ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on May 3rd, 2005. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
``IF HE FAILS TO TESTIFY, WE WILL ARREST HIM``
HURRIYET- Swiss prosecutor Andrej Gnehm, who has opened a legal procedure against Turkish Institute of History (TTK) Chairman Prof. Dr. Yusuf Halacoglu on charges of racism, said that Halacoglu should come to Switzerland to testify, otherwise he would be arrested whenever he attempted to enter Switzerland. Claiming that words of Prof. Halacoglu were equivalent of saying ``Jewish Holocaust has never happened,`` Gnehm added that Halacoglu may face three years imprisonment if convicted.
SIX C-17 TO BE DEPLOYED IN INCIRLIK
HURRIYET- Details of the extended Incirlik decree has begun to become clear. It was reported that six C-17 cargo planes would be deployed at the base as of mid-June. Civil cargo planes will bring in the unlethal cargo, then the cargo will be taken from base to Iraq and Afghanistan by C-17 planes. The United States will give monthly reports about route and cargo of the planes to Turkish officials.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER MAY 12TH?
HURRIYET- The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will be holding a public hearing on May 12th to deliver a Grand Chamber judgment regarding the case of Abdullah Ocalan, head of terrorist organization PKK. Even if the ECHR rules that the right to a fair trial was violated during the trial, the issue of a possible retrial of Ocalan in Turkey will be discussed at the Committee of Ministers. Council of Europe (COE) officials said that since Ocalan pleaded guilty during the trial, a possible retrial was less likely to change the first verdict against him.
MILITARY COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL
MILLIYET- Turkey decided to purchase 48 Harpy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd (IAI). Turkey will pay 80 million U.S. dollars for these aircraft. IAI develop and produce the Harpy system, which is an attack UAV used in the suppression of enemy aerial defenses (SEAD). It is a `Fire-and-Forget` all-weather, day/night autonomous weapon system, launched from a ground vehicle mainly against hostile radar emitters, amongst others. National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul who accompanied Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit to Israel will stay there two days more to get more information about weapon technologies.
OZKOK: ``DECEMBER 17 IS A SUCCESS``
MILLIYET- Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said that Turkey got a firm start date for accession talks from the European Union (EU) on December 17 and it was a success. Ozkok who spoke to the periodical, ``Cizgi Otesi``, said that Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) would conform to the transformation stemming from the EU process. He stated that the army was ready for change. Ozkok noted that Turkey entered a new and challenging period after December 17.
MARKET OF HEALTH REPORT
SABAH- As the university entrance exam is approaching, classes at high schools have begun emptying. Nearly 400 thousand students rushed to hospitals to take doctor report for sick leave. This situation has created a market of nearly 80 trillion YTL for hospitals.
HALACOGLU: ``IT IS THE MENTALITY OF MIDDLE AGES``
SABAH- Turkish Institute of History (TTK) Chairman Prof. Dr. Yusuf Halacoglu said that opening of a legal procedure against him because of conferences in Switzerland on allegations of so-called Armenian genocide, was nothing but the mentality of the Middle Ages. ``If Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says in Brussels that Armenian genocide has never taken place, what will happen then? Such an attitude contradicts with international law and democracy. Of course, we cannot say anything if Europe preferred to return to the mentality of the Middle Age,`` he added.
VORKINK: ``FOREIGN INVESTORS HAVE MORE CONFIDENCE IN THE TURKISH ECONOMY THAN LOCAL ONES``
VATAN- World Bank Turkey Director Andrew Vorkink said that foreign investors had more confidence in the Turkish economy than local ones. ``This is rather a very interesting development,`` said Vorkink.
Vorkink stated that the Second Investment Advisory Council Meeting ended with a better result than expected. Vorkink stated that the Istanbul meeting will help in reaching positive goals. ``We will witness a tremendous increase in the amount of foreign investments in Turkey later this year,`` said Vorkink.
