ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 23, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ANKARA PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE CALLS ON ERBAKAN TO SURRENDER
Ankara Prosecutor's Office issued an arrest warrant against former leader of banned Welfare Party (RP) Necmettin Erbakan in connection with the case known as ''missing trillions'' in public. Erbakan had been sentenced up to two years four months imprisonment terms on charges of ''falsification in documents''.
Erbakan was given seven days to surrender.
Erbakan, who applied to postpone the sentence, sent a health report Supreme Court.
CETIN SAYS HIS NEW ASSIGNMENT HAS SERIOUS RISKS
Former Foreign Minister Hikmet Cetin, who would start his term in office on January 20 in Afghanistan as NATO's ''highest level civilian official'', said that, ''of course, there are risks. I believe in fate. I am going there on behalf of an institution and to help Afghan people. I am going there not with weapons, but with my good will. Afghan people and every kind of terrorist groups, if there are any, should show understanding to this.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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F-16 WAR PLANE CRASHED, PILOT INJURED
An F-16 war plane crashed during training flight in Bandirma and pilot of the plane was injured. The engine of the plane took fire due to a technical failure during take off. Pilot Serhat Yildirim achieved to jump out of the plane. The plane fell to an empty area in runway. Yildirim was taken into Bandirma State Hospital.
GUL: DO NOT TAKE A DANGEROUS STEP
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul warned Iraqi Kurdish leaders Jalal Talabani and Massoud Barzani who made proposal to Iraqi Governing Council to form a federal Kurdish state in the north of Iraq. He said that trying to change the demographic structure of Iraq and especially Kirkuk was a very dangerous step.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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MASSACRE AT SEA
Captain sank 70 refugees by saying that he would bring them to Rhodes island and he escaped by speedboat while the boat was sinking. A total of 69 people who drowned while going from Marmaris to Rhodes became the victims of refugee gang. 11 people were detained. Only one Iranian person survived after the incident and bodies of seven people were found until now.
RAID TO DEATH HOUSE
Police continue operations after the bomb attacks launched in Istanbul. The confessions of Osman Eken, who was arrested after the bomb attacks, prevented a big massacre. Police started an operation over the confessions of Eken who is kept in Kandira Prison and 12 sacks of potassium nitrate, electronical mechanisms and explosive materials were seized in a house in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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OZKOK WARNS FUNDAMENTALISTS: THEIR END WILL BE THE SAME
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said, ''name of Kubilay is a source of morale for the society as it shows what would be the end of those who target secular and democratic structure of Turkish Republic and those who dare to fight against it.''
Gen. Ozkok said Kubilay incident should be accepted as the most important turning point of Turkey's history.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said Kubilay was the symbol of the fight against fundamentalism.
Stressing that secular and democratic republic would be protected till the end, Sezer said Turkish nation would oppose to any kind of activities against republic. Sezer said Menemen incident ended with announcement of people's loyalty to republic.
DENKTAS ASSUMES ATTITUDE AGAINST AK PARTY GOVERNMENT
President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said an immoral pressure was put on Turkish Cypriot side to put Annan Plan to referendum.
When asked whether or not he would sit at negotiation table in case Ankara wants starting of talks in the basis of Annan Plan, Denktas said, ''Annan Plan is not a plan that is open to negotiation. Discussing this plan will mean to accept putting this plan to referendum. We will not be deceived by this.''
Denktas said he could meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan within one or two weeks, noting that he conveyed his views regarding Annan Plan to Ankara.
Denktas said, ''we hope our views will be taken into consideration'' and gave the impression that he felt uneasy over Ankara's attitude.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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DENKTAS: ANNAN PLAN IS IMMORAL PRESSURE
While Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan wanted Cyprus negotiations to continue on the basis of Annan Plan, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said that the plan has no side to talk on it. He said that sitting at table meant to present that plan to referendum, adding that this kind of a unilateral implementation was an immoral pressure that was not seen in the world.
WARNINGS FROM GUL TO TRNC
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul gave warning messages about the issue of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Recalling that a critical process has started in Cyprus issue, Gul said that forming of new government in TRNC should not be delayed. He warned political party leaders for not making deputy transfer to overcome the current deadlock.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GUL: THOSE ARE VERY DANGEROUS STEPS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul warned the Kurdish leaders, who began to search for 'federation' in north of Iraq. Gul at the same time criticized European Union (EU) who put pressure for solution on Cyprus. Gul said ''unilateral pressures will not yield results.''
Stating that people of Iraq suffered a lot for years because of misleading administrations, Gul said, ''we hope that this period ended. We also hope that Iraq will participate in international system and come out as a second democratic country as well as Turkey in the region with Arabs, Kurds and Turks by preserving Iraq's territorial integrity and political unity.''
Gul made important warnings to particularly Barzani, Talabani and the United States, stating that, ''if wrong steps are taken that would endanger Iraq's territorial integrity and political integrity, this will be the starting of a new danger. It will mean starting of new sorrows and tears. We warn everybody. Everybody should protect his own territory in a peaceful way and should be in an effort to form a democratic Iraq that will be in order and tranquility. I believe that steps would be taken in this respect.
Gul said a very serious point was also reached on Cyprus question, noting that a calm and wise attitude should be covered.
IRAQI TURKMEN FRONT SAYS IRAQ CAN NOT BE DIVIDED
Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Chairman Faruq Abdullah Abdurrahman responded to KDP leader Massoud Barzani who said they would set up a Kurdish Federation in the region covering Mosul and Kirkuk cities and north of the country.
Stating that Mosul and Kirkuk were Turkmen cities, Abdurrahman said they considered this step as a part of the desire of Talabani and Barzani to set up Kurdish state in north of Iraq.
Abdurrahman, who met with Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ali Tuygan, made a statement and said plans of KDP and PUK to set up a Kurdish federation in north of Iraq would not be accepted by Turkmens and Arabs. He said as the Turkmen Front, they would reject any federation that would disrupt territorial integrity and political unity of Iraq.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ANKARA WARNS: DO NOT DETERIORATE UNITY OF IRAQ
Ankara reacts to Kurdish groups in Iraq which wanted to form a ederation. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul warned Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani and Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani on not taking steps that would endanger political unity of Iraq.
FINE FROM IRAN TO TURKISH DRIVERS
It was claimed that Iran sentenced Turkish drivers, who were carrying food materials from Iran to Turkey, to pay fine when the drivers bought small amount of goods from Iran. The drivers said that they were also asked why they bought large amount of goods in Turkish side of Gurbulak border gate.
(AY-GC-AÖ) 23.12.2003