ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on September 3, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH VOTES BECOME MORE VALUABLE
Votes of 500 thousand German citizens of Turkish origin who will cast vote in elections in Germany on September 22 caused a serious debate among German politicians. Politicians are trying to win Turkish votes with several activities and promises. The opposition's shadow interior minister Guenter Beckstein told the newspaper that visa on Turkish citizens should be lifted and this proposal got the SDP in the power agitated. In a TV duel, Interior Minister Otto Schily accused Beckstein of ''making a nonsensical promise'' while Beckstein repeated his proposal.
IT'S VERHEUGEN'S PERSONAL VIEW
The European Union (EU) Commission officials told the newspaper that EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen expressed his concerns with his remarks: ''Turkey should not expect a date for accession talks at a Copenhagen summit.'' These remarks caused uneasiness at the EU Commission. EU Commission officials said Verheugen did not make such a statement, but he said that he doubted Turkey would have completed implementation by December to win a date for accession talks at the Copenhagen summit. Officials also stressed that Verheugen's opinions about Turkey did not reflect official opinions of the EU.
BY-PASS TO UNITED STATES AND BARZANI IN IRAQ
Following Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani's words against Turkey, Ankara brought onto the agenda a project for opening of a new border gate in addition to the Habur despite opposition of the United States. According to the ''project for by-passing the United States and Barzani'' which was taken up at the summit of highest level officials, a new border gate will be opened in a spot that is very close to the ''Turkey-Syria-Iraq border triangle''. For accession to Iraq via Syria, the Baghdad administration will open a border gate on the Syrian border very close to this spot. This will enable Turkish trucks' accession to Iraq via Syria. As this route will follow Fish Habur-Ain Zalah-Mousul and pass the Turkmen region, Turkish trucks won't have to pass the region that is under control of Barzani.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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FIVE GENERALS ''MISSING''
The investigation into remarks of seven retired generals on charges of ''praising an offense'' will become invalid ten days later. These seven retired generals backed Korkut Eken who was sentenced to six years in prison in Susurluk case. About Eken, generals said, ''we had information about what he was doing. He is a legendary person.'' Only two of these generals gave testimony to the prosecutor so far. Any information even about address of remaining five retired generals could not be found. Retired generals Dogan Gures, Neceti Ozgen, Hasan Kundakci, Teoman Koman, Adnan Dogu, Atilla Kurtaran and Cumhur Evcil had said that Eken who was imprisoned did not deserve this punishment, but he deserved every kind of praise because he had served the state. Only Kurtaran and Evcil have given testimony so far.
''WE JUDGE THE EU, IF TURKEY WON'T WIN DATE''
EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen's negative remarks about Turkey topped the agenda of yesterday's meeting between President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and EU Commission Chairman Romano Prodi in Johannesburg. Sezer told Prodi, ''among you, there have been some voices against Turkey's membership. One of the commission members takes decision on behalf of fifteen countries. The EU's sincerity will be judged if Turkey does not win a date for accession talks at the summit at the end of the year.'' Prodi who said they appreciated the positive steps taken by Turkey told the President, ''there has not been any change in your position but we should see the steps in implementation.'' President Sezer stressed that Turkey had displayed its determination with the reforms it adopted and said, ''we don't assent to negative expressions of some of your members about Turkey.'' Following the meeting, President Sezer said that he would have a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Tuesday and said, ''hesitations about implementation are baseless. I don't suppose that they would put forward Cyprus as a pre-condition. Actually, they have announced that they would not put forward Cyprus as a pre-condition.'' Meanwhile, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou said they supported Turkey's membership.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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DON'T LET HIM
Mrs. Isin Mumcu exerted effort until the last minute to prevent her husband Erkan Mumcu who resigned from the Motherland Party (ANAP) from joining the Justice and Development Party (AK Party). She said, ''I exerted every effort, but it's no use! I failed to persuade him not to join the AK Party. What a shame! I warned him but he did not listen to me.'' Mrs. Mumcu who has supported her husband for his every decision so far opposed him maybe for the first time due to the AK Party. Her close friends said, ''not only Mrs. Mumcu, but also her mother is very disappointed.''
