ANKARA (A.A) - 12.06.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 12, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BAHCELI: MHP CAN WITHRAW IMMEDIATELY
Devlet Bahceli, the State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, who also acts as the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), reiterated that they would not say ''yes'' to the abolishment of death sentence.
Bahceli said, ''an appropriate government is obligatory for this. Government is the interlocutor of the European Union (EU). MHP will not block the road and can withraw immediately.''
Bahceli said they would not accept the three conditions imposed by the EU, noting that they would actively oppose this.
Bahceli said the Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz is responsible for failure to settle Turkey-EU relations into a healthy basis.
He said, ''in order to solve those three preconditions, the parties should set up an appropriate government, because the government is the interlocutor of the EU administration, not the Parliament. As the MHP, we will not block the roads, we can withdraw immediately.''
CAY RESIGNS
Abdulhaluk Cay, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Corum Parliamentarian, who had been dismissed from state ministry with the order of MHP leader Devlet Bahceli, and who began to oppose the administration, resigned from MHP.
Following the resignation of Cay, number of MHP parliamentarians reduced to 126. Meanwhile, number of independent deputies increased to 14.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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EXPEND SUPPORT TO US ON ABOLISHMENT OF DEATH SENTENCE
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''I know that True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller supports us. To this end I would like to make a call to her. The European Union (EU) is not an issue of party, it is a national problem. Ciller should consider the issue from this point of view. I believe that she will support us.''
Attitudes which the parties would assume are clarified regarding abolishment of death sentence. MHP will not expend support, and will not sign a government bill in this respect. However if abolishment of death sentence can be provided with the support of the opposition to DSP and ANAP, the MHP will not turn it into a government problem. Justice and Development Party (AK Party) will expend support to abolishment of death sentence in case a ban is put to amnesty in the constitution. Similarly, the Felicty Party (SP) will expend support. In the existing atmosphere, attitude of DYP will determine the results. Ciller said they would expend support if an arrangement in the form of a government bill comes. She said first of all a compromise should be provided within the government.
TOYOTA TO REACH ONE BILLION EURO EXPORTATION TARGET
Toyota, which will start to produce a new model in Adapazari factory starting as of 2004, targets to increase its production figure to 100,000, and its exportation to one billion Euro.
Toyota, which became an exporter with the production of Corolla Sedan model, will start production and exportation of the third model starting as of 2004, and make an exportation of one billion Euro.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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GIANT MERGING WAITS FOR APPROVAL FROM SDIF
Yapi Kredi Bankasi and Pamukbank deced to merge. If the Banking Regulation and Supervistion Agency (BRSA) approves, Pamukbank will become a history.
In case Yapi Kredi Bankasi and Pamukbank merge, Turkey's biggest private bank, with 21.8 quadrillion total assets, will be born.
Yapi Kredi Bankasi, belonging to Cukurova Holding decided to merge with the other bank of the group, Pamukbank.
Executive boards of Yapi ve Kredi Bankasi and Pamukbank convened synchronously, and took a step for the merging.
Yapi Kredi Bankasi, which had been set up by Kazim Taskent in 1944, was taken by Cukurova Group in 1980's. The bank cannot give detailed information to the investors before the approval of Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA).
ZORLU IN KABUL
General Hilmi Akin Zorlu, who will command International Security Aid Force (ISAF), arrived in Afghan capital Kabul together with 199 soldiers.
Zorlu is expected to take over the command of ISAF from Britain on June 20. Turkey will take over command of the force on June 20 for six months. It will deploy a total of 1,500 troops in Kabul.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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COALITION PARTNERS ESCALATE TENSION
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, who also acts as the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), said the issues, which became a problem between his party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) could be discussed in a EU Compromise Commission which will be set up within the Parliament with the participation of officials from each party. Yilmaz said, ''we want to solve the problem before it grows up.''
Meanwhile, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli said Turkey's EU membership could not be achieved before 2010-2013 at the earliest, and noted that this reality was hidden from the public. Bahceli said the National Program foresaw solution of the problem of death penalty in the Parliament.
ANKARA REMAINS AS SPECTATOR TO NORTHERN IRAQ
Turkey, which experiences the tension caused by health condition of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, and the European Union (EU) discussion between the government partners, can not deal with the foreign policy issues like Northern Iraq, which closely concern its security.
The government, which does not include foreign policy issues onto its agenda apart from the EU and Cyprus, could not respond to the imposition of the Northern Iraqi Kurdish groups for ''federation system'' after a probable operation of the United States, and their demand to add Kirkuk, which is known with its underground riches, to their borders.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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DERVIS: 3 PERCENT GROWTH IS AS IMPORTANT AS INFLATION
State Minister Kemal Dervis for economy said that 3 percent growth was as important as inflation in response to Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti's statement that the inflation preceded growth. Dervis pointed out that 35 percent inflation and 3 percent growth were targeted together for 2002 and said that both targets had equivalent priority for the economy administration. He said that Central Bank's main duty was to reach 35 percent inflation target in the end of this year by using all kinds of tools independently.
DIFFICULT DAYS IN FOREIGN POLICY
The political vacuum in Turkey made key foreign policy issues difficult. When the United States delays the support which it promised to Turkey, Foreign Ministry remains silent to the problems which should be solved on Afghanistan and Iraq. Turkey, which deals with the health of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and the European Union (EU) disputes currently, began not to be interested in its foreign policy problems sufficiently.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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NAME OF CRISIS IS EU
The coalition partners of the government cannot reach a consensus on the laws related to the European Union (EU). This situation affects markets negatively. Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz could not reach a consensus on the EU. Bahceli threatened to withdraw from the government by saying that there was no change in his view on death penalty, broadcast in mother tongue and Cyprus issue. Yilmaz said that there was no certainty and added that they were in search for the compromise. The statements of the two leaders affected the markets negatively.
YAPI KREDI BANKASI DECIDES TO MERGE WITH PAMUKBANK
Yapi Kredi Bankasi Corp., which is one of the banks of Cukurova Group, decided to merge with Pamukbank, another bank of the group.
According to a statement sent from Yapi ve Kredi Bankasi to Stock Exchange, the Executive Board held a meeting on Monday and gave a decision for merging. Yapi Kredi Executive Board decided to take over Pamukbank with all its rights, receivables, and liabilities. Legal personality of the bank will end. The merging will take place by basing on the financial statements dates June 30, 2002.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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PATIENTS WHO PAY PREMIUM TO SSK CAN HAVE CHECK-UP AT STATE HOSPITALS
The patients who pay premium to the Social Security Authority (SSK) can undergo check-up at state hospitals with the project which will be put into practice with the cooperation of Labor and Social Security Minister Yasar Okuyan and Health Minister Osman Durmus. There are 138 SSK hospitals, although there are 754 state hospitals in Turkey. The protocol is expected to be signed next week.
U.S. DOLLAR EXCEEDS 1,500,000 TL
The U.S. dollar exceeded 1 million 500 thousand Turkish lira (TL) after Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli's statement that the government would have difficult days. The U.S. dollar which started the day with 1 million 473 thousand TL in Istanbul Free Market rose to 1 million 515 thousand TL, later closed the day with 1 million 508 thousand TL.