ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on April 30, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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''SERIOUS SHAME OF MR. ALIYEV''
Eight Azerbaijani parliamentarians did not join the vote at the Council of Europe (COE) Parliamentary Assembly on a report on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) with the pretext saying, ''our President is here''.
The vote ended in the way desired by Greek Cypriots. A report which would allow TRNC parliamentarians to attend COE Parliamentary Assembly sessions for the first time since 1964 was rejected.
Under a bill, it was adopted that TRNC delegation would be ''among Greek Cypriot delegation''. Prior to the vote, Turkish delegation trusted eight Azerbaijani parliamentarians. Words of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev who said during his visit to Turkey, ''we recognize the TRNC if Greek Cypriots vote no'' increased this assurance. However, Aliyev told a news conference in Strasbourg that he did not make a promise to recognize the TRNC. Later, Azerbaijani parliamentarians did not join the vote. Consequently, Azerbaijan stroke the heaviest blow on Turkey regarding Cyprus issue.
''WITHDRAWAL OF SOLDIERS IS OUT OF QUESTION''
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who met with Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and TRNC Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas, said that withdrawal of Turkish soldiers from Cyprus was out of question. Recalling that the Turkish side had committed to withdraw its soldiers if United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan was accepted, Gul said, ''since the Greek Cypriot side rejected the plan in referendum, withdrawal of Turkish soldiers from Cyprus is out of question.''
PREPARATORY TOUR FOR NATO SUMMIT
During his visit to Turkey, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer has been informed on preparatory works for North Atlantic Council (NAC), and NATO and Partner Countries Heads of State and Government Summit Meeting to be held in Istanbul between June 28 and 29, 2004. NATO Summit Meeting Organization Committee Chairman Umur Apaydin briefed De Hoop Scheffer on the preparations.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY-TRNC NATIONAL MATCH
Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared an action plan to soften political, economic, social and cultural isolation of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The plan includes football matches between Turkish and TRNC national teams. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will put the plan into action after release of United Nations Security Council's statement. Turkey will launch initiatives in FIFA and FIBA to lift sports embargo on TRNC. Under the plan, international music and cinema festivals will be held in TRNC.
LIMITED SUPPORT FROM CHIRAC
President Jacques Chirac of France has extended a limited support to Turkey's European Union (EU) membership. Holding a news conference at the Elysee Palace, President Chirac said that Turkey could become a full member of the EU in the long term after fulfilling the Copenhagen political criteria. President Chirac said that accession talks between Turkey and the EU could last for ten years.
ERDOGAN REJECTS POSSIBILITY OF HOLDING A SECOND REFERENDUM
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto has bidden farewell to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During the meeting, De Soto asked a question about Turkey's views over possibility of holding a second referendum in Cyprus. Stressing that a new period had started in the island, Prime Minister Erdogan gave the message that Turkey was not positive about possibility of holding a second referendum. Prime Minister Erdogan added, ''we have done everything. Now, it is your turn. We expect the United States to prepare a fair report.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SURPRISING MEETING BETWEEN ERDOGAN AND GENERAL OZKOK
An unexpected meeting has taken place between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok. It was claimed that many issues including possibility of dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Afghanistan and recent developments about Cyprus following last week's twin referendums were discussed during the meeting. It was also claimed that uneasiness stemming from the government's initiatives to change the Higher Education Board (YOK) Law overshadowed the meeting.
AGAR SUPPORTS PACKAGE OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
When the main opposition party Republican People's Party (CHP) did not extend support to the 11-article package of constitutional amendment, the True Path Party (DYP) has become the key political party in approval process. DYP leader Mehmet Agar announced that they would support the package. Votes of 367 deputies are required to enact the package. The CHP did not support the package since it did not include the issue of political immunity.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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EU: A VERY LONG WAY
According to the French President, Turkey is not ready for European Union (EU) membership on today's conditions. Noting that he was positive towards Turkey's membership in the long term, French President Jacques Chirac said that the most important thing was that the clash of civilizations legend ended. If Turkey's efforts for adjustment were ignored due to ethnic and religious reasons and Turkey was left alone, then the most-feared clash of civilizations would really begin, Chirac said and noted that negotiations with Turkey might last at least ten years.
DAGGER SOLD AT RECORD PRICE
In an auction in London, a dagger belonged to Suleyman, the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire, was sold at 2.6 trillion Turkish liras. The dagger which broke a record was sold to an unidentified buyer at fifteen-fold of its real value.
