ANKARA (A.A) - 23.07.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 23, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BAHCELI REACTS
State Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli reacted to Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit who said that the early elections should be postponed. Bahceli said, ''if the early elections are postponed to a further date or some conditions emerge making it impossible to hold the early elections on November 3, the MHP will not continue to share the responsibility of coalition government any longer.'' Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ecevit held a meeting with ministers from the DSP. Following the meeting, a minister from the DSP said, ''Prime Minister Ecevit plans to withdraw, if a decision is taken to hold the early elections on November 3.''
SECRET OF PASSPORT
The Apoyevmatini Newspaper of Greece revealed the secrets behind assassinations of Turkish diplomats in Athens. Greek agents, and terrorist organizations of November 17, PKK and Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) were responsible for the assassinations. When a Greek agent who had been a supporter of PKK, was killed, these terrorist organizations retaliated, and killed Turkish diplomats. It was also revealed that the fake passport which was found on Abdullah Ocalan, the head of PKK, when he was captured in Kenya, was given by November 17 organization.
''NEW TURKEY'' FOUNDED
The petition regarding the foundation of the New Turkey was submitted to the Interior Ministry. Later, New Turkey held its first group meeting at the parliament. Speaking at the meeting, Cem stressed, ''our main target is to renew Turkey. Turkey needs modernization in every field. Turkey has three important problems: lack of production, unemployment and inequality. Our new political party will develop a strategy to increase prosperity of our people.''
EU HOPELESS ABOUT TURKEY
Foreign ministers of the member countries to the European Union (EU) met in Brussels yesterday, and discussed recent developments in Turkey. Following the meeting, EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen for enlargement said, ''we have some concerns about the political will in Turkey to fulfill the EU reforms.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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DECISION DAY
After State Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said, ''if the early elections are postponed to a further date or some conditions emerge making it impossible to hold the early elections on November 3, the MHP will not continue to share the responsibility of coalition government any longer,'' Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit held a meeting with ministers from the Democratic Left Party. During today's meeting, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller will propose Prime Minister Ecevit to form an election government.
EUROPEAN BLOW ON FUNDAMENTALISM
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rejected applications of 13 officers and non-commissioned officers who were forced to retaire from the Turkish Armed Forces due to their fundamentalist activities. In its verdict, the ECHR said that officers and non-commissioned officers were able to perform their religious duties in the Turkish army.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ANAP: ''FIRST EU PACKAGE SHOULD BE ADOPTED''
A group of deputies of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) collected sufficient signatures, and applied to the Parliament Speaker's Office to convene the General Assembly on June 29 to take a decision to hold the early elections on November 3, 2002. Meanwhile, State Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz stressed that the adjustment laws with the European Union (EU) should be debated and adopted first. Yilmaz added that they would not step back from their insistence.
ECEVIT WARNS UNITES STATES
The New York Times Newspaper wrote that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit warned the United States saying, ''the U.S. administration should be ready for a long war, if it launches an operation against Iraq.'' The newspaper said that Ecevit reiterated Turkey's concerns about a military operation against Iraq, and warned the United States that such an operation would not be easy.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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CEM: ''WE ARE READY FOR EARLY ELECTIONS''
New Turkey leader Ismail Cem said that they were ready for the early elections. Speaking at the first group meeting of the New Turkey at the parliament, Cem said, ''our political party will be the most serious and most courageous movement of our people to save Turkey from problems of lack of production, unemployment and inequality.'' He added, ''Turkey has been ruled with a government of 36 ministers. Such a crowded cabinet is unique in the whole world. Turkey should put itself in order and form an influential mechanism of state.''
PKK MEMBER CAPTURED IN GAZIANTEP
A member of the terrorist organization PKK (KADEK) was captured in southeastern province of Gaziantep. Yasemin Ekinci who has been staging political activities in line with PKK's strategies since 1999, was captured. It was revealed that Ekinci had received military and political training in the PKK camps. Another person who has been aiding and abetting to Ekinci was also taken into custody.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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OZKAN: ''WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEM''
First, State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy met with Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. Later, Husamettin Ozkan did not want to be included in the list of founders of the New Turkey, saying that he would become member together with Dervis. Upon these developments, some allegations were put forward saying that there were problems among Ismail Cem, Dervis and Ozkan. Ozkan denied all these allegations, and said, ''there is not any problem among us.''
EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY COULD NOT BE HELD
The extraordinary meeting of Parliamentary General Assembly was not held because the necessary quorum could not be reached. The Parliamentary General Assembly convened upon request of the True Path Party (DYP) and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Members of coalition partners and other opposition parties did not attend the meeting. The meeting could not be held after the necessary quorum could not be reached. The Parliamentary General Assembly will convene on July 29, 2002 upon request of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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YILMAZ TO MEET WITH LEADERS OF POLITICAL PARTIES
State Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz will hold talks with leaders of the political parties having seats at the parliament in order to ask their support for the package of adjustment laws with the European Union (EU). Yilmaz is scheduled to meet with Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan at 3.00 p.m. and with Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan at 4.00 p.m. on Tuesday.
KAHKONEN SAYS THEY REACHED AGREEMENT ON DRAFT LETTER OF INTENT
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen said that they reached an agreement on draft letter of intent. Kahkonen said that if the new letter of intent was approved by the IMF Executive Board early in August, IMF would release nearly 1.1 billion U.S. dollars of tranche of loan to Turkey. He said that political uncertainties affected indicators in financial markets negatively and in this scope the interest rates increased and Turkish lira lost in value. However, economic performance was quite good, he stressed. Kahkonen added that they, as IMF, saw 3 percent growth target as reachable.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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NEW TURKEY STARTS ITS POLITICAL LIFE WITH A RESIGNATION
Deputies who resigned from the Democratif Left Party (DSP), founded the New Turkey. Later, Founders Board convened and elected Ismail Cem as leader of the New Turkey. Meanwhile, Rahmi Sezgin resigned from the New Turkey, and returned to the DSP. Number of New Turkey deputies decreased to 62 after the resignation of Sezgin.
ANKARA ASKS ATHENS TO GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT KARATAS
Turkey has taken action upon allegations saying that Dursun Karatas, the head of terrorist Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) had been in Greece for a long time. Turkish Embassy in Athens has launched an initiative to get more information about Karatas and connection among the terrorist organizations of November 17, PKK and DHKP-C.