ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 7, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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A PLAY ON WORDS IN ''IMAM HATIP SCHOOLS''
The National Education Ministry is lifting the coefficient obstacle before entrance of graduates of ''imam hatip schools'', high schools which give religious education, into universities by plays on words. The bill foreseeing amendment to Higher Education Board (YOK) law says that the coefficient applied to normal high school graduates during entrance to university will be applied to all vocational high school graduates, including the ''imam hatip high schools.''
PETKIM TENDER CANCELLED, GUARANTEE EXPIRES
Uzan family who could not find 244 million U.S. dollars of cash money could not take over shares of Petrochemical Holding Inc. (Petkim). Guarantee of 10 million U.S. dollars paid beforehand by the Uzan family expired. The tender was cancelled. Uzan family had submitted a bid of 605 million U.S. dollars.
IF ALIYEV DIED, THE UNITED STATES WOULDN'T ACCEPT HIM
Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev, who was under medical treatment in Ankara for a month, went to Cleveland, the United States, by a Russian plane yesterday. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul announced that Aliyev went to the United States upon his and his family's decision. Azerbaijani spokesman said, ''if Aliyev was dead, the United States wouldn't accept him.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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WHAT GOVERNMENT HAS SAID COME TRUE
The seventh European Union (EU) adjustment package which minimized the efficiency of the Secretariat General of the National Security Council (NSC) was approved by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday. Soldiers had expected veto of the package.
NATURAL GAS TO HAVE SINGLE PRICE
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler said that talks on reduction of price of natural gas had started between officials of Pipeline Transportation Inc. (BOTAS) and Russian Gazprom. Guler said that Turkey used to buy natural gas at three different prices and added that discussions were under way to buy natural gas at single price.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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GRAVE REPORT
The Parliamentary Commission to Investigate Corruption, in which the deputies of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) form the majority, made a very strange evaluation and claimed that corruption was a problem peculiar to ''secular circles.'' The report of the commission which was submitted to the Office of Parliament Speaker included a very dangerous evaluation. The commission made a comment in its report which connected corruption with secularism. In the report, the reason for corruption was announced this way: ''corruption is considered as a problem connected with secular ethics instead of religion.'' Everybody is curious about how the members of the Republican People's Party (CHP) who signed the report did not notice this sentence.
THE BIGGEST RISK IS CITY WAR
Turkish Armed Forces made risk analysis of possibility of sending soldiers to Iraq. In the analysis, the risk factors were collected under three main points. These are the security of logistic support, guerilla war in the city and resumption of clashes with the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK.
LET'S SEE ''RETURN HOME'' FOR A DECISION
It has been learned that the main opinion of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) which made risk analysis of sending soldiers to Iraq was ''to see the results of the return home law.'' It has also been stated that Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok expressed that view in the summit held on Iraq the previous day.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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HEADSCARF TO EDUCATION
National Education Minister Huseyin Celik has asked officials to prepare a regulation which lifts university restriction before students of ''imam hatip schools'', high schools which give religious education, and which frees wearing headscarves. If the regulation is adopted, girls in these high schools can wear headscarf not only in Koran lessons but also in other lessons.
RESPONSE LIKE A PRETEXT FROM AKSU
Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, commenting on the issue if the convicts of Sivas incidents and the member of the terrorist Hezbollah organization would benefit from the Reassociation Law, said that ''it was the duty of the enforcers'' and refrained from giving a definite response. Aksu said that the number of those who could not benefit from the law would not exceed 10-15 since the law did not cover the leaders, adding that they expected majority of the members of the terrorist organization around 5 thousand to apply to state organs to benefit from the law.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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SAHIN: ''THERE IS NOT ANY STRIFE''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said that there was not any strife between soldiers and government. Sahin said, ''those who want to cause tension harm Turkey.'' Sahin noted that the immunity of deputies would definitely be limited and said, ''we wait for proposals of Republican People's Party (CHP).'' Touching on relations with soldiers, Sahin said, ''there are circles which want tension between the government and the General Staff. Both organs are responsible for serving the country. There can't be any strife.''
GUL: ''WE DIDN'T TAKE ANY DECISION''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that any decision on Iraq was not taken in the summit held the previous day and added, ''President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's opinion about the issue is also important.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GOOD NEWS FROM MINISTER! GOLDEN YEAR IN TOURISM
Tourism and Culture Minister Erkan Mumcu stated that Turkish tourism would break a record in the world this year and said that Turkey would be the only country which would end this year with a growth in tourism instead of a shrinkage.
THREE MORE POINTS...INTERESTS FALL AGAIN
The Central Bank reduced short-term interest rates by three more points. Thus, the borrowing interest rate fell from 35 to 32 percent while the lending interest rate decreased from 41 to 38 percent.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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A TOTAL OF 270 MILITANTS APPLY TO STATE ON FIRST DAY
After President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved the Reassociation Law also known as ''return home law'', dissolution started in the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK. The number of militants who applied to the state officials on the first day after the law was put into practice reached 270. 180 of these applications were made by inmates while 90 militants from different organizations who were not in prison stated that they wanted to benefit from the law. Two terrorists entered Turkey from Habur Border Gate yesterday and surrendered to security officers. Also, it is noted that one militant surrendered to Turkish special forces in north of Iraq.
BOMB ATTACK ON SECURITY POINT IN MARDIN: TWO DIE
Two policemen died and one injured in a bomb and armed attack on a security point in southeastern Mardin province. It is striking that the attack was staged after the Reassociation Law entered into force. Terrorists staged armed and bomb attack on a security point in Kayaca town of Mardin around 10.00 p.m. yesterday. Policemen Ramazan Yazici and Mursel Hacioglu died in the scene of the attack while one policemen who can't be identified yet was injured. There is an officer's club almost 200 meters away from the scene of the attack and the building of Intelligence Organization 100 meters away.
(BRC) 07.08.2003