These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 28, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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DECISION DISAPPOINTING PKK
Case of Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization, which has been continuing in European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for three years, began to take on a shape.
According to the decision which will be announced in the coming summer months or the autumn, trial of Ocalan in State Security Court (DGM) was appropriate to the rules.
The court rejected the allegations of the lawyers that there was abuse and torture, and decided that the rules were not violated in this respect.
According to ECHR, Turkey violated European Convention on human rights on some issues. The custody period, which should not be more than four days, reached 10 days.
The ECHR decision said right of defense of Ocalan was violated as the lawyers of Ocalan could not go to Imrali island and due to their security of life.
And finally, the court saw execution of capital punishment as ''conditional violation''. ECHR said if Turkey executes the capital punishment, it would violate European Convention on Human Rights.
CHENEY TO ATTRACT ANKARA WITH MONEY
The U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney is expected to call for support to overthrow Saddam regime in Iraq during his visit to Ankara.
It was also reported that Cheney will have a ''financial package'' in his briefcase for attracting Turkey.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TOURISM CONFERENCE TO BE HELD
Here are some results obtained from the first round of Turkey-United States Economic Partnership Commission meeting.
-The United States Trade and Development Agency (TDA) will hold tourism conference in Istanbul in May.
-The United States may open office in Izmir and Gaziantep to promote trade facilities, and Turkey may also open office in the United States.
-Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will set up a business council to bring together the businessmen of the two countries aiming to exchange views on information technologies, development of computer program, defense, aviation, and environment technologies.
-Two agreements were signed after the meetings. Thus, the United States Trade and Development Agency (TDA) provided two grants to finance a feasibility study for a thermal power plant in Hereke and technical assistance to allow BOTAS to conduct a gas transportation fee study and develop a tarriff modeling system.
BRANA: TURKEY CAN NOT ENTER EU WITHOUT LIFTING DEATH PENALTY
Pierre Brana, the member of French Parliament and EU Commission, who met State Minister Nejat Arseven, said Turkey could not enter the European Union (EU) before lifting death penalty.
Brana, who met State Minister Arseven, said the report he would submit to his parliament would not be limited only with human rights, but also includes six Copenhagen criteria covering the principles like minority rights and supremacy of law.
Brana said he would point out positive developments in his report but also include issues like capital punishment which have not been solved yet.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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PRIVILEGE PROMISE FROM UNITED STATES
The U.S. granted Qualifying Industrial Zones privilege to Turkey after Israel and Jordan. According to the agreement, the goods which will be produced in those regions, would enter the United States duty free.
An agreement was reached in principle during the Turkey-the United States Economic Partnership Commission meeting to include Turkey in the qualified industrial zones agreement between Israel and the United States.
Sources said that making a new and separate qualified industrial zones agreement would take long time, and added that Turkey would be included in the existing agreement.
DERVIS SAYS WE WILL NOT EXPERIENCE FEBRUARY 2001 CRISIS ONCE AGAIN
State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy said Turkey would not experience February 2001 economic crisis once again.
Speaking at a panel discussion at the Middle East Technical University (METU), Dervis said, ''floating foreign exchange rate was a safety valve against economic crises.''
Underlining importance of year 2002, Dervis said that 35 percent inflation was not an assertive target, and added that Turkey should realize 3 percent growth rate and 35 percent inflation rate.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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NSC MILITARY MEMBERS LEAVES ISSUE OF DEATH PENALTY TO PARLIAMENT
The military, who listened to the views of Mesut Yilmaz and Devlet Bahceli, the state ministers and deputy prime ministers, said, ''we have expressed our views regarding lifting of death penalty. In spite of this, we are leaving the issue to the government and the parliament.''
The military also reacted to the statements of State Minister Kececiler about the terrorist PKK organization and stressed that such kind of statements encouraged the terrorist organization.
Deputy Prime Minister Yilmaz attracted the attention to the ''humanitarian dimension'' of death penalty and gave a briefing about the implementations in the world.
National Security Council (NSC) decided for the extension of Emergency Rule for another four months as of March 30, 3002 and to inform Council of Ministers about its recommendatory decision.
INDUSTRIAL ZONES TO BE SET UP
First steps have been taken to improve trade between Turkey and the United States.
According to this, Qualified Industrial Zones will be set up in Turkey and scale of Generalized Preferences System will be broadened in this respect.
The U.S. side presented a project to bring more tourists to Turkey.
Facilities of Generalized Preferences System may be used for the broadening of textile quoatas.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TURKISH YOUNG PEOPLE SHALL WORK
The educational charges will increase by 10 times and the students can work with minimum wage according to the draft which was arranged to provide source to the universities. The government, which cannot rescue the universities from their financially difficult situation, gives the responsibility to the students. According to the draft which was prepared by Higher Education Board (YOK) President Kemal Guruz and the rectors of the universities, ''earn your own money'' period will start at the universities. The draft aiming to increase the educational charges by 10 times will provide the students to work with minimum wage.
DEATH PENALTY NOT LIFTED FOR NOW
Lifting the death penalty was postponed after March 19. The government which is working for the medium term commitments of the National Programme to be ready until March 19, postponed the bill related to lifting the death penalty after that date. The government said they postponed discussing death penalty to a later date because recent discussions were preventing works on other issues.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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DERVIS: ''ALWAYS POOR PEOPLE SUFFER''
State Minister Kemal Dervis said, ''we have overcome a grave economic crisis. Turkey will not experience February 2001 economic crisis once again. But I saw that the poor people mostly suffered from the economic crises.'' Speaking at a panel at the Middle East Technical University on Wednesday, Dervis said, ''floating foreign exchange rate was a safety valve against economic crises.'' Meanwhile, a group of students protested State Minister Dervis. While officials intervened in students, Dervis said that he was in favor of development of free thought in universities.
EMERGENCY RULE EXTENDED AGAIN IN FOUR PROVINCES
National Security Council (NSC) on Wednesday decided to inform Council of Ministers about its recommendatory decision taken for the extension of Emergency Rule for another four months as of March 30, 2002. The statement said security and public order throughout Turkey under the light of intelligence and security reports were discussed, and foreign political developments concerning Turkey's security were reviewed during the meeting. The statement said, ''within this framework, it was found appropriate to extend Emergency Rule in the region for another four months starting as of March 30, 2002.'' The Emergency Rule implementation currently continues in southeastern Diyarbakir, Hakkari, Sirnak and Tunceli provinces.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TURKEY-THE U.S. COMMERCIAL MEETINGS TO CONTINUE
The U.S. Ambassador Alan Larson, Undersecretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs announced on Wednesday that Turkey could export hand-knitted and hand-woven carpets to the United States and the meetings on the textile quotas were continuing. Larson said that hand made goods and hand made textile products would be taken within the framework of Generalized Preferential Trade System Program and would be exempted from the customs. The latest situation of the textile quotas is expected to be solved at joint meeting which will be held by the U.S. Trade Agency and Turkish Foreign Trade Undersecretariat.