ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on May 11, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BILL ON YOK TRANSFERRED TO PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
The government is not withdrawing the bill which paves the way for imam hatip (schools for education of Islamic clerics) from the parliament. Justice and Development Party (AKP) will cool the problem with the ''President's veto''. The government decided not to withdraw the bill on Higher Education Board (YOK) from the parliament, which allows imam hatip students and graduates to enter universities despite opposition of rectors, universities and the General Staff. The government adopted the intention of passing the bill from the parliament although it knows that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will veto it. Behind the doors, it is told that AKP government would cool the problem by not ''being insistent'' on the bill during the process of Presidential Palace in order not to create tension. Sources said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had told his close friends that they were trying to remove an injustice. ''Nobody should seek an ulterior motive here. We are trying to remove an injustice through democratic ways. There is so superior power than the parliament. The parliament makes the final decision. We made a promise before general elections. And we will keep our word. However, the point that disappointed me is that it overshadowed my visit to Greece. The visit was a great event. The General Staff's statement overshadowed the visit.''
SERDENGECTI WARNS GOVERNMENT: DON'T ARGUE, TAKE ADDITIONAL MEASURES Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti made an 80-page presentation to the government, giving the messages: ''negative impacts are minimized if additional financial measures are taken in time and there is no need to argue on relations with the IMF and primary budget surplus.'' Serdengecti said that FED's (U.S. Central Bank) message about an increase in interest rates and expectations were the number one factors of recent fluctuations. Stressing that the loss caused by outflow of ''foreigners'' was seen in not only Turkey but also emerging economies like Brazil and Russia, Serdengecti said, ''impacts are minimized if additional financial measures are taken.'' Noting the second reason for increase in foreign exchange rates was ''buying of foreign currencies in panic'', Serdengecti stressed that some banks had open positions. Serdengecti said third reason was ''current deficit''. ''Current deficit follows a different tendency when compared to last year. It was envisaged to be like this. Current deficit will continue also in March and April. There is no need to worry.'' Stressing that there was no need to argue whether or not Turkey should continue working with the IMF, Serdengecti said, ''we have to continue working with the IMF whether or not we win a date for opening of accession talks with the EU. Countries including Czech Republic and Latvia did it in this way.'' Reasons for increase in foreign exchange rates according to the Central Bank:
-U.S. Central Bank announced it would increase interest rates, triggering U.S. dollar.
-Foreigners are exiting, there is purchase of foreign currencies in panic due to open positions.
-High current deficit increases foreign currency rates.
ARMENIAN HEAD OF STATE NOT COMING
Armenian President Robert Kocharian would not be attending the NATO summit in Istanbul at the end of June. Armenian Presidential Press Secretary Ashot Kocharian told Itar-Tass that decision of Kocharian on not attending the NATO summit in Istanbul ''could be explained by the existing situation of relations between Turkey and Armenia''. Defending that progress in Turkey-Armenia relations could not be recorded in 2003, Kocharian said he wanted to once again stress that Armenia was ready to enhance its relations with Turkey without any precondition. Noting that Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan would represent Armenia in the NATO summit on June 28-29, Ashot Kocharian said relations between NATO and Armenia improved under Partnership for Peace program.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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''IT IS PRIVATE LIFE''
It was proven that Prime Ministry Press Advisor Ahmet Tezcan had taken initiative to prevent broadcasting of footage in which Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis kisses Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's wife Emine Erdogan's cheek. The newspaper's Sunday's front-page headline news ''private life crisis'' on ''initiative to censor footage of kissing'' was formally confirmed. It was proven that Ahmet Tezcan was the official who took initiative to prevent broadcasting of the footage which shows Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis kisses Emine Erdogan's cheek before he sees off Erdogan couple at the end of their visit to Greece. Tezcan said he had requested the Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) and other television channels not to broadcast the footage. ''We requested the Cumhuriyet newspaper and told them that it would be better if they won't publish those pictures as it is private life.''
