ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on April 24th, 2005. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
ATHENS APOLOGIZES OFFICIALLY
HURRIYET- Greek Land Forces Commander General Nikolaos Duvas has sent an official apology to Turkish Land Forces Commander Yasar Buyukanit over the desecration of the Turkish flag at a military school in Greece recently. Buyukanit indicated that although the individuals who desecrated the Turkish flag are still at large, the apology from the Greek side is positive.
KOHLER: IT'S NONE OF THE POPE'S BUSINESS...
HURRIYET- German President Horst Kohler has remarked that Turkey's European Union membership will be decided by the Europeans themselves and not the new Pope. ''The EU may have some Christian roots. Yet the EU is based on humanitarian values.'' The new Pope Ratzinger had expressed before his election that Turkey should find its future in the Islamic world.
MILLIYET DONATES 1 MILLION YTL FOR GIRLS' EDUCATION
MILLIYET- Turkish daily Milliyet has donated 1 million YTL for girls' education throughout Anatolia. ''We are making a call on all potential donors to contribute to girls' education,'' said a Milliyet source.
ELEKDAG: THE INCIDENTS OF 1915 WERE A TRAGEDY
MILLIYET- Retired Turkish Ambassador Sukru Elekdag stated that the incidents of 1915 were a tragedy. ''Yet we can not term these incidents as a 'genocide','' said Elekdag.
AMERICAN DREAM BECOMES TRUE
SABAH- Muhtar Kent, a Turk living in the United States, has become a vice-president of Coca-Cola. Kent will be in charge of Coca-Cola operations in China. Kent began working for Coca-Cola as a truck driver.
TURKISH PROPOSAL IS LOGICAL
SABAH- Media organs throughout the world wrote and spoke on the incidents of 1915 yesterday (Saturday). The Guardian wrote that Turkey's proposal to establish a joint commission with Armenia to study all claims is logical and positive.
NO GENOCIDE EXPRESSION
VATAN- U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman who will leave Turkey in June said that U.S. President George Bush will deliver a speech similar with his speech in last year. Bush, last year, had used expressions 'deportation of Armenians and deaths' instead of genocide as well as 'one of the biggest tragedies of 20th century'. Armenian lobby has launched initiatives due to 90th anniversary of so-called Armenian genocide by using tension between Turkish-U.S. relations.
A GIANT SHOPPING MALL COMING SOON TO ISTANBUL
CUMHURIYET- Turkish Dogus Holding and Orjin Group will construct a giant shopping mall, Istinye Park, in Istanbul. The shopping mall will have 300 shops and 400 residences. Istinye Park is planned to be operational as of April 2007.
TURKISH OPPOSITION WARNS THE GOVERNMENT
CUMHURIYET- Turkish opposition leaders talked at the Turkish parliament yesterday on the occasion of the National Sovereignty and Children's Day. Deniz Baykal of the Republican People's Party (CHP) indicated that politics in Turkey should be based on democracy. ''If religion enters politics, this may result in serious bloodshed throughout Anatolia. Further, religious fundamentalism will carry Turkey to a dark and very authoritarian regime,'' told Baykal.
Meanwhile, True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar remarked that the Turkish parliament is not a rubber stamp obeying the orders of a few individuals. ''We must continue to have confidence in our parliament,'' said Agar.
TOURAINE: ''EUROPE WITH TURKEY WOULD BECOME A SUPER POWER''
RADIKAL- French intellectual Touraine has remarked that an EU with Turkey would become a super power in the world. ''Yes, Europe has a union. But it has no global role at the moment.''
SEMDINLI IS PROUD OF YOU!
RADIKAL- Staff members of the Semdinli Public Hospital have donated 100,000 YTL to their hospital. With this donation, there are now 30 more new patient beds.
FESTIVAL AND CRISIS TOGETHER
TURKIYE- During the hours when Greek children arrived in western town of Bodrum for celebrations of April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children's Day, Greek fishermen caused tension at Kardak islets in the Aegean Sea. Common sense of Greek and Turkish authorities prevented a crisis.
DRAFT SHOCK TO ARMENIANS
TURKIYE- Draft on recognition of so-called Armenian genocide which was prepared by 32 senators and 175 members of House of Representatives was not submitted to U.S. Congress. These recent developments disappointed Armenians.
TOURISM INVESTMENTS INCREASE
ZAMAN- Tourism sector enters new season with new investments. Through last year's investments, 16,700 people were employed. This year, tourism sector is expected to provide employment to 25,000 people.
SAGIR: I WANT 5 OLYMPIC MEDALS
ZAMAN- Taner Sagir of Turkey became European champion at the 84th Europe Men's Weightlifting Championship by winning 3 gold medals at 77 kg. He said he wants to win 5 Olympic medals.
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES IN ANKARA DEMAND BETTER UNIVERSITY ADMISSION PROCEDURES
YENI SAFAK- The Turkish parliament welcomed dozens of children from all parts of Turkey yesterday (Saturday) who came to attend the National Sovereignty and Children's Day celebrations. The young students talked on certain current issues. Among the demands made by students was the establishment of a better university admission procedure in Turkey. ''The current aptitude test, OSS, is not fair,'' said a student.
60,000 TURKS LIVING IN WESTERN THRACE TO GO TO ECHR
YENI SAFAK- After the Greek government took their citizenship away, 60,000 Turks living in Western Thrace are planning to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights. ''Our only goal is to get back our fundamental rights,'' said Erol Kasifoglu, Chairman of the Western Thrace Turks Support Association.