ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on April 4th, 2006. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICERS IN ISTANBUL BUSES
Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah said that undercover police offices will be placed in public buses. Cerrah's statement came after recent molotov cocktail attacks on public buses in Istanbul.
GREEK BANK BUYS SHARES OF TURKISH FINANSBANK
Greece's biggest bank, National Bank of Greece, has purchased 46 percent of Turkey's Finansbank shares. The Greek bank paid 2.3 billion Euro (2.76 billion USD) for the shares.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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KURDISH PROPOSAL IN TEHRAN
Iranian Ambassador to Turkey Firuz Devletabadi spoke to columnist Fikret Bila of Milliyet daily. Devletabadi said that the USA is after small ethnic states in the Middle East which can be taken under control. According to Devletabadi, ''Washington wants to take territories from Turkey and Iran, and annex them to an independent Kurdish state.'' The ambassador stated that ''the Broader Middle East Initiative also covers an independent Kurdistan target''. According to the ambassador, there should be no cracks in the Iraqi and Kurdish policy between Turkey and Iran. ''Turkey, Iran and Syria should display a common stance towards Iraq and Kurdish policy. If there is cavity between Turkey, Iran and Syria regarding this policy, the USA will fill it. It may try to establish a Kurdish state and try to gain territories (for this state) from Turkey and Iran. The only thing that will prevent this is a common policy to be pursued by Turkey, Iran and Syria. Since the USA knows this, it tries to prevent Turkey from improving its relations with Iran.''
FOREIGN SPOUSE TO FINANSBANK
Husnu Ozyegin, the owner of Finansbank, sold 46 percent stake at his bank to Greek NBG bank in return for 2.7 billion USD. Thus, FIBA Holding now only owns 9.68 percent shares in the bank. Ozyegin will continue to be the Chairman of the Finansbank Executive Board.
GVT LAYS DOWN CONDITION BEFORE DTP
Justice Minister & government spokesman Cemil Cicek responded to Democratic Society Party (DTP) leader who has asked for an appointment from PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan: ''if terrorism is to be discussed, they should first frankly declare that PKK is a terrorist organization.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SIX FACTORS THAT HURT TOURISM SECTOR
The daily investigated the reasons that lie beneath the great decline in tourism in the first three months of 2006. Experts from the tourism sector gave these reasons as bird flu, the eventful Swiss match, cartoon crisis, terror, events in Diyarbakir, insufficient infrastructure.
RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS SENDS 30 IMAMS TO FRANCE
The French Ministry of Internal Affairs Religions Department Representative Didier Leschi told that 30 imams chosen by the Turkish Department of Religious Affairs would be trained on secularism and other religions. Leschi stated that the headscarf was a religious symbol and caused discrimination and pressure on the ones not wearing it in the country. Imams will be trained for 4 years. Such an implementation had been done in Germany before.
VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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HE EARNED, HE HELPED OTHERS EARN
Finansbank's owner Husnu Ozyegin sold his bank to Greek NBG bank. Not only himself but also investors have earned from this sale. After the 2001 economic crisis, Finansbank's market value dropped to 84 million USD. An investor who bought shares worth 10,000 USD those days has a wealth worth 630,000 USD after this sale.
HERE IS AKP'S AK CENTER
PM Erdogan has given instructions for construction of new Justice & Development Party (AKP) building, publicly known as the ''AK Center''. AKP has purchased a land across Ankara's famous nightclub ''Laila'' worth 9.4 million new Turkish liras (6.96 million USD), and allocated 10 million YTL (7.4 million USD) for the start of construction. The building will have 12 stories, and 8th and 9th stories will be used by Erdogan.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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PKK'S NEW TARGET: CITIES
PKK's 'revenge brigade' is directing bomb incidents and illegal demonstrations in cities across Turkey. The brigade has been strengthened by the allocation of 1 million USD by PKK.
'GOVERNMENT MUST EMBRACE ALL'
Underlining that security forces used minimum force to disperse crowds involved in illegal demonstrations, security experts said that the Turkish government must embrace all citizens. ''If the government acts in a way that is wanted by terrorists, further violence will take place,'' said sources.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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KOC: DTP HAS BECOME A SPOKESMAN FOR TERROR
Republican People's Party (CHP) Group Deputy Chairman Haluk Koc criticized the Turkish government for not dealing with terrorism effectively. Koc indicated that the Democratic Society Party (DTP) has become a spokesman for terror.
HISARCIKLIOGLU: ''GOVERNMENT MUST APPOINT CENTRAL BANK'S NEW GOVERNOR''
''First deputy chairman of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Krueger and World Bank President Wolfowitz have asked me about the appointment of a new governor for the Turkish Central Bank. The Turkish government must appoint the Central Bank's new governor soon,'' said Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu. Hisarciklioglu added that the 7.6 percent growth rate of the Turkish economy is due to the success of the private sector. ''Growth target should be bigger.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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NEW LAW ON TERRORISM
The Council of Ministers discussed fight against terrorism in its yesterday's meeting chaired by PM Erdogan. After the meeting, Justice Minister & government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that the Anti-Terror Law will be amended after recent incidents. ''The bill will be submitted to the parliament as soon as possible,'' he noted. Stating that it was out of question to make any concessions to terrorism, Cicek said, ''we will try not to limit freedoms when preparing the bill.''
TWO LIVES FADED AWAY WITH TERRORISM
Two of the three people who were trapped and died under a bus which was set ablaze by petrol bombs in Istanbul, were two sisters named Sibel and Sinem. Sibel was engaged, and planning to marry next month. Her sister Sinem was a university student.
MARCH SURPRISE IN INFLATION
Inflation figures in March was a bit higher than expectations. The annual inflation was announced as 8.16 percent in March 2005.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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'PKK'S USE OF CHILDREN IS A SYMBOL OF ITS END'
Efkan Ala, Governor of Diyarbakir, has remarked that the residents of Diyarbakir should not let destruction of Diyarbakir. ''Parents must not permit their children to get involved in illegal demonstrations. PKK's use of children is a symbol of its end,'' stressed Ala.
DEMAND FOR PERMANENT BAN ON COMPANIES SELLING UNHEALTHY FOOD
The Supreme Court of Appeals' announcement of the names of companies that sell unhealthy food has caused a shock in the market. The business community demand permanent ban on companies that sell unhealthy food.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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BACK DOOR LIE
The reports that FM Abdullah Gul's wife Hayrunnisa Gul entered the Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) from the ''back door'' to visit her husband who was under treatment, were inaccurate. Mrs. Hayrunnisa Gul was beside her husband during his convalescence.
STATEMENT FROM DTP, EASING TENSION
Democratic Society Party (DTP) administrators who have been criticized of incidents which began in Diyarbakir and continued in Istanbul, made remarks easing the tension. DTP chairmen Turk and Tugluk said that some circles wanted to provoke racism, hit Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood, and detach Turkey from the EU.