ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on April 29, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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''BRING CHIRAC AND WE HAVE DINNER TOGETHER''
European Union (EU) and Cyprus referendums marked the meeting of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Cologne. Erdogan and Schroeder who held a tete-a-tete meeting prior to inauguration of German-Turkish Chamber of Industry and Commerce had a conversation. Schroeder who called Erdogan ''Herr Erdogan'' firstly touched on the Cyprus issue. He said, ''you have done a very god job in Cyprus. You threw the ball to the other side's court.'' After thanking Schroeder, Erdogan who called him ''Mr. Schroeder'' started talking about opening of entry talks in December. He said that the most serious obstacle was seen in France and he had the impression that it might create a problem. Requesting Schroeder's support to the issue, Erdogan said, ''we have to persuade France. Let's discuss the issue together in Copenhagen on May 1.'' When Schroeder said he considered France's attitude basically negative, Erdogan said, ''no, no...It would be best of all if you bring Mr. President Chirac to Istanbul and we discuss it at dinner. It can be a meeting under NATO meetings. Let's three of us have a dinner.'' Schroeder who promised Erdogan to solve the issue delivered a speech at inauguration and touched on the Cyprus issue. He said, ''Turkish Cypriots can't be punished second time due to those who said no to solution. As the foreign ministries of our two countries, we will work on finding a way to it. We have formed a joint committee.'' Schroeder's words received standing ovation of 1,300 businessmen.
''I GO TO DUBLIN FOR GREEK CYPRIOTS' ACCESSION CEREMONY''
During his visit to Germany, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan gave messages that would decrease tension that escalated in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in the wake of referendums. Speaking to the newspaper, Erdogan said that positive messages came from the United States about lifting of embargoes on the TRNC and he would discuss the issue with U.S. President George W. Bush. Erdogan said he would go to Dublin to attend ceremony at which Greek Cypriot side would accede to the EU. ''You can't achieve a thing by not recognizing.'' He said, ''issues like Ankara's attitude after accession of the Greek Cypriot side on May 1 and recognition of it were not discussed at the National Security Council. We should very well foresee the future. Now there is a country which is accepted as a full member. Didn't we have international relations with them even before their entry, for example in sports events? Yes, we did. You can't achieve a thing by not recognizing. So most probably I will attend the ceremony in Dublin. The important thing is the new process. We hope that a step on opening of accession talks with Turkey would be taken in December of 2004.''
''LET'S HOLD REFERENDUMS ONCE AGAIN''
Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos met with Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis yesterday in Athens where he went to assess referendum results. The two leaders who made statement after their meeting called for a second referendum after several changes in Annan's plan. Caramanlis said they respected decision of Greek Cypriot people and Greece sincerely supported Hellenism case in Cyprus. Stressing that their target would be unification of Cyprus, Caramanlis defended that Annan Plan was not killed. Noting that at the current stage, it was difficult to say when Cyprus talks would resume, Caramanlis said that they welcomed the EU's decision to send aid package to Turkish Cypriot people. Caramanlis said that also they would exert great efforts to increase economic conditions of Turkish Cypriots. Meanwhile, Papadopoulos said, ''plans like the Annan's plan don't die. We don't want negotiation of the whole plan once again. Greek Cypriot people this time accept the plan if it is put to referendum once again after several changes.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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RUSSIA AGAIN PREVENTS COUNCIL
Agreement could not be reached on presidency statement on the Cyprus issue at the U.N. Security Council. Discussions will continue today. The U.N. Security Council decided on continuing the Cyprus session also today. A compromise on presidency statement on the Cyprus issue could not be reached at the session which started on Wednesday morning. Sources said that Russia insists on its objection to lifting of embargoes on the TRNC. Speaking to reporters after yesterday's session, Pakistan's permanent representative in the United Nations Munir Akram said that his country was in favor of lifting of isolation of Turkish Cypriots. Akram who will take over term presidency at the Security Council next month, said the international community should take action on lifting of isolation of Turkish Cypriots. The group including France, China and Brazil headed by Russia at the council has a pro-Greek Cypriot stance while the United States and Britain support Turkish theses.
TRUMP CARD OF ''WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS''
Europe closely follows steps that Turkey will take on ''its relations with Greek Cypriot side'' and ''its military existence in Cyprus'' while Ankara discusses the timing of two important decisions. European diplomats agree with Turkish opinion that Turkish Cypriots should not be punished after referendums. A European diplomat who said that Greece and Greek Cypriots were expected to bind their votes on Turkey in December on the condition of ''decrease in Turkish military existence in Cyprus'' noted, ''we know that also withdrawal of Turkish and Greek troops was rejected in the referendum. However, you have a powerful hand if you announce now that some number of troops would be withdrawn in next six months or one year symbolically.''
