ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 4, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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''WE SAW THOSE DAYS IN THE END!''
Turkish society which has been fighting against high inflation rate for 25 years, saw decrease in prices for the first time after long years. According to research of ''Ekonomist'' periodical, price of durable goods and electronic goods decreased rapidly in 2003. The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced that wholesale prices increased by 13.9 percent and consumer prices rose by 18.4 percent in 2003 compared to prices of the previous year. In December of 2003, wholesale prices increased by 0.6 percent and consumer prices rose by 0.9 percent. According to 12-month averages as of December 2003, annual inflation rate was 25.6 percent in wholesale prices and 25.3 percent in consumer prices. To this end, inflation rate decreased to lower than 20 percent of inflation rate that the government determined as a target for 2003.
SUPPORTING VISIT TO NEIGHBOR
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin and some ministers visited Bam city of Iran which was jolted by a devastating quake last week. Sahin and accompanying delegation first visited the camp where 106-person Turkish team have been staying. The delegation received information about efforts of the team from Turkish Emergency Administration Directorate General Department Chief Selahattin Durmaz and other officials and thanked Turkish team for their efforts. They later went to tent-city which was set up by Turkish Red Crescent in Bam city. The tent-city comprised of 400 tents has a capacity of hosting 4 thousand people.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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LETTER FROM DENKTAS
While Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants the sides in Cyprus to sit at the negotiation table on the basis of the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) sent letters to ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies about negative factors in the plan. Defending that the Cyprus question could not be resolved with the Annan Plan, President Denktas asked support of Turkish parliament and AK Party deputies.
EXPORTS FROM AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR INCREASE BY 49.8 PERCENT
Exports from automotive sector increased 49.8 percent to 7 billion 191 million thousand U.S. dollars in 2003. In 2002, exports from automotive sector had been 4 billion 798 million U.S. dollars. Uludag Exporters' Associations (UIB) said that exports of by-industry products increased 25.7 percent to 2 billion 390 million 142 thousand U.S. dollars while exports of automobiles increased to 2 billion 249 million 215 thousand U.S. dollars. The sector exported its products to 14 free zones and 173 countries and autonomous regions in 2003. Germany is ranked first with 1 billion 187 million 117 thousand U.S. dollars among the countries to which automotive exports were made. France, Italy, Spain and Britain followed Germany.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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OIL EXCITEMENT IN HOPA
Black Sea and Turkey have been looking forward to learning results of oil research which has been carried out for one and a half years. The results will be announced on January 15. A platform to extract oil from Black Sea will be set up off Hopa Port. Officials expect that there is an oil reserve which will meet 30 percent of Turkey's oil imports and 150 thousand tons barrel of oil will be extracted in a day from the sea.
PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN: ''PER CAPITA WILL BE USD 10 THOUSAND''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that they targeted that per capita would be 10 thousand U.S. dollars in 2010. Stating that per capita had been 2.600 U.S. dollars before elections in Turkey, he said that this figure increased to 3.300 U.S. dollars today. Erdogan added that they aimed to make this figure 4.000 U.S. dollars at the end of 2004.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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DECREASE IN INFLATION RATE CONTINUES
The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced that wholesale prices increased by 13.9 percent and consumer prices rose by 18.4 percent in 2003 compared to prices of the previous year. In December of 2003, wholesale prices increased by 0.6 percent and consumer prices rose by 0.9 percent. According to 12-month averages as of December 2003, annual inflation rate was 25.6 percent in wholesale prices and 25.3 percent in consumer prices. Price increase in the private sector of manufacturing industry which is called core inflation rate became 0.9 percent in December and 12.3 percent in 2003.
''KUTLU'S STATEMENT HAS HURT OUR FEELINGS''
Azerbaijan has expressed its regret over the statement of Husrev Kutlu, a deputy of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the chairman of Parliamentary Political Immunity Inquiry Commission, who claimed that the picture of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of modern and secular Republic of Turkey, in the parliamentary hall should be removed. Releasing a statement, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Ankara said that the picture of Ataturk on a carpet was prepared by famous Azerbaijani artist Kamil Aliyev and accompanying experts as a result of months long efforts. ''The picture was presented by former President Haydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan to then Parliament Speaker Husamettin Cindoruk. This work of art is a symbol of our endless respect to both Great Leader Ataturk and Azerbaijan's national leader Haydar Aliyev and to friendly relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan. We deeply regretted. Such unnecessary and meaningless arguments have hurt our feelings when we have still been grieving for Haydar Aliyev,'' the statement added.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ECEVIT: ''TRNC PLAN IS RISKY''
Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader and former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has said, ''the government's plan about Cyprus is more risky than the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in regard to rights of both Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).'' Expressing his concerns about the pressure put by the United States and European Union-member countries on Turkey and TRNC, Ecevit added, ''the government has announced its plan about Cyprus. The plan brings TRNC face to face with the threat of destruction.''
BEKAROGLU: ''I WILL BECOME A CANDIDATE FOR SP LEADERSHIP''
After Felicity Party (SP) leader Necmettin Erbakan was sentenced to imprisonment, SP Deputy Chairman Mehmet Bekaroglu said that he would become a candidate for the party leadership during the next general congress to be held in February.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TURKISH DELEGATION PAYS A VISIT TO IRAN
Together with State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, Health Minister Recep Akdag and Public Works and Housing Minister Zeki Ergezen, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin paid a visit to the quake-stricken Bam city of Iran in order to convey the government's quick recovery wishes. During the visit, the delegation visited the tent-city erected in Bam by the Turkish Red Crescent. Meanwhile, Bam Governor Kerimi said that they had received the most important assistance from Turkey.
DETENTION PERIOD DECREASED
Different implementations at the State Security Courts (DGMs) were annulled. An amendment envisaging changes in capture, detention and questioning has come into force. Under the amendment, detention period was decreased from seven days to four days.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ADJUSTMENT PACKAGES MAKE LECTURERS AND JUDGES STUDENT AGAIN
Jurists cannot catch up with the parliament which passed rapidly seven adjustment packages in two years. Judges have some difficulties on taking a decision and lawyers also have some difficulties on making defense due to more than 150 amendments in regulations. Judges have been working hard to learn amendments in regulations. Students studying at law faculties complained that there is not any book regarding recent amendments in law. Books which have been published recently don't include latest amendments.
(EÖ-UK) 04.01.2004