ANKARA (A.A) - 19.04.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on April 19, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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PRESIDENT SEZER GIVES MESSAGE THAT TURKEY WILL VETO RUSSIA
Turkey having one of the biggest armies of NATO, has been involved in a new argument before discussions over European Army did not come to an end: Can Russia have the right to veto in NATO's decision-making mechanism without being a full member of the Alliance? President Ahmet Necdet Sezer explained Turkey's view during the press conference he held after his meeting with President Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania. ''Russia wants to act as the 20th member outside the permament partnership commission,'' he said, and gave the message that Turkey would veto Russia's request. President Sezer added, ''we are cautious against Russia's acting as a full member of NATO without undertaking any responsibilities. In that case, Russia will be granted right to veto.''
PARLIAMENTARY COMISSION ADOPTS DRAFT LIFTING DEATH PENALTY
The Parliamentary Justice Commission adopted the draft law lifting death penalty for all crimes except for terrorism, warfare and threat of war. Only the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the True Path Party explained their views. Representatives of other political parties did not argue the draft.
DERVIS: ''EU SHOULD ACCEPT TURKEY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE''
State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy who had attended a gala organized by the Near and Middle East Association at Hamburg's Vierjahreszeiten Hotel, said that Turkey was of great importance for the European Union (EU). Dervis noted, ''the EU should accept Turkey as soon as possible. Turkey's full membership to the EU will be beneficial for both sides. Although it lived through a difficult year, Turkey has succeeded in overcoming economic crisis. Turkish Airlines (THY) has become one of the companies making the highest profit.''
DEATH PENALTY OF IBDA/C LEADER APPROVED
The Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department no: 9 approved the death penalty given to Salih Izzet Erdis, the leader of the illegal Islamic Great Eastern Raiders Front (IBDA/C) who is also known as ''Salih Mirzabeyoglu'' on charges of ''attempting to change the constitutional order with the force of arms''.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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PRESIDENT SEZER ADDRESSES LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENT
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer received a standing applause during his speech at the parliament of Lithuania, the second leg of his tour to the Baltic States. He stressed, ''human rights and freedoms are not the rights granted to individuals by the state. These rights and freedoms are the rights existing before the states. In today's world, the states are obliged to take human rights under guarantee and to prepare all necessary conditions for its people to benefit from these rights. Recent constitutional amendments approved by the Turkish parliament reveal Turkey's determination to reach universal criterion in human rights and freedoms.''
''TURGUT OZAL WAS KILLED''
Semra Ozal, the wife of the deceased President Turgut Ozal, said, ''there has still been an uncertaintly over death of Turgut Ozal. I have received very important information from abroad. Recent developments led me to believe that my husband became victim of a homicide.''
IMF ENUMERATES RISKS IN TURKEY
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) enumerated risks in Turkey as the recent developments in the Middle East, oil prices, high public debt, inflation, banking reform and reconstruction of loans. In its report entitled ''World Economic Outlook'', the IMF said that despite important progress recorded in Turkish economy, risks had still been continuing.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH IMAM FILES A LAWSUIT AGAINST FBI DIRECTOR AND ATTORNEY GENERAL
Turkish imam Ibrahim Turkmen went to the United States one and a half years ago. He found a job and settled in New York. He did not have residence permit. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) detained him within the framework of the operation in the wake of the terrorist attacks on twin towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York on September 11, 2001. He had been kept in prison for months while security forces searched any possible link between him and terrorist organizations. He filed a lawsuit against FBI Director Robert S. Mueller and U.S. Attorney General Ashcroft after he was released from prison. He said that he was exposed to discrimination.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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DEATH MACHINE OF HEZBOLLAH
Mehmet Kolge, a member of the terrorist Hezbollah organization who was captured in Diyarbakir, ordered 46 people to be killed. Kolge working in the decision-making mechanism of the terrorist organization, told police of whereabouts of bodies of three people who were strangled and buried in basement of a house in Gaziantep.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY NOT TO CONFIRM YILMAZ
Foreign Affairs Ministry does not share the same impressions with State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz who stated that the European Union (EU) could include terrorist organization PKK and the illegal Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) in its list of terrorist organizations in coming days.
HUMANITY TRAGEDY INSTEAD OF GENOCIDE
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit made apologies for seven times for saying that Israel had been committing genocide against Palestinian people, acted with deliberation this time. He said that humanity tradegy in Palestine should come to an end immediately.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ECEVIT: ''TRAGEDY IN PALESTINE SHOULD COME TO AN END''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that the humanity tragedy in Palestine should come to an end immediately. Speaking at Democratic Left Party (DSP) group meeting, Ecevit said that thousands of people could not even meet their food needs for many days due to occupation of Israeli government. Ecevit said, ''Turkish Red Crescent is ready to send every kind of food and medical assistance to people in Palestinian territories under occupation. However, Israeli authorities are preventing aid organizations. It is a humanity duty to immediately lift this obstacle.''
PRESIDENT SEZER ADDRESSES LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENT
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer addressed the Lithuanian parliament. ''It is very pleasing to see that Turkey and Lithuania have been sharing the same values such as independence, democracy, supremacy of law and respect for human rights,'' he said. Noting that intense works had been carried out in Turkey in recent years to protect and develop human rights, President Sezer
underlined importance of relations with the EU in Turkish foreign policy. President Sezer also expressed Turkey's concerns and sorrow about recent developments in the Middle East.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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DEATH PENALTY TO BE LIFTED
The Parliamentary Justice Commission adopted the draft law lifting death penalty for all crimes except for terrorism, warfare and threat of war.
DEATH PENALTY OF IBDA/C LEADER APPRbvgOVED
The Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department no: 9 approved the death penalty given to Salih Izzet Erdis, the leader of the illegal Islamic Great Eastern Raiders Front (IBDA/C) who is also known as ''Salih Mirzabeyoglu'' on charges of ''attempting to change the constitutional order with the force of arms''.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ARMENIAN GANGS' MASSACRING 518 THOUSAND TURKS DOCUMENTED
A special unit formed at the Prime Ministry Office stated that 518 thousand 105 Turkish people were massacred by Armenian gangs during the World War I. The unit utilized archives in Azerbaijan, and collected 89 documents in a two-volume book.
STATE MINISTER DERVIS ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON D.C.
State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy, arrived in Washington D.C., the United States. Dervis will attend the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. He is scheduled to meet with IMF Managing Director Horst Kohler and World Bank President James Wolfensohn.