ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 29, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
S&P UPGRADES TURKEY'S RATING
International rating organization Standard and Poor's (S&P) upgraded Turkey's rating and affirmed the outlook as stable. S&P warned the government not to deviate from the program during the local election. S&P said that the upgrade reflected the progress that the government recorded in implementation of the IMF-backed economic program despite several delays.
FORMULA OF SOLDIER TO IRAQ
Council of Ministers adopted the view that the decision to send soldiers to Iraq should be ''the decision of the state not the government.'' The government wants to bring the issue of sending soldiers to Iraq onto agenda of a summit at Cankaya Palace. To this end, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer can meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok at the same time on Thursday. Normally, Sezer holds separate regular weekly meetings with Erdogan and Ozkok on Thursdays.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
THIRD FORMULA
The United States which wants Turkey to join the International Stability Force to be deployed in Iraq focuses on three formulas which can ease a decision to this end. These formulas which came onto the agenda during Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's meeting in Washington and the last of which was proposed by Gul are as follows: ''direct intervention of the NATO for such a force'', ''decision on logistic support to Turkey at the North Atlantic Council'' and ''official invitation of Turkish troops by the Interim Governing Council in Iraq''. According to the information given to the newspaper by the U.S. and Turkish sources who attended Gul's meetings, details of these formulas are as follows: NATO DECISION: Gul clearly stated in Washington that participation of Turkish troops would be much easier if the Stability Force was provided with NATO framework. Turkish delegation told their U.S. interlocutors that it would be possible for Turkey to send soldiers to Iraq without a parliament motion if there was a NATO decision. However, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told Gul that NATO's intervention in the ISAF in Afghanistan took 1.5 years and he was not sure how they could have the NATO take such a decision soon, and it is considered that Ankara should not rely on this alternative. POLAND FORMULA: Another alternative is a decision of the North Atlantic Council. Washington has already tested the ground of this formula in Brussels, and it was conveyed to Gul and his delegation last week. According to this, the North Atlantic Council will take a special decision similar to the decision on Poland in March 2003, this time for Turkey, giving the promise that it will give logistic support to Turkish troops to be deployed in Iraq if it is seen necessary. Such a decision which does not mean an automatic physical contribution will let Ankara tell that dispatch of troops is made with ''NATO support''. INVITATION BY BAGHDAD: Another formula which is said to be developed by Turkish diplomats and was expressed by Gul is invitation of Turkish troops by Interim Governing Council in Iraq for the Stability Force. U.S. side shows great interest in this formula, and U.S. State Department Under Secretary Marc Grossman told Gul that such an invitation might be very beneficial and even such an invitation might be made to many countries like India that wanted to send troops.
GUL: ''DECISION TAKES A FEW MONTHS''
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that decision on dispatch of troops to Iraq could be made in a few months. Speaking on television channels, Gul said that NATO or U.N. decision would be more appropriate. He said, ''Turkey can't say that it would not join this job. Also evaluation by the Foreign Ministry and the General Staff is important. Final decision will be taken by the political will. Such a decision takes a few months. There is a need for parliament's decision. Because, the motion adopted during the war allows dispatch of troops only to north of Iraq.'' When recalled of remarks of Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani who had said, ''there should not be any Turkish troops in northern Iraq'', Gul said, ''we have to have a separate invitation for our being a part of the job there. The Iraqi Interim Council including Talabani and (Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party-KDP leader Massoud) Barzani should make an invitation to us.''
ERDOGAN: ''WE SHOULD NOT ACT QUICKLY''
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that the United States officially requested troops from Turkey but expected a rapid response to its request. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that dispatch of troops to Iraq without the U.N. or NATO decision would draw serious reaction. The government adopted ''to send a motion to the parliament after explaining the issue correctly to the public opinion and not to do it in haste.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
---------------
OPEN PLUNDER
A privatization initiative in central Kayseri province has revealed a secret pilferage in natural gas. Consumers in five big cities pay 6.5 times more than the real price of the service. HSV company won the tender to distribute natural gas in Kayseri and wanted 0.76 cent per cubic meter as ''the cost of services and amortization.'' This price has shown that consumers are robbed in other cities using natural gas. Municipalities in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmit, Bursa and Eskisehir take 5.4 cent per cubic meter as the cost of service. Thus, the natural gas invoice of citizens living in big cities is 20 percent more than that of those living in Kayseri.
