ANKARA (A.A) - 03.07.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 3, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TOBB: MR. PRIME MINISTER DO WHAT IS NECESSARY
Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) held a meeting and issued both a harsh and polite declaration against the government.
Pointing out that existing situation was very bad, TOBB said they believed that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit would do what is necessary.
The declaration process, which started with the reaction of industrialists in Istanbul, turned into a joint attitude following TOBB executive board meeting which lasted for 8,5 hours.
The statement which was issued after the meeting pointed out that Turkey entered into an uncertainty atmosphere in the recent month because of the health condition of Prime Minister Ecevit. The statement said, ''we have full belief that the Prime Minister will take a decision and establish a structure that will overcome political uncertainty.''
The joint statement reminded the reasons why the country economy entered into crisis, and stressed that the reforms which had to be done, began to be obstructed again.
The statement said the reforms could not be delayed, stressing that, ''swift efforts are needed for reforms, betterment of investment atmosphere, for transparency in public, in fight against corruption and for changes in political parties and election law.''
THE ADVERTISEMENT WORKED, KOREANS ARE COMING
The Turkish National Team, which attracted the attentions with its success in the World Cup, will contribute to the improvement of trade between South Korea and Turkey.
Businessmen of the two countries who became closer, took a joint step to be close also in trade. Businessmen that will come from South Korea, will hold talks with the Turkish Businessmen in Istanbul Chamber of Trade (ITO).
ITO, which aims to strengthen the closeness created by the World Cup, gave an ad to Chosun Ilbo, one of the leading newspapers of South Korea on June 22, and invited Korean businessmen to make trade with Turkey.
Turkey made an exportation of 13.6 million U.S. dollars with South Korea in the first three months of 2002.
South Korea, which is the electronic devices paradise of the Far East, wants to purchase airport electricity systems, and electric-electronic machine spare parts to be used in factory automation.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''I AM SENSIBLE''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''I have no mental problem. I am so sure of my senses. Stumbling in my words stem from excitement,'' and added a witty remark, ''but still I don't make so many mistakes like True Path Party (DYP) leader Mrs. Ciller.''
Ecevit said, ''a campaign has been started against me to leave the post, however people will not esteem this. Citizens very well know that I take every kind of decisions when interests of the country are in question.''
BRSA TO SELL YACHT
Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) put into sale 17 yachts, which belonged to Eskisehir Ciment (Escim), which is the participator of Esbank that was transferred to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF).
The yachts will be put to sale with one trillion lira cost.
The tender will be opened on July 11, 2002.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ECEVIT: IF THEY REALLY WANT ME TO LEAVE THE POST, THEN THEY SHOULD REMOVE ME FROM OFFICE
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said he did not want to withdraw as he did not want to cause a government crisis or an early election.
Ecevit responded to the calls which were made to him to withdraw from the government with a statement similar to Demirel's which had been made in 1970's. Demirel had said, ''find 226 votes and topple me.''
Ecevit in his statement said, ''there are 538 parliamentarians in the parliament. Number of parliamentarians in my party is 128. If they want, they can remove Democratic Left Party (DSP) from the ruling, and me from the Prime Ministry.''
IMF TURKEY DESK CHIEF SAYS DESPITE POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY, ECONOMIC FIGURES ARE IN LINE WITH PROGRAM
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen said that despite political uncertainty in Turkey, economic figures were in line with the program.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) held a conference entitled ''Turkish Economy: On the Road to Recovery?''
Speaking at the conference, Kahkonen noted that economic performances in the first four months of this year were very strong and said that economy started to recover in the first quarter of this year.
Kahkonen said that the inflation decreased more rapidly than expected in the first four months of 2002 and market figures were better than expected.
All those developments were the results of the commitment of Turkish government to the program, Kahkonen pointed out.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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GOVERNMENT SEEKS FOR A SOLUTION
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz said, ''we are seeking for a solution to overcome the political uncertainty. Firstly, our search for a compromise in the government will continue.'' When a reporter reminded him about the statement of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) which was perceived as a call to the Prime Minister to witdraw and asked about his evaluations, Yilmaz said, ''a statement on which people are making speculations did not occur. You have seen. A big organization like TOBB has behaved with common sense. The government is searching ways to overcome political uncertainty. Yesterday, we announced some of measures we plan to take. We will continue our consultations among us and with other parties in the following two months. I guess that we will call the parliament for an extraordinary meeting in September.''
