ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 17, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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KIRKUK MEMORANDUM
Ankara warned Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Masoud Barzani, who said that ''Kirkuk belonged to Kurds'': Don't cause any tension. You will be harmed. Ankara harshly reacted to Barzani's stating Kirkuk in Turkmen region a ''Kurdish state.'' A high-level official told Hurriyet that Kirkuk and Mosul were sensitive regions for Turkey. The official said, ''we will definitely resist against the efforts to make two cities under control of the Kurds.'' Ankara also made a necessary warning to the United States. Attention was drawn to Mosul and Kirkuk, where Turkmens are living intensively, in a probable new atmosphere which will occur in Iraq.
BARGAINING TRUMP: SUPER MINISTER
The details of the bargaining between Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and former State Minister Kemal Dervis have been revealed. If Baykal comes to power, he will appoint Dervis as the deputy prime minister for the European Union (EU) and economy. According to Baykal's plan, Dervis will be appointed as deputy prime minister and all economy departments will be under his responsibility. Dervis will also be a super minister covering relations with the EU. This new model created by Baykal for Dervis aims to carry out the economic program by a single authority and it also targets at benefitting from Dervis' impact on developed countries. It is said that Dervis will make a final proposal to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit for a cooperation with CHP. It is also noted that if this cooperation is not achieved, Dervis will join CHP with a big ceremony together with the chairmen of Confederation of Turkish Labour Unions (Turk-Is), Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK), and Confederation of Public Labourers Unions (KESK).
CEM: ''EVERYTHING SAID BY THOSE WHO DO NOT KEEP THEIR PROMISES IS EMPTY''
New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem accused Kemal Dervis, who separated path with YTP: ''Everything said by those who do not keep their promises is empty.'' Cem noted that New Turkey would continue to grow independently from Dervis. Responding to these harsh words of Cem, Dervis said, ''I wish him success. I hope our friendship will continue.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TARGET: 25 PERCENT
Here are first messages from Kemal Dervis to Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal: It should be a team movement not a leader movement. Let's launch our initiatives with new people not with former politicians. Let's take representatives of Confederation of Turkish Labour Unions (Turk-Is) and Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK). Dervis, who separated his path with Ismail Cem, will meet with Baykal on Monday and search for a unity in the left. Dervis shaped up proposals in order to ensure a majority around 20-25 percent. Dervis wants Oya Unlu and some young people from Ari Group in politics. Dervis, who said that ''even a social democratic vote cannot be wasted'', will insist on inviting Socialist People's Party (SHP) leader Murat Karayalcin to the union.
EU SUPPORT FROM FISCHER
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said that closing the doors of the European Union (EU) to Turkey would be a historic stupidity. Fischer noted that if Turkey had not been presented an EU perspective, adjustment laws could not have been passed for many years. Fischer said that Turkey's EU accession was important for stability of Europe.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TAYYIP FEAR
A report given to Kemal Dervis said, ''New Turkey Party (YTP) cannot exceed the threshold even if you join the party. If you make a decision about YTP, even the three political parties cannot enter into the parliament and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) will be in the power. There are deep strategic calculations and suggestion that ''he should not be the person who deteriorates the political equation'' behind Dervis' change of mind. Dervis directed towards Republican People's Party (CHP). Now, his target is to implement 18-month ''social liberalization'' plan under a probable CHP power. To this end, he wants to join CHP with a staff of 12 people. For a compromise between Dervis and CHP leader Deniz Baykal, political and non-political circles will launch initiatives next week. If an agreement cannot be made despite these efforts, Dervis may say ''I am sorry'' to CHP as he did to YTP. Then what will happen? Here is the scenario: ''Dervis will go back to university and wait for a new election. If an unstable atmosphere occurs after the elections, a new early election can come onto the agenda. Then, Dervis can launch initiatives for a new movement.''
''I LOOK FORWARD TO SEE YILMAZ''
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will go to Copenhagen on August 20 to meet with Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark, the European Union (EU) Term President. Rasmussen said, ''The Deputy Prime Minister, who is in charge of the internal coordination of EU affairs, played a key role in the preparation of the reform package. I look forward to the Deputy Prime Minister's presentation of the content of these important reforms.''
ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 17, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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PREPARATIONS FOR NEW CALL
It was reported that a new call could be made following Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal's meeting with Kemal Dervis on Monday. It was also reported that Baykal could meet New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem.
It has not yet become clear which party Dervis will join. It was pointed out that Dervis indicated CHP, however that his decision would become clear according to the developments that will be experienced new week.
Baykal and Dervis will meet on Monday and continue searches to take joint action in the left.
