ANKARA (A.A) - 19.06.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 19, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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PLEASURE BECAME A FLOOD
The Turkish national soccer team beat the host country Japan 1-0 during the World Cup, and became one of the most 8 stronger countries. Our national team once again wrote history and won the right to play in the quarter-final. This success created great enthusiasm throughout the country. The streets which were empty during the match, became the place of festival with the whistle of the referee. The Japanese tourists, who visited the Cappacodia region, became sorry for the defeat of their national team, but congratulated the Turkish National team. National anthem was read out in Sivas city square. Janissary band of the municipality gave a concert in eastern Malatya province following Turkey's success. Almost all people in Turkey celebrated Turkey's success with enjoyment throughout the country.
PAMUKBANK DELAYS LETTER OF INTENT
Letter of intent which should be given for the 1.1 billion U.S. dollars loan that will be taken from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), waits for the decision that will be taken by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) for the application made by Pamukbank and Yapi Kredi Bankasi for merger. The updated Letter of Intent, which the 1.1 billion U.S. dollars credit will base on, is late to be sent to Washington. Although most of the letter of intent is completed, final decision of the BRSA pertaining to the merger of Pamukbank and Yapi Kredi Bankasi is waited. State Minister Kemal Dervis and Central Bank Governor Sureyya Sergecti could not yet sign the Letter of Intent as evaluation of BRSA continues.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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DSP TO KEEP OCALAN IN PRISON
The draft bill on death sentence, which the Democratic Left Party (DSP) prepared, brings life imprisonment instead of death sentence. Under this, Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization, will be taken from Imrali Island and put in a ''cell''. The draft bill, which was prepared after the support talks of the DSP members with other parties, who completed the first round of talks pertaining to abolishment of death sentence, brings life in prison instead of death sentence within the framework of no:6 protocol proposed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. In case the proposal is legalized, Ocalan will be put into a cell which will be determined with a regulation, and start to serve his ''isolated'' life in prison. Ocalan will not be able to step on soil before 36 yeas.
BAHCELI: ELECTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE IN 2004
Devlet Bahceli, the State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister who also acts as the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said, ''April 18, 2004 is the election date,'' and asked how the economic crisis would be overcome if the elections took place earlier than the planned time. Speaking about abolishment of death sentence, Bahceli said, ''draft bill of Justice Ministry has been sent to the Parliament. However, there is an insistent demand to lift death sentence as a whole.'' Bahceli said they would respect if the death sentence is lifted as a whole, noting that this would not have a dimension to affect the government.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ECEVIT: ''I AM IMPATIENT FROM NOW ON''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who spoke in live tv broadcast on NTV channel, said, ''I am working till late hours. It is a consolation that I have time to search the issues throughly. However, I started to be impatient to return to my work.'' Ecevit said, ''we rely on some parties on death sentence. I cover the attitude of Tansu Ciller, the leader of the True Path Party (DYP), with regret. We will not apply to the opposition if we could reach an agreement with the coalition partners. It will be beneficial to talk to Ciller.''
NATIONAL DOPING TO TOURISM
The success of the national team in winning the right to play in the quarter-final in the 17th World Cup made tourism agencies extremely happy. TURSAB Chairman Ulusoy said, ''1.5 billion people watched Turkey. We made a promotion in every tour worth of 100 million U.S. dollars. We will see the results of this in the coming days.'' As the National Team passes the rounds one by one, those who became the happiest are the tourism agencies. According to the tourism agencies, even the quarter final would bring 30 percent increase in number of tourists visiting Turkey.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ECEVIT: ECONOMY IS EASILY EFFECTED BY POLITICS
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who responded to the questions in live broadcast, pointed out that, ''State Minister for Economy Kemal Dervis and economy officials drew a realistic table about economic situation. They confirmed my diagnosis.''
Ecevit said increase in foreign currency and rapid decrease in stock exchange created a general uncertanity and instability atmosphere despite the rapid decrease in inflation, steps taken in foreign sale and investments in manufacturing industry. Ecevit said, ''I mean economy goes through a difficult period mainly because of things apart from economy.''
