These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 9, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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GENERAL KILINC: ''I WAS MISUNDERSTOOD''
National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Kilinc said that his words were misunderstood. Meanwhile, War Academies Commander General Firtina said, ''one of our colleagues proved his activenesswith his statement. However, he forgot his role.'' Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit responded to General Kilinc by saying, ''we have not been searching an alternative against the European Union (EU). The Turkish nation is already European.''
TURKISH SOLDIERS ASSIST AFGHANISTAN IN CREATING ITS ARMY
Turkish troops deployed near Afghan capital Kabul have been training Afghan soldiers. Some of these Afghan soldiers will join troop of guardsmen soon, and protect the Prime Ministry Palace and other strategical places in Afghanistan.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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SEZER: ''BROADCAST IN KURDISH LANGUAGE IS POSSIBLE''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that education and broadcast in Kurdish language were different things. ''Article 42 of our Constitution clearly states that education can only be done in the official language. Therefore education in another language is out of question under our Constitution. But broadcast in another language would be decided by the government. Then we will also express our views,'' he said. President Sezer added that death sentence could be lifted without making any constitutional amendment.
BAHCELI: ''WE CANNOT REACH AN AGREEMENT''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said, ''as coalition partners, we cannot reach an agreement on the issues of the death sentence and education in Kurdish language. The MHP will not make any concession. Shall we dissolve the government and make our economy worse?''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY ALLOCATES ISRAELI IMI COMPANY FOR MODERNIZATION OF 170 TANKS
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that Turkey would sign an agreement with the Israeli IMI company about the modernization of 170 M-60 A1 tanks. After a meeting at the Defense Industry Undersecretariat, Ecevit made a statement to the press. He said that they also discussed alternatives other than Israel's offer, but these other alternatives did not meet Turkish Armed Forces' (TSK) technical and tactical needs. ''Taking into consideration future projects, we have decided to sign with IMI because of the suitable pricing and quick delivery time,'' Ecevit said. Ecevit said that the total cost of the modernization of 170 tanks would add up to 668 million U.S. dollars.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION DECREASES
Monthly Industrial Index decreased by 3.1 percent in January 2002. According to the data of the State Institute of Statistics (DIE), manufacturing industry decreased by 3.8 percent and mining sector reduced by 7.3 percent while electricity, gas and water sector increased by 3.6 percent in January. There has been a general decrease in manufacturing industry, while there has been increase in the production of tobacco, textile, clothing and refined oil, electrical machine, radio-television medical and precision optical instruments.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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DEATH FASTER DIES
Yusuf Kutlu who had been fasting to death to protest F-type prisons, died at Ankara's Numune Hospital. Kutlu, 27, became the 48th person to die in more than a year of hunger strike protests. Kutlu had been sentenced to imprisonment on charges of being a member of the illegal Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C).
DIALOGUE ON AEGEAN DISPUTE TO START
It was decided to discuss the problems about the Aegean Sea as a result of rapprochement between Turkey and Greece. Turkish and Greek diplomats will come together in Ankara on March 12 to take up several issues such as continental shelf and Flight Information Region (FIR). Foreign Affairs Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry Political Director Anastasios Skopelitis will preside the meeting.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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EU WARNS TURKEY
A high-level official of the European Union (EU) said that they expected Turkish government to review its National Program after one year was passed from Turkey's submitting its National Program to the EU. EU official noted that progress recorded by Turkey would be assessed at a meeting between Turkey and the EU on April 4. A further assessment about Turkey's progress would be announced in the EU Commission's Progress Report for Turkey to be released on October 15.
DERVIS:''WE MADE A GREAT PROGRESS IN CONVINCING FOREIGN INVESTORS''
State Miniter Kemal Dervis for Economy met with members of the British Industry Confederation. ''I cannot say we managed to convince foreign investors entirely, but we made a lot of progress,'' Dervis said after the meeting. He noted that direct foreign investments should increase in Turkey's foreign and domestic finance balance in the coming years. He said that the balance should be found not by the borrowed money but by direct investments which is a more healthier method. Pointing to the developments of Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Hungary and Poland, Dervis said all these countries integrated with Europe not by borrowing money but through direct investments.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TURKEY TO ASSIST AFGHANISTAN IN REBUILDING ITSELF
A delegation of Turkish businessmen headed by State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel will pay a two-day official visit to Afghan capital Kabul between March 11 and 12. The delegation will assess the damage in the region and will be briefed by Afghan officials on public works activities and reconstruction process in Afghanistan.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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VERHEUGEN: ''SOLITION IS NOT NECESSARY FOR EU MEMBERSHIP''
European Union (EU) Commissioner Guenter Verheugen said that it was not necessary to find a solution to the Cyprus question for the Greek Cypriot side's full membership. Verheugen met with President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). After the meeting, Verheugen said that he wished direct talks would be finalized till June.