These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 7, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ADJUSTMENT BILL ADOPTED
The adjustment bill known as ''mini democracy package'' was adopted by the Parliamentary General Assembly. Articles 159 and 312 of the bill were changed before being approved. Meanwhile, coalition partners have not reached compromise for the first time since the coalition government was formed. While the deputies of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) cast their votes for adoption of the bill without any change, deputies of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP) supported enlargement of freedoms.
LETTERS TO BE SENT TO FAMILIES OF STUDENTS ABOUT SATANISM
National Education Minister Metin Bostancioglu who signed a series of decrees prepared to prevent suicide attempts among students and to support psychological support, wrote a letter to families of nearly 14 million students. These letters will be sent to families of students together with students' report cards at the end of the first semester. The letters give information about satanism and warn families not to use violence on their children.
TURKEY TO PROTEST BELGIUM
Ankara has taken action after learning that three Belgian parliamentarians met with Osman Ocalan, the brother of terrorist organization PKK head Abdullah Ocalan, in Northern Iraq. Jean Matthysen, the Belgian Ambassador to Turkey, was summoned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. During the meeting, Turkish side expressed its uneasiness about recent developments. Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said that necessary initiatives had been launched both in Belgium and in Turkey.
PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE CENSURE MOTION AGAINST GOVERNMENT
The Parliamentary General Assembly will debate on February 12, 2002 whether to take censure motion submitted by the True Path Party (DYP) against the government onto parliamentary agenda. The DYP claimed in its censure motion, ''agriculture of tobacco has come to an end-point as a result of the government's economy policies depending on the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Agriculture of tobacco concerns 3 million citizens together with 600 thousand farmers. Tobacco producers have been left alone against foreign monopolies.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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QUAKE TIME FOR ISTANBUL
TUBITAK Marmara Studies Center Director Prof. Dr. Naci Gorur who is known with his deliberate statements, said, ''a major earthquake jolts Istanbul once in 250 years. Latest period of 250 years will come to an end in 2016. We have observed recently that gas volcanos in Marmara Sea have begun to be active again. An earthpuake measuring 7.0 or higher on the Richter scale could occur in Marmara in coming years. We do not want to scare anyone. However, this is what the science told us.''
CLASH ERUPTS BETWEEN SECURITY FORCES AND DRUG TRAFFICKERS
Security forces revealed an illicit drug trafficking network, and launched an operation to capture members of this network in Istanbul. Clash erupted between security forces and three armed members of the network. Drug traffickers opened fire on security forces, injuring a policeman. Meanwhile, security forces captured seven members of the network at the end of the operation.
PKK MEMBER CAPTURED IN MOSCOW
The Russian Federation that has recenty begun to give the message that it wanted to cooperate with Turkey against terrorism, captured a member of the terrorist organization PKK for the first time. The terrorist was taken into custody as he was preparing to leave Russia from Moscow's Sheremetyova Airport. He was identified as Sahin Gokalp. Gokalp was sentenced to 12 years in prison in Turkey.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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JUSTICE COMES AFTER TEN MONTHS
Dinc Bilgin who submitted important documents to court delegation about the investigation into the Etibank, was released by the court yesterday. Istanbul High Criminal Court no: 5 decided to release Bilgin together with other businessmen Cavit Caglar and Nail Kecili. During the court session, Bilgin proved with documents that some of the crimes mentioned in the indictment of the case, were committed under the pressure of BRSA former chairman Zekeriya Temizel.
A RAW BREAKS OUT ABOUT LOCAL ADMINISTRATIONS DRAFT LAW
A raw break out between the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP) about the article of the Local Administrations Draft Law saying, ''provincial special administrations should carry out the investments about primary and secondary education, environment, potable water, sports, health, culture, village roads, agriculture and other services that are approved by the Council of Ministers.''
PUBLIC BANKS START MAKING BENEFIT
The total loss of Ziraat Bankasi and Halk Bankasi which was 598 trillion Turkish lira (TL) in April of 2001, have been changed into a benefit of 543 trillion in December of 2001. Meanwhile, Halk Bankasi's loss of 740 trillion TL decreased to 570 trillion TL in the same period.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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''HARMONY'' DESTROYED
A bill on which the coalition government partners could not reach an agreement during the 57th government's term in office was adopted by excluding the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The adjustment bill which had created a crisis in the coalition government was adopted by the parliament. MHP officials accused their partners of ''behaving impolite and irresponsible''. After adoption of the bill, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli said, ''we respect the parliamentary will.''
JAPAN WARNS BUT NO MONEY
It was mentioned that the Japanese delegation which had observed the bridges and viaducts reported that those bridges and viaducts might suffer damage in a possible earthquake in Marmara Sea or Istanbul and that especially Bogazici, Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Halic bridges and four viaducts needed seismic reinforcement. Public Works and Settlement Minister Akcan annunced that those projects would be put into practice when loan was obtained.
