ANKARA (AA) - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on December 22nd, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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MOSUL TELEPHONE
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday and talked about the five Turkish policemen ambushed and killed in Mosul over the weekend. Erdogan thanked Bush for the involvement of U.S. forces in shooting down two of the terrorists that killed the Turks. Erdogan requested from Bush to cooperate in finding those behind the killing of the Turkish policemen.
8 TURKISH POLICEMEN FLYING TO IRAQ TODAY
After five Turkish policemen going to Baghdad were killed by terrorists around Mosul over the weekend, eight Turkish security officials will be flying to Iraq today. The previous five policemen were travelling in private automobiles. Authorities reported that the policeman wounded over the weekend, Sadettin Kece, will return to the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad after his treatment is completed. Upon his release from the hospital, Kece will give information to Turkish security authorities on the ambush against Turkish policemen.
VAT IS GOING DOWN
The actual amount of 18 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) is close to going down to 8 percent for food, health care and education related products and services. With the reduction in the VAT, educational materials and private school tuition fees will significantly go down.
EU: LET ANNAN JOIN DISCUSSIONS
Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende of the Netherlands, European Union (EU) acting president, has stated that they have requested from the United Nations to coordinate activities once again to resolve the Cyprus dispute. Evaluating the results of the recent EU summit in Brussels, Balkenende said that Europe's security would not be complete without Turkey. ''The EU can not afford to lose Turkey. After more than 40 years, we could not have told Turkey 'no.' Saying 'no' would have been a political and historical mistake.'' Balkenende stressed that Turkey's EU membership would not be possible without its recognition of each of the 25 EU member countries.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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''THEY SHOULD BE PUNISHED''
General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok has ordered military prosecutors to investigate all allegations of corruption within structure of the Turkish Armed Forces. The General Staff Military Prosecutor's Office prepared a 171-page indictment about alleged corruption in construction of a military building in Golbasi town of Ankara. A total of 39 civilian and military officials are accused of causing the state to suffer a loss of nearly 132 trillion Turkish liras.
''FIND THE MURDERERS''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President George W. Bush discussed the security situation in Iraq during a telephone conversation. Erdogan expressed his concerns about the situation in Iraq's northern city of Mosul, where insurgents killed five Turkish Embassy security guards and two of their Iraqi drivers on Friday. Prime Minister Erdogan asked President Bush to find those who were responsible for killing of Turkish security guards, and bring them to justice. Prime Minister Erdogan also told President Bush that the time had come for the United States to crack down on terrorist organization PKK/Kongra-Gel.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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BITTER PHOTOGRAPH OF A FAMILY
One of the rare cases in the history of the Republic of Turkey has started at the General Staff Military Court. Retired Admiral Ilhami Erdil, former commander of the Naval Forces, his wife Fusun Erdil and his daughter Deniz Erdil stood trial on corruption charges. The court delegation rejected request of Dincer Eskiyerli, lawyer of Erdil, to hold the hearings secretly and impose a media blackout since some media organs had published news reports violating personal rights of his client. Erdil, who served as the commander of the Naval Forces between 1999 and 2001, is accused of abusing his power and having exerted pressure for military contracts to be allocated to a company headed by his daughter and a close friend. Erdil has rejected the accusations against him.
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES BROAD TAX CUTS
Holding a news conference at the Ministry of Finance, Prime Minister Erdogan announced broad tax cuts as part of a drive to cut tax evasion, attract foreign investment and knock the country's lumbering tax system into shape as it prepares for opening of entry talks with the EU in 2005. Erdogan outlined reductions in two different types of income tax, one levied on wages and the other on personal earnings such as freelance work, noting that the two rates would be merged in 2006. In the meantime the ceiling on salary income tax will be cut to 35 percent from 40 percent, while the top rate for other personal earnings will fall to 40 percent from 45 percent. Erdogan said corporate tax would be cut to 30 percent from 33 percent as of January 1st, 2005, while value-added tax on food, health and education would plunge to 8 percent from 18 percent.
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CONFIRMATION OF MASS GRAVES
The Parliamentary Human Rights Inquiry Commission ruled that remains in a mass grave in Kulp town of southeastern city of Diyarbakir belonged to 11 villagers who disappeared after being detained in 1993. The commission also said that the villagers did not have any ties to the terrorist organization PKK/Kongra-Gel.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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''WE DO NOT WANT ANNAN PLAN''
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said that a new process should be initiated in Cyprus under the recent message of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos strongly objected to Annan's plan saying that no one could play the role of arbitrator. Meanwhile, Greek Cypriot administration's foreign minister Georgios Iacovou said that they did not intend to work for the plan.