Meanwhile, alternatives of ''withdrawal of troops'' discussed in Ankara are as follows:
1- Whole world stands by us if we immediately announce that symbolic number of troops like five thousand would be withdrawn. Getting a date from the EU becomes definite. (especially advisors to Prime Minister Erdogan and diplomats who defend that solution in Cyprus would come onto agenda again)
2- It can be considered in October-December period which is the final stage of Turkey-EU bargaining. (Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and his ministry's departments for EU have this opinion)
3- Signal of ''withdrawal of troops'' while we are the absolute winner of referendum shows that we are ready to make more concessions. Instead of it, if the EU decides to open entry talks with Turkey, we can withdraw troops as a positive reaction. (Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and the ministry's departments for EU) If pressure of ''recognize Greek Cypriots'' from the EU increases, relations with Greek Cypriots will be carried out in a similar way as the relations with Armenia. According to it, Turkey will recognize Greek Cypriot side but they won't be allowed to open embassy and representation in Turkey.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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''WE WILL PUT ANNAN PLAN INTO PRACTICE UNILATERALLY''
Secretary General Ferdi Soyer of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) led by TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat announced that they were getting prepared to put Annan's plan into practice unilaterally. Soyer said the issue would firstly be discussed during Talat's visit to Ankara on Thursday. According to Soyer's statement, the TRNC government targets to give back the places which should be given back to Greek Cypriots and let Greek Cypriots take back their properties in the TRNC under the Annan's plan on which a compromise couldn't be reached. By taking this step, Talat and his government plan to overcome Greek Cypriot side's concerns and criticisms like ''Turkish Cypriots do not abide by this plan''.
'TWO TURKISH OBSERVERS SHOULD BE APPOINTED AT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT''
TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat who went to Brussels as guest of European Parliament (EP) Foreign Affairs Commission said, ''annual aid that Turkey makes to us is more that the 259 million euros that the EU will give to us.'' Talat said he had given priority to issue of lifting of embargoes on the TRNC during his meetings in Brussels. Noting that he had not requested for recognition of TRNC, Talat said withdrawal of troops from Cyprus had not been discussed. Stressing that two Turkish Cypriot and four Greek Cypriot parliamentarians should represent Cyprus in the EP, Talat said he had proposed to leave Turkish seats vacant or appoint two Turkish observers who had the right to address the EP. Meanwhile, another development took place in New York. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan called Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the phone and said he had shown that he was a great statesmen.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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''WORLD HAS STARTED TO SEE REALITIES''
Nobel prize winner World Bank's former chief economist Prof. Joseph Stiglitz harshly criticized the IMF and the American system. Noting that problems occurred in places where IMF's opinions were implemented completely, Stiglitz stressed that excessive revaluation of Turkish lira was concerning.
GREEK CYPRIOTS' WISH FULFILLED
The European Union (EU) which made very limited changes to the Cyprus regulations adopted the green line as the bloc's ''domestic border''. Foreign Ministry sources said that the regulations were based on agreements that the EU had signed in the past with Greek Cypriot administration under the name of Cyprus Republic so very limited changes to it could be made. Some corrections were made to ease trade and passages from the green line.
PLAN TO COME ONTO TABLE AGAIN
Russia opposed to lifting of isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) at the U.N. Security Council. Pakistan adopted stance in favor of lifting of embargo on the TRNC. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said that he hoped the Greek Cypriot side would review the plan again soon.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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''NEGOTIATION STARTS IN MAY''
Good news from his European counterparts to Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul: ''negotiation starts in March 2005''. Gul who said that the EU might start negotiations despite deficiencies said, ''if the reform package we sent to the parliament is legalized with support of the opposition, we fulfill all criteria.'' Noting that his European counterparts had told him that the EU made decision in December 2004 and negotiation would start in March 2005, Gul said, ''however, we have not fulfilled what we committed yet.'' Stating that Turkey would fulfil all criteria with the constitutional amendment package which had been presented to the parliament two days ago, Gul said, ''so we need support of the opposition.'' ''What we need is to have the EU lose all its pretexts to refuse Turkey,'' Gul said and added that Athens had assured that the Greek Cypriot side would not raise obstacles in front of Turkey.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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EU PRESSURE ON FRANCE
One day after German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's statement, British Prime Minister Tony Blair extended ''full support'' to Turkey's EU membership. With a statement to French Le Monde newspaper, Blair warned French President Jacques Chirac and French government who do not have positive stance towards Turkey's EU membership. Blair who wrote Turkey would be EU member soon after it fulfilled necessary criteria said EU would gain a new dimension with Turkey's membership. Stressing that Turkey would be a bridge between Europe and Islamic world, which the EU felt the need for it, Blair said that Turkey was advancing towards Bulgaria and Romania and accession of those countries would bring a new energy to the bloc and contribute to their modernization. While official authorities make statements of intense support to Turkey, France made negative statements last week. Officials of the people's movement union party demanded a ''special status'' to Turkey instead of membership.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TENSION OVER DEMONSTRATION IN TAKSIM
Two labor unions which want to held May 1 celebrations in Istanbul's Taksim square faced problems with the governor's office. Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said the square was not suitable to demonstration and march, adding, ''we will denounce if such things happen.'' When the governor's office did not allow such a demonstration, officials of the Confederation of Turkish Workers Unions (Turk-Is) which decided to hold demonstration in the Monument of Freedom Square accused the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions (DISK) and Confederation of Public Workers Unions of inciting separatism. DISK Chairman Suleyman Celebi said, ''there is no need to get permission of the governor's office. Intervention will be shame of the government. The real separatist is the Turk-Is.'' The Taksim Square is remembered with the provocation on May 1, 1977 in which fire was opened on demonstrators during celebrations, killing 34 people and injuring 93 others.
NATIONAL TEAM PLAYERS SAY ''WELCOME'' TO YANAL
Turkey's national soccer team played their first international match with their new coach Ersun Yanal. In their last night's friendly game, they beat Belgium 3-2. National team's away win is promising for the future.
(MS-AY) 29.04.2004