ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 19, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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FENER GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW STARTS WAR AGAINST GREEK CHURCH
Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew reacted to Greek church which accused him of ''being servant of Istanbul governor.'' Bartholomew said that Istanbul governor did not intervene in any decisions of the patriarchate and stated that they were working freely.
''WE WILL GO THERE, IF IT IS WANTED''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that they were not so passionate about sending soldiers to Iraq. Erdogan, who held a press conference on the last day of Formentor Forum held in Mallorca island of Spain, said that upon the demand of the United States, Turkish government took the decision on sending soldiers to Iraq by consulting with National Security Council (NSC) under the chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and General Staff. Stating that the United States was successful in war in Iraq, but it could not show similar success after it, Erdogan said, ''there are problems on energy, water, food, medicine and security in Iraq. There is an Iraq whose future is not known.'' Erdogan added, ''we will go there if it is wanted. We will not go there if it is not wanted. We don't have any sine qua non decision. We said that Turkish soldiers will go there to extend help to logistics, infrastructure and security of Iraqi people.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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REPORT THAT CONVINCES SEZER!
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer had vetoed the law which granted poor children education opportunities in private schools. Milliyet daily found the ''sect'' report behind the veto. Sezer vetoed the law since schools which wanted to educate poor students had links with sects and communities. The report presented to the General Staff and Presidential Palace listed names of sects and the number of students they wanted to educate. Nur Community wanted 5 thousand 483 students for 103 schools, Denominational Vision Community wanted 702 students for 9 schools, Naksibendi Sect wanted to educated 351 students in 7 schools, Suleymancilar wanted 120 students for 4 schools, Kadiri Sect wanted 62 students for 2 schools, Isiklar group wanted 455 students for one school, and Ribat group wanted 100 students for one school.
''WE WILL RUSH FOR HELP IF ANYBODY WANTS''
Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok made striking statements in his first interview with Greek Elefterotipia newspaper. Ozkok said, ''there are many national and religious groups in Iraq. Some of them are close to our border and we have historical ties. If one of these groups wants Turkey's assistance, we can't return their demand as in the past.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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BUDGET OF 2004: SEZER'S SALARY IS GROSS 18 BILLION TL
The budget of 2004 was submitted to parliament. The budget foresaw that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's salary should be increased by 20 percent. According to this rise, Sezer will have a salary of gross 18 billion Turkish liras (TL) a month. Income tax will not be deducted from this salary.
TURKS ARE A SIGN
Cardinal Ersilio Tonini, the second man in Vatican, told Sabah daily that Turkey should join European Union (EU). Tonini, the strongest cardinal of the Catholic world following the Pope, said that they were not against Turkey's accession to EU. Noting that there was an extraordinary sign in this direction of Turkey toward Europe, Tonini said that it was impossible not to see that.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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''IRAQ'S FUTURE IS UNKNOWN''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, ''there are problems on energy, water, food, medicine and security in Iraq. There is an Iraq whose future is not known.'' Erdogan stressed that Turkey was not so passionate about sending soldiers to Iraq and noted that upon the demand of the United States, they took the decision on dispatch of soldiers to Iraq. Erdogan, who held a press conference on the last day of Formentor Forum held in Mallorca island of Spain, said that the United States was successful in war in Iraq, but it could not be as successful as it was after the war.
MOTION CONCERNS TOURISM SECTOR
People in tourism sector have concerns over the authority that the government was granted for dispatch of soldiers to Iraq. People in tourism sector who were affected negatively by the war in Iraq this season have also concerns over cancellation of 2004 reservations. Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu said that there was no need for pessimism and stated that infrastructure studies would start as soon as possible.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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OZKOK: ''WE HAVE FIVE OBJECTIONS IN CYPRUS''
Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok, who interviewed with Greek Elefterotipia newspaper, said, ''if our five objections are accepted, we will support Annan plan.'' Ozkok noted that Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) was definitely in favor of European Union (EU) membership. He added that what the target of the United States in Iraq was could not yet been understood.
ANATOMY OF ROBBERY
Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) prepared a report on how the Uzan family emptied the coffers of Imar Bankasi. According to the report, Uzan family hid 80 of every 100 Turkish liras (TL) deposited to Imar Bankasi by a computer program. The report stated that Imar Bankasi, the bond portfolio of which was 15 billion TL on June 30, 2003, collected 728.4 trillion TL from its customers. The amount of tax evaded by Uzan family in the first five month of 2003 was 125 trillion TL.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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OZKOK ASKS UNITED STATES ''WHAT IS YOUR NEW TARGET IN IRAQ?''
Chief of General Staff General Hilmi Ozkok said that not only Turkish people but also whole world were curious about the United States' plans on Iraq. Ozkok, in an interview with Greek Elefterotipia newspaper, evaluated Turkish-U.S. relations and Iraq crisis. Asked whether Turkey felt fear over the United States' policy in the region, Ozkok said that a fear was out of question and stated, ''all are curious about it because the United States has not expressed a definite target. They are talking about mass destruction weapons, democratization of Iraq and overthrowing dictator Saddam, but they don't have any clear and objective target which will justify their operations in Iraq. People are naturally asking whether or not there is a target except things that are said. But we should believe American officials who said that they wanted to overthrow Saddam, provide peoples of the region with security and prevent terrorists from threatening neighbor countries like Turkey by using territories of Iraq.''
RED CRESCENT ON WAY TO IRAQ
Red Crescent sent six trucks of humanitarian aid to Iraq. Red Crescent Chairman Ertan Gonen said that 500 tents, 5 thousand blankets, 2 thousand mattresses, 500 stoves, 500 hygienic sets, 500 packages of food and 148 parcels of medicine and medical equipment were sent to Iraq to be distributed to 2 thousand 500 families.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ERDOGAN: ''TURKEY IS NOT SO PASSIONATE ABOUT SENDING SOLDIERS TO IRAQ''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that process of dispatch of soldiers to Iraq might have delayed since the United States waited for United Nations (U.N.) resolution. Stating that they were evaluating the issue upon the demand of the United States, Erdogan said that Turkey was not so passionate about sending soldiers to Iraq.
OZKOK: ''WE DON'T HAVE ANY PRECONDITION FOR EU MEMBERSHIP''
Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok said that in case progress was recorded in Turkey's European Union (EU) membership process, problems between Turkey and Greece could be solved in a week. Ozkok said that Turkey could go to help any group in Iraq with which it had historical ties if they asked for Turkey's help. Ozkok, who interviewed with Greek Elefterotipia newspaper, gave important messages about Turkish-Greek relations, EU process, Cyprus and Iraq issues. Underlining that they had no preconditions for Turkey's EU membership, Ozkok said, ''we believe that EU membership would strengthen social state, ensure economic development and raise living standards and quality.''
(EÖ-BRC) 19.10.2003