These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 16, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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NEW FORMULA FOR CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit gave the message that abolition of capital punishment could be solved on the basis of the parliament. Prime Minister Ecevit asked State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), whether or not we would be offended if the issue was solved at the parliament. Bahceli said, ''I will not be offended. This issue is under parliament's will.''
DERVIS DEFENDS INCREASE IN FUEL OIL PRICES
State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy defended increase in fuel oil prices despite decrease in U.S. dollar and oil prices by saying, ''fuel oil prices were increased. However, it was necessary to increase the state's revenue.''
TELSIM SHARES FROZEN
A court in New York, the United States, banned all procedings about purchase and mortgage of wireless carrier Telsim in a 3 billion U.S. dollars of lawsuit filed by Motorola and Nokia against Telsim. The world's largest mobile phone makers filed the suit alleging that the Uzan family, which owns Telsim, borrowed money from them with no intention of paying it back. Precautionary measures on properties of the Uzan family will continue till April 9, 2002.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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LINN: ''WORLD BANK IS GENERALLY PLEASED WITH TURKEY'S POLICIES''
World Bank Vice President Johannes Linn said that World Bank is generally pleased with Turkey's policies. Linn said that World Bank supports the structural programme of Turkey. Noting that he examined the economic programme's advancement together with State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy and Finance Minister Sumer Oral, Linn said that the World Bank is generally pleased with Turkey's applications. ''We are particularly pleased with the banking and public sector reform programmes,'' he said.
DIYARBAKIR DGM LAUNCHES AN INVESTIGATION AGAINST CHOMSKY
Diyarbakir State Security Court (DGM) Chief Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation against U.S. philosopher, writer and linguist Noam Chomsky who said, ''I hope that an autonomous Kurdistan would exist one day.'' Cassettes in which Chomsky's statements were recorded, were sent to the Diyarbakir DGM Chief Prosecutor's Office by the Directorate General of Security.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH SOLDIERS LEAVE FOR AFGHANISTAN
A part of Turkish troops left for Afghanistan by four planes. Dispatch of Turkish soldiers will finalize in five days. The troop is composed of 14 officers, 21 noncommissioned officers and 232 privates. Senior Colonel Tuncer Erinmez will command the troop.
SEZER: ''CORRUPTION CONSTITUTES IMPORTANT PART OF TURKEY'S PROBLEMS''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that corruption constituted an important part of Turkey's problems. Sezer attended a meeting in which the results of the second survey of Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) on corruption were presented. Speaking at the meeting, Sezer said that the results of the survey reflected the sensitivities of people. It was a necessity that Turkey had to renew itself and take more steps in many fields in the changing conditions of the world, Sezer said.
DERVIS: ''CORRUPTION HAS TO BE PREVENTED''
State Minister Kemal Dervis said that the prevention of corruption by rehabilitation of public administration and development of transparency carries great importance for Turkey which takes resolved steps to reach modern international standards. Sending a message to the conference held by the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) in which the second survey on corruption was announced, Dervis said, ''the understanding of doing politics with unmodern methods in the past contradicted with the modern effective and transparent economy administration. The problems which the country faced as a result of that were disturbing the mechanisms of trust between the citizens and the state. Therefore, such problems carried as much importance as the political, macro economic and socio economic problems. The economic programme which we have been implementing today attributes great importance to transparency and development of effective administration in public sector.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TSK IS THE MOST RELIED INSTITUTION
A public survey carried out by the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) revealed that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) was the most relied institution. According to results of the public survey, inflation and corruption were the most important problems of Turkey. The public survey also revealed that 95 percent of businessmen wanted a serious change in social order.
CYPRUS WARNING
European Union (EU) Commissioner Guenter Verheugen for enlargement said that the EU would and could not change its enlargement schedule for Turkey and Cyprus. Speaking at a conference on Turkey-EU relations held at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Verheugen said that the union had to give a decision if a solution was not reached on the island till the end of 2002. Verheugen said, ''whether or not you liked, Cyprus government (Greek Cypriot government) is legally representing the island in international arena.'' This was neither his personel nor the EU's view, Verheugen noted. They would provide economic support for Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) if a solution was found on Cyprus, Verheugen stated. He added that allocation of a total of 100 million euro in this respect at the end of 2006 was on their agenda.
ATTACK ON TURKISH PEOPLE IN BELGIUM
Gunmen opened fire on two Turkish citizens in Anvers, Belgium. The two were seriously injured in the attack. They were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Gunmen managed to flee from the scene of attack.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ECEVIT: ''EDUCATION IN KURDISH IS IMPOSSIBLE''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that education in Kurdish language was impossible. Noting that Kurdish publication and education in Kurdish were two separate issues, Prime Minister Ecevit said that he conveyed his opinions to
European Union (EU) Commissioner Guenter Verheugen for enlargement.
TAX SCHEDULE SUBMITTED TO IMF
Tax schedule signed by State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy and Finance Minister Sumer Oral was submitted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Income tax will be reduced by 5 percent in 2003.
GENERAL STAFF DENIES CONNECTION WITH OBTAINING OF E-MAIL MESSAGES
General Staff said that the Turkish Armed Forces did not have any connection with obtaining of e-mail messages of Karen Fogg, the European Union (EU) Commissions's Representative to Turkey. Issuing a written statement on the issue, General Staff said that ''recently certain press organs published news noting that private correspondence of certain persons was illegally monitored and its content was made public. Turkish Armed Forces, which acts within the principles of the Constitution and the laws, does not have any connection with this incident.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TREASURY TO REPAY 1.2 QUADRILLION TL
Treasury will repay 1 quadrillion 273.2 trillion Turkish lira (TL) in domestic. Within this framework, Treasury will repay 15.5 trillion TL on Monday. On Tuesday, Treasury will repay 1 quadrillion 10.9 trillion TL to markets, and make a 246.8 trillion TL average sales repayment. Treasury's total repayments in February will be 4 quadrillion 678.4 trillion TL.
PIPES FROM TURKEY AND RUSSIA TO BE CONNECTED ON FEBRUARY 25
The pipes coming from Turkey and Russia beneath the Black Sea for the Blue Stream natural gas project, will be connected off northern Samsun province on February 25. Gazprom officials said that thus, the construction of first pipeline would be finalized. The officials said that then, the construction of second pipeline under the sea would start. Italian SAIPEM-7000 platform started to lay pipelines beneath 2,150 metres in December. This is the deepest pipeline laid beneath the sea in the world.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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DERVIS TO WRITE NOVEL OF ECONOMY
State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy announced that he wanted to write a novel which would also include economy. When asked whether or not he would enter politics during a meeting with Economy Reporters Association's Istanbul Branch members, Dervis said, ''I love economy and teaching it very much. In the future, I want to write a novel which also includes economy.''
GREAT DERBY
Reigning champions Fenerbahce will host their rivals Galatasaray at their home Sukru Saracoglu Stadium today. Prior of this one of the most important derbies in recent years, Galatasaray's few top players are suffering injuries while Fenerbahce are confident.