ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on March 12th, 2005. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
``GREECE AND GREEK CYPRIOTS SHOULD TAKE THE FIRST STEP``
HURRIYET- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in Spain yesterday. Following the meeting, Prime Minister Erdogan told reporters that Greece and the Greek Cypriot side should take the first step about Cyprus. He said that Annan was willing to solve Cyprus problem before October 3rd, adding, ``Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have fulfilled their responsibilities. Now, those who have to take steps about the issue are Greece and the Greek Cypriot side.``
SYMBOLIC FUNERALS HELD FOR MASKHADOV
HURRIYET- Funerals took place in several Turkish cities for Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov, who was killed by Russian security forces. Thousands of people attended these symbolic funerals by carrying banners and Chechen flags.
TURKS THINK CLINTON IS THE BEST AMERICAN PRESIDENT FOR PEACE
MILLIYET- According to a research conducted by the Turkish Strategic Research Center (SAM) in Ankara, Turks have affection and respect for the United States. ``But, Turks do not approve the international policies of the Bush administration,`` said a Turkish source. ``70 percent of the Turks support Clinton as the best U.S. president for peace.``
TALAT WORKED FOR GREEK CYPRIOT AKEL PARTY
MILLIYET- Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas stated on Friday that the current Prime Minister of the TRNC Mehmet Ali Talat worked in cooperation with the Greek Cypriot Akel Party. ``Mr. Talat has begun to understand the real intentions of the Greek Cypriots after becoming TRNC`s Prime Minister.``
TURKEY READY TO GO TO SPACE
SABAH- Turkish authorities have announced yesterday (Friday) that Turkey will start a comprehensive space program as of the year 2008. ``Turkish made satellites will be sent to space within the next nine years.``
``DEMONSTRATORS ATTACKED ON SECURITY FORCES``
CUMHURIYET- Ramazan Er, the deputy director general and spokesman of the Security Department, said about the demonstration in Istanbul on March 6th International Women`s Day that similar events took place in many countries. ``On March 6th, police allowed demonstrators to read a press statement. However, demonstrators chanted separatist slogans following the reading. They also hindered traffic by blocking the roads. Some of them attacked on security forces with iron bars. As a reaction, security forces used their authority of using force to disperse the crowd,`` he said.
ITALY EXTENDS FULL SUPPORT TO TURKEY`S EU MEMBERSHIP
CUMHURIYET- Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini said that Turkey was one of the most important members of NATO, adding that Turkey`s exclusion from the European Union (EU) would have negative impacts. Stressing that Turkey had adopted the values of the Union, Fini extended Italy`s full support to Turkey`s EU membership.
ERDOGAN REACTS TO TUSIAD
RADIKAL- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted to Turkish Industrialists` and Businessmen`s Association (TUSIAD) which criticized excessive use of force by police in a demonstration in Istanbul on March 6th International Women`s Day. Prime Minister Erdogan said that TUSIAD should deal with its own business.
GUL DUE TO BRITAIN
RADIKAL- Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul will go to British capital London later today upon invitation of British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Jack Straw. Gul will meet Straw on Monday. Bilateral political, economic and cultural relations between Turkey and Britain, relations between Turkey and EU, cooperation in jurisdiction, the Cyprus issue and recent developments in the Middle East will be high on agenda of the meeting.
IT IS HIGH TIME FOR THE GREEK CYPRIOTS TO TAKE A STEP
TURKIYE- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated yesterday (Friday) that it is now high time for the Greek Cypriots to take a step towards a lasting peace in Cyprus. ``It was always the Turks who took the essential steps. We now expect a similar approach from the Greek Cypriots.``
ER: ``POLICE WAS PROVOKED TO USE FORCE IN ISTANBUL``
TURKIYE- Turkish Police Spokesman Ramazan Er has announced yesterday (Friday) that Istanbul police forces were intentionally and deliberately provoked to use force on March 6. ``Despite peaceful warnings by the Istanbul police, demonstrators continued to block traffic and attacked police forces with iron bars.``
ANNAN: ``A SOLUTION IN CYPRUS PRIOR TO OCTOBER 3RD IS HIGHLY LIKELY``
ZAMAN- Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan met the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on Friday, during an international summit on terror and security in Madrid. Annan told Erdogan that a ``solution in Cyprus prior to October 3rd is highly likely.``
RECTOR PARLAK: ``WE WILL MAKE PEACE WITH OUR SOCIETY``
ZAMAN- Istanbul University Rector Professor Mesut Parlak has announced yesterday (Friday) that his university is ready to make peace with the society. ``I read history in order not to repeat mistakes. We are not interested in what took place in the past. Within the next four years, we will discuss the history of our 552 year old university and how we can shape our future...``
ERDOGAN`S REPROACH
YENI SAFAK- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso during his visit to Spain. During the meeting, Prime Minister Erdogan recalled that Belgium did not extradite Fehriye Erdal, a member of the illegal Revolutionary People`s Liberation Party-Front (DHPK-C) and one of suspects of killing of businessmen Ozdemir Sabanci in 1996, to Turkey. ``We have been advocating the principle of `either try or extradite` in fight against terrorism. However, some EU-member countries do not abide by this principle. It is quite distressing,`` Erdogan told Barroso.