These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 6, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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SECOND U-2 CRISIS
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that Turkey allowed flight of U-2 planes over Turkey's air space in 1991. In 1996, Turkey cancelled the permission because U-2 planes did not inform Turkish officials on their flight routes and did not share intelligence they collected. The United States officially applied to Turkey on September 26, 2001, and asked Turkey to allow flights of U-2.
JCR AFFIRMS TURKEY'S B+ RATINGS
Japanese Credit Rating Agency JCR has affirmed Turkey's B+ ratings and revised its outlook from negative to stable on long-term bonds issued in Japanese markets. The ratings reflected the progress in implementing the economic reform program agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an additional financial support from the Fund and the importance of Turkey's geopolitical position.
KAHKONEN: ''BE PATIENT''
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen who came to Turkey within framework of the first review, started holding contacts in Istanbul. Kahkonen met with Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) members. Kahkonen listened to expectations of the private sector, and gave the message, ''things have begun to go well in Turkey. We should be patient for some time more.'' Kahkonen is expected to meet with State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy on Wednesday.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TALABANI: ''PKK WILL END''
Jalal Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union for Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK), said, ''believe me, the PKK will come to an end. It will change its name and distribute its power. I hope that Turkey would not have any problem with the PKK any longer. The PKK has been busy with preparing a conference in which it would change its name and programme. This will be better both for us and for them.'' Talabani said, ''as the PUK, we are in favor of a democratic Iraq. Therefore, we can support operations to be launched by democrative and progressive forces in line with this principle. We are not a part of a plot against Iraqi people. We are opposed to the existing regime in Iraq, and we are in favor of a democratic change.''
NUMBER OF TOURISTS DECREASES BY 14.7 PERCENT
Number of foreign tourists visiting Turkey decreased by 14.7 percent in January of 2002. A total of 511 thousand 465 foreign tourists came to Turkey in the first month of the year. In the same period in 2000, 694 thousand 824 foreign tourists visited Turkey.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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BAHCELI: ''WE SHOULD NOT MAKE CONCESSIONS''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said, ''the European Union (EU) full membership process, one of the most critical milestones in the history of the Republic of Turkey, has unfortunately been dragged into an atmosphere of argument in which weakness and dreams have reached extreme levels. Steps to be taken on the path to the EU full membership could yield results that would jeopardize Turkey's stability and domestic structure. We should not make any concessions.'' He added, ''current situation has given rise to a chaos of perspective such as arguments on the capital punishment, education and publications in Kurdish. We should not forget the fact that constitutional and legal freedoms exist not for the so-called political projects of terrorist organizations, but for peace, security and well-being of individuals in the society.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ECEVIT: ''TURKEY IS INDISPENSABLE FOR EU''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''both the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP) are in favor of becoming a full member of the European Union (EU). It is not necessary to adopt adjustment laws till March 19. The EU cannot abandon Turkey. Turkey is indispensable for the EU.''
SEZER: ''TURKEY IS NOT IN FAVOR OF AN OPERATION AGAINST IRAQ''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said, ''Turkey is in favor of territorial integrity and political stability of Iraq. We are not in favor of a military operation against Iraq.''
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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COMPROMISE IN SALARIES
An agreement has been reached regarding the increase in the salaries of professors, associate professors, some bureaucrats, the members of high judicial organs, judges, prosecutors and some members of armed forces. Upon the statements of the university rectors that they would march to protest the imbalance in the salaries, the decision has been taken regarding up to 450 million Turkish lira increase in the salaries. When the works to remove the imbalance in the salaries in public sector, are approaching to the end, the distribution of 200 trillion TL source was determined. The works on the issue have been accelerated with Finance Minister Sumer Oral's direction and the final shape was given to the decision.
MESSAGE FROM PEARSON
Robert Pearson, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, said that the strategic partnership between the United States and Turkey can be successful if Turkey develops, and if it reaches lasting prosperity, dynamism and democracy. Speaking at a conference on ''Turkey's commercial relations with the United States'' which was held by Kayseri Young Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (GESIAD), Pearson said that the United States was the biggest supporter of Turkey. Pearson pointed out that the United States had been extending support to Turkey for 50 years and it had also supported Turkey in its fight against terrorism. The United States also helped in IMF's giving of 35 billion dollars of aid to Turkey in the last economic crisis, and the half of this aid was met by those people who give tax in the United States, he said.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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WEAK BANK GOES TO FUND
Engin Akcakoca, the Chairman of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA), said that the banking sector would be strengthened certainly, and added that the weak banks would be merged or turned over to Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF). Akcakoca said in a televised interview with the TGRT television channel, ''the aim of the programme on which we are working is to create a powerful banking system. We aim to strenghten the proprietary capital of the banks.''
OIL FESTIVAL
Oil production in Gokici-1 well in Ergani township of southeastern Diyarbakir province began. The oil to be obtained from Gokici-1 well is predicted to be of high quality and high gravity. The oil struck from the well is firstly taken to production tanks and then to the tankers. The tankers bring the oil to the Turkish Petroleum Inc. (TPAO) installations in Pirinclik hamlet of Diyarbakir. Eight tankers have been filled with oil and sent to Pirinclik so far. A total of 70 people are working in the facilities.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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BAHCELI REACTS TO EU AND HIS PARTNERS
The differrent views regarding full membership to the European Union (EU) among the coalition partners lead to mutual criticisms. National Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz gave messages before Tuesday's summit meeting. They said that their attitudes regarding the EU did not change. Yilmaz said that Turkey should not refrain from the EU path while Bahceli underlined that they oppose to the EU exploitation.