ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 4, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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DEATH TOLL INCREASES TO 18 IN KONYA
Death toll increased to 18 and number of the injured people rose to 31 in the eleven-storey building which collapsed in Selcuklu town of central province of Konya late on Monday. Search and rescue efforts have continued throughout the night to find 77 people who are believed to have been trapped under the rubble of the building. Meanwhile, it was revealed that contractor of the building fled. Security forces have launched an operation to capture him.
NUMBER OF TURKISH PEOPLE WHO DIED IN STAMPEDE IN HAJJ INCREASES TO 11
Number of Turkish people, who were trampled to death during Sunday's devil stoning ritual at the annual hajj, increased to 11. It was revealed that Mehmet Kaya and Zulice Sabit were among those who lost their lives in the stampede. A total of 251 people, who slipped and fell during the ritual of devil stoning in Mina city of Saudi Arabia, were trampled to death in the crush of people throwing pebbles at stone pillars symbolizing the devil.
EXPORTS FROM GAP TO FREE ZONES INCREASES
Exports from the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Region to ten free zones in Turkey increased 7 percent to 28 million 708 thousand U.S. dollars in 2003. In 2002, the region exported goods of 26 million 891 thousand U.S. dollars to 11 free zones. The region exported goods of 19 million 482 thousand U.S. dollars to the Istanbul Leather Free Zone and goods of 4 million 669 thousand U.S. dollars to the Gaziantep Free Zone. The region exported 27 million 404 thousand U.S. dollars in textiles, 1 million 109 thousand U.S. dollars in grain-cereals and 195 thousand U.S. dollars in dried fruits.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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FINAL AGREEMENT SIGNED ABOUT BTC PIPELINE PROJECT
The final agreement about Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) crude oil pipeline project, which will transport Azerbaijani oil to Turkey and world markets, was signed in Azerbaijani capital Baku. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler said, ''former President Haydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan had made great contributions to the (BTC) crude oil pipeline project, one of the most important projects in the world. Therefore, we have decided to give his name to the terminal in Ceyhan.''
Referring to the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline project, Guler said, ''besides Turkey, the project will also meet requirements of the European Union (EU).''
DIE ANNOUNCES MONTHLY AND ANNUAL INFLATION RATES
The State Institute of Statistics announced that annual inflation became 10.8 percent in wholesale prices and 16.2 percent in consumer prices as of January of 2004. In the same period previous year, annual inflation was 32.6 percent in wholesale prices and 26.4 percent in consumer prices. Inflation rates in January increased by 2.6 percent in wholesale prices and by 0.7 percent in consumer prices over to the same month of 2002. In January of 2002, monthly inflation was 5.6 percent in wholesale prices and 2.6 percent in consumer prices. According to 12-month averages as of January of 2004, annual inflation became 23.6 percent in wholesale prices and 24.4 percent in consumer prices. According to 12-month averages as of January of 2003, annual inflation became 45.9 percent in wholesale prices and 41.3 percent in consumer prices.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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POWELL MEETS WITH ANNAN
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has taken action to find a solution to the Cyprus issue. Powell met with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan yesterday. Meanwhile, the foreign minister of Greece held a telephone conversation with United Nations Secretary General Annan, and said that they were ready to resume negotiation process.
''HUMAN LIFE SHOULD NOT BE LOST AS A RESULT OF IRRESPONSIBILITY''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has said, ''I want to stress that human life is very precious, and should not be lost as a result of irresponsibility. I hope that events like the destruction in Konya would never occur again.'' Releasing a message after an eleven-storey building collapsed in central province of Konya burying many people under its debris, President Sezer expressed his profound sorrow over demise of many people. President Sezer extended his condolences and implored God's strength upon all who are grieving for their beloved one.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ANNAN TO INVITE CYPRIOT SIDES ON FRIDAY
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, who met with U.S. President George W. Bush, said that all sides of the Cyprus issue seemed to be ready to resume negotiation process. Annan is expected to send invitations to the sides on Friday to resume negotiation process with the aim of finding a solution to the Cyprus issue till May 1, 2004.
DECREASE IN INFLATION RATE CONTINUES
The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced that wholesale prices rose by 2.6 percent and consumer prices increased by 0.7 percent in January of 2004 over to the same period last year. As of January, annual inflation decreased to 10.8 percent in wholesale prices and to 16.2 percent in consumer prices. According to 12-month averages as of January of 2004, annual inflation became 23.6 percent in wholesale prices and 24.4 percent in consumer prices. Price increase in the private sector of manufacturing industry which is called core inflation rate became 0.6 percent in January of 2004. Sources said that it had been the lowest inflation rate since 1975.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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CALAMITY IN KONYA
Death toll increased to 17 in the eleven-storey building which collapsed due to poor construction in Selcuklu town of central province of Konya late on Monday. Search and rescue teams have pulled 31 people alive from rubble of the collapsed building. Nearly 100 people are feared to have been trapped under debris. Meanwhile, a criminal investigation has been launched against contractor, architect and engineer of the building.
ARINC: ''WE ARE IN FAVOR OF STABILITY''
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc left for Hungarian capital Budapest on Tuesday to attend the 16th conference of European Parliament President and Parliament Speakers of Candidate Countries. When asked during his press conference at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport prior to his departure, ''some circles claimed that Turkey would take advantage of recent bomb attacks in Iraq. What do you think?'' Arinc told reporters, ''these are totally wrongful and nonsense allegations. Turkey has been trying to do its utmost to contribute to settlement of tranquillity, stability and democratic process in Iraq. We want achievement of democratization process in Iraq. We have been advocating protection of territorial integrity of Iraq from the very beginning.'' ''Turkey does not have any interests in such acts of terrorism, explosions, killing of people and attempts of leading Iraq into a turmoil and chaos. These are totally nonsense allegations. Turkey has never taken part in such actions,'' he added.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ERDOGAN: ''WE WILL BRING THOSE RESPONSIBLE TO JUSTICE''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said about the calamity in central province of Konya, ''many people lost their lives and many others were injured when an eleven-storey building collapsed in central province of Konya. It is totally a technical failure. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with such difficulties. We will try to do our utmost to remove these difficulties.'' He added that they would bring those responsible to justice.
TUZMEN TO PAY VISITS TO UKRAINE AND SYRIA
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen has said, ''we will pay visits to Ukraine and Syria this month together with Turkish businessmen. We are planning to hold Joint Economic Commission meeting with Ukraine and to sign Free Trade Agreement with Syria.'' Tuzmen will pay a visit together with 150 exporters and contractors between February 24 and 27, 2004. During the visit, Turkey-Ukraine Joint Economic Commission meeting will be held. Later, they will pay a visit to Syria.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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KURDISH PARTIES: ''WE ARE GRATEFUL TO TURKEY''
Kurdish parties in northern Iraq denied allegations saying that they had held Turkey responsible for Sunday's twin suicide attacks on bureaus of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) in Irbil city of Iraq in which 100 people were killed and many others were injured. Releasing a joint written statement, the KDP and the PUK said, ''neither PUK leader Jalal Talabani nor KDP leader Massoud Barzani held Turkey responsible for attacks. Turkish people's commiserating with us had mollified our grief.'' They thanked for proposal of Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who said that Turkey could undertake medical treatment of the injured people in the attacks.
(UK-AÖ) 04.02.2004