ANKARA (A.A) - 30.04.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on April 30, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TERROR HANGS FLAG IN BRUSSELS
The illegal extreme leftist DHKP-C organization hung its flag from the balcony of its ''representation'' building in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium which harbors the DHKP-C and is a heaven for terrorist organizations. Managers of the DHKP-C which had attacked on Foreign Minister Ismail Cem three years ago in Brussels said that they had taken permission from the Brussels Municipality to hang their flag.
AMNESTY TO BE RETURNED TO SEZER WITHOUT ANY CHANGE
The Council of Ministers took a decision in principle to enact the Law on Conditional Release without any change, which had been vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.
PKK SUPPORTERS STAY AT PREFABRICATED HUTS
During yesterday's meeting of the Council of Ministers, Public Works and Settlement Minister Abdulkadir Akcan said, ''I warned for several times but nobody listened. PKK supporters are staying at the prefabricated huts erected after the Marmara earthquakes. These people should be removed from these huts immediately.'' At the meeting, it was decided to evacuate the huts as soon as possible.
TURKEY CONSTRUCTS MOTORWAY IN GEORGIA
Infrastructural works have started to open Aktas, the third border gate with Georgia after Sarp and Turkgozu. With this objective, Turkey undertook construction of a 26 kilometers of motorway in Georgian side.
FRIENDSHIP CALL TO ARMENIANS
Istanbul-based Kars-Arpacay Association's Chairman Gursel Dogan said that as a civil organization representing a region on the Turkish-Armenian border, they were ready to do their best for rapprochement in Turkey-Armenia relations, and with this objective, they had planned to organize a friendship tour to Ani Ruins on the border region in Kars with Armenia and invited Armenians to this tour.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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THERE IS A PSYCHO IN SCHOOL
Director, deputy director and cleaning staff of Inkilap Primary School in southern province of Adana set a sex network in the school. Two students aged 15 and 16 were exposed to sexual harassment of director Rifat Ekren, 62, and deputy director Yakup Inekci, 46, for three years. Meanwhile, cleaning staff Rahim Ozdemir, 46, raped both students. The three were dismissed temporarily. However, they returned to the their posts after three months.
''AL-QAEDA MEMBERS' TARGET WAS HAGHIA SOPHIA''
The Wall Street Journal, one of leading newspapers of finance circles, claimed that Istanbul's Haghia Sophia was among targets of terrorists who were planning to stage a series of attacks in 16 countries in the wake of the September 11 attacks. The newspaper enumerated these countries as Singapore, Italy, Yemen, France, Germany, Turkey, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Jordan, Bahrain, Belgium, Austuria, Albania, Indonesia, the Phillippines, Britain and Malaysia.
DHKP-C HANGS ITS FLAG IN BRUSSELS
The European Union (EU) has included PKK in its list of terrorist organizations at last. However, illegal Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) was not included in the same list. Benefiting from Belgium's tolerance, DHKP-C has hung a flag in its headquarters in Brussels. Also, two members of the terrorist organization met with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
DERVIS RECEIVES ECONOMY MINISTER OF 2001 AWARD
State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy was presented with the Economy Minister of 2001 Award by The Banker, a respectable economic publication, at Istanbul's Conrad Hotel. Speaking at the ceremony, Dervis said ''We have many things to do ahead of us. But it is very pleasing to see that Turkey is regaining the confidence and support of international markets.'' ''To me, the strength, wisdom and solidarity of the Turkish nation are the main elements that recreated confidence in international markets. The Turkish society used this crisis as an opportunity and solved the financial problems which piled up for many years,'' Dervis added.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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CONDITIONAL RELEASE FROM PRISON BECOMES AN ENIGMA
During yesterday's meeting of the Council of Ministers, Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said, ''I did not say that Agca and Kirci would be released from prison. They could not benefit from the new law on conditional release from prison.'' Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi noted, ''the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and I have been opposed to this law. Haluk Kirci will, of course, benefit from the law.'' It is still not known whether Agca and Kirci would be released from prison or not.
BODIES OF THREE BANDLADESHIS FOUND IN ISTANBUL
Security forces found bodies of three Bangladeshis in Catalca district of Istanbul. After intercepting 12 Bangladeshis in the district, security forces searched the whole area. They found three male bodies near a parking lot for lorries. It was revealed that the bodies belonged to three Bangladeshis who had suffocated in the dorse of a lorry.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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PRESIDENT SEZER: HE DID NOT READ JUSTIFICATION WELL
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said upon some criticisms on his return decision which were made by some people including Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk that they did not read the justification of annulment decision well. Sezer repeated that the regulation had a feature of special amnesty.
TURKEY TO UNDERTAKE COMMAND IN JUNE
Council of Ministers took decision to undertake the command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan from Britain for a period of six months after National Security Council (MGK). Turkey is foreseen to undertake the command on June 22 and increase the number of soldiers in the region to 1300. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced that all kinds of support would be provided to Turkey.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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SURPRISE FROM DENKTAS
The third round of direct talks between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides ended with surprise proposal of Denktas on Monday. Denktas announced that he would present a sweeping package including proposals which have been made during the talks since January 16 and the responses of Greek Cypriots to those proposals. Denktas also said that the package covers flexibilities.
TURKEY IS GETTING RID OF DEBT BURDEN
State Minister Kemal Dervis said that Turkey entered the way to get rid of debt burden preventing growth and sound development of capital markets. He said, ''we should continue to walk on this way.'' Dervis spoke at a panel entitled, ''role of tax policies in developing capital market'' and stated that the difference between income and expense constituted the debt burden which has increased for 10-15 years.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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WHAT KIND OF SAVINGS IS THIS?
While the government is preparing laws to cut public expenses and save money, thirty-two members of the Parliamentary Commission for Planning and Budget had a ''very good'' holiday in Spain. The parliament paid the flight ticket fee which was 950 U.S. dollars for each person, hotel prices and 190 U.S. dollars of daily expenditures for each of them. In this very secret ''official visit'' between April 18-24, parlimentarians and their wives toured Madrid and Barcelona and many touristic places.
WE ARE GOING OFFICIALLY
The government took a Council of Ministers decision to send soldiers to Afghanistan. Releasing a statement, the Prime Ministry said that it had been decided to take over command of International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for a six-month period. It noted that also the number of the existing 267-member Turkish troop would be increased. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld sent letters to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, saying that the United States would extend every support regarding the command of ISAF.
PROSECUTOR YUKSEL INSISTS
Ankara State Security Court (DGM) Prosecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel said that he would oppose to rejection of the request for arrest of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan by the alternate judge's office. Yuksel said, ''we are trying to conclude our objection to this decision. We will oppose when we finish it.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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MANAGERS APPOINTED TO 94 CULTURE CENTERS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Managers were appointed to 94 culture centers, constructions of which have not even finished. A manager was appointed to a culture center which is at project level in Elazig province. Culture Minister Istemihan Talay is expected to take over the investigation on this issue. There were 94 culture centers of Culture Ministry, constructions of which have been continuing for years. Only 4 of them are targeted to be finished in 2002. However, managers were appointed to most of those centers.
NURI KAYIS: TV BOSSES THREAT GOVERNMENT
Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) Chairman Nuri Kayis said that RTUK would be an institution depending on Prime Ministry. He stated that seven of RTUK members would be chosen by government partners in new law and this would put RTUK in a very difficult situation. Kayis spoke at a panel entitled, ''honest Turkey'' in Izmir. He said that some media bosses insisted on that law to be passed and claimed that otherwise bosses would draw their supports from the government.