchange rate. Exporters who have difficulty due to low exchange rate complained about it to IMF. The delegation headed by IMF Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam started its contacts in Istanbul by meeting with representatives of banking and real sector. TIM delegation told IMF that the low exchange rate could cause all the bad results of 2001 economic crises. Exporters said that it was very difficult to reach the export target of 46 billion dollars due to high value of TL.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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AND NOW GUL CRISIS
The government which insists on issuing ''moderate'' statements in order not to oppose the U.S., ignores the reactions due to detention of Turkish soldiers in Iraq. Defending the view that the U.S. was not informed about the incident, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that ''what does it mean to say that 'the honour of Turkey was damaged,' we can't permit that.'' However Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok had stated that he had difficulty in considering the incident as a local one. Meanwhile, opposition leader Deniz Baykal reacted harshly to the unjust treatment of Turkish soldiers by the U.S. in north of Iraq and said that ''if the government does not submit a note to the U.S. now, when will it do it?'' Baykal stressed that the U.S. had to apologize from Turkey.
TURKS AND ARMENIANS COME TOGETHER
The meetings between Turkish and Armenian women which started two years ago, started to broaden. Recently the meeting of ''communication group'' was held in Yerevan. The dialogue between women of two countries started on March 8, 2001 Women's Day under the leadership of Mujgan Suver, the Chairperson of Marmara Group Foundation Human Rights Platform. The dialogue is also supported by American University in Washington D.C.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ONE MORE SHAME FROM UNITED STATES
As the United States did not make a gesture or apology from Turkey on the fifth day of the crisis, it joined the meeting held to debate the crisis in low level. When Turkish delegation left the table, U.S. General Jones came to Ankara. The United States sent ''unauthorized soldier'' to the meeting of the commission formed to inquire the biggest crisis between the two countries. Then, Turkish delegation boycotted the meeting held in Sulaymaniyah. Upon this tension, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and the Commander of the United States European Command (COMUSEUCOM) General Jones came to Ankara and met with Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal. In accordance with the agreement, the meeting will be held in Ankara in the level of lieutenant generals.
IMF DELEGATION ON DUTY
International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam started the fifth review works meeting with bank officials. Exporters said that program should be revised. IMF delegation was face to face with floating exchange rate complaint in Istanbul. Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), which submitted a letter to the delegation, claimed that targets were bound to the rate of exchange.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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OPPORTUNITY TO MEND
The United States will show its real face with the so-called Armenian genocide resolution. Turkish-U.S. relations which became tense in the incident that occurred in the north of Iraq will undergo a new examination with the so-called Armenian genocide resolution. In fact, sincerity of the United States who says that ''they want to better relations'' will be voted with the resolution to be taken up in the Senate today or tomorrow. While U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney continues initiatives for rejection of the resolution, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek sent a message to Washington and said, ''rejection of the resolution is a good opportunity for the United States who wants to better relations. They have made a mistake and they shouldn't make another.''
IT IS THE UNITED STATES WHO LOSES
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that nobody could hurt Turkey's pride and added, ''the incident is not over as our soldiers are released. It is the United States who lost in the incident that occurred in north of Iraq, not Turkey. You will see it in the future.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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FOREST FIRE APPROACHES TO VILLAGES
Fire that broke out in a forest in Marmaris town of western Mugla province, which is an important place for Turkish tourism, can't be taken under control. A total of 250 hectares of forest have been burnt in the fire so far. A village house in the forested area became uninhabitable in the fire which neared Orhaniye village. It is thought that the fire broke out due to friction of energy transmission cables.
ALIYEV COMES TO ANKARA AGAIN FOR CHECK-UP
Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev came to Ankara last night to undergo check-up. Plane carrying Aliyev landed at Ankara around 10.00 p.m. It is stated that Aliyev came to Ankara to undergo check-up in Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) again. Azerbaijani President Aliyev had received Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, who is paying a visit to Baku, before he left for Turkey.
(BRC-Öª-AÖ) 09.07.2003