ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on February 5th, 2005. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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NINE TURKS GET KILLED IN PLANE CRASH
A passenger plane of KAM Airlines crashed in Afghanistan yesterday after departing from the town of Herat. Sources said that at least nine Turkish passengers got killed in the plane crash. KAM Airlines jet was on its way to the Afghan capital of Kabul.
INTERESTING DECISION ON SECULARISM
Turkish Court of Appeals Disciplinary Council has made a decision yesterday (Friday). According to this decision, saying that ''those who support secularism are atheists'' does not constitute a criminal act. The council decided that there is no need for a penalty to protect secularism. Milli Gazete (National Newspaper) journalist Selahattin Aydar had written an article asserting that supporting secularism implies being atheist. ''Secularism has been strongly adopted by the Turkish public. There is no need to protect secularism through punishing individuals,'' said the court of appeals.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY UNDER HEAVY WINTER CONDITIONS
Heavy snow that began yesterday at the Thrace region of Turkey has caused traffic interruption there. Many roads have been closed to traffic due to snow. Dozens of villages are out of electricity. In eastern Turkey, temperatures at some locations fell below minus 27 degrees.
GREEN LINE IN CYPRUS GETS LOOSE
According to the newly revised Green Line Regulation in Cyprus, more goods would be sold to south Cyprus from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Agricultural and dairy products will be some of the products to be sent to south Cyprus.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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OUR HOPE IS ERDOGAN
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who will arrive in Ankara today, will give the message to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that ''only he can prevent American enmity.'' The most important matter Rice will take up during her visit to Ankara is the increasing rate of opposition against the United States in Turkey. This rate has climbed to 82 percent. Rice will ask Erdogan's support and help to reduce this rate.
9 OF 104 PASSENGERS ON AFGHAN PLANE WERE TURKS
Nine Turks, including six engineers who went to Afghanistan to earn money, were aboard the plane which crashed near Kabul. Families of these nine Turks were shocked after they heard about the plane crash. A Boeing-737 plane belonging to Kam-Air, the only airline company in Afghanistan, crashed near Kabul yesterday.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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PRESSURE INCREASES ON TURKEY REGARDING CYPRUS
Cumhuriyet daily has reached the full text of the Cyprus protocol submitted by the European Commission to Turkey. The protocol, comprised of 15 pages, envisages that the Greek Cypriots will be a ''party'' to the Ankara Agreement with the title ''Cyprus Republic''. The Ankara Agreement was signed in 1963 and constituted the basis for Turkey-EU (European Union) relations. The EU expects Turkey to sign this protocol till the end of February. When Turkish government wants to put reservation that ''signing this protocol would not mean recognition'', the Greek Cypriot administration threatens that it will not approve the protocol at the European Council if Turkey puts this reservation. At the meeting of the European Council held on December 17th, 2005, Turkey was asked to sign the protocol till October 3rd, 2005, when its full membership negotiations will be opened. But, this draft document asks Turkey to complete its talks with the European Commission till the end of February and initial the protocol.
HALUK KIRCI BROUGHT TO TURKEY
Terrorist Haluk Kirci, the murderer of seven university students and a convict of the Susurluk case, was extradited from Ukraine to Turkey. Kirci was sent to Kartal prison.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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HEAVY WINTER PARALYZES DAILY LIFE
Turkey has entered under the influence of cold weather and snowfall. Snowfall and strong winds hit Marmara Region. Officials warned citizens against icy roads in Thrace, Aegean, central Anatolia and Mediterranean regions of Turkey. Meteorologists said that cold weather and snowfall would also continue next week.
TRNC WILL SELL ORANGE FROM NOW ON
A step in favor of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was taken in export of commercial goods from Cyprus. TRNC will export citrus fruits and other agricultural products via south of Cyprus.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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FM GUL: WE WILL NOT RECOGNIZE!
After a call from the European Union to Turkey to recognize the Greek Cypriot government as the legitimate government in the island prior to the beginning of membership talks on October 3rd, Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul stated that similar pressures were applied to Turkey at the recent Brussels summit of the EU. ''We will not recognize the Greek Cypriots before a step is taken by them,'' said Gul. ''It would not be possible to recognize the Greek Cypriots prior to a lasting solution.''
AFGHAN PLANE CRASHES, NINE TURKISH PASSENGERS KILLED
A dramatic plane crash occurred in Afghanistan yesterday. KAM Air (First private airlines of Afghanistan) passenger jet crashed after departing for Kabul from the Afghan town of Herat. The jet could not land at Kabul's airport due to heavy snow. Sources said that the plane was out of gas and crashed due to the lack of gas in its tank. Nine Turks have been confirmed as dead in the crash.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SNOW AND BLIZZARD BLOCK ROADS TO EUROPE
Snowfall and storm is paralyzing daily life in Turkey. Turkey's highway connection with Europe was cut. Ipsala, Derekoy and Pazarkule border crossings were closed to traffic.
''EVERYBODY IN IRAQ SHOULD TURN HIS/HER FACE TO BAGHDAD''
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that everybody should give priority to Iraq's integrity from now on. Noting that some ethnic groups were behaving carelessly in Iraq, Gul implied Kurdish groups and stated that everybody in Iraq should turn his/her face to Baghdad in order to stress Iraqi identity.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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TURKISH PEOPLE AGAINST A POSSIBLE ATTACK ON IRAN
According to a survey conducted by ''The New Anatolian,'' 87.3 percent of Turks are against a possible U.S. military attack on Iran. 71 percent of those who participated in the survey expressed that they do not see Iran as a threat to Turkey. 87.7 of those survey participants have noted that they do not see the U.S. as a friend of Turkey.
TURKISH CITRUS FRUITS AND HELLIM CHEESE ON THE WAY TO THE EU
The Greek Cypriot administration has made an agreement with the European Commission on the Green Line Regulation in Cyprus. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will be able to sell citrus fruits and dairy products to the EU via south Cyprus.