PENTAGON'S DEMAND IS A DIVISION OF SOLDIERS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul announced that the United States wanted Turkish soldiers to join the coalition in Iraq. Announcing the demand of the United States in the meeting of the Council of Ministers, Gul said that there would be a need for a new motion to send soldiers to Iraq. Gul said, ''the United States is insistent on timing. It wants us to make a decision as soon as possible.'' If a motion is adopted, a division formed by 15 thousand soldiers will be sent to Iraq.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
15 THOUSAND SOLDIERS TO IRAQ
The government has started to discuss the issue of dispatch of troops to Iraq following Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's visit to the United States. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) which is envisaged to be deployed in the sector that covers north and west of Baghdad has to send 'a headquarters and three brigades (nearly one division)' in order to undertake command of its soldiers. It is mentioned that the number could be increased only to 15 thousand but it would be clear according to the decision of the General Staff and the government. The government will not take the decision hastily. It is mentioned that the issue would not come to the agenda until autumn, and it was conveyed to the U.S. side. The government which will assess the issue together with the General Staff will follow whether or not a U.N. or NATO umbrella is formed and it will research public reaction.
JEWISH LOBBY WARNS GUL
It was mentioned that the Jewish lobby with whom Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met during his visit to Washington made a warning about Yasser Arafat, and told him that they would not want him and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to meet with Arafat during their tour to Israel and Palestine. Jewish officials warned that Turkey's relations with both Israel and Jewish community in the United States would worsen if their request was ignored and Gul and Erdogan met with Arafat.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
''UNITED STATES WANTS US''
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''the United States wants to take joint action in Iraq. It is Turkey who will make the final decision. The auspices of United Nations (U.N) is not obligatory to send soldiers. We won't face any difficulties in adopting a motion this time.'' Gul, who returned to Turkey after wrapping up contacts in the United States, stated that there was not any fait accompli imposed on Turkey and the U.S. officials told him their wish to take joint action. Gul said, ''we will bring the issue onto the agenda of government. Opinion of the General Staff is also very important and we will take their opinion.'' Noting that Turkish soldiers would go to Iraq to ensure normalization not for war, Gul said, ''therefore, a motion can be passed more easily this time.''
AK PARTY SAYS IT WILL BE PASSED WHILE CHP SAYS THEY WILL RESIST
Salih Kapusuz of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) said that the Presidential Palace again had the right to veto since an amendment was made to the constitutional package regarding forests. Kapusuz said, ''we will call the parliament for an extraordinary meeting during the recess and pass it.'' On the other hand, Yilmaz Ates of Republican People's Party (CHP) is angry: ''Our stance is the same. We will resist.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
---------------
INVITATION NECESSARY
Commenting on words of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani that ''Turkish soldiers should not be in north of Iraq'', Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''to become an intervenor in north of Iraq, Iraq Interim Council, including Talabani and Barzani, should invite us.''
DISCUSSION ON SEVENTH PACKAGE
National Security Council (NSC) Chief Adviser Mustafa Agaoglu, who attended the Parliamentary Justice Commission meeting in which the seventh European Union (EU) adjustment package was voted, said, ''as the package is adopted, the NSC Secretariat General has officially been abrogated. We will close it three months later.'' Despite this objection of Agaoglu, the package was adopted.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
--------------------
GUL TELLS ERDOGAN: ''WE SHOULD SEND TROOPS TO IRAQ AFTER PERSUADING PEOPLE''
Following his critical visit to the United States, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul had a meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday. Gul focused on the necessity of dispatch of troops under the NATO or U.N. framework by preference in order to have influence over rebuilding of Iraq. He said, ''we should explain the reason of it to people well and we should not do it in a hurry.''
ALSO COUNCIL OF MINISTERS DISCUSSES DISPATCH OF TROOPS
The U.S. administration's demand for troops was discussed at yesterday's Council of Ministers meeting. The government decided to finalize the issue ''in a reasonable period but under seriousness of the issue and sensitivities of the public opinion''. Justice Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Staff had been working on the issue. He said, ''we are aware of the sensitivity of the issue. We are aware of the public opinion's sensitivities. With this respect, I hope that there would be an assessment which protects Turkey's rights and interests.'' Replying a question, Cicek said that the issue had been discussed before the public opinion, and decision would be made within a reasonable time.
(BRC-MS) 29.07.2003