ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 1st, 2006. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ALSO RUSSIANS ARE JOINING SAMSUN-CEYHAN PIPELINE
When President Sezer was in St. Petersburg, the last stop of his official visit to Russia, Moscow took an important step showing that it is ready for a firm energy cooperation with Ankara. Russian Minister of Finance Aleksey Kudrin, who met Italian FM Massimo D'Alema in Moscow, announced that Russian Gazprom firm and Italian ENI agreed in principle to join the Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline project.
WE GREW WELL BEFORE FLUCTUATIONS
The growth process, which began in the first quarter of 2002 and continued since then, was also maintained in the first quarter of this year. The Gross National Product (GNP) grew 6.3 percent, while the Gross Domestic Product was up 6.4 percent in this mentioned period. Construction was the sector which grew the most in the first quarter of 2006 (25.9 percent).
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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PM PROMISES TO REDUCE AGE TO BE ELECTED TO 25
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, ''we will lay down a proposal to reduce the age to be elected from 30 to 25.'' Republican People's Party (CHP) and True Path Party (DYP) are supporting this proposal.
TWO SOLDIERS DIE IN MINE BLAST IN BINGOL
Landmines, planted on a highway in Genc town of eastern city of Bingol, were detonated by a remote-control. Non-commissioned officer Kazim Faydaci and private Ali Er died in the attack, while six soldiers were wounded.
''GO ON WITH IMF'' SIGNAL FROM BABACAN
State Minister Ali Babacan signaled that the IMF-backed program, which will end in August 2008, may be maintained in a new format.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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INCOME PER CAPITA RISES TO 5,132 USD
Turkey's Gross National Product (GNP) was calculated as 369.8 billion USD, while its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 370.4 billion USD as of March. The GNP per capita was 5,132 USD in the same period.
KOC TO COMPLETE WORLD TOUR ON JULY 7TH
Koc Holding's Honorary President Rahmi Koc will complete his two-year world tour on July 7th. Koc began this tour with his yacht ''Nezenin IV'' on September 19th, 2004. The tour will end as the yacht will anchor at the Kalamis Marina on July 7th.
VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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SHE ALSO DIVIDED THE OPPOSITION
Former PM Bulent Ecevit's wife Rahsan Ecevit launched initiatives to unite the opposition, however the result is totally the opposite. Speaking to Vatan yesterday, Republican Pepole's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said, ''DYP (True Path Party) and ANAP (Motherland Party) are under the ideological hegemony of AKP (ruling Justice & Development Party).'' On the other hand, DYP leader Mehmet Agar said that it was wrong to search for ''an alliance in the left and right wings''. ''As DYP, we will not join any front or block,'' he noted.
SECOND KAHVECI ON ROAD TO POLITICS
24-year-old Cihan Kahveci, the son of former ANAP parliamentarian Adnan Kahveci who died in a traffic accident, blinked to politics. Participating in an AKP meeting in Istanbul, Kahveci said, ''I will join politics within five years.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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RECORD IN FOREIGN TRADE DEFICIT: 5.4 BLN USD
Turkey made a record import worth 12.2 billion USD in May, when the new Turkish lira (YTL) lost significant value due to fluctuations in international markets. Thus, a record foreign trade deficit of 5.4 billion USD occurred. The foreign trade deficit was up 36.6 percent in the first five months of this year, and reached 21.6 billion USD.
GREEK CYPRIOTS IN KAS: ''WE ARE LIKE FLESH AND BLOOD''
European Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn said that negotiations with Turkey may be suspended due to Cyprus problem, while Finnish FM Tuomioja asked Turkey to ''open its ports to the Greek Cypriots''. Meanwhile, Greek Cypriots who came from Meis (island of Greece) to (Turkish southern town of) Kas for shopping, said, ''we are brothers, we are like flesh and blood. Those who are trying to cause problems between us are the EU and USA.''
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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MGK TRYING TO CLOSE DOCTOR SHORTAGE
Doctor shortage in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions was also discussed in the National Security Council (MGK). Participants of the June 22nd MGK meeting proposed to ''pay extra salaries to doctors who will agree to work in these regions''. The government is now evaluating the proposal. Orhan Odabasi of Turkish Physicians Association said, ''rise in salaries is a positive development. But, problems will not be solved if infrastructural works are not completed.''
MEDICINE PRICES TO BE RAISED BY 5 PERCENT EVERY MONTH
The government has accepted the demand of the companies to rise the prices of their medical products due to the rise in foreign exchange rates. Authorities said that 30 percent rise in medicine prices cannot be made at one time. ''We think of raising the medicine prices by 5 percent every month. We will re-consider this matter if there is any decrease in foreign exchange rates,'' the authorities added.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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CELIK: EASIEST CHAPTER IS EDUCATION AND CULTURE
Stressing that education and culture is the chapter in which Turkey will have the fewest problems during its negotiations with the EU, National Education Minister Celik said that the negotiating framework paper is ready, and guessed that it will be made public soon.
KAYAPALI AND EVCIL ARRESTED
Businessmen Erol Evcil and Huseyin Kayapali were arrested within the scope of an investigation carried out by Bursa Police Department.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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FLOOD IN CARSAMBA: TWO-MONTH BABY DIES, FATHER MISSING
A two-month baby was drowned to death in the flood, triggered by torrential rains, in northern city of Samsun. His father is reported missing after the flood.
ITALIAN AND S. AFRICAN COMPANIES TO COMPETE IN HELICOPTER TENDER
The Defense Industry Executive Committee convene under the chairmanship of PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Committee decided to continue talks with South African Denel and Italian Agustawevstland companies regarding attack and reconnaissance helicopter (ATAK) project.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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WORLD WATCHING, TURKEY LAUNCHING INITIATIVES
The international platform did not show enough reaction to Israel, which took hostage Palestinian ministers. Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Israeli PM Olmert, Palestinian President Abbas and PM Haniyeh. During his phone talk with Haniyeh, Erdogan promised to re-build the electricity power plant bombed by Israel. Haniyeh said that this promise boosted morale of the Palestinian people.
TERRORISM CONDEMNED
Israel's attacks were protested throughout the world yesterday. In Istanbul, a group of people convened at Bayazid Square, and condemned the Israeli terrorism on Palestine.