LABOUR PLATFORM: DIFFICULTY CAN BE OVERCOME BY EARLY ELECTION
Labour Platform which pointed out that there was a goverment vacuum and administration problem in the country said that economy administration failed completely. Moral Rights Workers Union (Hak-Is) Chairman Salim Uslu said that they expected a new economic crisis to occur in the country. Labour Platform including some trade unions of workers and public servants and nongovernmental organizations convened in Hak-Is headquarter on Tuesday. Uslu said prior to the meeting that there was a goverment vacuum in Turkey and economy administration failed completely.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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GOVERNMENT EXCLUDES THREE BASIC ISSUES FROM ITS PRIORITIES IN EU PROCESS
The government which could not reach a compromise in lifting death penalty and education and broadcast in mother tongue directed towards fulfilling the remaining political criteria without considering them as short, medium or long term issues. The government wants to pass many adjustment laws including prevention of torture and freedom of expression. However, those laws will not be sufficient to set a negotiation date with the European Union (EU).
BAHCELI: ''I REJECTED YILMAZ'S PROPOSAL''
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli rejected Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz's proposal that they should solve lifting death penalty and broadcast and education in mother tongue issues in Parliament during the leaders' summit which was held on Monday. Bahceli said that there would be a governmental problem if the opposition and the government reached a compromise on cultural rigths. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that they understood the sensitivity of MHP and added that they would not search a way with the opposition apart from lifting the death penalty issue.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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POLICE CONFISCATE 542 HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS IN ISTANBUL
Police confiscated 542 historical artifacts, market value of which are about 100 trillion Turkish liras (TL), during an operation in Istanbul. Four of six people who were detained in connection with the incident were arrested. Officials said that police launched a series of operations in Beyoglu, Zeytinburnu and Bakirkoy districts of Istanbul after they learnt that historical artifacts would be sent from Istanbul to Geneva city of Switzerland. Those historical artifacts include 104 bronze coins, 280 arrow heads, a marble head of a statue dated back to Roman period, a glass bowl dated back to Roman period, an Islamic book, two leather covers, two velvet cloths on which Islamic handwriting is found, five ceramic and glazed vases, 16 statues, 64 glass, bronze and metal objects, 23 glass bottles, 11 bowls, eight glass bowls, 10 beads, six metal bowls and five seals.
AESOB CHAIRMAN BARISIK CRITICIZES INCREASE IN PRICE OF FUEL OIL
Adana Union of Chambers of Tradesmen and Artisans (AESOB) Chairman Kazim Barisik criticized the increase in the price of fuel oil. Barisik said that the increase in the prices of fuel oil which started with the floating rate in February 2001 turned into a disaster. Barisik stated that the price of high-octane gasoline increased by 150.9 percent, price of unleaded gasoline increased by 151 percent and price of diesel oil rose by 149.2 percent between January 1, 2001 and July 1, 2002.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TOBB: ''POLITICIANS SHOULD SAVE COUNTRY FROM UNCERTAINTY''
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges in Turkey (TOBB), which is the biggest nongovernmental organization of Turkey, said that political uncertainty threatened the future of the country. TOBB's Executive Board called the politicians to save Turkey from uncertainty. TOBB Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said after the meeting which lasted for seven hours that they believed that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit would form a structure which would remove the political uncertainty with a decision he would take.
TUPRAS'S PRIVATIZATION STOPPED
The privatization of Turkey Oil Refineries Inc. (TUPRAS) included in the promises that were given to International Monetary Fund (IMF) was stopped because of the negative developments in markets and it was delayed to another date. Privatization Administration Chairman Turgut Bozkurt said that existing market conditions could not realize the privatization of TUPRAS and added that however this did not mean to give up the privatization of TUPRAS.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION