These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 15, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
CANKAYA BATTLE OF MAYORS
Istanbul and Ankara are against other greater city municipalities due to a law which reduced their share in the taxes while the other municipalities are pressing on the Cankaya Presidential Palace for approval. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that he would not like to seem like he was under any influence at the decision making stage and returned appointment application of Istanbul Mayor Ali Mufit Gurtuna and Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek. Sezer did neither meet with other mayors.
ECEVIT GOES WITH OZAL FORMULA
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit began his tour to the United States by conveying the message ''no aid, but trade'' to Washington administration like during the prime ministry of Turgut Ozal. Chatting with reporters on the plane, Ecevit said, ''we request more cooperation and more investments in Turkey from the United States. It is our right to ask for ensuring the trade facilitations provided to the European Union (EU).'' Meanwhile, Ecevit's tour to the United States began with a problem. The plane hired from the Turkish Airlines (THY) which would carry Ecevit to the United States took off with one-hour delay due to a defect in its left engine. After Prime Minister Ecevit and his wife Rahsan Ecevit had boarded the Airbus A-340 type plane, the door was closed. Meanwhile, a defect was observed in the left engine of the plane. After the malfunction had been repaired, the plane took off. Ecevit, who has been protected by extraordinary measures following the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, was also protected under tight security measures during the seeing off ceremony and the one-hour delay. Special teams at the Esenboga Airport ensured the security of Ecevit and the accompanying delegation.
PHARMACISTS TO CLOSE THEIR SHOPS
Pharmacists will close their pharmacies on Tuesday and Wednesday to protest the Health Ministry's reducing their profits in medicines by 10 percent. On the other hand, the Health Minister threatens the pharmacists and said, ''whoever closes his or her pharmacy will bear the consequences.'' Turkish Pharmacists' Union (TEB) Chairman Mehmet Domac said that they had decided not to open the pharmacies on Tuesday and Wednesday to protest the implementation of the Health Ministry. Domac noted that only the pharmacies on duty would be open. Domac claimed that the implementation would push pharmacists into a more difficult situation and added that 6-7 thousand pharmacies might be closed.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
LET'S SOLVE IRAQ
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit told Milliyet the message he will convey to U.S. President George Bush during their meeting in Washington: ''We have to solve Iraqi issue.'' When flying to Washington, Ecevit seemed hopeful about economic issues, however, he had concerns about Iraq. Ecevit said, ''people expect too much from this visit. This is a pressure on us. As the expectations are too much, the results can be underestimated. Even if we do not gain anything but solve Iraqi issue, we will gain a big success. As you know, there are many different and oppositive views in the U.S. administration. We will convey the drawbacks of such an intervention to President Bush.''
TURKEY GIVES US HOPE
Ford Motor Deputy Chairman Schulz said that they expected many things from the operation in Turkey despite the economic crisis. Schulz noted that there had not been any change in their plans for Turkey. Schulz said that Turkey could turn into a production center for Europe.
THE BEDOUIN GIVES LESSON
Saudi Arabian Ambassador Al-Bassam ridiculed at a press conference: ''Al-Ajyad fortress dated back to 200 years ago. It is made of mud and stone. We are changing its place. You sacrificed the artifacts in ancient Zeugma site for dam. How about Sinop Castle?''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
EXTRAVAGANCY IS OVER
State Minister Kemal Dervis signalled of the beginning of a new period: Promising to allocate sources from public sources and populism with Treasury money is over. When flying to Washington aboard A340 Airbus type Turkish Airlines (THY) plane together with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Dervis made important statements. Dervis intended to mean the politicians and noted, ''nobody should promise the other for an expenditure which does not have the source to meet.''
