ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 19, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
TALAT CALLS ON DENKTAS TO REVIEW HIS DECISION
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat has said, ''I did not expect President Rauf Denktas of TRNC to take a decision not to go to Switzerland to attend the four-party conference. It was a surprise. Now, I call on him to review his decision.'' Meanwhile, both Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis announced yesterday that they would leave for Switzerland to attend the conference aiming to find a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue.
ASSAILANTS THROW FIREBOMBS AT BRITISH COUNCIL IN ANKARA
Assailants threw firebombs at British Council building in Ankara, causing minor damage and no injuries. A witness saw two young assailants throwing two firebombs toward the building. Only one of the bombs exploded, causing minor damage to a guard booth used by police. The Council, funded by the British government, sponsors education and cultural programs.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
''ANNEX YOURSELVES TO SOUTH''
TRNC President Rauf Denktas abandoned hopes when the EU gave him this message: ''Greek Cypriots are going to join the bloc. So annex yourselves to them.'' Why is not Denktas going to four-party summit? Denktas's answer is: ''We have no more margin on bargaining. It is a funeral for the TRNC and Turkish Cypriots. I hope that Turkey would have our sine qua nons accepted in Switzerland. However, I abandoned hopes for it.'' Denktas will send a letter to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, explaining reasons why he won't attend the four-party conference. Denktas says that the EU gave him a message saying, ''the Cyprus Republic founded in 1960 is going to join the bloc. So if you want, annex yourselves to it.'' And he adds: ''they don't consider us two separate states or two separate peoples. They accept the Greek Cypriot state as Cyprus Republic. They want us to be a department of that state.''
SERBIANS GET OUT OF CONTROL
They set fire to the last standing Ottoman mosque in Belgrade. Incidents erupted when Albanians kept Serbians responsible for drowning of three children in river in Mitrovica town of Kosovo and attacked on them. Incidents later spread to Serbia and Montenegro. In clashes, 31 people were killed and 600 others were injured. Serbians who took to streets set fire to the last standing Ottoman mosque (Bayrakli Mosque, built in 17th century) and made merry over burning the mosque down to ashes.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
---------------
LEADERS DUE TO SWITZERLAND
United nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has invited administrations of Turkey, Greece, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the Greek Cypriot side to the Lucerne city of Switzerland to attend the four-party conference on March 23. Both Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis responded Annan's invitation in the affirmative. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat will represent TRNC at the talks since President Rauf Denktas has earlier decided not to go to Switzerland.
GUL: ''PRESIDENT DENKTAS DID NOT INFORM ME''
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said that Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas did not inform him about his decision not to go to Switzerland to attend the four-party conference, and he learned it on television.'' He added, ''we will hold further talks in the coming days. These are the matters to be carried out by holding consultations. We all should exert great efforts to protect rights of Turkish Cypriot people by taking into consideration their future. Such rhetoric of heroism do not lead anyone to any consequence in such issues.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
OPPOSITION CRITICIZES CYPRUS POLICY OF GOVERNMENT
Opposing Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal has said that ''President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) who did not want to undertake responsibility of losing Cyprus, decided not to attend the four-party talks in Switzerland. On the contrary, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will have his place in the history as the prime minister of a government losing Cyprus.''
SERIOUS NEGLIGENCE IN TUBITAK
''Science and Technique'' and ''Science and Child'' monthly magazines of the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council (TUBITAK) could not be published this month due to a serious negligence. First, the government changed the administration of the council, then the tender for publication of magazines were stopped on the ground that it was contrary to the Public Procurement Law.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
TALAT: ''DENKTAS MAY GO TO SWITZERLAND''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat has said, ''I hope that President Rauf Denktas will change his mind, and go to Switzerland to attend the four-party conference.''
CEM: ''WE ARE ABOUT TO LOSE CYPRUS''
New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem has said that Turkey was about to lose Cyprus because of wrongful policy of the government. He criticized the Republican People's Party (CHP) for failing to fulfill duties of an opposition party.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
---------------
BALKANS ON BRINK OF WAR, SERBIANS GET OUT OF CONTROL AGAIN
They set fire to Muslim Albanians' houses and Ottoman heritage mosques. The fire which was covered with ashes in Kosovo has flared up again. Clashes which erupted after Serbians tried to catch three Albanian children and caused them to drown in a stream surrounded Kosovo. In clashes which have been continuing for two days, 31 people were killed and more than 500 others were injured. United Nations and NATO sent reinforcement to region. Serbians set fire to the last standing Ottoman mosque (Bayrakli Mosque) in Belgrade. They also set fire to Merkez Mosque in Nish. Pristina's airport was closed while there is curfew in four cities. Serbian militants celebrated their ''victory'' by yelling in front of the mosques they burnt. They also burnt Albanian flags.
PREMIERS TO RESOLVE IT
Prime Minister Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Caramanlis ''accepted'' Annan's invitation for a four-party summit in Switzerland to resolve the Cyprus issue. Erdogan who will go to Switzerland on the day of local election on March 28 said, ''I go after casting my vote. If the Greek side attends the meeting in prime ministerial level, then I will join, too.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
--------------------
ERDOGAN TO MEET WITH CARAMANLIS FOR CYPRUS ON DAY OF LOCAL ELECTION
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Greek counterpart Costas Caramanlis accepted U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's invitation for four-party Cyprus negotiations. In this way, request of Ankara which insists on highest-level participation for resolution of the issue as soon as possible without any accident, has been accepted. Erdogan and Caramanlis will meet in Lucerne city of Switzerland on March 28 when local election will be held in Turkey. Regarding the issue, Erdogan said he would go to Switzerland after casting his vote early in the morning on March 28. Meanwhile, whether or not TRNC President Rauf Denktas who said two days ago, ''also Caramanlis won't join the negotiations as he believes the negotiations won't reach a successful conclusion'' and decided not to go to Switzerland, would change his attitude is still not clear. It is mentioned that Denktas was evaluating Annan's invitation. Regarding Denktas's impulsive decision, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul showed his reaction by saying, ''heroic speeches on such issues can't work.''
TURKEY'S NEW SATELLITE ''W3A'' LAUNCHED
Eutelsat's satellite ''W3A'' of which also Turkish Telekom became a partner by paying 250 million U.S. dollars was launched three days ago (March 16) from the Baikonur Space Station in Kazakhstan. The satellite will offer very important advantages to Turkey in fields of internet services and digital broadcasting.
(UK-MS-AÖ) 19.03.2004