ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on June 25th, 2005. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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CRISIS WITH RUSSIA OVERCOME
Turkish Agriculture & Rural Affairs Minister Mehmet Mehdi Eker said that Russia would lift the ban on Turkish agricultural products as of June 27th. Eker paid a visit to Russia to resolve the recent crisis between the two countries which emerged after Russia banned imports of fresh fruits and vegetables from Turkey.
DINCER TO SERVE AS HONORARY CONSUL OF LUXEMBOURG
Suzan Sabanci Dincer, managing director of Akbank of Turkey, will serve as the Honorary Consul of Luxembourg in Istanbul. Dincer said that she would expend efforts for enhancement of commercial, economic, social and cultural relations between Turkey and Luxembourg which has been holding the rotating EU presidency.
''WORLD TRIBUNAL ON IRAQ'' CONVENES IN ISTANBUL
Culminating session of the ''World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI)'' started in Istanbul's historical building of Darphane-i Amire. Making opening remarks of the culminating session, Arundhati Roy, spokesperson of the Jury of Conscience, said, ''this tribunal is the defense. It is an act of resistance in itself. It is a defense mounted against one of the most cowardly wars ever fought in history.'' The culminating session of the WTI will last for three days. The Jury of Conscience will make public its verdict on June 27th.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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GREECE TO START CONSTRUCTION OF NATURAL GAS PIPELINE
Greek Environment, Physical Planning, & Public Works Minister Yeoryios Souflias said that they would start construction of the natural gas pipeline to Turkish border in July. The construction is expected to end in 2010.
EU TO DISCLOSE NEGOTIATING ROADMAP FOR TURKEY
The European Union (EU) will disclose a draft negotiating roadmap for entry talks with Turkey next week. The draft will be ratified by the European Commission, the executive body of the executive body of the EU, on June 29th, and then forwarded to the EU Council for approval. The entry talks between Turkey and the EU will start on October 3rd.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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WHAT KIND OF A LETTER IS THIS?
It was revealed that U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman sent a letter to Turkish State Minister Mehmet Aydin for Religious Affairs shortly before his departure from Ankara. In his letter, Edelman expressed his concerns about the Khutbah (a sermon preached by an imam in a mosque at the time of the Friday noon prayer) released by the Turkish Directorate General for Religious Affairs on March 11th. His letter caused uneasiness in the Turkish government. Aydin said that Edelman's manner contradicted diplomatic manner.
ERDOGAN TO ADDRESS WORLD GIANTS
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend a summit of the most efficient bosses of the word in Idaho, the United States between July 5th and 7th. He will deliver a speech at the summit about recent developments in Turkish economy.
VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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COUNCIL OF STATE: ''HAGIA SOPHIA CANNOT BE OPENED TO WORSHIP''
The Turkish Council of State ruled that Istanbul's Hagia Sophia can not be opened to worship since it is a museum. An association in Istanbul applied to the Prime Ministry Office last year for opening of Hagia Sophia to worship. Later, the association filed a lawsuit at the Council of State for annulment of a decision of the Council of Ministers in 1934 which closed Hagia Sophia to worship. The Council of State rejected the application.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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''WORLD TRIBUNAL ON IRAQ'' IN ISTANBUL
Culminating session of the ''World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI)'' started in Istanbul's historical building of Darphane-i Amire. Making opening remarks of the culminating session, Arundhati Roy, spokesperson of the Jury of Conscience, said that the tribunal was an act of resistance. Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the Panel of Advocates, Richard Falk said, ''WTI bears witness to the depth and persistence of the popular mobilization of people throughout the world in opposition to the Iraq War. It was Turkey's proudest moment when its parliament refused the request of the US Government to mount the invasion of Iraq from Turkish territory; this represented an expression of an increasingly robust democratic process here in Turkey.''
''RELIGIOUS TITLE CANNOT BE USED FOR A SECULAR STATE''
Turkish Land Forces Commander Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said that attempts to put forward baseless concepts like 'moderate Islam' instead of proposing comprehensive social and economic solutions for democratization of some Muslim countries could yield dangerous results. He stressed that secular state could not co-exist with political approaches based on religion whether it was moderate or not.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ZEUGMA MOSAIC MUSEUM INAUGURATED
The Zeugma Mosaic and Archaeology Museum in southeastern city of Gaziantep has opened at last. The museum is the world's second biggest museum of mosaics. Officials expect 1 million tourists to visit the museum every year.
EIGHT TERRORISTS KILLED
Eight members of terrorist organization PKK were killed in southeastern Turkish cities of Bingol and Sirnak. Turkish troops, backed by helicopters, killed five terrorists in an overnight clash. A security official was seriously wounded. In a separate incident on Friday, Turkish security forces killed three more terrorists after they refused to surrender and lay down their weapons.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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FIRST STEP FOR EU NEGOTIATIONS
The European Union (EU) will disclose a draft negotiating roadmap for entry talks with Turkey next week. The draft will be ratified by the European Commission, the executive body of the EU, on June 29th, and then forwarded to the EU Council for approval.
WORLD BANK APPROVES NEW LOAN FOR TURKEY
The World Bank has approved a loan of 213 million Euros (275 million dollars) to bolster Municipal Services Project of Turkey. The World Bank said that the lending instrument for the Municipal Services Project was a Specific Investment Loan with a 17-year maturity, including a 5-year grace period.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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OZKOK: ''WE CANNOT BE INDIFFERENT TO TERRORISM''
Turkish General Staff Chief Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said that economic measures should be put into force to resolve the problems in eastern and southeastern regions of Turkey. Gen. Ozkok attended a reception marking the National Day of Croatia. He stressed that Turkey could not be indifferent to terrorism.
TRABZONSPOR TO TAKE ON WINNERS OF DINAMO MINSK V ANORTHOSIS FAMAGUSTA
Draw for the first and second qualifying rounds of the 2005-2006 Champions League tournament was made in Nyon. Trabzonspor of Turkey will take on winners of the first round matches between Dinamo Minsk of Belarus and Anorthosis Famagusta of the Greek Cypriot side. Trabzonspor will join the tournament from the second qualifying round. They will play the first leg with winners of Dinamo Minsk v Anorthosis Famagusta on July 26th-27th, and the second leg on August 2nd-3rd.
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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CLOSED BIDS TO BE OPENED ON JULY 1ST
Koc Holding, Oger Telecoms, Etisalat and Turktel joint venture groups offered their bids in the tender for the block sale of 55 percent shares of state-run phone operator Turkish Telekom. The closed bids will be opened on July 1st.