SEZER INVITES KHATAMI TO TURKEY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said he had sincere and constructive talks with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami. Sezer said he and Khatami stressed the importance of preservation of Iraq's territorial integrity and its national unity. Sezer said they also believed that re-establishment of Palestinian state was necessary. Sezer said he invited Khatami to Turkey.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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24 GREAT MEN
Turkey coach Senol Gunes and his 23 players who were harshly criticized since the opening group match, reached the last 8 in World Cup finals after beating co-hosts Japan 1-0. Gunes said, ''we will not make history but we will draw up the future. We want to beat Senegal and reach the semi-finals.'' Players said they would beat Senegal and wanted to play the final. Meanwhile, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said he would go to Japan if Turkey reached the final.
DSP'S PROPOSAL ON ABOLITION OF DEATH SENTENCE READY
Democratic Left Party (DSP) deputy leader Tayfun Icli said that the bill on abolition of the death sentence could be presented to the Parliament Speaker's Office this week. The DSP group which concluded talks with other parties on abolition of the death sentence worked on the bill the day before and the DSP jurists headed by Icli prepared the outlines of the bill. The bill includes a sentence which says, ''the death sentences mentioned in the Turkish Penal Code, Law on Prohibition of smuggling and Forestry Law are commuted to 36 years in prison for crime of terorism and to 30 years in prison for other crimes.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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NOW HISTORY IS OVER
Coach Senol Gunes who was harshly criticized before and during the World Cup finals felt glad at the final whistle of the second round match against co-host Japan. Gunes said, ''this is not a victory. My players have made history so far but the history is over. Now they are drawing up the future. Our target is the final because Turkey love to achieve difficult things.'' World television channels and international press praised the Turkish national team. French TV TF1 said ''historic victory'' while British TV ITV said ''this is an amazing result''. Meanwhile, Japanese newspapers said it was actually very difficult to beat Turkey.
''I AM GROWING IMPATIENT''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit evaluted latest political developments to the NTV television channel. Ecevit said markets were easily affected by politics, adding, ''a prime minister can feel ill for some time but a signal about an economic crisis due to this illness is unacceptable. Public easily gets panicked due to economic and financial developments and there are circles which exploit this panic.'' Noting that they would reach an agreement with State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli if they received the opposition's support to abolition of death sentence, Ecevit said, ''the True Path Party (DYP) is now the key party.'' Stating that there was a lack of harmony between the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Ecevit said education in mother tongue would not be a problem.
''THERE IS NOT A THING CALLED UNCERTAINTY''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli said early elections would not be beneficial to Turkey. Recalling that this had been tried in the past but it had had negative consequences, Bahceli said the general elections would be held in line with the schedule, that is, April 18, 2004. Bahceli said, ''Turkey is in the process of overcoming the economic crisis that it has been suffering for three years. Besides there is not a political uncertainty. Our prime minister is at his post.''
ISRAELI ALLEGATION
Israel claimed that in an operation in Hebron the day before, it had killed an activist who was involved in killing of Turkey Major Cengiz Toytunc. The Israeli army which entered Hebron city of West Bank said it had killed 22-year-old Yousef Basharad who came to the military barricade on the Hebron's northern entrance with his automobile and claimed that this person was the assasin of Major Toytunc on March 26.
''OUR RELATIONS WILL IMPROVE''
Speaking at the first meeting of the Turkish-Iranian Business Council in Tehran, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami accepted to attend a business council meeting and this meant a powerful call for cooperation between Turkish and Iranian business circles.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD
Turkey qualified for World Cup quarter finals after beating co-hosts Japan 1-0 with a header from Umit Davala and became one of the top 8 teams of the world. Turkey will take on Senegal in Osaka on Saturday, June 22. Davala's father Ali Davala said his son had telephined him before the match and promised to score a goal.
''I GROW IMPATIENT TO BE AT WORK AGAIN''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''I will be able to do all my duties soon. The True Path Party (DYP) is the key to solution of the death sentence issue but it thinks it were the lock. I meet with Tansu Ciller. Some people use the issue of mother tongue as a tool to create a different national conscious. The European Union did not put forward a condition regarding Cyprus. Some intellectuals are doing wrong.''