ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 1, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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CANCELLATION OF YAS DINNER DUE TO HEADSCARF
Commanders cancelled two dinners to be hosted upon the Supreme Military Council (YAS) meeting which will start today to prevent attendance of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's wife wearing headscarf. YAS which will convene today to discuss promotions in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has been overshadowed by headscarf. The General Staff and Land Forces Command excluded dinners also attended by spouses from the program. It is learned that Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok and Land Forces Commander Aytac Yalman cancelled dinners attended by the members of the Council and their spouses. The fact that meal hosted by the prime minister every year for members of the Council did not take place in the program of this council meeting is also drawing attention. Thus, the only dinner during YAS meetings will be hosted in the Cankaya Presidential Palace by Sezer. Erdogan will attend this dinner alone.
4 BILLION USD AND 5 ARREST
U.S. court fined Uzan family to 4.2 billion U.S. dollars in Motorola and Nokia case. The court decided to arrest Kemal Uzan, his wife and three children. New York Court judge Jed S. Rakoff found Nokia and Motorola who filed lawsuits last year as rightful and decided that Uzan family tried to swindle the two companies. The court decided to issue a warrant of arrest for Kemal Uzan, his sons Cem and Hakan Uzan, his wife Melahat Uzan and his daughter Aysegul Akay. The court also decided to issue a warrant of arrest for Belancourt, the partner of the family.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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VETO FROM SEZER
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will veto forest law. He will call for a referendum if the government resists. Sezer, who considers the law on sale of forests as awarding the occupiers, will veto the amendment. ''First, wind of veto and then, wind of referendum will blow from Cankaya if the government resists.'' The constitutional amendment package also enabling sale of fields which can no more be called a forest before December 31, 1981 is on Sezer's table for two days. Rumors indicate that Sezer will veto the package. It is noted that Sezer thinks that the government should not undertake the responsibility of a referendum which will bring millions of voters to ballot boxes.
EU HOMEWORK HAS NOT ENDED
According to the National Program, amendments should be made to 84 laws, regulations and by-laws and 391 laws, regulations and by-laws should be adopted. Turkey, which has put into practice many legal arrangements on the road to European Union (EU) membership and passed the seventh EU adjustment package, has to legalize many new arrangements from abolishing State Security Courts (DGMs) to exclusion of commanders from National Security Council (NSC) in order to fulfil its commitments in the National Program and to meet expectations of the EU.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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RETURN TO HOME QUAKE SHAKES CHP BADLY
Opposition of Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal to ''Return to Home Law'' caused resignations of Agri deputy Cemal Kaya and Batman deputy Nezir Nasiroglu. The administration's considering the ''Return to Home Law'' as ''a support to terrorism'' has brought CHP deputies with Kurdish origin to a fork in their road. Nasiroglu followed Kaya, who resigned from the party the previous day. Besides deputies, chairmen of the CHP branches in southeastern and eastern provinces started to make open opposition to Baykal administration.
TREASURY TO REPAY 13 QUADRILLION TL
Treasury Undersecretariat will repay 13.1 quadrillion Turkish liras (TL), including 12.3 quadrillion of domestic and 700 trillion of foreign debt, in August.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TURKEY'S POSTER ADMIRED MUCH
The poster of Turkey used in promotion campaign and prepared by the Culture and Tourism Ministry became the poster which was admired the most in Germany. According to results of the survey carried out by the German IMAS research institute, the poster became one of the most admired and attractive posters in June. The survey also showed Turkey among the main three countries to spend a holiday.
ALIYEV'S STATE OF HEALTH SERIOUS
State of health of Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev, who is having medical treatment in Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA), is still serious. Although there is not any official statement about health of Aliyev, whose said to be in critical condition, some news sites claimed that Azerbaijani president had lost his life.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ATMOSPHERE POSITIVE IN EUROPE
European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen said that National Security Council (NSC) reform was a very important step. A diplomat stated that Reassociation Law was also very important and added that all those showed that Turkey was ready for negotiations. Verheugen said that they welcomed the legalization of seventh EU adjustment package and noted that implementation would be closely followed.
MISTY AIR IN CANKAYA
The last critical point in the seventh EU adjustment package which foresees radical democratic reforms will be faced in Cankaya Presidential Palace. The Secretariat General of the National Security Council (NSC) is lobbying for veto of the law while the Secretariat General for European Union (EU) is lobbying for approval of the law. The package sent to Sezer for approval causes a secret tension among the high-level state officials. The Secretariat General of NSC plans to launch initiatives to convince Sezer to veto the parts of the package concerning it. The General Staff tends not to be a part of the tension. Secretariat General for EU which worries about the possibility of a veto is trying to explain importance of package to Sezer.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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REGISTERED LIFE
Shopping around and above 10 billion Turkish liras (TL) will be made through banking system. The implementation starts today. The limit of the shopping is increased from 5 to 10 billion TL in the implementation initiated in order to take unregistered economy under control. Repayment of credit card debts, electronic funds transfers (EFTs) and remittances will be made through banks. Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan says, ''Turkey will no more be a cash society.''
CHP CONTINUES TO LOSE MEMBERS! WHO IS ANGRY AT BAYKAL RESIGNS!
Cemal Kaya, who resigned from the Republican People's Party (CHP) the previous day, said yesterday that there were many people who were thinking of resignation. Two hours after that statement, Batman deputy Nezir Nasiroglu resigned saying, ''party has become anti-democratic.'' Thus, the number of seats occupied by CHP at parliament dropped to 175.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ERDOGAN: ''LOW RATE OF EXCHANGE CAN CONTINUE FOR ONE-TWO MONTHS MORE''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who attended the tenth regular general assembly of Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), said that low rate of exchange could continue for one or two months more. Erdogan called on exporters who complained about the low rate of exchange to bring a solution to the problem if they had any.
FOREIGN CAPITAL OF 1.2 BILLION USD COMES TO TURKEY IN SIX MONTHS
Around 1 billion 208 million U.S. dollars of foreign capital flew in Turkey in the first half of this year. According to the report of the Treasury Undersecretariat, 231 companies with foreign capital were established.
(BRC) 01.08.2003