ANKARA (AA) - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on January 3rd, 2005. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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''DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE EXAMINED BY SCIENTISTS FIRST''
Prof. Dr. Resat Kaynar, the only person who read diaries and letters of Mrs. Latife, the wife of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, said that the documents should be examined by scientists before making them public. The 25-year ban on the documents will end in February of 2005.
''MOST APPROPRIATE ATMOSPHERE AFTER CAMP DAVID''
Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said prior to his scheduled visit to Israel and Palestine, ''both Israel and Palestine want Turkey to play a more active role in the Middle East peace process. It is the most appropriate atmosphere for peace after Camp David. We are determined to use all diplomatic methods to contribute to the peace process in the region.''
''TURKEY SHOULD ACT AS MEDIATOR''
The Haaretz Newspaper, one of the leading dailies in Israel, said that Turkey should be allowed to act as mediator between Israel and Syria. ''Since Yasser Arafat died and high-level officials are allowed to visit Palestinian administration without taking the risk of Israeli boycott, Gul can play the role of an objective arbitrator,'' the newspaper said.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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GUL TO START HIS TRIP TO ISRAEL
Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul will leave for the Middle East later today. During his visit, Gul will assure Israel that the bilateral relations between Turkey and Israel were based on a sound ground. Later, Gul will proceed to Palestine on Wednesday to give the message that Turkey was ready to make all kinds of contributions to the Middle East peace process. Gul is scheduled to meet Israeli President Moshe Katzav, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Earlier, tension escalated in the relations between Turkey and Israel after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described killing of HAMAS leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin as an act of terrorism.
ACADEMICIANS RELY ON TSK
A survey was carried out among 3,412 academicians throughout Turkey in the January-May period of 2004 by a nine-member team headed by Prof. Dr. Cagatay Ozdemir from the Gazi University. According to results of the survey, Turkish academicians rely on the Turkish Armed Forces instead of the government and the EU. Most of academicians are against the system of the Higher Education Board (YOK).
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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UNAKITAN PROMISES FOR TAX REDUCTION
Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said that they would provide tax reduction and several other facilities for those who increase employment. Describing unemployment as the most serious problem in Turkey, Unakitan said that the Ministry of Finance would do everything in its power to reduce rate of unemployment.
''WE ARE GOING TO LOSE OUR RELIGION''
Rahsan Ecevit, wife of former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and the former deputy leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), said, ''I cannot consent to regression of the Islam in Turkey for the sake of Turkey's EU membership.'' Recalling that number of churches increased considerably in the last few years, Ecevit said, ''I want to live a healthy Islam in Turkey.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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GUL TO TOUR MIDDLE EAST
Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul will start his tour to Israel, Palestine and Jordan later today. Gul is scheduled to meet Israeli President Moshe Katzav, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Israel, the first leg of his tour. The Middle East peace process will be high on agenda of Gul's meetings.
TURKISH TEAM HEALS WOUNDS OF QUAKE DISASTER
Turkish search-and-rescue team GEA has been continuing healing wounds of quake survivors in southern Asia. The team erected a tent in Sri Lanka to provide local people with health service.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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BOAT CARRYING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS CAPSIZES
A boat carrying Somalian and Iranian migrants trying illegally to reach Greece capsized off Ayvalik town northwestern city of Balikesir, killing the captain and one migrant. The Turkish Coast Guard rescued 12 other migrants in the Aegean Sea. A migrant has still been missing. The migrants were trying to reach the Greek island of Lesvos. Fishermen alerted the coast guard after hearing the migrants' calls for help.
TURKISH DIRECTOR'S FILM CHOSEN BEST FILM IN BRITAIN
Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan's film ''Distant - Uzak'' was chosen the best film in Britain. Earlier, the film was presented with the ''Best Film Award'' by the Indiewire Magazine in the United States.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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BARGAINING WITH UNITED STATES
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage arrived in Turkey last night. Armitage will start his official program on January 3rd. He is expected to meet Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, and General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok. Recent developments in Iraq will be high on agenda of meetings of Armitage with Turkish officials. During the talks, the Turkish party is expected to express its uneasiness about security of Turkish citizens in Iraq in the wake of the terrorist attack on Turkish security guards in Mosul on December 17th, and the failure of the United States to launch a concrete fight against the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK.
TRIAL OF YILMAZ TO START SOON
The Constitutional Court will start debating the case of former Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, and former State Minister Gunes Taner, who were transferred to the High Tribunal by the parliament on charges of corruption, on January 6th. During the session, the Constitutional Court will set a date for beginning of the hearing at the High Tribunal. Yilmaz is accused of rigging the privatization of a state-owned bank in favor of a businessman. The scandal led to the collapse of his government in late 1998. He remained as caretaker prime minister until early 1999.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ARMITAGE MEETS BARZANI BEFORE COMING TO ANKARA
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage paid an unexpected visit to northern part of Iraq before coming to Ankara. Armitage met Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani in Irbil. The upcoming elections in Iraq on January 30th was high on agenda of the meeting. Meanwhile, it was claimed that Armitage gave a letter to Barzani, which was written by U.S. President George W. Bush to extend his support to Kurdish people.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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TURKISH RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS TO LAUNCH AN AID CAMPAIGN
The Turkish Directorate General of Religious Affairs will launch an aid campaign on January 21st in an efforts to assist the quake survivors in southern Asia. More than 150,000 people are reported dead around southern Asia, most killed by massive tidal waves that smashed coastlines around the region after a magnitude 8.9 earthquake in Indonesia on December 26th, followed by reports of a 7.3 magnitude jolt in India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean.
2005-01-03