ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 9, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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FIRST MESSAGES FROM CARAMANLIS
Premier-elect Costas Caramanlis of Greece, who swept the long-ruling Socialists from power in Sunday's elections, has said that they were in favor of Turkey's accession to the European Union (EU). In an interview with the Le Figaro daily of France, Caramanlis said that, however, the role of the army in Ankara was against the European rules. Stressing that the Turkey should make a serious reform to this end, Caramanlis said that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan seemed willing to these reforms.
S&P RAISES TURKEY'S LOCAL CURRENCY RATING TO ''BB-''
Standard and Poor's (S&P), a leading rating organization, has raised its long-term local currency rating on Turkey to ''BB-'' from ''B+'' and revised local and foreign currency outlook on Turkey to ''positive'' from ''stable''. S&P said that the ''B+'' long-term foreign currency rating and the ''B'' short-term foreign and local currency ratings on Turkey were affirmed. S&P credit analyst Ala'a Al-Yousuf said that the improvement in Turkey's creditworthiness reflected the progress that the government was making on both the economic and political fronts toward restoring durable macroeconomic stability.
TUSIAD TO INAUGURATE ITS BUREAU IN PARIS
Inauguration of Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association's (TUSIAD) bureau in French capital Paris will be held today. Besides TUSIAD Executive Board Chairman Omer Sabanci, State Minister Ali Babacan; Economy, Finance and Industry Minister Francis Mer of France and Movement of Enterprises of France (MEDEF) Chairman Antoine Selliere will attend the inauguration.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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EU: ''WOMEN SHOULD BE PROTECTED''
The European Union (EU) Troika has met with Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul in Ankara. Foreign Minister Brian Cowen of current EU Term President Ireland, Foreign Minister Ben Bot of next EU Term President the Netherlands, and EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen for enlargement attended the meeting. EU Council Secretary General and EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana was also in attendance at the meeting. During the meeting, the EU Troika members referred to killing of Guldunya Toren by her elder brothers to save their honor. The EU Troika asked Turkey to annul the reduction in punishment for honor killings by amending the Turkish Penal Code.
ISTANBUL TO HOST MEETING OF TURKISH INVESTMENT CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL
State Minister Ali Babacan has said that representatives of ten separate sectors from 11 countries would attend the meeting of Turkish Investment Consultative Council to be held in Istanbul on March 15, 2004. Holding a press conference, Babacan said, ''the most important target of the meeting of Turkish Investment Consultative Council is to promote Turkey. Also, those making investments all around the world will explain their views about Turkish economy during the meeting. Besides directors of 20 multinational companies, World Bank President James Wolfensohn and International Monetary Fund (IMF) European I Department Director Michael Deppler will be among participants of the meeting.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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A FORMULA OF GUARANTEE FOR CYPRUS
The Cyprus issue was high on agenda of yesterday's meeting between Turkey and the European Union (EU) Troika. Turkey asked the EU to make a solution to be reached in the island a basic part of the EU law. However, the EU Troika members failed to give any guarantee to Turkey. The EU Troika members said that they would seek a formula.
MILITARY VEHICLE HITS A LANDMINE KILLING TWO SOLDIERS
Two Turkish soldiers were killed and four others wounded when their vehicle hit a landmine in Gercus town of southeastern province of Batman. Batman Governor Efkan Ala said that the landmine was set off by terrorists with a remote control while the soldiers were patrolling in the area.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INCREASES BY 6.5 PERCENT
The industrial production increased by 6.5 percent in January of 2004 over to the same month of the previous year. The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced that manufacturing industry production increased by 7.5 percent; and electricity, gas and water production increased by 5.8 percent while mining industry production decreased by 12.6 percent in January of 2004 over to the same period of the previous year.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ANKARA CONCERNED ABOUT IRAQ'S NEW INTERIM CONSTITUTION
Iraq's new interim constitution was signed by 25 members of the Iraqi Governing Council who convened yesterday under the chairmanship of Paul Bremer, the U.S. chief administrator in Iraq. Ankara expressed its concerns over the interim constitution. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell telephoned Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and told him that Turkey's views would be taken into consideration. Meanwhile, the government is planning to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers to discuss the recent developments in Iraq.
DENKTAS: ''THE PRESS PUBLISHED INTENTIONAL NEWS STORIES''
President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, ''the press in Turkey has been publishing intentional news stories to humiliate me.'' When recalled by a journalists at yesterday's press conference that there were some news stories claiming that the Turkish government had criticized him during his last week's visit to Ankara, President Denktas said, ''these news stories are nothing but lies. We held quite sincere talks with Turkish government officials. Also, it was claimed that I had rejected Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's offer for dinner. This is also a lie. I told Prime Minister Erdogan that my plane was about to take off. These are intentional news stories aiming to humiliate me.''
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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''WRITE A REPORT IN ENGLISH AND EXPERIENCE MISERY IN COURTS''
While Turkey has been exerting great efforts to adjust to the European Union (EU), Ankara Basic Civil Court no: 15 will continue hearing a lawsuit filed by the Prime Ministry Directorate General of Foundations against the Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TIHF). The foundation is accused of translating a prison report in English, sending it to international organizations, and presenting a special file to the United Nations about human rights records of Turkey.
EP TO WARN ABOUT CYPRUS
The European Parliament (EP) is expected to approve a report warning the sides in Cyprus to find a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue as soon as possible and stressing that any failure in efforts to find a solution would cause problems in Turkey's European Union (EU) membership process. The report prepared by parliamentarian Jacques Poos of Luxembourg, emphasized that the Greek Cypriot side should display good-will in the United Nations-backed negotiation process aiming to find a solution to the Cyprus issue.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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''IF TURKEY FULFILS COPENHAGEN CRITERIA, IT CAN GET A DATE''
The European Union (EU) Troika has met with Turkish government officials in Ankara. Foreign Minister Brian Cowen of current EU Term President Ireland, Foreign Minister Ben Bot of next EU Term President the Netherlands, and EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen for enlargement attended the meeting met with Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. During the meeting, they said that if Turkey fulfilled Copenhagen political criteria, it could get a date in December of 2004 for opening of accession talks with the EU.
BODY OF TURKISH ENGINEER ERDEM TAKEN TO ANKARA
Body of Turkish engineer Tolga Erdem, who was killed in Afghanistan, was taken to Ankara. Relatives of Erdem were handed over his body at Ankara's Esenboga Airport. He will be laid to rest in Ankara tomorrow. Erdem, 29, was killed when unidentified assailants attacked his car along the Kabul-Kandahar highway in Shahjoy district on March 5, 2004. Another Turkish engineer was kidnapped in the armed attack. They were working on a U.S.-funded project to pave the highway. Erdem's body was taken from Afghanistan to Baku yesterday.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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UNITED STATES TO SEND NEUMANN TO TURKEY
While Iraq's new interim constitution was approved officially, the United States has decided to send U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain Ronald Neumann to Turkey to remove concerns of Turkish officials. Ambassador Neumann is expected to arrive in Ankara later in the day. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell held a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. Powell stressed that criticisms of neighboring countries would be taken into consideration during preparation of permanent constitutions of Iraq.
(UK-AÖ) 09.03.2004