ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on October 9th, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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GOVERNOR GIVES LICENSE FOR GUNS OF GANG
Bilecik Governor Ayhan Cevik, who was a target of a bomb attack of TKP-ML/TIKKO militants when he was the governor of Cankiri, gave gun license to some people with request of Sedat Peker, head of an organized crime gang, it was claimed. Police claimed that Peker hosted Cevik in Istanbul and gave him some presents. Telephone conversations recorded between Cevik and Peker were sent to the Interior Ministry. Cevik said that he did not recognize Peker. Cevik noted that upon a note of the Istanbul Governor's Office that two people whom he gave gun licenses had links with crime gangs, he cancelled those licenses.
WE CAN GO TO BRUSSELS TOGETHER ON DECEMBER 17TH
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested Deniz Baykal, the leader of main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), to continue cooperation in the biggest civilization project of Turkey. Appearing on television last night, Erdogan was asked if he would go to EU heads of state and government summit due on December 17th together with Baykal. He said, ''why not? Our country should reach the best result.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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THE ECONOMIST: ''ISLAMIC IMAGE CAN RISK EU''
British ''The Economist'' periodical said that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government should refrain from Islamic discussions such as criminalizing adultery till December 17th. Turkish government should also assume a moderate attitude on Cyprus issue, the periodical stated. It said that Erdogan exerted great efforts for Turkey's European Union (EU) process, noting that the EU would give a firm start date to open entry talks with Turkey.
SEZER: ''NEGATIVE FACTORS SHOULD BE CHANGED''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer replied to questions on the European Commission's Progress Report. ''It was what we expected. There are also some negative factors and determination about Turkey in some parts of the report. Those negative factors should be changed,'' Sezer said. Stating that Turkey would continue to exert efforts to be a full member of the European Union (EU), Sezer added that what was important was to protect Turkey's national interests.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SEPTEMBER 12TH CONSTITUTION TO RELEGATE TO PAGES OF HISTORY WITH EU
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy leader Firat said that they would launch initiatives for a new constitution when the EU heads of state and government decided to open negotiations with Turkey on December 17th. Lifting legislative immunity and other kinds of immunities will be taken up within this framework.
UNESCO WARNS FOR LAST TIME
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Special Projects Director said, ''we don't want to exclude Istanbul from world heritage list, but there are many things to be done there.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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SEZER'S REACTION TO REPORT: ''THERE ARE NEGATIVE ASSESSMENTS AND ELEMENTS''
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer stressed that Turkey would never give up its European Union (EU) target, and said, ''what is important is to protect our national interests with determination during the negotiation process.'' When he was recalled that Kurds and Alaouites were shown as minorities in the progress report, Sezer said, ''why should we consider a majority element as minority?''
GUL CALLS VERHEUGEN: STRICT CONDITIONS SHOULD BE CHANGED
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who thanked European Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen, who prepared the progress report on Turkey, asked Verheugen to change strict conditions laid down for Turkey as a different implementation when compared with the membership processes of other candidate countries. PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, ''if criteria other than Copenhagen political criteria are imposed, they will be our red lines.''
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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EUROPE DISCUSSING TURKEY
European Union (EU) is discussing enlargement due to the decision which will be made on Turkey on December 17. French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said that the world needed political Europe, not geographical Europe. Italian political parties convened to discuss Turkey. The message from Spain said that they considered Turkey's accession to the EU positive.
BASESGIOGLU: ''FREE MOVEMENT OF WORKERS CANNOT BE PREVENTED''
Labor and Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu said that they could not accept any provision of the European Union (EU) preventing free movement of Turkish labor force in Europe. He said that the government would work very hard to enable beginning of entry negotiations as soon as possible till December 17.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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NEGOTIATION OPERATION!
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will go on a tour to European countries to convince those who oppose to Turkey's European Union (EU) membership process. Erdogan will meet German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac in Paris, where he will go on October 26th. Later, Erdogan will proceed to Italy and meet Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi, and attend the EU meeting in Brussels between November 5th and 6th. On the other hand, Gul will ask for support of Portugal, Czech Republic and Scandinavian countries.
''IT WILL ALSO HAVE EFFECTS ON CYPRUS''
Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said that the new process (which started as the European Commission recommended to open negotiations with Turkey) would also have some effects on Cyprus. Talat said, ''we will continue to be in solidarity and cooperation in these important and difficult days.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ONLY SOLUTION OF CONFLICT OF CIVILIZATIONS IS AN EU MEMBER TURKEY
Chris Patten, European Commissioner for foreign affairs, said that ''he could not think of a better solution than Turkey's European Union (EU) membership, to prevent conflict of civilizations. Patten, considered France's Turkey policy ''contradicting'' and therefore criticized it, referred to France's decision to hold a referendum on Turkey's future EU membership and said, ''I hate referenda.''
ARABIAN PRESS: EUROPEAN TURKEY WILL BE A GUIDE FOR MUSLIM WORLD
The European Commission's recommendation to EU member states to open negotiations with Turkey drew great interest of the Arabian media. Arabian newspaper stressed that a European Turkey could be a guide for Islam world, and drew attention that the EU was undergoing a big test regarding the thesis of conflict of civilizations.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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23,000-PERSON MAFIA ARMY
The report which was prepared by Turkish Police Department showed the hideous fact about organized crime gangs. According to the report of Department of Anti-Organized Crimes, nearly 150 gangs are active in Turkey. A total of 1,755 people were arrested on charges of involving in activities of organized crime gangs last year. Nearly 1,500 people are still in prison. Mustafa Toren Yucel, former chairman of Police Records Department, said that mafia groups in Turkey had nearly 23,000 armed men.
ERDOGAN: ''WE MADE A SILENT REVOLUTION''
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that they made a silent revolution. Speaking to Italian La Repubblica newspaper, Erdogan described reforms that Turkey made as a 'silent revolution'. He stressed that he believed that European Union (EU) leaders would give a date to open entry negotiations with Turkey as soon as possible at EU Summit on December 17th.
(EÖ-BRC) 09.10.2004