ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on April 5, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BELGIUM, EXPLAIN!
Two incidents which occurred last weak revealed an unbelievable relationship between the Belgian government and terrorist DHKP-C organization. DHKP-C's spokesman Musa Asaoglu held a news conference in Brussels and said, ''we have an agreement with Belgium based on confidence.''
A spokesman of Justice Ministry said, ''Fehriye Erdal, one of the suspects of killing of businessmen Sabanci, was among those who were taken into custody within the scope of operations in Europe. However, Interior Ministry provided her release.''
Those two important developments brought two questions:
1- Does Belgium have an agreement with terrorist organization?
2- Does Belgian Interior Ministry protect a terrorist who was involved in a murder in Turkey?
GUL: WE WILL BE ON THE ISLAND FOREVER
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, speaking about Annan plan which would be separately put to referendum in both sides of Cyprus on April 24, said, ''Turkey will have soldiers on the island forever as guarantor country. Sovereignty was not provided, but sovereignty of Greek Cypriot side was taken from them. If Greek Cypriot side rejects it, I will proudly ask the world to recognize TRNC. We had not withdrawn from the negotiation table in Buergenstock thanks to the contributions of TRNC President Rauf Denktas.''
Gul said EU circles would have to recognize TRNC if Greek Cypriots reject the plan. He said, ''Greek Cypriot side was always supported so far. They will have disappointment as they will not have this support from now on.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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MILITARY TO DISCUSS RELATIONS BETWEEN DENKTAS AND GOVERNMENT
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) commanders will explain their uneasiness stemming from the government's severing relations with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and also discuss derogations in the meeting of National Security Council (NSC) which will be held on Monday. Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok and force commanders convened on Sunday before NSC's Monday meeting and made assessment that derogations which were mentioned in favor of TRNC in the Annan plan were not taken under guarantee in regard to European Union (EU) law. Military will also bring onto the agenda dissolution of relations between the government and TRNC President Denktas.
TREASURY TO SELL BONDS IN TWO SEPARATE AUCTIONS THIS WEEK
Treasury will conduct two auctions on April 6 to sell 231-day discounted treasury bills and 504-day discounted state notes. Value date of treasury bills is April 7, 2004 and maturity is November 24, 2004 while value date of state notes is April 7, 2004 and settlement is August 24, 2005. Meanwhile, Treasury will fulfill domestic debt repayment of 4 quadrillion 553 trillion Turkish liras on November 7.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN TO DISCUSS LOAN FOR MARMARAY IN JAPAN
Countdown has started on construction of Marmaray. An agreement will be made this month with consortium which won tender of tube tunnel. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will hold meetings for loan of the second stage in Japan. Countdown on construction of Istanbul Strait rail tube tunnel called 'Marmaray' started. Meetings on contract between DHL Construction Directorate General and Japanese Taisei-Kumagai Gumi-Gama Industrial Company consortium were completed. According to the timetable, construction of tube tunnel will start in June. Erdogan will hold meetings on loan of the second stage of the system during his visit to Japan between April 10 and 14.
NEW MEETINGS ON TL START
Central Bank has been continuing its preparations for omission of zeros from Turkish lira (TL). Banks' administrators had meetings on this issue with representatives of real sector. This issue was discussed with supermarkets. Central Bank administrators started meetings on omission of zeros from TL with markets in central Anatolia region including Yimpas, Cagdas and Canerler. Administrators will also hold meetings with supermarkets such as Migros, Tansas and Gima.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TRNC PRIME MINISTER TALAT: ''TURKISH CYPRIOT CITIZENS OF TURKISH ORIGIN WILL STAY''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said that the list of Turkish citizens which would stay in the island according to consensus which was reached in Cyprus summit which was held in Swiss resort of Buergenstock. Talat said that 45 thousand Turkish citizens would be citizens of the new state within the scope of the Annan plan and noted that people who had come to Cyprus before at age of 18 and who stayed for seven years would have priority.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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NEXT TEN YEARS FOR WOMEN
According to a survey which was conducted by Prof. Dr. Binnaz Toprak and Prof. Dr. Ersin Kalaycioglu with 2 thousand people, most of people want women to have better education and better conditions. Toprak and Kalaycioglu listed proposals which will provide women with more participation in working life in the survey. 75 percent of people think that political parties and governments who have come to political power so far did not attribute sufficient importance to problems of women. 83 percent of people think that women should have better conditions in education. 64 percent of people said that they could give more tax for education.
CONFUSION IN CYPRUS
As Greek Cypriot side leader Tassos Papadopoulos is preparing to announce that he will say 'no' in referendum on the Annan plan which will be held on April 24, it is also revealed that most of Greek Cypriot people will say 'no' to the solution foreseen in the Annan plan. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat's Republican Turkish Party (CTP) is in favor of the Annan plan.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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THERE WILL NOT BE ANY AMNESTY ANYMORE
Turkish Penal Code (TCK) will be amended after 78 years. Punishments will be heavier.
In the new TCK, punishments to honor killings will not be commuted. Punishment to killings will be life imprisonment. Those who have a habit of committing crimes will be followed continuously. Punishment to torture will be more severe.
The new TCK targets to protect freedom of individuals and makes important changes for individuals to live in a secure society.
There will be important changes in the new TCK particularly for woman rights.
TURKISH CYPRIOTS SAY ''YES''
A public survey carried out in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said more than half of Turkish Cypriot people would say ''yes'' to Annan Plan that would be put to referendum on April 24.
A public survey was held in a TV program in which Mehmet Ali Talat, Prime Minister of TRNC, also attended.
917 people attended the public survey. 51.1 percent of the participants said they would say ''yes'' in the referendum. 48.7 of those who attended the public survey said they would say ''no'' in the referendum.
Talat said, ''I expect Mr. Denktas to say 'yes' to the plan.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ANKARA TO HAVE A BUSY WEEK ON CYPRUS
Ankara will have a busy week on Cyprus prior to the referendum that will be held on April 24.
Council of Ministers and National Security Council (NSC) will evaluate the point that was reached in negotiations in Switzerland.
Parliament will take up the issue on Tuesday.
The evaluations are important for the written commitments about the referendum that would be presented to the United Nations till Friday and for the signals that would be sent to TRNC.
FOUNDATION OF TUBE TUNNEL TO BE LAID
Foundation of Istanbul Strait tube tunnel will be laid.
Transportation Ministry, which completed bidding process, reached an agreement with a consortium comprised of Turkish and Japanese companies.
Foundation of the tube tunnel, which will cost approximately 830 million U.S. dollars, will be laid by the end of this month.
The system is planned to take effect in 2008.
(EÖ-AY-AÖ) 05.04.2004