ANKARA (A.A) - 23.05.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on May 23, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TONY WARNS AND WE CAPTURE
After the warning of British Prime Minister Tony Blair that sanctions would be imposed on countries which did not fight against human smuggling, there was a chase in the Mediterranean. The fishing boat which departed from southern Silifke township to take 233 people, including women and children, to Italy, was stopped by Turkish security forces. Coast guard boats and a helicopter followed the fishing boat which set sailed early in the morning. The people aboard the fishing boat who wanted to sneak into Italy were all captured. People who use Turkey as a transit country to sneak into foreign countries reach 150 thousand a year. These people pay 1,000-1,500 U.S. dollars per person to the human smugglers. Crime gangs prefer human smuggling to drug trafficking because the punishment given for human smuggling is lighter than that of drug trafficking.
A THOUSAND MORE SOLDIERS TO AFGHANISTAN
Turkey's taking over the command of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan from Britain on June 22 became definite. General Akin Zorlu will command ISAF. Additional to 261 Turkish soldiers, 1,000 more soldiers will go to the region.
SEE COVERED BAZAAR AND UNDERSTAND REAL MARKET
International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Secretary General Philippe Richard showed the Covered Bazaar as an example market in his speech at the IOSCO Conference. Richard said that the Covered Bazaar was one of the most oldest autonomous markets of the world and said that the regulators had to see it.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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LIVE BOMB PANIC
A young person whom the police called on to stop in Bakirkoy district of Istanbul ran to the upper floors of the Police Department by saying that he was a live bomb. The police shot and rendered him ineffective. As Burak Yapici, who came to the Police Department around 7.30 p.m., wanted to enter into the building carrying a bag, the x-ray device signaled. The policemen on duty asked Yapici to go through the x-ray device for a second time and Yapici said, ''I am a live bomb'' and started to run to the upper floors. The police called him to stop but as Yapici did not stop, police shot him in the leg and rendered him ineffective. There was a cleaning liquid in the bag.
NSC TO SAY LAST WORD ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT Eyes are turned to the National Security Council (NSC) meeting related with abolition of capital punishment and broadcasting and education in mother tongue. Commanders who have some drawbacks about these two issues will attend the meeting. Leaders who will take the recommendations of the soldiers will decide the steps to be taken in the first week of June. Meanwhile, it was learned that Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli was very uneasy about the pressure on his party. Bahceli was quoted as saying that they were loyal to the things written in the national programme. If the General Staff says ''it is appropriate'', the Emergency Rule implementation will be ended at first stage.
SEZER APPROVES AMNESTY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved the law on amendment to the Law on Conditional Release and Suspension of Punishment Committed Till April 23, 1999 which he had earlier vetoed. A statement of Presidential Press Center said that the law was adopted in its present shape by the parliament and that the president had to approve it if the law was sent to the presidential office in the same shape for a second time.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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EARLY ELECTION CAN BE HELD
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said that they did not think about elections but the government could hold the elections a few months earlier than the expected date. Yilmaz, who proposed to hold the election on October 19, 2003, said that they would evaluate this issue when the time came. Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli said that he thought that the statements about election date were baseless and untimely. Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi said that it was inconvenient to set the election date one and a half years earlier. True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said that the parliament had completed its term and that they should reach compromise on a formula which would re-unite the support of the people and the parliament.
PUNISHMENTS SIMILAR TO THAT IN THE UNITED STATES ON THE WAY
Modern punishments will be put into practice with an amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CMUK). Those who cause incidents in a city will be banned from leaving that city. Courts can ask for home imprisonment and impose a continuous ban on passports. The draft law will be presented to the parliament soon.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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GREAT INTRANSIGENCE
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is not moderate toward the proposals, presented by Foreign Ministry and EU General Secetariat to the leaders' summit, pertaining to death sentence, education and broadcast in mother tongue.
MHP Group Acting Chairman Ismail Kose said it was out of question for them to step back in capital punishment. He said giving education in Kurdish with courses was contrary to constitution noting that this would negatively effect the unitary structure.
Government partner Motherland Party (ANAP) told MHP that, ''we should get rid of our fears. We should not miss the EU opportunity.''
BAYAR TAKES OVER DTP
Mehmet Ali Bayar, who was elected as leader in the second regular congress of Democratic Turkey Party (DTP), took over the leadership from Ismet Sezgin.
Bayar said DTP would be the locomotive of change and development which will cover the whole Turkey.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ALI FEVZI BIR TO BE EXTRADITED
Ali Fevzi Bir, one of the suspects of the Susurluk case, currently under arrest in Germany, will be extradited to Turkey on Friday.
Bir was arrested in Dusseldorf with the joint efforts of Turkish and German police.
A team from Security General Directorate Interpol Department will go to Germany to take Bir.
SEZER TO DUE TO TIRANA
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will go to Albanian capital Tirana as the official guest of Albanian President Rexhep Meijdani. Following this visit, Sezer will represent Turkey, together with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, at the Russia-NATO meeting which will take place in Rome on May 28.
It is not clear whether or not Sezer will meet the U.S. President George Bush at the meeting.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ECEVIT WILL REST AT HOME FO 15 DAYS
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who recovers day by day, will rest at home for 15 days after being discharged from hospital. A report which will be given by the hospital to Ecevit, will advise him bodily exercise and walking.
WE WILL STRENGTHEN CASPIAN
Transportation Minister Oktay Vural said Turkey had an important infrastructure in field of telecommunication, adding, ''the infrastructure and experiences in Turkey would be an opportunity for Caspian Basin countries.
The First International Caspian Countries Telecommunication Conference which was organized by the Transportation Ministry started in Istanbul.
Making opening remarks of the conference which aims to develop cooperation in field of telecommunication, Vural said that telecommunication sector had become the basic dynamism of information technologies.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SEZER APPROVES AMNESTY LAW
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved Amnesty Law which was accepted in the Parliament for a second time. Even if Sezer brings a suit, nearly 3,500 people, including Mehmet Ali Agca and Haluk Kirci, will benefit from the law till the decision of Constitutional Court. The accused who were released will not be sent to prison again even if Constitutional Court annuls the law.
ECEVIT REPROACHES KEMAL DERVIS AT SUMMIT MEETING
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit reproached State Minister for Economy Kemal Dervis during the leaders' summit on Tuesday.
Recalling the statements of Dervis pertaining to determination of the date of early elections, Ecevit said, ''he does his job well. However, I can not understand why he goes out of his field with the statements regarding early elections as there is not such an atmosphere. He may not know politics but he should know Parliament determines the elections.''