PKK-HADEP TENSION WITH SWEDEN
Turkey's attitude in not allowing a group of Swedish parliamentarians to pass Northern Iraq caused tension between the two countries.
It was noted that the Swedish parliamentarians planned to meet PKK-KADEK members, and that Ankara to this end was insisted in not approving their passage.
Swedish Ambassador in Ankara Anne Dismorr was summoned to Foreign Ministry and conveyed that the passage of the Swedish group to northern Iraq could not be possible.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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NIGHT WHEN DERVIS PROMISED
Kemal Dervis enabled Husamettin Ozkan to remain in politics at night of July 9, 2002 when resignations from the Democratic Left Party (DSP) started. On July 10, he persuaded Ismail Cem to resign from DSP and to become the leader of the New Turkey Party (YTP). Here is the story of that night: Ozkan resigned from DSP on July 8. On July 9, resignations from DSP started. Dervis called Ozkan the same day and invited him to dinner at his friend Prof. Celal Gole's house. During the dinner, Ozkan said that he wanted to quit politics. Dervis said that Turkey needed a new formation and stated that they could achieve it together with Ozkan and Cem. Then Ozkan said, ''if you also join us, I accept it'' and remained in politics. Dervis insisted on Cem's leadership. Triplet met at the Foreign Ministry Residence the following day and the famous ''troika'' photograph was taken there. YTP-Democrat Turkey Party (DTP) alliance was also debated at this meeting. Both Husamettin Ozkan and Prof. Celal Gole confirmed the issues debated at these meetings.
CENTRAL RIGHT RELIEVED
Motherland Party (ANAP) and True Path Party (DYP) which were feared that voters would prefer New Turkey Party (YTP) were pleased with Kemal Dervis' decision. The decision of Dervis not to join YTP relieved central right. ANAP leader Mesut Yilmaz, who chaired chairmanship council of his party, said, ''social liberal movement had gained momentum with YTP. Dervis' joining CHP will have a less impact on us.'' DYP leader Tansu Ciller, who was uneasy about joining of some personalities known as close to former President Suleyman Demirel to YTP, is pleased with the decision of Dervis. DYP members claim that cooperation between YTP and DTP will become weaker in this case.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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''BAYAR'' ARGUMENT IN THE LEFT
Allegations that decision of New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem to cooperate with Democrat Turkey Party (DTP) caused Kemal Dervis to cut relations with the YTP, confused the left. Dervis said, ''if only Cem showed the closeness, which he showed to DTP, to Republican Peoples' Party (CHP) and other parties in the left.''
Meanwhile Cem said his partnership with the DTP would continue, and that, ''our style is nobody's business. They prepare a pattern and they want us to abide by this pattern. Every party should work with its own style,'' and noted that the criticisms were unjust.
UNITED STATES WANTS PROGRAM TO CONTINUE
The U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Robert Pearson said the Turkish people had to bear big difficulties because of the program, noting that the people wanted to see the results of this.
Pearson also stressed that the reforms which were realized within this framework, would help Turkey in EU membership process.
Pearson said the economic program carried out in Turkey yielded in better results then the other countries, and added that the United States supported continuity of the program.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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CEM REJECTS DERVIS'S FRIENDSHIP
Kemal Dervis, who earlier disclosed that he would not join New Turkey Party (YTP) and would work with Republican Peoples' Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, sent the message to YTP leader Ismail Cem that, ''I want our friendship to continue''.
In response to this call, Cem said promises given to Turkey by those who cannot keep their words are all empty.
Cem issued a statement in which he said that the most important element in politics was confidence and promises and stated, ''this is the political understanding of me and my friends. This should be the understanding of every serious politician. Promises given to Turkey by those who do not keep their words are all empty. Since the very beginning, we said that unity should be formed with all parts of the society and Turkey coalition should be ensured with people. We stressed that New Turkey will form unions with people.''
NINE PARLIAMENTARIANS IN DSP CALL ECEVIT FOR UNITY IN THE LEFT
Parliamentarians from the Democratic Left Party (DSP), who are known as ''nine-parliamentarians'' by public, pointed out that DSP should take its place in joint force in central left, and defended that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has historical responsibility in this respect.
Ali Arabaci, Ahmet Arkan , Bayram ,Firat Dayanikli, Cengiz Gulec, Uluc Gurkan, Emin Karaa, Sadik Kirbas, Tahri Kose and Ertugrul Kuyumcuoglu issued a joint statement and said the point reached in searching for unity in the left was pleasing.
They said the unity should turn into a political project, adding that, ''Ecevit has historical responsibility in realization of this.''