ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 14, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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PRESIDENT SEZER RETURNS LAW ON GRANTING POOR CHILDREN WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer returned the law envisaging amendment to the Basic Law on National Education to the parliament for reconsideration of its first article. The article in question arranges granting poor children with education opportunities in private schools. The reason of Sezer's vetoing the law is that, ''there is great interest in some private schools which proved their quality and it is obvious that students fill quota of those schools after exams. Poor students can go to some private schools which were established with different aims. It means that people can have inappropriate way of thought with qualities of the Turkish Republic during their education in those schools.''
CICEK THINKS MALPRACTICE FIRST THREAT FOR TURKEY
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek thinks that malpractice is the first threat for Turkey. He believes that fight against malpractice should be carried out with a spirit of national anthem. Cicek said that judiciary had the most important responsibility on the issue and added, ''because Turkey does not have any separate police or judiciary for malpractice. Existing judiciary and police have this responsibility.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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THREE GENERALS TO BE CHARGED
If Turkish soldiers are sent to Iraq, they can be deployed in central Iraqi region where the Sunni population is in majority, rather than being deployed in north or south of Iraq. The preliminary studies for deployment of the troops in Iraq, are carried out in the headquarters in Mamak, Ankara. Major General Umit Sahinturk is expected to command 4,000 Turkish soldiers in Iraq. Two brigadier generals will also go to Iraq. Besides two foreign brigades are also expected to be under the command of Major General Sahinturk.
PRIVATE SCHOOL LAW AGAINST SECULARISM
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed the article of the law regarding sending soldiers to private schools. It was claimed that with the law, students would be sent to schools of Fethullah Gulen. President Sezer considered that the regulation which opened the way for poor and successful students to study in private schools by state aid would strengthen ''religious community and sect schools.'' Sezer said in his reason of sending back the article that as there was no opportunity for financing the education of poor students in schools which proved their quality and modernity, it would be inevitable for those students to be sent to private schools which didn't have full capacity and which were founded by certain circles for specific reasons. ''This situation means that these private schools will be supported by state funds on the one hand, and on the other hand they will also educate students with a different understanding and mentality which will not be in line with the characteristics of secular and democratic Turkish Republic,'' Sezer said in his reasons of opposing the article.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ANKARA IS EXPECTING ANSWER FROM UNITED STATES
The positive atmosphere which was reflected after the summit held at Presidential Palace regarding sending soldier to Iraq pleased the United States. On the other hand, Ankara is expecting an answer to the question document prepared by General Staff Headquarters and presented to the United States.
ERDOGAN AND GUL WILL START EU TOUR
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will go to the European Union (EU) Term President Italy and one of the locomotive countries of the union, Germany. He is envisaged to visit Spain as well. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul is also planned to visit Germany and France. Gul will be in Italy on September 1.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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AK PARTY TRIES TO PERSUADE ITS OWN DEPUTIES
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) launches efforts to persuade its own deputies for bringing a motion to the parliament about sending soldiers to Iraq. AKP deputy group leader Fatsa said that ''a motion which will make Turkish soldiers gendarme of the U.S. in Iraq can't be adopted by the parliament.'' Another AKP deputy Tosun said in his part that there were many questions that needed to be answered, adding that the funeral of each Turkish soldier that could be killed in Iraq would be very disadvantageous for AK Party government.
NEW ELECTION WITH OLD CANDIDATES
The persons who earlier put their candidacy to become the Director General of Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) again put their names for candidacy in the new candidacy process started by Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK). A total of 62 persons applied for candidacy, and RTUK will choose three candidates among them and give their names to the cabinet. Cabinet will choose one of these candidates and submit the name to President Sezer for approval.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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SOLDIERS WAIT FOR ORDER
Foreign Ministry and General Staff which wait for the decision on sending soldiers to Iraq of the government are planning to send first 10,000 soldiers to Iraq and think that if necessary, there will be reinforcements in the number of soldiers. Foreign Ministry and General Staff which work in coordination will send a delegation to the region. Under the light of evaluation about situation in Iraq of Turkish Ambassador in Baghdad Osman Paksut, a view which says that ''soldiers who will be sent to Iraq should represent power of Turkey and the number of Turkish soldiers should not be lower than the number of soldiers of other countries,'' was adopted.
GUL SAYS EU TO SAY IN 2004 TURKEY REACHED EUROPEAN STANDARDS
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that Turkey caught political standards of any EU country on paper with the seventh EU adjustment package and stated that they aimed to speed up implementation of reforms till 2004 Progress Report. Gul added that the EU would say in 2004 that Turkey reached European standards.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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MOTION ON SENDING SOLDIERS IN QUESTION
After it was decided during the critical summit held in Presidential Palace that Turkey would act in line with its national interests regarding the issue of sending soldiers to Iraq, the government started its studies to get permission from the parliament about this issue. After the evaluations that have been made following the summit, it is expected that Turkey will not wait for U.N. resolution to send soldiers abroad. Sources said that the submission of the motion to the parliament on the issue could speed up after the meetings to be held with the U.S. delegation which would come to Ankara in the coming days. While ministers of the cabinet think if a motion is prepared, it will probably be adopted in the parliament, the opposition party CHP insists on adoption of a 'U.N. resolution' first to send soldiers abroad.
HABUR BORDER GATE REVIVES
More than 3,000 vehicles enter and exit from Habur border gate near Silopi town of southeastern Sýrnak province on daily basis. Habur border gate which was closed for a long time after the attack which the U.S. launched on Iraq, started to revive again following the formation of the interim government in Iraq. Officials said that both food products and oil products were sent to Iraq. Citizens stated that the trade of diesel oil stopped after September 11, 2002 and it negatively affect the regional economy, adding that Habur border gate started to revive again together with the recent developments in Iraq.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TUZMEN: USD 220 MILLION EXPORT WAS MADE TO IRAQ IN TWO MONTHS
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said that the export amount made to Iraq in two months reached 220 million U.S. dollars and added that they would catch the export amount of pre-war period. When recalled that there was an unstable condition in Iraq, Tuzmen said that they surely did not want the neighbors had such difficult days, but unstable and risky atmospheres were Turkey's working place.
KIRKUK-YUMURTALIK OIL PIPELINE IS ACTIVE
Oil is started to be transferred again from Kirkuk-Yumurtalik Oil Pipeline from which oil flow was stopped with the operation of the United States against Iraq on March 23, 2003. Energy Ministry stated that oil transfer, which was limited with the decision of the United Nations after Gulf Crisis and then completely stopped with the operation of the United States against Iraq, started again yesterday as of 04.30 p.m. The oil reached to Yumurtalik facilities at 09.30 p.m. yesterday.
(GC-EÖ-ÖÞ-AÖ) 14.08.2003