ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on May 1, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BABACAN: OUR FUTURE WITH IMF WILL BE DEFINITE IN JULY
Turkish State Minister Ali Babacan said that they were working on three alternatives as screening, precautionary stand-by and normal stand-by in relations with International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the economic program ended. He added that they would take a decision about this issue in June or July.
PRODI: EU LEADERS ARE HYPOCRITICAL
European Commission President Romano Prodi accused European Union (EU) leaders of being hypocritical and criticized their attitude towards Turkey. He said that EU leaders were giving different messages in Turkey and then they were talking differently in Brussels.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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CIA AND MOSSAD: BE CAREFUL AT NATO SUMMIT
The intelligence claiming that terrorist activities would be held during NATO Summit in Istanbul was taken up at a meeting held at the Turkish Prime Ministry. Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Undersecretary Senkal Atasagun explained Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan the warnings of CIA and MOSSAD against terrorist activities. Erdogan asked for coordination among those organizations.
PROCESS OF RECOGNITION OF GREEK CYPRIOTS STARTS TODAY
The difficult calendar during which Greek Cypriots will be recognized is starting today. A ceremony will be held in Dublin, Ireland for the accession of ten more countries to the European Union (EU) today. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will have to watch flag ceremony of Greek Cypriot administration as ''Cyprus Republic'' and the representative of the whole Cyprus island.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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PATRIARCHATE SETS FORTH FINAL OPINION TOWARDS ATHENS
The Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate announced that it had ended ''every kind of relationship'' with the Greek Church. The decision was taken in the extraordinary meeting of 42 metropolitans bound to the Patriarchate. The Patriarchate said that it had decided to end its relations with the Greek Church due to disrespect to metropolitans in the north of Greece, violation of agreement signed on 1928, and escalation of problems since the last year.
BUSH'S WORD FOR CYPRUS
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to U.S. President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone yesterday. Bush said during his phone conversation with Erdogan that the United States was disappointed with the decision of the Greek Cypriot side and added that his country would do its best for peace in Cyprus. Erdogan also asked Putin to extend support to Turkey in Cyprus issue.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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WIND BLOWS OPPOSITE IN CYPRUS
The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (U.N.) have stated as of April 25 that Turkish Cypriots would not be punished and isolated. However, the promises were not kept. Although the government said Turkey gained the most important diplomatic victory in the last 50 years, a concrete development did not occur regarding the lifting of embargoes.
PRODI: EU IS HYPOCRITICAL TOWARDS TURKEY
The European Commission President Romano Prodi said that accused European Union (EU) leaders for talking differently in Turkey and Brussels. He noted that EU leaders said Turkey would enter EU when they met with Turkish officials, but they told him in Brussels that the EU should not hurry in Turkey's membership.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TWO DIFFERENT MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS IN ISTANBUL
The Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (Turk-Is) will hold a demonstration upon May Day at Abide-i Hurriyet Square in Istanbul. Celebi, Chairman of Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK) which is one of the groups that will convene in Sarachane, Istanbul, said, ''if they don't allow us to demonstrate at Taksim Square, they should show us a place to hold our demonstration.''
''RECOGNITION IS ALSO AN ALTERNATIVE''
U.S. State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Weston did not exclude the possibility of recognition of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for the first time. Weston said that legal grounds preventing recognition of north of Cyprus were disappearing. U.S. officials has stated for the first time that recognition of TRNC is ''an alternative.'' Weston noted that principles against recognition of north of Cyprus had started to become baseless in the U.N. Security Council and the EU. However, Weston said, the United States focused on ending isolation of TRNC at the moment instead of recognizing it.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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PRODI: EU HYPOCRITICAL
European Commission President Romano Prodi criticized attitude of leaders of European Union (EU) member countries towards Turkey and said that those leaders were saying that Turkey would become an EU member when they met Turkish officials. Prodi noted that those leaders were changing their stance when they returned to Brussels and told everybody not to hurry in Turkey's membership. Recalling that Turkey's EU candidacy was announced at the Helsinki Summit in 1999, Prodi stressed that it was too late to discuss whether Turkey's candidacy was right or wrong. Prodi added that EU would start full membership negotiations with Turkey if Turkey had met Copenhagen criteria.
COMMISSION PASSES CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PACKAGE
Turkish Parliamentary Constitutional Commission adopted constitutional amendment package comprised of ten articles which was prepared as a part of European Union (EU) adjustment works. The package was adopted unanimously with the support of the Republican People's Party (CHP).
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SUPPORT FROM CHP TO EU PACKAGE
Turkish Parliamentary Constitutional Commission started yesterday to discuss the proposal for constitutional amendment for adjustment to the European Union (EU). Republican People's Party (CHP), which wanted lifting of political immunities in order to support the amendments, made a surprise in the commission. CHP supported the package which was brought to the commission with the signatures of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies.
SCHROEDER AND FISCHER: TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP IS A PROFIT FOR SECURITY
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said that Turkey's European Union (EU) membership would be a big profit for EU's security. They said that clashes between cultures could be prevented this way.
(GC-BRC) 01.05.2004