ANKARA (AA) - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on December 30th, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY PUT PRESSURE AND GUVEN ARRESTED
Drug smuggler Nurettin Guven, who was released after being taken into custody in Britain, was arrested on Wednesday with the request of Turkey and France.
Guven, former chairman of Malatyaspor soccer team, had been captured in Britain in April 1994 and sent to Wandsworth Prison. However, Guven was later released.
Speaking to Hurriyet newspaper Guven earlier said, ''there isn't any problem for me to go to Turkey any more. I am no more among those Turkey searched for thanks to the amnesty. I have been trying to get citizenship in Britain for years. Now that I got it. I will come to Turkey soon.''
QUAKE JOLTS ANKARA
An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale shook Cubuk township of central Anatolian Ankara province on Wednesday.
The epicenter of the quake was Cubuk township. The quake was felt in Ankara and surrounding provinces.
The quake, which occurred at 00.22 local time, caused panic among citizens.
There are no reported casualties or financial damages.
Meanwhile, another earthquake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale jolted Cankiri province at 23.13 local time.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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RICHARD ARMITAGE RECEIVES OZKOK APPOINTMENT
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage was given an appointment to meet Chief of General Staff General Hilmi Ozkok during his visit to Turkey on January 3, 2005. Armitage's visit takes place upon his request. Armitage's meeting will be the first one between an American official and the Turkish general staff since the Turkish parliament refused to send military personnel to Iraq and since the mistreatment of Turkish officers by U.S. troops in Suleymaniye.
Armitage will also meet Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Turkish parliament speaker Bulent Arinc. So far, Prime Minister Erdogan has not given an appointment to Armitage.
WAL-MART AND MIGROS DISCUSS POSSIBLE COOPERATION
Koc Holding Honorary Chairman Rahmi Koc has stated that the U.S. department store Wal-Mart and Turkish Migros is currently discussing ways in which the two groups can cooperate. In a statement issued by Migros, authorities said that such discussions are normal in the business world.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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NO NEWS FROM 75 TURKISH CITIZENS
The only Turkish journalist in the region Ozluer learned from the Consulate General Bangkok that no news could be received from 75 Turkish citizens as they went to holiday ''without getting the permission of their families.'' Their names will be revealed if they apply to the officials, and they don't want this.
It was reported that no news can be received from Funda Cilga, Mustafa Ozgur, Ziya Zorlu, Osman Tunc and Tuncay Demirel who were in Sri Lanka and from Ayse Simsek, Turkan Simsek and Sultan Ozcan who were in Phuket Island.
FINANCE MINISTRY WARNS: FORGET ABOUT CREDIT CARD AND HAVE READY MONEY
Officials of Finance Ministry warned that zeros would be a problem in shopping that would be made with credit cards in the New Year's night.
New Turkish Lira will be introduced to Turkey at the New Year.
However, it was reported that there may be some problems in banking services because of this, so officials of Finance Ministry warned the citizens to have ready money.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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QUAKE SHAKES ANKARA
A moderate earthquake, measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale, jolted Cubuk township in Ankara.
The epicenter of the quake, which occurred at 00.22 local time, was Cubuk. The quake was felt in Ankara and environs. Citizens rushed to streets in panic in Cubuk township.
FOREIGN MINISTRY: 75 TURKS ARE STILL MISSING
Foreign Ministry said no news could be received from the 75 Turkish citizens who were in the quake region in southern Asia.
The ministry gave the numbers of Turks missing in respective countries as: 41 in Thailand, 5 in Malaysia, 7 in India, 4 in Myanmar, 4 in Sri Lanka, 5 in the Maldives, 2 in Singapore and 7 in Indonesia.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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75 TURKS STILL MISSING
75 Turkish citizens are still reported as missing after Sunday's powerful earthquake in southern Asia, said Turkish sources. Meanwhile, the Turkish government has announced that it will send 1 million U.S. dollars worth of aid to earthquake stricken countries.
BAD NEWS FROM IRAQ, AGAIN
A Turkish truck driver was ambushed and killed around the Bidiye region of the Iraqi city of Samarra yesterday (Wednesday). The driver's identity could not be determined immediately. More than 100 individuals have been killed in Iraq this week alone.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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DEMIREL BREAKS HIS LEG
The 9th Turkish president Suleyman Demirel has broken his left leg, said medical authorities. Demirel had bruised his foot during a visit to Moldova on 21-23 December. Demirel's doctor Aylin Cesur stated that Demirel will continue his works at his residence on Guniz Street in Ankara.
TURKEY AND SYRIA TO CONSTRUCT JOINT DAM
Visiting the Syrian city of Idlip, Hatay Governor Abdulkadir Sari has stated that the Turkish-Syrian dam project on the river Asi has been completed and that this dam will produce 40 GW/hour energy annually. Once the dam project is realized, 10,653 hectare of land in Syria and 20,850 hectare of land in Turkey would be watered. The dam project will cost about 60 million U.S. dollars.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TURKISH WOMAN: I FELT DEATH DEEP IN MY BONES
Turkish woman Oya Otman, who felt the strong earthquake in a hotel in Sri Lanka, said, ''we woke up in the morning hearing the screams. The screams did not stop till the night. I still could not forget the dead bodies I saw in the streets. I felt death deep in my bones. I could not think anything else but to survive.''
TURKEY TO EXPEND ONE MILLION U.S. DOLLARS AID
Turkish government decided to expend one million U.S. dollars aid to quake stricken countries in Southern Asia.
Turkey, taking into consideration the geographical distance of the region, decided to sent financial aid.
Turkish Red Crescent started aid campaign for countries which were devastated by the quake.
Meanwhile, Turkish GEA search and rescue team reached Sri Lanka.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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IHSANOGLU STARTS MISSION IN OIC
''Turkey's voice will be heard stronger from now on,'' Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said on Wednesday.
Ihsanoglu, who took over the mission from his predecessor Abdelouahed Belkeziz on Tuesday evening, said that: ''I would like to say that Turkey's voice will be heard stronger from now on. Support of our government and state is obviously an indispensable incentive for us.''
Ihsanoglu said better results could be obtained from the reforms to be implemented within the organization and OIC will serve more to regional peace.
ATMs TO ISSUE NEW TURKISH LIRA BANKNOTES AS OF 00.30
Public Banks Joint Board of Directors Chairman Zeki Sayin has stated that Ziraat Bank automatic teller machines (ATM) will start issuing new Turkish lira banknotes as of 00.30 on January 1. The Ziraat Bank credit cards will also be available for use at 00.30 on the same day.
2004-12-30