ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on April 25th, 2005. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
REFERENCE BOOK OF TALAT PASHA
HURRIYET- Grand Vizier Talat Pasha of the Ottoman Empire recorded all demographic statistics in his book during his term in office in 1915. According to his reference book, 924,158 Armenians were forced to migrate under the Relocation Law which was adopted by the Ottoman government on May 27th, 1915; and 141,592 Armenian people were relocated from central city of Sivas, and 4,381 others from Konya.
THOUSANDS IN CANAKKALE
HURRIYET- Thousands of people, many from Australia and New Zealand, arrived north-western Turkish city of Canakkale to attend remembrance ceremonies marking the 90th anniversary of the World War I battle of Gelibolu, in which hundreds of thousands of people perished. This year, the visitors include Prince Charles of Britain, Prime Minister John Howard of Australia and Prime Minister Helen Clark of New Zealand. As dawn breaks across the Aegean on Monday, thousands of people planned to sing hymns and pray for those lost in the battles on the Gelibolu Peninsula.
CHARLES COMES TO TURKEY
MILLIYET- Prince Charles of Britain came to Canakkale to attend remembrance ceremonies. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Prince Charles in a reception and explained him briefly Turkey's EU bid. New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark who also came to Canakkale attended the same reception held at Kolin Hotel.
OATH OF INDEPENDENCE
MILLIYET- New president of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Mehmet Ali Talat started his term in office by swearing to protect the existence of TRNC. Rauf Denktas, who was the president of TRNC for 22 years, handed over the post to Talat. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul who came to TRNC said that the international public opinion didn't do what it promised to do, and the embargo on TRNC was shameful.
A NEW ERA STARTS IN TRNC
SABAH- Mehmet Ali Talat, who was elected new president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on April 17th, was sworn in. Later, he took over his mission from Rauf Denktas. Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul attended the ceremonies on behalf of Turkey. Meanwhile, Talat said, ''I have undertaken a great responsibility to change the history. Turkish Cypriots decided to create a new history instead of turning themselves into slaves of the history. We will continue giving the Greek Cypriot side our hand of peace and friendship.''
TURKISH PEOPLE HOLD A DEMONSTRATION IN WASHINGTON D.C.
SABAH- Turkish people living in the United States held a demonstration in front of the White House in Washington D.C. to protest allegations of so-called Armenian genocide. During the protest, Turkish people observed a minute of silence out of respect to those who were killed by Armenian terrorist group ASALA.
FRIENDSHIP IN CANAKKALE
VATAN- Canakkale lands where many martyrs died have been the area of friendship and peace yesterday. Addressing the remembrance ceremonies held in Canakkale, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark and Australian Minister Anne Kelly issued peace messages.
DENKTAS TO PAPADOPOULOS: BE HAND IN HAND WITH TALAT FOR PEACE
VATAN- Addressing the ceremony in which Rauf Denktas handed over his post to new president of TRNC Mehmet Ali Talat, Denktas said that a new period has started for Turkish Cypriots. Calling on Greek Cypriot leader Papadopoulos, Denktas said that he should open the way to peace and not to manipulate the good will of Talat. ''We will be happy if we can see Papadopoulos hand in hand with Talat for peace,'' said Denktas.
NEW LIST OF HOMEWORK
CUMHURIYET- The Association Council, the highest-level organ between Turkey and the European Union, will convene in Luxembourg tomorrow. During the meeting, the EU will present a document to Turkey including some economic criticisms. The EU is expected to warn Turkey not to create difficulties in imports of second-hand carpets. The EU also wants Turkey to remove obstacles in front of imports of animal products from the EU.
TURKEY RANKED 30TH IN INFLATION RATES
CUMHURIYET- With its inflation rate of 10.6 percent in 2004, Turkey was ranked 30th in the list of countries with the lowest inflation rate. According to the ''World Economic Outlook'' released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in April of 2005, Turkey's inflation rate decreased from 44.8 percent in 2002 to 10.6 percent in 2004. Meanwhile, IMF predicted that the inflation rate in Turkey would become 9 percent in 2005 and be ranked 29th.
TURKS SEND A LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUSH
RADIKAL- The Assembly of Turkish-American Associations (ATAA) sent a letter to US President George W. Bush on April 24th, which was considered the anniversary of so-called Armenian genocide. ATAA called on President Bush to commemorate not only Armenians, but all innocent people who lost their lives in those days because of armed attacks, relocation, starvation and epidemics.
''We appreciate your efforts to maintain impartiality about such a tragedy in the Ottoman Empire. Armenians collaborated with Russia and France in order to found their own states in eastern part of Turkey. They massacred tens of thousands of Turkish, Kurdish, Arab and Jewish people. In return, the Ottoman government adopted the Relocation Law to take Armenians away from the war zone,'' ATAA said in the letter.
GUL SPEAKS TOUGH ABOUT CYPRUS PROBLEM
TURKIYE- Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that one year passed after the referendum which was held in Cyprus on Annan plan, however the world couldn't fulfill the promises it gave to TRNC. ''The world should remember the words it made to Turkish Cypriots,'' Gul said. Stressing that it was the Turkish Cypriots who always wanted solution on the island, Gul said that ''in the referendum, the whole world saw that it was the Greek Cypriots who didn't want solution on the island. There is nothing left for Turkish Cypriots (who said yes to Annan plan) to do now.
ARMENIAN GAME FAILS AGAIN
TURKIYE- US President George W. Bush didn't mention the word 'genocide' in his speech this year too, shocking Armenian diaspora. The US Congress on the other hand didn't discuss the Armenian proposal. Besides, American citizens also supported the march of Turks in Washington D.C. who protested Armenians.
RESULT NOT TO CHANGE EVEN IF OCALAN IS TRIED AGAIN
ZAMAN- Constitutional Court Acting Chairman Hasim Kilic said that head terrorist Abdullah Ocalan would not be tried again under the current laws even if the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rules that there should be a re-trial. Speaking to correspondents on April 23rd, National Sovereignty Day, Kilic said that even if Ocalan was tried again, the result would not change.
SEZER WANTS ELECTION THRESHOLD TO DROP TO 7 PERCENT
ZAMAN- Also President Ahmet Necdet Sezer joined the political debate on the election threshold. SHP leader Murat Karayalcin, who wanted the threshold to drop to 5 percent, said that President Sezer told him that a 7 percent decrease would be good.
TALAT, NEW LEADER OF TRNC
YENI SAFAK- Mehmet Ali Talat who was elected the President of TRNC on April 17th, 2005 took oath at the TRNC parliament and later took over the post from Rauf Denktas. Talat said in his speech that he was aware of his responsibilities and pointed out that Turkish Cypriots should no longer live in isolation and the international society should support Turkish Cypriots who wanted to integrate with the world.
POLICE NOT TO HIT DEMONSTRATORS
YENI SAFAK- The security organization discusses the tough interventions of the rapid deployment force. The police organization has warned its members not to hit those demonstrators who fall and not to make discrimination among demonstrators. Police have been criticized for beating women demonstrators on March 8th, 2005, Women's Day.