ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on September 30, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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U.S. AMBASSADOR IN ANKARA EDELMAN SAYS TURKEY SHOULD OPEN ITS ARMENIAN BORDER
U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Eric Edelman said that U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan was a good opportunity for Cyprus issue and stated that a solution should be found till May 1.
International Defense Industry Aerospace and Maritime Fair (IDEF) Symposium 2003 organized by cooperation of National Defense Ministry and the Foundation for Strengthening Turkish Armed Forces started at Ankara's Bilkent Hotel. Delivering a speech in the symposium, Edelman said that they wanted Turkey to open its Armenian border as soon as possible.
Stating that they wanted Turkey to reach its all economic and political targets, Edelman added that they protected the interests of the United States by supporting Turkey.
AK PARTY: WE HOLD EARLY ELECTIONS
Supreme Court of Appeals approved 1 year 11 months 11 days sentence given to former DEHAP leader Mehmet Abbasoglu and three former party administrators on charges of arranging counterfeit documents prior to the November 3 elections and attempting to show the party as if it had completed its legal formation. This development caused Justice and Development Party (AK Party) administration to use trump of ''early election.'' AK Party deputy leader Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat said that they would hold early elections immediately and stated that they would come to the parliament with 450 deputies.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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WHY U.S. PUTS CONDITION FOR LOAN?
The secret, why the United States put the condition of Turkish soldiers' not entering north of Iraq for giving the loan worth of 8.5 billion dollars, is revealed. A high-ranking U.S. official said that they put this conditions because Turkey deployed soldiers on Iraq board in April, but the bargaining on entering north of Iraq had ended in March.
AK PARTY: WE WILL HOLD EARLY ELECTIONS
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy leader Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat said that if Higher Election Board (YSK) accepted the application of True Path Party (DYP), they would decide to hold early elections. Noting that AK Party would have 450 seats at parliament for this time, Firat defended that objection period was over.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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EITHER CONTINUE LIKE THIS OR HOLD EARLY ELECTIONS
When Supreme Court of Appeals approved the sentence given to Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) on charge of arranging counterfeit documents prior to the November 3 elections, the question whether the elections will be cancelled is brought onto agenda of Turkey. Everybody is expecting the decision of Higher Election Board (YSK). If YSK decides that elections were over and they cannot be held again, everything will remain the same and existing political structure will not change. If YSK says Justice and Development Party (AK Party) will give 44 and Republican People's Party (CHP) will give 22 seats to True Path Party (DYP), the issue will be brought to Parliament. As AK Party and CHP will not accept this, early elections will be held together with local elections in April.
CHP: YSK SHOULD GIVE EXPLANATION
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal thinks that the decision of Higher Election Board (YSK) regarding Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) will be political, not legal. Baykal said that they would not submit an application about decision.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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POLITICIANS DISCUSS ELECTION AGAIN
Supreme Court of Appeals approved 1 year 11 months 11 days sentence given to former DEHAP leader Mehmet Abbasoglu and three former party administrators on charges of arranging counterfeit documents prior to the November 3 elections and attempting to show the party as if it had completed its legal formation. Guven Ozata, lawyer of former DEHAP leader Mehmet Abbasoglu and three former party administrators, said that they would apply for correction of decision and added that they would apply to European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after all the internal legal ways are exhausted.
U.S. AMBASSADOR IN ANKARA EDELMAN SAYS DENKTAS SHOULD NOT PREVENT SOLUTION
U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Eric Edelman said that a historical opportunity was missed in Cyprus and stated that peoples of the two countries wanted to live together. Edelman said that Denktas should not prevent it and stated that a solution should be found till May 1. He added that they supported U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan's plan.
Stating that Turkish-U.S. relations were going through a very difficult period, Edelman said that they were working for re-settlement of cooperation. Edelman said that Turkey could undertake very important roles to bring peace and stability to the Middle East and added that the decision on this issue only belonged to Turkey.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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MARKETS UPSIDE DOWN
Supreme Court of Appeals' approval of sentence given to former DEHAP leader Mehmet Abbasoglu and three former party administrators made markets upside down. The Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) National-100 Index in Monday's second session decreased 502 points to 13,256. One U.S. dollar increased to 1 million 400 thousand Turkish liras (TL).
IMF DELEGATION IN ANKARA
International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation, led by IMF Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam, started official talks in Ankara on Monday.
IMF delegation held a meeting with all economy units in Treasury Undersecretariat in Ankara. Economic figures and year-end estimations were discussed in the meeting, sources said. Moghadam also met with Treasury Undersecretary Ibrahim Canakci. Moghadam and Canakci discussed 2004 year budget, economic figures and expectations about end of the year in the meeting which lasted for one and a half hours.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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MARATHON WORTH OF 500 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS STARTS
Negotiations for using new loan tranche started with International Monetary Fund (IMF). IMF delegation headed by IMF Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam came to Istanbul last weekend and held its first meetings with non-governmental organizations. The delegation then proceeded to Ankara and met with officials of Treasury Undersecretariat. IMF delegation will meet with State Minister on Economy Ali Babacan, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and officials of Central Bank, State Planning Organization (DPT), Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Agency (BDDK) and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges in Turkey (TOBB) this week.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW?
Discussions start in political circles in Ankara, when Supreme Court of Appeals approved the sentence given to Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) on charge of arranging counterfeit documents prior to the November 3 elections. The whole Turkey is now expecting the critical decision of Higher Election Board (YSK) which is headed by Tufan Algan.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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AK PARTY: WE DO NOT HESITATE TO HOLD EARLY ELECTIONS
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) group acting chairman Salih Kapusuz evaluated the effects of decision of Supreme Court of Appeals regarding Democratic People's Party (DEHAP). He said that they could decide to hold early elections without hesitation, but current situation did not require elections.
BAYKAL: YSK IS ON THE EVE OF A NEW MISTAKE
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal evaluated the discussions on decision about Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) and said that Higher Election Board (YSK) would take a political decision and it would have difficulty in explaining this decision.
(EÖ-GC-AÖ) 30.09.2003