ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 10, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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THERE IS NO MORE PRETEXT
Former DEP deputies Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak were released from Ankara Prison.
Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department released the former DEP deputies without waiting for July 8, the scheduled date of the trial.
''DEP case'' obstacle in front of Turkey's full membership to the EU was removed with this decision.
Yusuf Alatas, lawyer of DEP, had given a petition to Supreme Court of Appeals for the release of the deputies. The Court discussed the case as ''urgent'' and decided for the release of former DEP deputies.
This is the first decision for release taken at appeals stage after re-trial which was made upon decision of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The decision has historical importance and constitutes an example for the other cases.
GUL: FOUR TURKISH CITIZENS TAKEN HOSTAGE IN IRAQ
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said there were still four Turkish citizens kept hostage in Iraq, noting some of them were released.
In a joint news conference held with Albanian Foreign Minister Kastriot Islami, Gul said life security of the Turkish citizens, who were abducted, were above everything. He said, ''I am sure that Iraq people is also uneasy over those incidents.''
Stating that Turkey was one of the main countries contributing to efforts to meet basic needs of Iraq people, Gul said, ''we consider those acts against Turks as wrong.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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G-8 SUPPORT TO TURKEY
Reform process in Turkey was high on agenda of bilateral meeting between U.S. President George W. Bush and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder during the G-8 Summit in the United States. The two leaders eulogized reform process in Turkey. U.S. President Bush extended their support to Turkey's European Union (EU) membership while Chancellor Schroeder stressed that they were impressed with recent political reforms in Turkey.
TIGHT SECURITY MEASURES FOR NATO SUMMIT
Turkey has been getting prepared to host world leaders at NATO Summit on June 28 and 29. Tight security measures have been taken for the summit. F-16 war planes will form an air shield over Istanbul. In case of an attack, F-16 planes will destroy the target upon order of General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok. Meanwhile, NATO will send AWACS to Istanbul. Radar and air defense systems at the 15th Missile Base Command will back the war planes.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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AGREEMENT WITH IMF WILL BE ADJUSTED TO THE CONDITIONS OF THE MARKET
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''we will complete talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) till negotiations with the European Union (EU). 2005 program will have a content meeting the expectations of the markets.''
Stating that studies with the IMF would continue, Gul said, ''primary surplus is the fundamental criterion which will drop risk premium and the interests. Our sensitivity on the issue will continue.''
CICEK: ''TURKISH JURISDICTION HAS DONE EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER''
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, speaking about release of former deputies of the Democracy Party (DEP) from prison, stated that ''Turkish jurisdiction has done everything in its power. Now, it is turn of the others. Those who have been trying to prevent Turkey's European Union (EU) membership, lost their last excuse.''
Replying to questions of journalists after Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department no: 9 had decided to release former DEP deputies Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Selim Sadak and Orhan Dogan, Cicek said, ''Turkish jurisdiction understands and interprets changes in Turkey and in the world in the best way. Turkish jurisdiction has made a decision in line with the criminal procedure rules. Its decision will relieve Turkey politically. Those who have been trying to prevent Turkey's EU membership, lost their last excuse now.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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FREEDOM AFTER TEN YEARS
Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department no: 9 made a surprising decision ten days before summit of the European Union (EU). Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak, the former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies, were released from prison. The department released former DEP deputies taking into consideration time they had served their sentence in prison. Former DEP deputies have served 10 years of their 15-year sentence.
HEARING OF OCALAN STARTS AT ECHR
Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) started hearing the case of Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization of PKK. Lawyer Sukru Alparslan made defense of the Turkish government. Alparslan said ECHR in its ruling last March had said that Turkey violated Articles 3 (prohibition of ill-treatment) 5 (detention) and 6 (fair trial) of the European Convention on Human Rights. Alparslan said there was not military judge in the State Security Court (DGM) judging and sentencing Ocalan, and stressed that defense right of the applicant was totally preserved. He said Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights was not violated.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TWO GIANT STEPS
Turkey has taken two giant steps in its European Union (EU) process. First, Turkish Radio and Television Corp. (TRNC) has started broadcasts in mother languages including Kurdish. Then, Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department no: 9 decided to release Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak, the former Democracy Party (DEP) deputies, from prison.
GUL DESCRIBES UNITED NATIONS' IRAQ RESOLUTION A TURNING POINT
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that the United Nations' resolution on Iraq was a historic step and a turning point. Gul said that the United Nations' resolution was an important step for stability of Iraq, but Iraqi people should back it for success of the resolution. The United Nations' resolution emphasized territorial integrity of Iraq and fight against terrorism and stressed importance of establishment of good relations between Iraq and its neighbors, Gul noted. He added that the resolution ended occupation and transferred sovereignty to Iraqi people.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ANOTHER STEP WITH ERDOGAN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who represented Turkey for the first time as ''democratic partner'' in G-8 summit held in Georgia, the United States, expressed readiness to expend support within the scope of ''the Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative''.
Other leaders who joined the summit also expended support to the project.
TERRORISM WARNING FROM ANKARA
Turkey called on new administrators of Iraq, which gained sovereignty with the UN resolution, to undertake their responsibilities against terrorism threat from Iraq toward other countries.
Turkey's Permanent Representative to UN Umit Pamir told a meeting of Iraq's Friends Group that UN resolution on Iraq was an important milestone in transition process in Iraq.
Pamir said Turkish wished the decision to help a united, independent and sovereign Iraq to live in peace, and called on all the political actors in Iraq to act with restraint and responsibility.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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DOUBLE SUPPORT FROM G-8 TO TURKEY
Support was expended from two important countries for Turkey's European Union (EU) full membership in G-8 summit in which Turkey was given pioneering role in reform process that will give a shape to Middle East of the future.
U.S. President George W. Bush and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who met at the summit, both expended support to Turkey's full membership and appreciated the reforms fulfilled by Turkey. The two leaders stressed the determination of the government to take steps toward democratization.
IMF DECISION IS EXPECTED TO BE TAKEN BEFORE AUGUST
As Turkey's stand-by agreement with the IMF which started in economic crisis in 2001 ends in February 2005, government's decision regarding how to continue is expected to be taken before IMF recesses in August.
Economy bureaucrats completed alternative study on the format of the new agreement, which will replace the current stand-by. The stand-by agreement with the IMF will end by the end of February in 2005.
(UK-AY-AÖ) 10.06.2004