ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on April 26th, 2005. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
TURKEY-EU PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL TO CONVENE TODAY
HURRIYET- Turkey-European Union (EU) Partnership Council, which is the biggest decision-making organ between Turkey and the EU, will convene in Luxembourg today.
Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul will attend the meeting where recent situation of Turkey-EU relations would be discussed.
Political dialogue, economic relations, and Customs Union will also be assessed at the meeting.
The parties will exchange views on reform process in Turkey, Cyprus problem, freedom of expression, and cultural rights.
HEADSCARF ARRANGEMENT CONTRADICTS THE CONSTITUTION
HURRIYET- Warning of Constitutional Court President Mustafa Bumin that, ''even if you put rules to the Constitution, you can not make headscarf free because of European Convention on Human Rights,'' made the prime minister and ministers angry.
Bumin criticized the government because of headscarf amnesty, and stated that, ''arrangements allowing headscarf will contradict the constitution as long as there are secular arrangements in the constitution.''
HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPH
MILLIYET- Alparslan Turkes, former leader of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) who passed away in 1997, and Armenian President Petrosian met at a hotel in (French capital of) Paris 12 years ago. When Petrosian started his words in Turkish, atmosphere was eased.
HEADSCRAF TENSION
MILLIYET- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted strongly to warnings of Constitutional Court Chairman Mustafa Bumin about headscarf matter. Erdogan commented on Bumin's words as saying, ''no compromise has been reached between the nation and the institutions yet.'' Erdogan did not attend the reception hosted to mark the anniversary of foundation of the Constitutional Court.
NATO MEETINGS UNDER LEADERSHIP OF BAGIS
SABAH- NATO Parliamentary Assembly Trans-Atlantic Relations Committee meetings, chaired by Justice & Development Party (AKP) Istanbul Parliamentarian Egemen Bagis started in UN building in New York.
UN's role in protection of international security and peace and UN-NATO relations will be discussed at the meeting.
The committee meetings will continue today under the UN roof in New York.
The meetings will continue in Boston on Thursday and Friday.
ANKARA GIVES NOTE TO BELGIUM
SABAH- Turkey gave a note to Belgium to condemn desecration of Turkish flag in a demonstration staged in Belgian capital of Brussels on Sunday.
Turkish flag was burnt in a demonstration staged in front of Turkey's Embassy in Brussels yesterday due to the anniversary of the so-called Armenian genocide.
The Belgian police remained indifferent to this act.
Turkey's Embassy in Brussels sent a note to the Belgian Foreign Ministry today, and drew attention that the Turkish flag was burnt before the eyes of security forces. In its note, the Embassy also expressed Turkey's uneasiness over this indifference of the security teams.
EMPLOYMENT MOVES
VATAN- Economic growth has finally affected employment. Although the unemployment rate of 11.5 percent (between December 2004 and February 2005) announced by Turkish Institute of Statistics (SIS) yesterday seems to increase when compared with 2004, it revealed that the movement in employment continued. The unemployment rate in the same period last year was 10.3 percent.
CALL TO BOYCOTT TERMINATOR'S FILMS
VATAN- Several circles in Turkey reacted to Arnold Schwarzengger, the Governor of California who declared April 24th as the so-called Armenian genocide day. Yilmaz Hasturk, a former parliamentarian and the former deputy leader of the Democrat Turkish Party (DTP), asked Turkish people to protest Schwarzengger's films and not to show these films on television and cinema.
HEADSCARF MAY CAUSE PARTY CLOSURE
CUMHURIYET- Constitutional Court President Mustafa Bumin, who addressed the 43rd foundation anniversary of the Constitutional Court, stressed that students' wearing headscarf in universities and civil servants' use of headscarf in official buildings contradicted the constitution and warned that legal arrangements against secularism should not be made.
Bumin stressed that headscarf could lead to dispute.
NEW TURKISH PENAL CODE SHOULD BE RE-ARRANGED
CUMHURIYET- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) wanted the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which will take effect on June 1st, to be re-arranged.
The president of Turkish Journalists' Association (TGC) Orhan Erinc, said, ''the new Turkish Penal Code, symbolizing return to the past, will be the most important obstacle in front of the European Union (EU).
BUMIN: INSISTENCE ON HEADSCARF WILL CLOSE PARTY
RADIKAL- Constitutional Court Chairman Mustafa Bumin said, ''insistence on freeing the headscarf is political exploitation. Even the Constitution is changed, headscarf in universities and official buildings cannot be freed. The ECHR (European Court of Human Rights) did not accept the applications made by political parties which were banned for this reason.''
ANZAC LANDING WITH LASER SHOW
RADIKAL- Anzac landing was commemorated 90 years after it was carried out. The Dawn Service was observed by a laser show attended by 20,000 people including Australian and New Zealander prime ministers and Crown Prince Charles of Britain. Grandchildren of the Anzacs spent the night in sleeping bags on the grass to observe the Dawn Service.
DOUBLE SHOCK TO ARMENIANS
TURKIYE- U.S. President George W. Bush did not use the world of ''genocide'' in his statement on April 24th, which was considered by Armenians anniversary of so-called genocide.
Bush said, ''I hope call of the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for establishment of joint commission will bring peace.''
Bush said he appreciated the individuals who are trying to investigate the incidents that occurred in Turkey and Armenia at the beginning of the 20th century.
ATHENS APOLOGIZES
TURKIYE- Admiral Mucahit Sislioglu, head of Turkish General Staff's Department of Relations With Greece and Cyprus, said Greek Land Forces Commander Gen. Nikolaos Ntouvas sent a letter to Turkish Land Forces Commander Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and apologized for the inappropriate incident that took place in Greek War Academy.
OIC WANTS TO HAVE SEAT IN SECURITY COUNCIL
ZAMAN- The Organization of the Islamic Conference wants to become a member of the UN Security Council. OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said, ''this (a seat) can be gained through the membership of a country chosen by the OIC.''
BUMIN EMBARGO ON NATIONAL WILL
YENI SAFAK- Constitutional Court Chairman Mustafa Bumin claimed that the ban preventing education right of girls wearing a headscarf cannot even be lifted by the parliament. In the speech he made on the 43rd anniversary of foundation of the Constitutional Court, Bumin claimed that legal arrangements enabling girls wearing headscarf to have education would be unconstitutional.
BUMIN'S RECEPTION SHOCK
YENI SAFAK- Parliamentarians protested the reception hosted by Constitutional Court Chairman Bumin yesterday (Monday) due to the speech he made in the morning (regarding the headscarf). Only Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, Deputy Parliament Speakers Sadik Yakut, Nevzat Pakdil, Ali Dincer and Parliamentary Constitutional Commission Chairman Burhan Kuzu attended the reception.