ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 30, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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WHO WAS THE POLITICIAN TO BE KILLED?
A high-level official of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) was involved in one of the tapped telephone conversations of Alaattin Cakici, who is considered as the head of an organized crime. MIT official said, ''we have heard a tip-off that he would assassinate somebody, and therefore I talked to him.'' Prosecutors, who investigated incidents in which Cakici was involved, learned that a high-level MIT official was involved in one of telephone conversations of Cakici. Prosecutors testified the MIT official. MIT official told Istanbul chief prosecutor and prosecutor at the beginning of June that he had never met Cakici, and noted that the person he spoke on the phone was an aide of Cakici, not Cakici in person. MIT official said, ''we heard that a politician would be assassinated in Turkey. We thought that Cakici was behind this assassination attempt. We wanted to take everything under control.''
WE WILL SURROUND PKK/KONGRA-GEL WITH IRAN
Tehran announced PKK as a terrorist organization. Although Erdogan stayed 5.5 hours more in Iran than he was expected to, Iran did not reduce prices of natural gas Turkey is buying.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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DISAPPOINTMENT IN NATURAL GAS TALKS WITH IRAN
Turkish and Iranian sides could not come to a conclusion in their talks on transportation of Iranian natural gas to Europe via Turkey. The bargaining in Iranian capital Tehran lasted for about eight hours. Iran refused to reduce price of natural gas. At last, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS) and the Iranian Natural Gas Company would carry out negotiations about technical plans of natural gas agreement to be signed between Turkey and Iran.
FREIGHT TRAIN DERAILS IN IZMIR
A car of a freight train derailed near Torbali town of western province of Izmir. There were not any immediate reports of casualties in the accident. The train bound from western province of Aydin to Alsancak town of Izmir derailed due to a technical failure in its wheels.
ACCIDENT CLAIMS 25 LIVES
A total of 25 people were killed and 23 others were injured in a traffic accident near Tercan town of eastern province of Erzincan. A passenger bus, which was on its way from eastern province of Igdir to capital Ankara collided with an Iranian-registered truck. Then a minibus crashed into them.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN'S EFFORTS NOT SUFFICIENT
When Iran wanted more concessions from Turkey when negotiating on natural gas, two countries could not reach any agreement. No agreement was reached in negotiations on natural gas to which Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended in person in order to gain a result. Although serious political will was demonstrated in negotiations, that lasted for about 8 hours and that was a scene of serious bargaining, it was stated that negotiations would be continued in technical level.
CHAIN-REACTION CRASH KILLS 25 PEOPLE IN ERZINCAN
A passenger bus collided into an Iranian truck in Tercan town of eastern Erzincan province. A minibus was also involved in the crash. According to preliminary reports, 23 passengers of the bus and two people on the truck lost their lives. Thirty people were injured in the accident.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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''WELCOME TO YOUR OWN COUNTRY''
President Mohammad Khatami of Iran welcomed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in front of the Sadabad Palace saying, ''this is your house. Welcome to your own country''. During the talks between Turkish and Iranian sides, a memorandum of understanding was signed to form a Higher Security Commission between the two countries. Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said that he would pay a high-level visit to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
PARLIAMENT TO CONVENE TO DEBATE TRAIN CRASH
The parliament will convene on August 4 to debate the censure motion of the Republican People's Party (CHP) against Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim following last week's high-speed train crash in which 39 people died and 80 others were injured. Under the parliamentary by-law, the debate will only go ahead if 184 lawmakers agree to it.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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PROMISE TO MOBILIZE FOR HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS
Turkish Directorate General of Foundations is ambitious to launch a project entitled ''81 restorations in 81 provinces''. Entrepreneurs who want to restore historical artifacts will be supported. Vakifbank has allocated 50 trillion Turkish liras (TL) for restoration of four historical mosques in Istanbul. Yusuf Beyazit, the Director General of Foundations, said, ''under this project, at least one historical artifact will be restored in each province.''
ERDOGAN IS PLEASED AS HE RETURNS FROM IRAN
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was pleased as he returned from his visit to Iran. Two countries signed an agreement which considered the PKK/Kongra-Gel as a terrorist organization. Two countries also reached an agreement enabling Turkish GSM firm Turkcell to serve in Iran market as the second operator. However, Turkey and Iran could not reach any concrete agreement on natural gas.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TEHRAN PROMISES TO SUPPORT TRNC
After it promised to cooperate with Turkey in countering the terrorist organization PKK, Iran said that it would also extend support to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, Erdogan said, ''we expect high-level Iranian officials to visit TRNC'', while Kharazi said that a TRNC delegation will visit Iran in coming days. Kharazi added that an Iranian delegation would also pay a visit to TRNC.
PARLIAMENT TO CONVENE
After the Republican People's Party (CHP) requested the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament to hold an extraordinary session of the general assembly in order to present a censure motion against Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc called on the parliament for this extraordinary session on August 4th.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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A WATCHMAN KILLED IN TERRORIST ATTACK IN DIYARBAKIR
A watchman was killed and two people including a policeman were injured in a bomb attack on a police post southeastern province of Diyarbakir late on Wednesday. Diyarbakir Governor Nusret Miroglu said that unidentified assailants sprayed a police post with bullets and threw a bomb in Mardinkapi district of Diyarbakir late on Wednesday, killing a watchman. It was the first act of terrorism which resulted in death of people since the assassination of Police Chief Gaffar Okkan in Diyarbakir in 2001.
(UK-BRC-AÖ) 30.07.2004