Press Scan

ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 04, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ANKARA PLANS TO SEND SOLDIERS TO GAZA
Turkey is planning to send ''weaponless soldiers'' to Gaza under efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently paying an official visit to Lebanon, told reporters after his meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Jean Obeid that Turkey would undertake a more active role in efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. Gul added that they were in favor of inclusion of Syria and Lebanon in the Middle East peace process.

MILD EARTHQUAKES JOLT BODRUM AND AFYON
Mild earthquakes measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale jolted Bodrum town of western province of Mugla and western province of Afyon at 21.35 and 23.29 local times. There were not any immediate reports of casualties and financial damages. The quakes sent residents out to the streets in panic. People spent the night in the streets both in Bodrum and Afyon.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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SUCH A SHAME
Extraordinary congress of the Republican People's Party (CHP) was held in Ankara yesterday. CHP leader Deniz Baykal got the vote of confidence once again. A group of dissidents led by Kemal Dervis, the former state minister for economy, departed from the congress hall without casting their votes to protest Baykal.

INFLATION RATES CONTINUE REDUCING
The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced that monthly inflation reduced by 1.05 percent in wholesale prices and dropped by 0.13 percent in consumer prices in June of 2004. As of June 2004, annual inflation became 10.53 percent in wholesale prices and 8.93 percent in consumer prices. In the first six months of 2004, inflation rate became 8.14 percent in wholesale prices and 3.05 percent in consumer prices. Meanwhile, according to 12-month averages as of June 2004, annual inflation rate was 13.73 percent in wholesale prices and 16.51 percent in consumer prices. Price increase in the private sector of manufacturing industry which is called core inflation rate became 1.2 percent in June.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH HOSTAGES RETURN HOME
Soner Sercali, 27, and Murat Kizil, 26, the Turkish workers who had been kidnapped by Iraqi insurgents, returned home yesterday. The two were released after their employer, the Turkish company Kayteks, agreed to stop supplying the U.S. military with air conditioners for soldiers' barracks. A group calling itself the Mujahadeen Brigade had captured them nearly a month ago. A cheerful welcoming ceremony took place for them in their hometown Gaziantep.

WORLD LEARNS TURKISH LANGUAGE
According to statistics of Turkish Language Learning Center (TOMER), citizens of 110 different countries applied to TOMER to learn Turkish language in the last five years. Meanwhile, number of U.S. people learning Turkish increased by 25 percent in the same period.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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HIDDEN RELATIONS WITH WASHINGTON
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government has been hiding proposals of the U.S. administration and talks between Turkish and U.S. officials from the Turkish public opinion. Recent statements of U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith about the new global defense strategy and talks among the allied countries unveiled the hidden talks between Turkish and U.S. officials.

ANKARA EXPRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT GOVERNMENT CRISIS IN TRNC
Ankara expressed its concerns about deepening government crisis in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Both Prime Ministry Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been monitoring the political developments in TRNC carefully. Earlier, the Turkish government announced that it was in favor of resolving the crisis without holding early elections.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ANTI-TERRORISM RALLY HELD IN VAN
Members of non-governmental organizations and political parties held a rally in eastern province of Van to condemn terrorism. Nearly 5 thousand people were in attendance at the rally. They chanted slogans against the terrorist organization of PKK/Kongra-Gel and carried Turkish flags. On Friday, three people were killed in a car-bomb attack apparently targeting Van Governor Hikmet Tan.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ERDOGAN: ''WE SHOULD PRESERVE OUR UNITY''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that terrorism would never reach its target. After killing of three people in a car-bomb attack in Van on Friday, Prime Minister Erdogan called on everyone to preserve traditional unity and solidarity.

''TURKS ARE MORE EUROPEAN THAN US''
The weekly Le Point Magazine of France said that the Turks had already been living in Europe for the last six centuries. In an article written by Patrick Besson, it was noted that Turks were more European than many of European nations.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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LEBANON GETS READY TO LAUNCH INITIATIVES FOR TRNC
Foreign Minister Jean Obeid of Lebanon said that they had been holding talks with Turkey about lifting of embargoes imposed on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), and that they were planning to launch an initiative soon. Obeid met with Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently paying an official visit to Lebanon. Following the meeting, Obeid said that they were opposed to embargoes, adding that building up new walls would not lead to any solution in the globalizing world. He added that they had signed the decisions made at the summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Istanbul about TRNC without any hesitation

TURKEY WINS THREE GOLD AND THREE SILVER MEDALS
The 18th International Bogazici Judo Tournament started in Istanbul. On the first day of the tournament, Turkey won three gold and three silver medals.

(UK) 04.07.2004