ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on September 26th, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH WOMEN WANT EU MEMBERSHIP
Bulent Tanla of the Republican People's Part(CHP) made public results of a public survey carried out among Turkish women. According to the survey, 63.6 percent of Turkish women wanted Turkey's membership to the European Union (EU).
PREPARATIONS FOR BORDERS
Land, sea and air border security of Turkey will be adjusted to European Union (EU) norms. Border police teams will provide security of borders instead of soldiers. Border regions will be equipped with high-technology devices to prevent human smuggling and illegal migration.
PARLIAMENT TO CONVENE
The parliament will convene at an emergency session at 11.00 hrs local time today. Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc will preside the session. Draft penal code (TCK), draft about the appellate courts to be established in eight regions and draft about Code of Civil Procedure will be debated at the session.
BODRUM UNDER FLOOD WATERS
Flood waters triggered by torrential rains inundated many houses and business places in Bodrum town of western city of Mugla. Sources said that the flood caused major damage in the town.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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JEST OF HEADSCARF
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami decided to visit Turkey without his wife due to Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's uneasiness on headscarf. Khatami will pay a visit to Turkey next week alone. Khatami will not visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the Founder of Turkish Republic, like other Iranian officials. After Khatami holds meetings in Turkish capital Ankara, he will proceed to central city of Konya.
PRIME MINISTER PROMISES NO RAISE IN PRICES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the biggest sugar factory of Turkey in central city of Konya on Saturday. Erdogan who delivered a speech in the opening ceremony said that there would not be any raise in prices excluding oil. He also underlined that tax burden on Turkish people would be decreased.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ENTRY NEGOTIATIONS TO START IN SPRING OF 2005
European Union (EU) sources said that entry negotiations between Turkey and the EU would start in spring of 2005 the latest. EU's chief negotiator is expected to be EU Commission Turkey Desk Chief Matthias Ruete.
TWO EARTHQUAKES JOLT ELAZIG
Two earthquakes measuring 4 and 5 on the Richter scale jolted eastern city of Elazig yesterday. Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory and Seismology Institute said that the earthquakes were centered on Sivrice town of the city. There were not any immediate reports of casualties or damages, but the earthquakes caused panic among residents.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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PARLIAMENT TO CONVENE
The parliament will convene at an emergency session at 11.00 hrs local time today. Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc will preside the session. Draft penal code (TCK), draft about the appellate courts to be established in eight regions and draft about Code of Civil Procedure will be debated at the session.
ERDOGAN: ''I DID NOT PLEDGE TO ADOPT A SECOND LANGUAGE''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly reacted to allegations saying that he had made secret promises to the European Union (EU) during his visit to Brussels on Thursday. ''Some circles claimed that I had pledged that Turkey would adopt a second official language in addition to Turkish during the meetings in Brussels. These allegations are totally baseless. Mr. Verheugen's spokesman Jean-Christophe Filori also denied these claims,'' he said.
ANOTHER TURKISH DRIVER KILLED IN IRAQ
Turkish driver Besir Akcan was killed in an armed attack near Mosul city of Iraq. Akcan was employed by a Mardin-based Oil Transportation Company. A number of Turks were kidnapped and several were killed, and at least seven Turkish companies have withdrawn from Iraq to secure the release of kidnapped staff since militants waging a violent insurgency in Iraq have increasingly turned to kidnapping foreigners in an effort to drive out coalition forces and contractors.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TURKISH ECONOMY ENTERS A BRIGHTER PERIOD
International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Resident Representative in Turkey Hugh Bredenkamp said that Turkish economy has entered a brighter period with economic stability programs that Turkey has pursued in the recent years. Bredenkamp delivered a speech at a panel in the 6th Economy Summit organized by the Tourism and Economy Scientific Research and Promotion Center (TEBIAT). Stating that Turkey's real net product increased by 13.5 percent in the first half of 2004, Bredenkamp said that this figure made Turkey a country whose economy was developing rapidly. Bredenkamp said that IMF expected Turkish economy to grow 10 percent and inflation rate to be 12 percent this year, noting that they observed very strong financial policies in Turkey.
TEMPERATURES TO DECREASE
Temperatures which are expected to rise 2-4 degrees Celsius in central and western regions of Turkey today will start to decrease on Wednesday. According to the estimations of the State Directorate of Meteorology, there will be rain in Thrace, western part of Marmara, and Aegean regions on Sunday.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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''TALK ABOUT KIRKUK CAREFULLY''
Statement of Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Barzani who said that if the issue of Kirkuk was resolved in line with the temporary constitution of Iraq, Kurds would claim Kirkuk by using force, was taken up during Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul's meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Stressing that Turkey attributed great importance to Kirkuk, Gul called on everyone to refrain from such statements.
BARZANI INCITES AGAIN
Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Barzani, who is currently visiting Iran, has been maintaining his insolent attitude. He said that Kurds were ready to use all their forces for Kirkuk. He added that they were ready to claim Kirkuk by using force.
BODRUM FLOODED
Flood waters triggered by torrential rains inundated many houses and business places in Bodrum town of western city of Mugla, one of the most important tourism centers in Turkey. The flood caused serious financial damage of 3 trillion Turkish liras.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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PARLIAMENT TO APPROVE PENAL CODE
The parliament will convene in an emergency session on Sunday in line with the application of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). The parliament will enact three draft laws. Remaining two articles of the draft TCK will be debated at the emergency meeting.
LEYLA ZANA TO ASK FOR AMNESTY FOR TERRORISTS
Leyla Zana, one of former deputies of the banned Democracy Party (DEP), will visit Brussels in the coming days. Zana will ask for amnesty for PKK terrorists during her visit to the city, when all obstacles in front of Turkey's possible membership to the European Union (EU) have been lifted. She will demand that Turkey should announce political general amnesty for PKK terrorists.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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''NOW, IT IS TIME FOR TAX REDUCTION''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who attended some ceremonies in central city of Konya, said, ''now, it is time for tax reduction.'' Prime Minister Erdogan also said that prices of any products, expect for the imported products, would not be increased.
''TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP SEEMS UNSTOPPABLE''
The Guardian newspaper, one of the leading dailies in Britain, said, ''Turkey is getting closer to the European Union (EU). The momentum now seems unstoppable.''

(EÖ-UK) 26.09.2004