NEW LOAN FROM WORLD BANK
World Bank's Turkey Director Ajay Chhibber said that the World Bank had prepared a new country assistance program for Turkey till 2005 and noted that the loan would be put into practice in the second half of 2002 after it was approved. Chhibber met with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit prior to Ecevit's visit to the United States. Chhibber told Sabah that World Bank was in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support the economic program in Turkey but that they were also preparing their own special loan programs.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
HISTORICAL VISIT TO UNITED STATES
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to the United States which is important as to its effects on Turkey's economy and foreign policy has started. Turkey which is suffering from one of the most serious economic crises in its history will try to get support of the United States in 2002 which it started with optimistic statements. Ecevit will seek ways to signing of a preferential trade agreement and erasing ordelay of the 5.5 billion U.S. dollars of military debts. Also the Iraq issue which will affect Turkey's future is expected to be taken up during the visit. Sources said that at his meetings, Ecevit would ask questions about the United States' plans about Iraq and try to know what would be done in return for the possible role that Turkey would undertake in those plans. Prior to the visit during which also Cyprus issue and terrorism would be discussed, Ecevit said that strategic partnership had gained importance as a resulf of the developments. Ecevit said that many things should not be expected to happen in a very short time while the United States warned that expectations should be kept at a realistic level.
COOPERATION WITH MOSCOW
Turkey has brought the rapprochement it started with Russia after the cold war, to the furthest point. Turkey and Russia signed a military cooperation agreement. Chief of General Staff General Huseyin Kivrikoglu stressed that he believed this cooperation would make positive contributions to peace in the region and in the world.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
THREE WARNINGS FROM THE U.S.
The United States (U.S.) State Department warned Ankara not to exaggerate the expectations upon the news stories in Turkish press before Ecevit's tour to the U.S. Turkish Foreign Affairs officials sent the message of the U.S. to the businessmen. The U.S. said that the economy of the U.S. also had some limits and noted the impression that the money would come in great amounts was not true. The White House noted that Turkey and the U.S. had deeply different opinions on Iraq issue apart from its territorial integrity. The White House also asked for a solution on Cyprus issue.
SHARES INCREASE TO HIGHEST LEVEL
The textile share prices in Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) increased to the highest level on Monday due to the expectations that the U.S. would lift textile quotas. However, the majority of the companies, the shares of which rised rapidly, have not exported their products to the U.S. so far.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
CRY OF MUNICIPALITIES
Istanbul Mayor Ali Mufit Gurtuna said that the rate of income tax that the Istanbul Municipality took from Iller Bankasi would be decreased from 5 to 3 percent. He said, ''the government is making a mistake. In first stage, our 300 trillion Turkish liras and later our 500 trillion TL will be seized. Istanbul will become a big village.'' Speaking to the newspaper, Gurtuna said, ''this is one of the most serious harm done to Istanbul throughout history. They are shackling heavy iron chain to our ankles. Do they want an Istanbul whose streets are full of garbage and which is lacking in potable water?''
ECONOMIC CRISIS CAUSE PEOPLE TO GO MAD
Experts say that economic problems make people aggressive and that the State Ministry for Sports, Youth and Sports Directorate General, media, managers and football players have great responsibilities. Experts say that also the surveys carried out in Britain and Canada proved that economic problems make people aggressive. They mention that aggressiveness both in football fields and stadium benches has an inclination of a rapid increase and this was caused by the intense economic crises which started at the end of 2000 and continued in 2001 and by the increase in number of dismissed people.
THEY SET FORTH THEIR FINAL OPINION
The crisis due to decrease in medicine prices is escalating. Health Minister Osman Durmus said, ''I cancel your licences if you close pharmacies'' while pharmacists announced they would pull down the shutters to protest Durmus's decision to decrease pharmacies' ten percent of limit of profits on drugs, saying, ''this decision will actually cause us to go bankrupt.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
ERDOGAN: ''PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN PREVENTED ALWAYS CAME INTO POWER''
Justice and Development Party (AK) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that leaders, Demirel, Ecevit, Erbakan and Turkes, who were blocked in the past, later came into power and stated that people's social conscience could not be prevented. Erdogan, who answered the questions regarding his political future, noted that there was no risk related to his general leadership in the decision of Constitutional Court and added that on the contrary this demand was refused unanimously.
ARSENIC FOUND IN GROUNDWATER
Health Ministry's Anti-Cancer Department announced that the arsenic, including cancerous substances, was found in some underground water. Department Chief Professor Murat Tuncer said that the reason of this was the earthquakes. He noted that the groundwater in some regions was polluted by arsenic which has cancerous effect. Tuncer added that there was a very firm connection between cancer disease and the geological structure of Turkey.