ERDOGAN: ``WE CAN SERVE AS MEDIATOR FOR PEACE``
VATAN- During his talks in Israel and Palestine, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey could serve as mediator in the peace process. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon opposed Erdogan`s proposal. On the other hand, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said that if Israel accepts the proposal, Palestine will welcome it.
BUMIN REMINDS ARINC LAW
CUMHURIYET- Turkish Constitutional Court Chief Judge Mustafa Bumin said, ``Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc will understand the damage he caused to himself and his political party in the course of time. We cannot discuss the system of state of law on every occasion. Everyone in this country has to abide by the decisions of the Constitutional Court.``
ARINC`S INFORMATION COMES OUT WRONG
CUMHURIYET- Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc claimed that there were not institutions in the European Union (EU) like the Constitutional Court in Turkey. However, his information about the EU came out wrong. There are higher courts similar with the Turkish Constitutional Court in 21 out of 25 EU-member countries. Although they have different names, all those courts carry out the same duty with the Turkish Constitutional Court.
GERMAN CHANCELLOR TO START HIS VISIT TO TURKEY TODAY
RADIKAL- German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will pay a working visit to Turkey from May 3rd to May 4th. Schroeder gave Ankara positive messages about Turkey`s European Union (EU) accession ahead of his visit to Turkey. The bilateral relations between Turkey and Germany, Turkey`s EU process, the Middle East peace process, the Cyprus issue and most recent developments in Iraq are expected to be high on agenda of Chancellor Schroeder`s meetings with Turkish officials.
ERDOGAN`S VISIT TO MIDDLE EAST
RADIKAL- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan concluded his meetings in Israel and Palestine. Erdogan, who arrived in Israel on Sunday afternoon, met Israeli President Moshe Katsav and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Erdogan also met Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, deputy prime ministers Ehud Olmert and Shimon Peres. Erdogan proceeded to Palestine from Israel and met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei. Abbas said that Palestine expected Turkey to provide political and economic support.
WE ACCOMPLISHED, THEY STILL DISCUSS
TURKIYE- Britain has newly found out health reforms which have already been put into practice successfully by Turkey. Prior to the general elections on May 5th, Prime Minister Tony Blair promised to open private hospitals to public service.
``IT IS OUR DUTY TO ASSIST PALESTINE``
TURKIYE- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during his tour of the Middle East. Erdogan said that Turkey was ready to act as mediator to provide peace and stability in the Middle East. In response, President Abbas said that they needed all kinds of support of Turkey.
TURKISH SCIENTIST AWARDED IN UNITED STATES
TURKIYE- Prof. Dr. Yildiz Bayazitoglu was presented with the traditional Heat Transfer Memorial Award by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The award is bestowed on individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of heat transfer through teaching, research, practice and design, or a combination of such activities. Prof. Dr. Bayazitoglu is the first Turkish scientist who won the award.
ERDOGAN VISITS TEMPLE MOUNT
ZAMAN- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Temple Mount in Israel on Monday. On the second day of his tour of the Middle East, Erdogan visited Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif) which is known as Noble Sanctuary to Muslims. Erdogan also visited Al-Aqsa Mosque which is the third holiest site for Muslims. Erdogan also visited Dome of the Rock (Qubbat al-Sakhra).
TURKEY`S EXPORTS CONTINUE TO INCREASE
ZAMAN- According to the data of Turkish Exporters` Assembly (TIM), Turkey`s exports increased 14.59 percent to 6,084 million U.S. dollars in April 2005 when compared to the same period of last year. In the first four months of 2005, exports rose 22.9 to 23.4 billion U.S. dollars.
DOES BUMIN THREATEN PARLIAMENT?
YENI SAFAK- Turkish Constitutional Court Chief Judge Mustafa Bumin, whose statement about legislative power of the parliament has escalated tension recently, responded to harsh reaction of Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, ``he will understand in the course of the time that such a reaction is beneficial neither for his political party nor for Turkey.`` Speaking at a meeting with Republican People`s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, Bumin stressed, ``legislation, execution and jurisdiction have to abide by decisions of the Constitutional Court.``