TURKEY IN LIST OF ATTACK TARGETS
CIA Chairman George Tenet said that al-Qaede and other terrorist organizations were planning to attack on the United States and that especially Israel, Saudi Arabia and Turkey were ''under serious risk''.
RISK OF NEW EARTHQUAKE
Prof. Dr. Tuncay Taymaz from the Istanbul Technical University Seismology Department stressed that the Sultandagi fault line had still a part which had not broken yet and they were expecting an earthquake measuring more than 6.0 on the Richter scale due to this part. Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Naci Gorur said, ''the fault line between central Marmara and Tekirdag is risky. This can cause an earthquake measuring 7.0 or more at any moment.''
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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IS THERE A BARGAINING?
It was claimed that ''security units'' had given a 12-article memorandum to the PKK on January 16, 2002. Removal of ''Kurdistan'' word in the name of PKK was one of those articles. Neither the General Staff nor any state organ confirmed that it had sent the memorandum in question. Two days ago, PKK announced that it would not carry out activities in EU countries and Turkey under the name of PKK. It is claimed that ''Kurdistan'' word would not take place in the new name. This development creates a question mark: ''Is there a bargaining?''
''FORGET EU WITH THESE LAWS''
Prominent jurist Prof. Guy Braibant who is known as the father of the European Convention evaluated articles 159 and 312 of the Turkish Penal Code: ''now, there is not any law which restricts freedom of expression in Europe. Turkey cannot enter EU with such laws.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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CAGLAR, BILGIN AND KECILI FREED
The Istanbul High Criminal Court heard 18 witnesses including bank managers, chiefs and personnel under the Etibank case. Witnesses said that they had not done any transaction and anything violating the procedures and laws. In his opinion on the merits of the case, the prosecutor requested release of businessman Cavit Caglar from prison and release of Nail Kecili and businessman Dinc Bilgin on bail. The court decided to release Caglar, Kecili and Bilgin for their trial without arrest.
312 AND 159 AMENDED
The adjustment bill which created a tension among the coalition government partners was legalized with the amendmend proposals submitted by the Democratic Left Party (DSP) although the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) opposed to it. The bill was taken up by the Parliamenntary General Assembly yesterday upon the DSP's application. The expression of ''possibility of destruction of public order'' which was mentioned in Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) was changed as ''danger of destruction of public order''. The expression of ''persons'' in the same article was changed as ''nation''. The last part of the article remained as ''person who insults a certain part of the nation in a way which denigrates them and damages human dignity is sentenced to imprisonment terms from six months up to two years.'' This amendmend proposal was legalized with votes of DSP, Motherland Party (ANAP) and opposition although the MHP voted against it. The text of Article 159 of TCK was protected as it is by the motion submitted by the DSP, but the punishment foreseen in Article 159 was amended. Those who openly curse laws of Turkish Republic and resolutions of parliament will be given imprisonment terms from 15 days to six months. If this crime is committed in a foreign country by a Turkish citizen, this punishment will be increased from one third to half. With the new arrangement, the heaviest punishment was reduced from six years to three years and fines were lifted.
AEGEAN GESTURE TO ATHENS
Turkey unilaterally made a nice gesture to Greece, which will reduce tension in Aegean and started to give early information about the daily flights over Aegean to Greece through the NATO. With this new implementation, Turkey has been giving early information about number of Turkish war planes which fly over Aegean and their routes to Greece since December 2001. During these flights, Turkish pilots also answer questions of Greek towers about their identity and places. Greek had firstly rejected this nice gesture but the sitation had changed when the Greek Foreign Ministry had known about it. Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou said that information given by Turkey was a positive step. Athens now considers the information sent by Turkey ''Official Nato Document''.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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DSP AND ANAP REACH AGREEMENT WITH OPPOSITION TO AMEND 312
The ''mini democracy package'' which covered amendment to articles 312 and 159 of the Turkish Penal Code was recovered and adopted by the parliament. While the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and Motherland Party (ANAP) reached an agreement with the opposition, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) for the first time ran counter to its partners and remained outside of this agreement.
TURKEY-ISRAEL ALLIANCE AGAINST IRAN GRADUALLY GETTING STRONG
Russia-Iran Coordination Program Center Chairman Recep Safarov claimed that Turkey and Israel whose relations were gradually improving could set up a political and military alliance against Iran. Safarov defended that Israel wanted to reach Central Asia and Caspian by making use of Turkey.
CUSTOMS OFFICIALS CONFESS BRIBERY
The Anadolu University (AU) carried out a survey at customs. According to the survey, 39.8 percent of customs officials said that there is bribery at customs.