ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 30, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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RETURNING HOME BECOMES LAW
''Returning home'' law which faced danger of being rejected at the Parliamentary General Assembly last week since Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies did not back the law sufficiently became law by intervention of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Terrorist organization PKK/KADEK militants, suspects of ''Sivas Incidents'' and Hezbollah militants will also benefit from this law. A total of 430 deputies attended the vote at the parliament. While 361 deputies cast their votes in favor of the draft, 68 of them rejected it. One deputy abstained from voting.
4 PERCENT REDUCTION IN NATURAL GAS PRICE
The Turkish Pipeline Transportation Corp (Botas) made reduction in natural gas price used in dwellings and industry sector as of August 1. Botas executive board's decision on reduction in natural gas price was also approved by Energy Market Regulatory Board (EPDK). According to the decision which was also sent to the Energy Ministry, there will be 4.06 percent reduction in the price of natural gas used in dwellings and there will be 3.65 percent reduction in the price of natural gas as of August 1.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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MOTION OBLIGATORY
Ankara has a busy traffic focusing on developments regarding sending soldiers to Iraq which speeded up with Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul's visit to Washington, D.C. The process which started with the United States' asking for Turkey to make contribution in international stability force in Iraq was discussed at a summit which was held at Prime Ministry Office on Tuesday. While military official stressed that a ''motion was obligatory'', it was underlined that ''Turkey would not be a guard in the region and it would undertake mission not for aiding to the United States, but for providing stability in the region.''
DERVIS: ''I CAN BE CANDIDATE''
Kemal Dervis made statements which can cause dispute and said, ''there is a need for change in the Republican People's Party (CHP). The party needs young people. Social democrat party should be young in such a young society.'' When asked whether or not he would be a candidate for administration in the general meeting of CHP in November, Dervis said, ''I want to do what is necessary when right time comes. I can work in the party assembly during general meeting process.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SEVEN PROPOSALS FROM OZKOK
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a meeting with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok at the Prime Ministry Office. The meeting lasted for one hour and 45 minutes. Erdogan and Ozkok took up sending Turkish soldiers to Iraq. Ozkok made seven proposals in the meeting. Those seven proposals are as follows: 1- Troops can be ready in 45 days. 2- Turkey should have responsibility in whole Iraq, not only in problematic regions. 3- Commander should be a Turkish person. 4- U.N. and NATO could relieve us. 5- Logistic support can be provided from the second army in Malatya. 6- A three-person delegation will go to Central Command Headquarters at the beginning of August. 7- Iraqi National Council is not a state, invitation from there cannot be accepted.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES REASSOCIATION LAW
Parliamentary General Assembly approved the Draft Reassociation Law aiming at reassociating members of political and ideological terrorist organizations on Tuesday. The law will be valid for those who surrender to security forces with their own will, those who are withdrawn from terrorist organizations, those who are captured by security forces, and those who are not involved in crimes committed by terrorist organizations. The draft will also include those aiding and abetting to members of terrorist organizations. Those who earlier benefited from the Repentance Law, and those who committed these crimes again, will not be included in the law. According to Article 4 of the law about amnesty, those who are not involved in crimes committed by terrorist organizations, those who surrender to security forces with their own will, and those who withdraw from terrorist organizations after the law comes into force, will not be punished. If those who are involved in crimes committed by terrorist organizations before the law comes into force, surrender to security forces with their own will or withdraw from the organization, their imprisonment terms will be decreased by one fifth.
IS BANKASI GETS LOAN FOR EXPORTERS
Is Bankasi of Turkey secured a 225 million U.S. dollars syndicated loan from international finance markets through Club Deal. A total of fifteen banks joined the deal for the one-year term loan at an interest rate of Libor plus 0.75 percent. The Syndicated Loan Agreement was signed by Is Bankasi's CEO Ersin Ozince and representatives of participating banks at Is Bankasi's Business Towers in Istanbul on Tuesday. Ozince said that this agreement showed the confidence in investment atmosphere in Turkey and stated that loan would be used for providing Turkish exporters with finance.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCERNING SELLING LANDS WHICH LOST CHARACTER OF FOREST WITH 368 VOTES
Parliamentary General Assembly approved on Tuesday the law on selling lands which lost the character of forest and decreasing the age of eligibility to be a deputy to 25 with 368 votes with the support of True Path Party (DYP), Motherland Party (ANAP) and independent deputies. Deputies of Republican People's Party (CHP) did not attend the voting.
DIFFICULTY CONCERNING SECOND MOTION
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed sending soldiers to Iraq with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) wants a right to have voice in place of deployment and command, and to end presence of terrorist organization PKK in north of Iraq with the United States. Erdogan who has concerns over a second motion asked ministers to be careful about the motion process. Meanwhile, the United States wanted an answer till September.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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MUSTAFA KOC: ''WE SHOULD CIVILIANIZE''
Koc Holding Executive Board Chairman Mustafa Koc said that the government had significant and sincere initiatives for the European Union (EU) and stated that however Turkey should civilianize as soon as possible. He added that it had an important role for taking date from the EU.
GULER: ''PURCHASE OF GAS THROUGH BLUE STREAM WILL START ON AUGUST 1''
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler said that purchase of natural gas from Russia under the Blue Stream Project would start on August 1 as it was envisaged in the protocol, and it did not have any connection with arbitration. Noting that they were insistent on formula and talks would resume the day after, Guler said, ''several developments may occur today.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ERDOGAN SAYS MIRU'S VISIT TO TURKEY WILL BRING ACCELERATION ESPECIALLY TO ECONOMIC RELATIONS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa Miru held a joint press conference. Erdogan said that he believed that Syrian Prime Minister Miru's visit to Turkey would bring acceleration especially to economic relations between Turkey and Syria. Miru gave guaranty that they would not allow any formation against Turkey. Miru said that they showed with this visit that Syria left behind things which took place in the past and his country was looking at the future more safely.
GEN. OZKOK SAYS 45 DAYS ENOUGH FOR PREPARATION FOR IRAQ
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok had a surprising meeting on Tuesday. Erdogan and Ozkok took up Supreme Military Council (YAS) which will convene on August 1 and sending soldiers to Iraq. Sources quoted Gen. Ozkok as saying that if a decision for sending soldiers to Iraq was taken, soldiers could be ready for Iraq in 45 days.
(EÖ-AÖ) 30.07.2003