ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on June 13th, 2005. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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PHONE CALL FROM ERDOGAN TO PUTIN ''BUY THE TOMATOES'''
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will intervene on the issue of the ban which Russia imposed on imports of Turkish vegetables, fruits and particularly the tomatoes.
Erdogan said efforts were underway to put an end to this difficulty. He said, ''I will talk to Russian President about the issue and explain him what has been going on. I hope to get a positive result.''
ALPOGAN: MILITARY ADOPTS OUR EU STRATEGY
National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Yigit Alpogan, speaking to To Vima newspaper of Greece, said, ''the military completely adopt Turkey's European Union (EU) membership. The discussions on this issue do not reflect the views of the armed forces administration.''
The new NSC Secretary General said the government, media, political parties, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and everybody wanted to focus on the target to start full membership negotiations with the EU on October 3rd.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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BAYKAL GIVES ELECTION DATE
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that election should be held in 2007 at the latest, stating that the new parliament should elect the president of Turkey. Appearing on a tv program on private CNN Turk tv channel, Baykal said, ''in fact, the election should be held in 2006 because the parliament members have changed. Some of them resigned.''
HEAVY BLOW TO PKK
Turkish security forces launched an operation against terrorist organization PKK in rural area of Lice town of southeastern city of Diyarbakir three days ago. Cobra helicopters bombed the mountainous region in Lice where members of terrorist organization hid.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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7-STAR INAUGURATION FROM ERDOGAN
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated 7-star Rixos Hotel, constructed in Belek (region of southern city of Antalya) to serve rich guests. Erdogan said, ''we aim to host 30 million tourists in 2010.''
FIRST STEP FOR MORTGAGE
Akbank has made first preparations for the mortgage system that helps people buy dwellings as if they are paying rents. Bank officials who have decreased housing loan interest to 1.35 percent, said, ''other banks will follow us.''
VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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CANKAYA TENSION
Deniz Baykal, the leader of the (main opposition) Republican People's Party (CHP), warned about presidential candidacy: ''You cannot wear headscarves in state areas.'' Discussions started after Baykal's interview with Vatan daily. In his interview, Baykal said, ''let's hold an election in 2006. A new parliament should elect the president.'' Then, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded to Baykal saying, ''this parliament will elect the president.''
TURKEY'S EU HURDLES TO START
As only a few days are left to the summit of European Union (EU) leaders, EU member states have serious differences of opinion about how Turkey will be included in the final statement. Member states will try to find remedies to their problems during the heads of state and government summit to be held on Thursday and Friday after the Union has been disappointed with the results of referenda on the EU Constitution. EU foreign ministers, who will meet in Luxembourg today, will try to find an answer to the question if ''any reference should be made to Turkey's membership at the summit (to be held on Thursday & Friday).''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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NEW INITIATIVE IN POLITICS
A group of politicians who think that Justice and Development Party (AK Party) failed to solve problems of the country started to search for a new political formation. Politicians including former president Suleyman Demirel, Mehmet Ali Bayar, Husamettin Ozkan and Ilhan Kesici have been holding talks on this new formation. Ilhan Kesici said that AK Party did not represent Turkey.
COLD MESSAGE TO TURKEY
German President Horst Koehler said that Turkey's membership negotiations should be open-ended due to geographic, cultural and religious differences. British The Observer newspaper stated that the chance of Turkey to join the European Union (EU) was zero.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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HEADSCARF AT CANKAYA WILL PUSH TURKEY INTO CRISIS
Deniz Baykal, the leader of the (main opposition) Republican People's Party (CHP), responded to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said, ''Baykal should not get tired. This parliament has the authority to elect a president.'' Upon these words, Baykal said, ''trying to make a parliament, which has completed its political life span, decide on Turkey's future will cause tension in the country. Early election should be held in April 2007 the latest.'' Commenting on headscarf discussions, Baykal said, ''a president with a headscarf means wearing headscarves in the state areas. If you wear headscarves in state areas, everybody will have to wear headscarves. If the wife of a president wears a headscarf, this will cause identity crisis.''
SINGLE VOICE FROM 1,000 BOATS
Turkish Environment Cocoon Initiative, which has 244 members, all of which are NGOs, closed the Istanbul Strait for an hour to protest the tanker passage. About 1,000 boats and fishermen joined the protest.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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RECORDS OF STABILITY
Turkey has become a star of the world with the reforms that it has fulfilled recently. After economic crisis, Turkey has recorded important successes with projects that the government launched. Inflation rate decreased to one-digit figure. It is expected that Turkey's exports will reach 75 billion USD in 2005. We broke records with growth figures. The government fulfilled reforms including tax reform and social security reform which are important ones on Turkey's way to the European Union (EU).
PRINCESS VICTORIA DUE IN TURKEY
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden will pay a four-day visit to Turkey. Princess Victoria is expected to arrive in Turkey today. She will hold talks in Ankara and Istanbul. Victoria will meet Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and State Minister Ali Babacan. Swedish businessmen will accompany Crown Princess Victoria who will inaugurate ''Swedish Investments Seminar''.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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DIALOGUE CALL FROM MANOYAN, ADVOCATOR OF SO-CALLED GENOCIDE
Turhan Comez, a parliamentarian from the (ruling) Justice & Development Party (AK Party) who is holding talks in Armenian capital of Yerevan, met Giro Manoyan, the second important official of the Dashnak Party, one of the fiery advocators of so-called ''genocide'' allegations. Manoyan said, ''dialogue is obligatory, but establishing a dialogue does not mean that problems are solved. Both parties should sincerely express their views.''
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS TO USE MONEY IN BEST WAY
Discussions on foreign capital inflow have increased after property sale to foreigners is limited, and the sale of a part of Turkcell to Finnish-Swedish partnership ''TeliaSonera'' is cancelled. According to Can Deldag, the head of the Institutional Finance Department of Ernst&Young, the lack of sufficient capital saving and unjust competition makes foreign capital inflow obligatory. Deldag also thinks that what should be discussed is how foreign capital can be utilized, not the advantages or disadvantages of foreign capital.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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EU LEADERS TRY TO PUT THE BLAME FOR THEIR FAILURE TO TURKEY
Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) member countries, who met in General Affairs and Foreign Affairs Council, prior to the EU Summit scheduled to take place between June 16th and 17th, will try to overcome their deep differences of views and reach compromise on summit final statement. Those who are against Turkey are trying to make some other articles to be added to the statement against Turkey.
Following the discussion last week at Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER), an agreement could not be reached on the draft text which was prepared to be presented to the EU foreign ministers. Diplomatic sources said the draft could change at the meeting, and expressions pertaining to the enlargement could be added to the text again.
Observers say all final statements of the June and December summits since 1999 included Turkey and enlargement paragraphs, stating that excluding the enlargement section from the text was an important political message.
The observers said efforts were underway to put the blame on Turkey regarding the rejection of the European Constitution in France and the Netherlands, which are the founder members of the EU.
''A very difficult period waits for Turkey at the membership negotiations,'' the observers said, and noted that the EU sources would start membership talks with Turkey on October 3rd in order not to lose their credibility. ''However,'' the sources noted the framework document, expected to end by the end of this month, could include some political elements.
The same sources said France and Austria try to make some statements including Armenian allegations and special partnership added to the framework paper.