ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on September 11th, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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EUROPEAN PEACE AWARD TO BE GIVEN TO ERDOGAN AND CARAMANLIS
The European Peace Award organized by the European Cultural Organization will be granted to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis this year. The award ceremony will be held at Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace on October 30th.
WARNING TO UNITED STATES TO ''STOP ATTACK''
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul spoke to U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell on the phone, and warned the United States, who is staging attacks in Tal Afar which also target at civilian Turkmens. Ankara was alarmed after U.S. forces staged operations on Tal Afar city of Iraq. Ankara firstly summoned Eric Edelman, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, to the Foreign Ministry and warned that ''extreme use of force which target at civilian Turkmens should immediately be stopped.'' Faruk Logoglu, Turkey's Ambassador to the United States, expressed Turkey's reaction verbally. On the other hand, Gul spoke to Powell on the phone. Ankara gave the message that ''it is wrong to use force against Turkmens when no action was taken against the PKK.''
UNITED STATES: WE HAVE TAKEN (ANKARA'S INITIATIVES) INTO CONSIDERATION
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said that they took Ankara's initiatives into consideration, adding that they were following the developments closely.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED REGARDING LABELED JIHAD SET
Upon the press report of the Milliyet daily, Turkish Culture & Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu asked a higher board to examine the VCD cartoon set which has scenes backing the idea of Jihad. This cartoon set is a promotion of a children's magazine named ''Cocukca''.
TERRORIST AKDAS KILLED IN IRAQ
Habib Akdas, a terrorist responsible for last year's suicide attacks in Istanbul, was killed during the bombardment of the U.S. planes on Ramadi, it was claimed. A video sent to Turkish Ihlas News Agency's office in Iraqi capital of Baghdad showed a dead body claimed to be the body of Akdas. Whether or not it was Akdas will become definite after experts examine the video. Akdas was a member of the terrorist al Qaeda organization and planned the suicide attacks staged in Istanbul on November 15th and 20th, 2003.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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WARNING REGARDING TURKMENS
Ankara launched initiative after the United States's attack on Tal Afar city of Iraq. Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul phoned U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and said that no measure was taken against terrorist organization PKK, but the United States allowed civil Turkmens to die in Tal Afar. Turkish General Staff noted that news coming from Tal Afar were disturbing.
TURKEY GROWS
Turkey's growth rate reached 14.4 percent in the second quarter of 2004. The growth rate in the first half of 2004 was 13.5 percent. Turkish State Institute of Statistics (SIS) announced provisional results for the year 2004. GNP in the 2nd quarter of 2004 was 94,732 quadrillion Turkish Liras with current prices ($1=TL 1,500,000). Growth rate in the second term of 2004 is 20.2 percent in current prices as compared with the same term of 2003. GNP in the first half of 2004 reached 174,175 quadrillion Turkish Liras in current prices. Turkey grew by 5.9 percent in 2003 and 12.4 percent in the first quarter of 2004.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TURKMEN TENSION
Turkish Foreign Ministry, which broke its silence after the U.S. operation in Tal Afar city of Iraq killing at least 23 Turkmens, launched initiatives, calling for end of the operation in the city. Turkish General Staff said that incidents in Tal Afar were disturbing. The United States claimed that Turkmens were not targeted. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell by the phone, said that the United States would take into consideration Turkey's concerns.
TUBITAK DETERMINES VISION
The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) prepared ''National Science and Technology Policies 2023 Strategy Document''. TUBITAK which listed ''weak sides'' of Turkey stressed that research-development studies were ''vital''. TUBITAK said that Turkey should develop its own strategies in medicine industry, energy, genetic studies and defense industry.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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IMPRISONMENT PENALTY FOR ADULTERY NOT ACCEPTED IN EUROPE
Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) adultery draft does not comply with the 8th article of the European Convention on Human Rights which said that the state does not intervene in private life of individuals. If draft law on adultery is enacted and adultery becomes a crime, Turkish people who are sentenced to imprisonment due to adultery can apply to the European Court of Human Rights.
HISTORICAL RECORD IN GROWTH
Turkey's growth rate reached 14.4 percent in the second quarter of 2004. Turkish State Institute of Statistics (SIS) announced provisional results for the year 2004 and said that the growth rate in the first half of 2004 was 13.5 percent.
GULER: ''NO DELAY IN BTC''
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler said that Baku-Ceyhan-Tbilisi (BTC) oil pipeline project would be finished in time, adding that pipeline would start to transport oil as of May 2005.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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WE HAVE OVERPASSED GROWTH TARGET
The State Institute of Statistics (SIS) announced the growth rate in the second quarter of 2004 as 14.4 percent. SIS said that this growth rate was ''beyond expectations.''
EU SUPPORT FROM BOT: YOU HAVE ACHIEVED THE INCREDIBLE
Bernard Bot, the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, the Acting President of the European Union (EU), praised Turkey's progress in recent days, and said, ''what Turkey has done is incredible. It has recorded an impressive success.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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DRAFT TCK LIMITS FREEDOMS GRANTED BY ADJUSTMENT LAWS
Jurists have reacted to the draft Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which has been overshadowed by discussions on adultery, since it includes ambiguous expressions. Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said, ''the Supreme Court of Appeals will fill in the gaps''. But, this view has not been backed. Jurists especially want articles regulating freedom of thought and expression to be re-written so that the judges won't need to comment on the articles. Jurists wanted clear expressions and articles in the draft text. In the draft, normal activities held within the framework of right to organization can even be considered as a crime. Therefore, jurists ask the parliament, which will convene on September 14th to discuss the draft, to throw away this draft TCK.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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BORDER POLICE FORCE TO BE FORMED
Turkish government is taking a historic step to adjust to the European Union (EU). Soldiers deployed at borders will hand over their mission to border police gradually within 10 years. If Turkey becomes a member of the EU, border security will be re-arranged according to EU norms since Turkey will be the southeast border of the EU. The project will cost about 2 billion U.S. dollars, and be met by the EU. In this context, Directorate General of Border Security will be established. This directorate will be authorized to control 107 border zones and airports, and all borders will be equipped with technological devices and equipment in line with EU norms.
POLICE OFFICER SENTENCED TO 4 YEARS AND 5 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR ''TORTURE''
The court decided to send police officer Ahmet Bastan to four years and 5 months in prison on charges of killing Birtan Altinbas, a university student, under detention with torture in 1991. Another police officer, Nahit Kilic, was acquitted.
(EÖ-BRC) 11.09.2004