ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on September 2nd, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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SURPRISE FROM GERMAN MINISTER
Hans Martin Bury, German State Minister for European Affairs, said that the European Union (EU) would decide to give Turkey a firm start date for entry talks in the EU Summit in December. Bury, who is currently in Ankara on an official visit, met Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. Bury said that they welcomed reforms that Turkey fulfilled, adding that everyone would see in December that Turkey which had a modern Islam would combine with Europe.
TCDD HAS BIGGEST FAULT
Turkish State Railways (TCDD) was found guilty (4/8) in non-stop train accident in Pamukova town of northwestern Sakarya province on July 22. Ismail Gurses, the lawyer of the engineers said that experts completed their report on the non-stop train accident in Pamukova town. Gurses said that according to the report prepared by experts, the first engineer Fikret Karabulut was also found guilty (3/8) while the second engineer Recep Sonmez was found guilty in a lesser extent (1/8). The Civil Court in Adapazari released Koksal Coskun, the chief of the train, since he was not found guilty.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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DECISION IN LAST MINUTE
Whether or not Russian President Vladimir Putin will delay his visit to Turkey due to the hostage taking in North Ossetia has not become definite yet. Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said that Putin would not postpone his visit to Turkey. On the other hand, Turkish businessmen making business with Russia said that Putin held a long meeting, noting that if there was an intervention in the region, he could delay his visit at the last moment.
EXPORTS OF TURKEY
Turkey's exports in August 2004 rose by 22.1 percent as compared with the same month of last year, to reach 4.7 billion U.S. dollars, Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) said. TIM announced that Turkey's exports in January-August 2004 period increased by 33.6 percent and reached 39.79 billion U.S. dollars. On the other hand, Turkey's exports reached 57.89 billion U.S. dollars between September 1, 2003 and August 31, 2004.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN HOLDS ''RUSSIAN SUMMIT'' WITH BUSINESSMEN
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Turkish businessmen who are working in Russia. Erdogan told reporters after the meeting that Russian President Vladimir Putin will come to Turkey tomorrow and he would convey the recommendations and views of Turkish businessmen to Putin in their meeting. Erdogan said that he was informed by the businessmen and he will convey their views to Putin. He added that they will have a chance to discuss what kind of investments Turkish and Russian contractors can make in third countries.
U.S. AMBASSADOR MEETS GUL
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul received U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman. After the meeting, when he was asked whether Gul would meet U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell during the U.N. General Assembly sessions in New York, Edelman said that the schedule was not determined yet, adding that but it was possible. Gul and Edelman discussed measures that would be taken against attacks on Turkish drivers and engineers in Iraq.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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PUTIN'S VISIT NOT DELAYED
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will visit Turkey between September 2nd and 3rd, will be the first Russian leader paying an official visit to Turkey in the last 32 years. Putin did not delay his visit to Turkey due to terrorist acts in Moscow and Chechnya. Cooperation in energy field, defense industry and Caucasus will top the agenda during his visit to Turkey.
VERHEUGEN TO MEET BAYDEMIR
Gunter Verheugen, member of the European Commission, Enlargement, will pay a visit to Turkey between September 5th and 8th. Verheugen will meet Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir. Verheugen who will start his official meetings on September 6th is going to meet EU countries' ambassadors to Turkey over a breakfast. Verheugen will hold official talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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REPORT FINISHED, WHAT'S NEXT?
A non-stop train derailed near Pamukova town of northwestern province of Sakarya on July 22, killing 38 people and injuring 80 others. Experts completed their report on the non-stop train accident in Pamukova town of Sakarya. According to the report, Turkish State Railways (TCDD) was found faulty (4/8), since TCDD did not restore railways and ATS-Auto Train Stop system was not installed on the train. The first engineer Fikret Karabulut was also found faulty (3/8) while the second engineer Recep Sonmez was found faulty in a lesser extent (1/8).
AK PARTY ALONE ON ISSUE OF ADULTERY
Republican People's Party (CHP) earlier gave Justice and Development Party (AK Party) the green light on its proposal that adultery should be considered a crime, but CHP later take a backward step on the issue due to reactions in the public opinion.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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PUTIN'S VISIT
After terrorist attacks in Russia, delay in Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Turkey was brought onto the agenda. Russian Ambassador to Turkey said that any delay was out of question. Putin will arrive in Ankara this evening. Putin's visit will be a sign of mutual confidence and dialogue which have been developing in recent years between Turkey and Russia.
AK PARTY DELEGATION IN PALESTINE
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) delegation including AK Party deputies Omer Celik, Egemen Bagis and Mevlut Cavusoglu, met Sa'eb Erekat, Minister of Negotiation Affairs of Palestine. Bagis told reporters prior to the meeting that they arrived in Palestine for peace, adding, ''we came here for our Palestinian and Israeli friends to find the ways of contributing in peace and of assistance.'' The delegation conveyed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's good will and friendship message to President Yasser Arafat and Palestinian people.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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GUL: ''WE WILL OPEN A NEW PAGE WITH RUSSIA''
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul spoke to Zaman ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Turkey. Gul said that they would open a new page with Russia. He noted that bilateral relations between the two countries would be redefined under a comprehensive partnership.
LEYLA ZANA SAYS CLASHES IN EASTERN REGION SHOULD BE ENDED UNCONDITIONALLY
''Laying down arms and ending clashes soon unconditionally and indefinitely is an urgent need for our people,'' Leyla Zana, one of four former deputies of the banned Democracy Party (DEP), said. The former parliamentarians Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak held a joint press conference in Ankara on the occasion of World Peace Day.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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SATICI SAYS TURKISH ECONOMY NEEDS RADICAL REFORMS
Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) Chairman Oguz Satici who announced Turkey's exports in August 2004 said that they were making very high payments in real interest. Satici said that Turkish economy needed radical reforms and a sound growth. Turkey's exports in August 2004 rose by 22.1 percent as compared with the same month of last year, to reach 4.7 billion U.S. dollars. Turkey's exports in January-August 2004 period increased by 33.6 percent and reached 39.79 billion U.S. dollars. On the other hand, Turkey's exports reached 57.89 billion U.S. dollars between September 1, 2003 and August 31, 2004.
EDELMAN SAYS THEY FORMED A COOPERATION MECHANISM WITH FOREIGN MINISTRY
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul received U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman. After the meeting, Edelman told reporters that they formed a cooperation mechanism on measures that would be taken against attacks on Turkish drivers and engineers in Iraq with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
(EÖ-AÖ) 02.09.2004