ROTH'S PRISON SHOW
German Greens Party parliamentarian Claudia Roth went to Ulucanlar prison in Ankara and pounded on its door although she was not permitted to talk to former DEP deputies staying in that prison. Roth and an accompanying delegation who came to Ankara on a one-week visit firstly visited the Justice Ministry and later Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul to get permission to visit former DEP deputies in Ulucanlar prison. Although she failed to get permission, Roth and her friends went to the prison to give flowers to Leyla Zana and knocked on the prison's door. Roth who got nervous when the door was not opened started pounding on the door and later she tried to throw the flowers to the garden. When she couldn't throw them, she left flowers in front of the door. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek and Gul said Roth did not make a request for a visit to former DEP deputies.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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PREMIER ASKS ABOUT BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA
During yesterday's Council of Ministers meeting, recent fluctuation in markets and general situation of the economy were discussed. State Minister Ali Babacan for Treasury explained that interest rates fluctuate in all emerging markets while Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti who briefed the government said, ''measures should be taken.'' Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked Serdengecti about implementations in the world. Erdogan wanted to know about rate of primary budget surplus in Brazil and Argentina which have been conducting program with IMF. However, Ali Babacan answered the question and said, ''also these countries cannot reach an agreement with the IMF on primary budget surplus.'' Babacan said that interest rates of bonds sold in emerging markets like Turkey, Brazil, Mexico and Russia increased after U.S. Central Bank gave signal that it could increase interest rates.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ECONOMY FLUCTUATES
While expectation about an increase in current deficit, U.S. data and bill on Higher Board of Education (YOK) tension triggered fluctuation in markets, purchases by foreign banks increased U.S. dollar to 1,550 thousand Turkish liras. Banks re-focused on debenture bonds and bonds when Treasury made borrowing at high interest rates while consumer loan interest rates increased over to 2 percent again. Experts who said that foreigners made pretty much purchases stressed that the Central Bank should intervene and the government should take new measures.
CONTINUE WITH IMF
Negative developments in the economy constituted the primary topic of the government. While economy ministers assessed the latest situation, Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti gave clear messages to the Council of Ministers. Noting that relations with the IMF should continue, Serdengecti stressed importance of preserving the primary budget surplus target. Stressing that policies should be developed to revive demand and production capacity, Serdengecti said, ''rapid increase in consumer loan interest rates is a risk.'' Meanwhile, the government defended that the economy was strengthened.
FRANCE CONFUSED
Although French President Jacques Chirac said, ''Turkey's integration will take long and be difficult. However, it happens in the end'', French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy thinks that Turkey does not have a place in Europe in terms of ''geography, culture and history''.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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AK PARTY NOT TAKES BACKWARD STEP
The government transferred the bill that changes that Higher Education Board (YOK) law to the parliament. The government threw the ball at the Parliamentary General Assembly's side about the bill that lifts restrictions on imam hatip students and graduates in university entrance exams to which universities and the General Staff reacted harshly. Following yesterday's Council of Ministers meeting, government spokesman Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said, ''we have sent the bill to the parliament. The bill is now on the agenda of the parliament.'' Noting that everybody should respect the parliament's will, Cicek said, ''all of us should trust this parliament which decided on entering the war. We should absolutely avoid every attitude that overshadows Turkey's democratic structure.''
UNIVERSITY MARCHES TO PARLIAMENT
Professors in academic gown who criticize the bill on YOK marched to the parliament. Academicians who made statement in front of the parliament's door wanted withdrawal of the bill. They said, ''we have the right to violate the laws if a bill which is against basic principles of the Republic is approved.'' Noting that the government targeted to increase influence of imam hatip, they defended that in this way, the government would take revenge of the eight-year compulsory education.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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''PEACE DEPENDS ON YOU''
Israeli President Moshe Katzav sent message to Ankara via the newspaper: ''peace depends on you. Turkey can bring stability to the Middle East because it does have the power to do it.''. Speaking to the newspaper, Katzav said, ''the Palestine problem cannot be solved with military method. However, settlement of peace is quite difficult before end of violence. We are ready to make bitter concessions for peace. We are the ones who really want end of terrorism. Turkey can make great contribution to end of terrorism in the Middle East. You can speak to Palestinians and persuade them to end violence.'' ''Turkey can contribute to peace in the world by persuading not only Palestine but also pro-violence countries. There are many countries that say 'we want peace' but they don't take necessary steps. Turkey does have the power to have those steps taken. We are aware of Turkey's influence over the region. We are ready to cooperate with Turkey to end violence.''
PARLIAMENT TO DECIDE ON YOK
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said they sent the bill on YOK to the parliament. ''It is the parliament that will make the decision,'' Cicek said. ''The parliament which elects the President and decides on entering war when it is necessary will make the appropriate decision also on this matter. Everybody should respect the parliament's decision.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TERRORIST ORGANIZATION TO USE PKK AS ITS NAME AGAIN
Separatist terrorist organization PKK could not get what it expected from the names of KADEK and KONGRA-GEL it has started to use to show itself as if it was a political party. It was proven that the terrorist organization which failed in its process of becoming a political party is preparing itself to use KOMA-GEL (Free People Community) name and decided on using also PKK name. A number of terrorists who saw that the ideology defended by the separatist organization collapsed, escaped from the organization. The organization which also suffers serious problems in economic and logistic fields sees the return to its first name as the remedy. According to a report prepared by the Security Directorate General Intelligence Department, the terrorist organization started to seek methods to overcome those problems. With this objective, the reformist flank headed by Osman Ocalan who was dismissed from the organization and conservatives met at Dole-Koge camp in Kandil mountain one month ago to overcome difference of opinions.
(MS) 11.05.2004