TURKEY LOSES MONEY IN THIS WAY
The Izmit Municipality had the Yuvacik Dam constructed by Turkish, Japanese and British companies and this dam caused Turkey to suffer a serious amount of loss. The Treasury paid 387 million U.S. dollars for the water which can't be sold due to its high price and so flows to the sea. Payment will continue for 12 years and the Treasury, that is, Turkish tax payers will pay 3 billion U.S. dollars in total. According to the Government Accounting Bureau's report, during the construction process, transactions and works which were against laws and procedures were carried out. A total of 890 million U.S. dollars was paid for the construction which had been estimated to cost 75 million U.S. dollars. One cubic meter of water which costs 4 U.S. dollars is sold to consumers for 25 cents. The report accuses the mayor, politicians and bureaucrats.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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CYPRUS CAN'T BE SOLD
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas's Advisor and former foreign minister Mumtaz Soysal said that nobody in Turkish politics can sell Cyprus and that the two-state partnership thesis has started to win approval. Speaking to the NTV, Soysal said, ''first of all, Cyprus can't be sold and given up. And nobody can dare to do this in Turkish politics. People give a harsh reaction.'' Stressing that positive developments are occurring in international circles about Cyprus issue, Soysal said, ''we held a meeting in Switzerland on issue of federation. There, Denktas's undersecretary and I attended the meeting as advisors of the official republic in Cyprus. We were called TRNC's advisors.'' If the bad scenario happens, some other formulas including annexation of TRNC to Turkey can come onto the agenda, Soysal said and stressed that Turkey is in favor of continuation of the Northern Cyprus Turkish state.
ANKARA DOES NOT WANT ''SURPISE'' ON ISLAND
Ankara feels concern about submission of a surprising solution document by the U.N. Secretary General at the Paris meeting. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel said that Kofi Annan would not make such a mistake.
VERHEUGEN CAN'T TALK ON BEHALF OF 15 COUNTRIES
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer who met with EU Commission Chairman Romano Prodi in Johannesburg conveyed Turkey's uneasiness about EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Gerheugen's remarks against Turkey. The President said that a member of the EU Commission can't talk on behalf of 15 EU member countries. President Sezer will receive U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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BUMIN: ''WE CAN DECIDE ON HADEP CASE BEFORE ELECTIONS''
Constitutional Court Chairman Mustafa Bumin said that the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) case could be involved in the agenda before the elections and added that they could decide on HADEP case. Constitutional Court Deputy Chairman Hasim Kilic said that the HADEP closure case could be postponed if an additional investigation was required. Bumin also reiterated that there was a possibility to conclude the HADEP case before the elections and added, ''we don't act according to the elections. We have own laws. There is no legal regulation to delay the case after the elections.''
INFORMATICS DAYS
The solutions and methods for Turkey to compete in the world will be taken up at Informatics Summit which will be held parallel to the Informatics Fair that will begin on Tuesday. Turkey Informatics Association, Turkey Informatics Foundation, Turkey IT Services Association (TUBISAD) and Turkey Intelligent Foundation will hold sessions and the firms dealing with the services and solutions based on the computers will be promoted at the fair.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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DYP AND BBP REACH AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE
True Path Party (DYP) and Grand Unity Party (BBP) decided to join the early elections which will be held on November 3, 2002 together. The executive boards of the two political parties which reached an agreement in principle to have alliance will decide the features of the agreement. BBP can show 15 deputies in the list of DYP after the meetings. The two political parties will announce the alliance decision to the public after they reached a full agreement.
REACTION TO EU
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel reacted to the statement of the European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen and said, ''Verheugen's statements are not well-timed. We have very determined steps on the EU issue. Those were the reflection of Turkish people's will to the parliament. So it is a powerful political will. I found wrong an EU official's statement that the things which Turkey fulfilled on the path to the union were not sufficient.'' Gurel will go to Strasbourg and Brussels, and meet with the officials at United Nations (U.N.). He will also have meetings with foreign ministers in Copenhagen and Paris and inform the ministers about the situation of Turkey.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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HOUSES FLOODED IN ISTANBUL
Houses and workplaces were flooded in Istanbul again. Haramidere overflowed because of the torrential rain and caused great damages in many districts of Istanbul. Some houses in Kirac, Esenyurt and Avcilar districts were inundated. Firemen worked to rescue the people who remained stranded in their houses and exerted efforts to discharge water from inundated places. The people whose houses were flooded said that they always had same difficulties when it rained and blamed the municipality. Meteorology officials said that the rain would continue till the weekend.
ERSIN TARANOGLU RESIGNS FROM ANAP
Ersin Taranoglu, a deputy from the Motherland Party (ANAP) resigned from his party. The number of ANAP's seats in the parliament decreased to 70, while the number of independent deputies increased to 19. Taranoglu is expected to join the True Path Party (DYP).