GREEK CYPRIOT PRESS: ''PAPADOPOULOS HAS LOST''
The Greek Cypriot press accused their leader Tassos Papadopoulos of being timid for not using right to veto against Turkey during last week's EU Summit in Brussels. The Greek Cypriot press also claimed that their Cyprus policy had failed. The Simerini newspaper said that it was nothing but a diplomatic defeat, and that Papadopoulos had polished boots of Turkey in Brussels. Meanwhile, the Politis newspaper said that it was proved that they were a second-class country.
ERDOGAN DUE TO SYRIA
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will leave for Syria today on a state visit. Prime Minister Erdogan is scheduled to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Asad and Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Utri. Besides the bilateral relations between Turkey and Syria, recent developments in Iraq and Palestine will be high on agenda of meetings. During the visit, the parties will sign a free trade agreement.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TAXES GOING DOWN
The Turkish Finance Ministry is making preparations to start a new tax system, which according to some analysts could be termed as a 'tax revolution.' The Finance Ministry will reduce rates of income tax and Value Added Tax. The income taxes will go down by 5 percent. Dozens of products and services in food, education and health sectors will have only 8 percent VAT compared to the actual 18 percent.
TURKEY'S ''YES'' TO ANNAN PLAN RECEIVES SUPPORT
Support has been given to Turkey's ''yes'' to the Annan Plan. The Prime Minister Balkenende of Netherlands which holds the rotating EU presidency has stated that the Turks and Greeks must discuss this plan. Meanwhile, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Boucher told that the U.S. does not accept any plan but that of Annan on Cyprus.
NO FEAR FOR TURKISH BUSINESSMEN IN IRAQ
Despite the ongoing fierce violence, the number of Turkish businessmen doing business in Iraq and contributing to Iraq's reconstruction is reaching record numbers, said Turkish authorities.
According to data collected by the Adana Chamber of Commerce (ATO), Turkish firms exported goods totaling 15 million U.S. dollars in 2003. Most of the goods exported were soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, vinegar, tobacco products and various food items. 2004 also proved to be a year of success and big profits for Turkish entrepreneurs in Iraq.
In 2004, total Turkish exports to Iraq reached a peak level of 68.73m U.S. dollars. Most of the exports this year were machines, mechanical components and electrical equipment. Food products exported in 2004 reached a record value of 12.85m U.S. dollars.
Some of the items exported from Turkey include agricultural and animal products, wood and wooden products, shoes, slippers, umbrellas, walking-sticks, chairs, belts, whips, artificial flowers, leather goods, briefcases, hand bags, cement and glass products.
ATO Chairman Saban Bas has stated that, despite the ongoing violence in Iraq, Turkish businessmen continue to do business in this country and the volume is increasing every month.
Bas told that exports to Iraq in 2004 increased by 4.5 percent compared to the previous year. ''While most exports originate from Adana, businessmen from other Turkish cities also export to Iraq and the value of the exports is more than 40m U.S. dollars.''
''If we fear the violence reigning in Iraq, this market to which we are so close would be invaded by businessmen from other countries,'' remarked Bas. ''As Turks, we believe in destiny. Whatever will happen is going to happen. We may die here or there. We believe in destiny shaped by God,'' expressed Bas.
Bas stressed that preparations are currently underway to open an office in Iraq that will coordinate the projects of Turkish firms doing business in Iraq. ''We expect our exports to Iraq in 2005 to reach a record amount of 100 m U.S. dollars.'' The coordination office will be opened with the sponsorship of the Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce & Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), Adana Chamber of Commerce, Adana Chamber of Industry and other smaller chambers of commerce.
A very prominent difficulty Turkish businesses experience in Iraq has to do with the poor banking system in this country. ''Due to long delays in transfer of funds, most payments take place as cash,'' expressed Bas.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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''TIME HAS COME TO END PKK-KONGRA-GEL'S EXISTENCE IN IRAQ''
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told U.S. President George W. Bush during a telephone call, ''time has come to end the PKK/Kongra-Gel's existence in northern part of Iraq.'' Prime Minister Erdogan also asked for further investigation into the killing of five Turkish security guards last week in the Iraqi northern city of Mosul.
GUL DUE TO ISRAEL
Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul will pay a visit to Israel to hold talks about future of the Middle East peace process and developments in the region following demise of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. The visit is expected to take place between December 28th and 29th or between January 3rd and 4th. Gul will proceed to Palestine after completing his scheduled meetings in Israel. Meanwhile, Turkey and Palestine signed yesterday a donation agreement worth of 900 thousand U.S. dollars with the aim of developing small and medium sized projects in Palestine.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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THEY USED EVEN ROCKETS
Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu said, ''during the heinous attack on Turkish security guards, not only light weapons, but even rockets were used. It was understood that Turkey has many enemies. No one has claimed responsibility yet.'' According to Aksu, the attack took place in one of the most secure places in Mosul. Assailants used rockets before opening cross-fire on vehicles carrying Turkish security guards. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman called Aksu to offer his condolences.
2004-12-22