FILES SHELVED AGAIN
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) which did not include the issue of political immunity in the constitutional amendment package decided to postpone immunity of 21 parliamentarians including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Finance Minster Kemal Unakitan to the end of legislative term. Erdogan was accused of corruption in public bus tickets and Unakitan was accused of ''fake invoices''.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TALAT DUE TO UNITED STATES
Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will pay a visit to the United States at the weekend. Since the United States does not recognize TRNC officially, Talat's visit will not be considered an official visit. However, Talat is expected to meet with high-level U.S. officials including Secretary of State Colin Powell.
GUL: ''TRNC WILL BE RECOGNIZED POLITICALLY''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said that both political and economic embargoes imposed on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would be lifted. Meanwhile, Gul held a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia which prevented approval of a resolution in favor of TRNC by the United Nations Security Council. Turkey wants the United Nations Security Council to use the expression of ''lifting of embargoes'' in its statement instead of the words of ''soften embargoes''.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GUL: ''TROOPS REMAIN PERMANENTLY''
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that political embargoes on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would be lifted after lifting of economic isolation of the TRNC. ''They will all happen step by step,'' Gul said and noted that also TRNC parliamentarians would attend the Council of Europe sessions under the newly emerged situation, also lifting political embargo. Asked whether withdrawal of troops from Cyprus was in question upon request of the European Union (EU), Gul said, ''such a thing is absolutely out of question. It would have happened if the plan had been accepted but Greek Cypriots rejected it.'' Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto bade farewell to Ankara after collapse of solution process on basis of the fifth version of Annan's plan and closure of the U.N. office in Cyprus. Asked whether a new Cyprus plan would be presented, De Soto said, ''we are not planning to present another plan.'' Asked whether Annan's plan was killed, De Soto said that the plan was ''half-accepted'' as Turkish Cypriots voted ''yes'' in the referendum.
FROM ERDOGAN TO TALAT: ''DON'T HARM YOUR UNITY''
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who saw off De Soto later received TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and his aide Serdar Denktas. While Talat briefed Erdogan on his meetings in Brussels, he said that they were not satisfied with the new Cyprus regulations prepared by the EU. Talat said that one of the most important issues about the regulations was issuance of certificates ''about exports of TRNC goods via southern Cyprus'' by Greek Cypriot administration, which was unacceptable. Erdogan said he agreed with Talat's opinion. Stressing that preservation of unity and solidarity of Turkish Cypriots became more important, Erdogan said there should not be an impression that there was a domestic row in the TRNC which had to actually show and prove itself with its state policy. ''Everybody should fulfil his duties under his constitutional authorities,'' Erdogan said. After completing their meetings in Ankara, Talat and Denktas returned to Cyprus.
COULD BE DISASTER
A Turkish Airlines (THY) passenger plane went off the slippery landing runway and it stuck in the mud in a swampy land after it swept for 100 meters. The Boeing 737 plane which took off from Istanbul could not brake and stop on the slippery runway at southeastern Gaziantep airport. Passengers were evacuated safely. None of the passengers were injured but there was serious damage to the plane's landing gear and nose.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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DE FACTO RECOGNITION SIGNAL FROM WASHINGTON
The EU approved the aid package to the Turkish Cypriots despite Greek Cypriots' opposition. Meanwhile, the United States said commercial and political relations with the TRNC would start as if it recognized the TRNC while Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said the Turkish Armed Forces would not withdraw from Cyprus. A new proposal package towards the TRNC is expected from the EU which approved yesterday the Cyprus regulations despite Greek Cypriots while the U.S. administration gave the signal of de facto recognition. U.S. officials said that Washington which took into consideration ''yes vote'' of the Turkish Cypriot side might present de facto diplomatic recognition. Referring to ''Taiwan model'', officials said the United States, in this way, would maintain all its relations with northern Cyprus as if it recognized the Turkish Cypriot side but there would not be formal recognition. Meanwhile, Gul who said also political embargoes on Turkish Cypriots would be lifted after lifting of economic embargoes stressed that the Turkish Armed Forces would never withdraw from Cyprus. ''Such a thing is absolutely out of question. It would have happened if the plan had been accepted but Greek Cypriots rejected it,'' Gul said.
HE WILL BE ATTACKER IN TURKEY V ROMANIA
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be the attacker of the Turkish parliamentary football team that will take on their Romanian counterparts in a friendly game on May 21 in Romanian capital Bucharest. Also Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase will be in the Romanian squad. Erdogan played for the third division IETT team when he was a young man and was about to sign a contract with Turkish first division club Fenerbahce in those years. Meanwhile, Turkish Labor and Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu who also played football like Erdogan in the past will be in Turkish squad.
(MS-AY) 30.04.2004