ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on September 4, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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WE WILL LIKE TO ENTER SECULAR EUROPE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had an interview with La Repubblica Newspaper prior to his visit to Italy on Friday, and stated that religion should not enter European Constitution.
Erdogan said, ''growing population of Turkey frightens Europeans, but don't worry, we will not invade the old continent.''
Erdogan said, ''our population will be 85 million after 20 years, but may be only 10 percent of us will migrate to other countries because we are in an effort to improve underdeveloped regions.''
OUR FIVE CONDITIONS ON THE TABLE
Turkey will put five conditions in front of United States in bargaining about sending soldiers to Iraq.
U.S. Commander Gen. Jones, who visited Ankara under NATO hat, met with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul. Here are the conditions that would mainly be put in front of United States in today's technical talks:
-Turkey will have the influence in sector.
-Turkey should undertake the command.
-PKK/KADEK should be eliminated jointly.
-Financial support should be expended for dispatch.
-There should be Turkish soldiers in providing security of the route.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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MERKEL SAYS EU NOT SUITABLE TO ACCEPT TURKEY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Christian Democrat Union (CDU) Party leader Angela Merkel and later held a joint press conference with Merkel. Erdogan said that they believed that political parties in Germany would not leave Turkey alone in its European Union (EU) membership process. Merkel said that the economic situation of the EU was not suitable to accept Turkey. Erdogan said, ''we have been settled in Europe with our 4 million people. Most of these people have become citizens of the countries they are living in. There is an intermingled situation here. If we don't see the assistance we expect, this can disappoint 75 percent of people who support EU membership in Turkey.''
WHOLESALE PRICES DECREASE BY 0.2 PERCENT
State Statistics Institute (DIE) announced that the wholesale prices decreased by 0.2 percent and that the consumer prices increased by 0.2 percent in August, 2003. The annual inflation as of August has been 22.7 percent in wholesale prices and 24.9 percent in consumer prices. The inflation rate in the eight months of the year has been 10.7 percent in wholesale prices and 11.7 percent in consumer prices.
Meanwhile, according to 12-month averages as of August 2003, annual inflation rate was 32.1 percent in wholesale prices and 29.5 percent in consumer prices. Price increase in the private sector of manufacturing industry which is called core inflation rate became 0.7 percent in August.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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CONDITIONAL FULL MEMBERSHIP
The interim formula of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for those who are feared of Turkey: Free movement of labor can be delayed ''temporarily'' under some conditions. Prime Minister Erdogan brought onto agenda an interesting issue in his visit to Germany. Replying to a question, Erdogan said, ''if the problem is the free movement of labor, this can be subject to some temporary conditions. We can bring forth some restrictive provisions.'' Noting that there was prejudice against Turkey in Europe, Erdogan recalled the words of Einstein who said that ''breaking prejudice is more difficult than breaking the atom.'' Erdogan said, ''I and my foreign minister are touring Europe to achieve this goal. We will break the atom.''
YES FOR EVERY ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQ
U.S. commander came to Ankara for ''peace force'' searches. NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) Commander Gen. James L. Jones took pulse for formula of ''U.N.-backed peace force under U.S. command in Iraq'' during his visit to Ankara yesterday. General Jones said that every kind of assistance for Iraq would be welcomed by the United States.
HISTORICAL DECREASE IN INFLATION
The annual inflation rate decreased 22.7 percent in wholesale prices and the decrease in consumer prices was 24.9 percent. Thus, the inflation rates reached the lowest level in the last 26 years.
8.5 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS O.K.
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman met with State Minister Ali Babacan. Both sides said that the agreement on 8.5 billion U.S. dollars of loan would be signed in the possible shortest time.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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FIRST MEETING TODAY
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok who met with NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) Commander Gen. James L. Jones asked the United States to fight more effectively against existence of terrorist PKK/KADEK organization in north of Iraq. Washington government said that terrorist PKK organization would be taken out from north of Iraq. The meetings between military delegations will start on Thursday to clarify the military details which the government needs to know for giving its final political decision about sending soldiers to Iraq.
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL MEETS WITH IAEA CHAIRMAN BARADEI
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who had talks in Vienna, met with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chairman Mohammed El Baradei on Wednesday. Gul touched on Ankara visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazzi and said that he hoped that the problem between Iran and the agency would be solved rapidly.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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GENERAL STAFF TAKES ITS FINAL DECISION ON IRAQ, NOW THAT IT IS THE TURN OF GOVERNMENT
Decision of military is based on this evaluation: Sending soldiers is risky but the fire in our neighbor will spread to us if we stand still without doing anything. This is more risky. If U.S. fails, everything in Iraq will develop against Turkey.
Turkish Armed Forces thinks that risks in sending soldiers to Iraq could be accepted for national interests. Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok told U.S. General Jones that the government has to say the last word which has to ask for permission from the Parliament.
CYPRUS WARNING OF WASHINGTON
U.S. Special Envoy to Cyprus Tom Weston called on Turkey to make more contributions to find a solution to Cyprus question. He said hopes for the European Union (EU) membership were dependent on this.
Weston, who visited European Commission, said that Turkey should do more in Cyprus file.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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PROMISE FROM UNITED STATES: ''WE WILL CLEAN''
''We will overcome concerns of Turkey and we will not make terrorist organization PKK shelter in northern Iraq.'' The United States threatened the terrorist organization PKK which is trying to nest in northern Iraq again. U.S. State Department spokesman Boucher said that there needed to be an end to the operation of any terrorist groups in northern Iraq. Boucher noted that PKK was also a terrorist organization, adding that they had close liaison with Turkey and they would take care of Turkey's concerns.
SEPTEMBER 11 FEAR
If the Supreme Court decides on September 11 that the Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) joined the general election without getting fully organized and if the Supreme Election Board approves this, turbulent days can be on the way in Turkey. If the Supreme Election Board approves the decision, 66 deputies from the True Path Party (DYP) will replace 44 deputies from Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and 22 from Republican People's Party (CHP) in the parliament. Thus, members of DYP who were ranked at the first place in electoral lists including former leader Tansu Ciller, will have the right to become a deputy.
DECISION TO ARREST TWO MORE UZANS
Istanbul Criminal Court rejected the objection to the decision to arrest Bahattin and Yavuz Uzan in absentia. The judge decided to arrest Bahattin Uzan, Yavuz Uzan, Birol Cilingir, Erol Hurbas, Gurol Demirkol and Yasar Avni Gural in absentia on charges of ''hiding documents and information.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN: ''IF TURKEY BECOMES A MEMBER OF EU, WE WILL PREVENT MIGRATION''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a speech in a meeting on ''New Reforms-Is Turkey on the Path to the European Union (EU)'' held by Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Turkish Researches Center (TAM) and said that if Turkey became a member of EU, they would prevent migration. Referring to the migration to Germany, Erdogan said that ''certain conditions can be brought about migration, but we believe that reverse migration will start by Turkey's EU membership. Even starting of membership negotiations will bring a momentum about this issue.'' Erdogan said that if minimum life standards were provided, there would not be migration from Turkey to abroad.
INFLATION RATE DECREASES TO LOWEST LEVEL LAST 20 YEARS
State Statistics Institute (DIE) announced on Wednesday that the wholesale prices decreased by 0.2 percent and that the consumer prices increased by 0.2 percent in August, 2003. The annual inflation as of August has been 22.7 percent in wholesale prices and 24.9 percent in consumer prices.
(AY-BRC-EÖ) 04.09.2003