ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on September 29, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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REVIEW WORKINGS START
State Minister Masum Turker said workings of the fourth review started between the Turkish bureaucrats and the officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington. Turker said consultations regarding borrowing strategy of next term were also carried out.
Turker said under the new Borrowing Law, the borrowings are announced beforehand and that debt roll over was taken as basis. He recalled that long term and low interested borrowing was targeted.
HE RELEASES HIS GROUP ON OCTOBER 1
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said his party would not take group decision against the initiatives to delay elections which will increase after opening of the Parliament on October 1.
Ecevit said, ''I think we will not feel the need for extraordinary decisions. We think it is right to carry out the procedures without taking decisions that would be odd.''
Underlining that there was still an uncertainty in the parliament regarding how people would behave, Ecevit stressed that they wanted elections to take place on November 3.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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THERE IS NO RETURN BUT
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that it would be wrong to postpone the elections but they did not take a group decision. Ecevit said that Democratic Left Party (DSP) was in favour of holding elections on November 3. Stating that they did not need to take a group decision, Ecevit said, ''there is consistency in our party. However, who will act in what way at the parliament. It is not possible to see this at the moment.''
BOYNER REVIVING YDH
The New Democracy Movement (YDH) founded in 1994 under the leadership of businessman Cem Boyner is signalling for revival. The revival which began with meeting of Boyner and his friends in a wedding ceremony in eastern Malatya province flared with disappointment in Republican People's Party (CHP) lists.
500 MILLION USD LOAN CAN BE RELEASED EARLIER
State Minister Masum Turker requested the World Bank to release the loan to be granted for the Istanbul Approach before the earlier set date of June 2003. Turker said that they wanted the loan worth of 500 million U.S. dollars to be granted before June 2003 and the World Bank was positive towards this in principle. Following his meeting with World Bank Vice-President Johannes Lynn, Turker said that they would debate the principles of the approach with bank administrators on Tuesday.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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NOTHING BUT VITERBO WAS LACKING!
When we are trying to convince Copenhagen and Brussels for our European Union (EU) membership, now we are facing a problem due to a small Italian village. Villagers in Viterbo region, 60 kilometres away from Rome, have only one problem: ''What will happen to us if Turkey joins the EU?'' Since the only source of living in the region is hazelnut, everybody eyes developments in Turkey, the biggest producer of Turkey. A slight change in Ordu or Giresun market causes tremors in this region of Italy. A decision of Ankara about hazelnut is the biggest news in Viterbo. People are talking about Dervis' decisions, situation of Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Ecevit's health and Fiskobirlik the most. The biggest fear of Viterbo is Turkey's accession to the EU. Hazelnut producer Antonio says, ''we will not compete but we will bankrupt.'' They have three conditions if Turkey joins the union at all costs: ''Fiskobirlik should increase its purchasing price. A part of hazelnut should not be pushed to foreign markets. Production should be limited.''
AK PARTY-DEHAP ROW IN HAKKARI
The first election campaign of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan brought supporters of AK Party and Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) against each other in southeastern Hakkari province. AK Party convoy was blocked in the road one and a half hours due to DEHAP convoy of a thousand vehicles 6 kilometres away from Hakkari. Meanwhile, some people in DEHAP convoy shouted slogans in favour of Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization. Erdogan was also booed by DEHAP members who protested AK Party's stance towards death sentence.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ECEVIT: ''I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYBODY LIKE DERVIS''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who said that they did not think of returning from November 3 elections, denied the news that ''he left a door open'' to the proposal of New Turkey Party (YTP) deputy Gaffar Yakin to postpone the elections by forming a minority government under leadership of Ecevit. Reminding about attempts aiming to divide Democratic Left Party (DSP) group, Ecevit said that Ozkan, Dervis and Cem tried to destroy his party however, they could not achieve their target.
TURKEY TO ASK FOR COMPENSATION
Turkey will give clear messages to high-level U.S. and Iraqi officials. Turkey will give a message to Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz that ''they should fully abide by United Nations (U.N.) Security Council resolutions and they should not cause any trouble in the region.'' On the other hand, Turkey will tell U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs that ''a probable attack will affect Turkey's economy. Turkey will be the country which will face the highest damage due to this attack. This damage should be compensated.''
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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BAD NEWS TO THE DISGRUNTLED
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit ended discussions: ''I did not even think of a minority government. It is too late now.'' The formula 'to form a minority government led by Ecevit' which was the last hope the lobby aiming to postpone the elections failed. Prime Minister said, ''attempts are wrong. The right move is a parliament recess till November 3 after it is re-opened on October 1.'' Ecevit, also the leader of Democratic Left Party (DSP) who has become the key party in attempts of delaying the elections, said, ''we were the only party against early elections but, it is too late now. There is no return from November 3.''
ANKARA'S POLICY: ''EVERYTHING HAS A COST''
Ankara made its Iraq policy clear prior to visits of U.S. and Iraqi representatives. According to this, Ankara will tell Baghdad that ''it can only pave its way by a clean sheet'' and Washington that ''political and economic costs of an intervention are much.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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CREDIT TO COME TO ''ISTANBUL APPROACH''
State Minister Masum Turker said they demanded coming of 500 million U.S. dollars credit, envisaged to be provided from the World Bank within the framework of Istanbul Approach, to be given before June 2003.
Turker, currently holding contacts in the United States, said he would meet with the World Bank officials on Tuesday in Washington, and that they would discuss essentials of the approach.
TUGIAD: DELAY OF ELECTIONS TO BE STRIKE
Association of Young Businessmen in Turkey (TUGIAD) Executive Board Chairman Hayati Kaya said, ''taking election schedule out of agenda of Turkey and dragging Turkey again into an uncertainty would be a strike on the country economy.
Kaya said holding November 3 elections would be the only way for Turkey to get out of the situation it is in.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ERDEMIR MAKES COLLAPSED STEEL FACTORY THE LEADER OF ROMANIAN MARKET
Eregli Iron and Steel Factories Corp. (Erdemir) had bought Cost iron-steel factory in Romania at the beginning of 2000, and turned the completely turn-out factory into a modern facility.
Erdemir Romania SRL, which was bought through privatization, was established in Targoviste, 75 km away from capital city Bucharest.
The factory administration managed to increase the share of the installation in Romanian market from 30 to 70 percent.
ANAP TO EXPEND SUPPORT TO DISGRUNTLEDS
The Motherland Party (ANAP) will expend support to New Turkey Party (YTP), Felicty Party (SP) and the disgruntleds who look for an institutional support to delay November 3 elections.
ANAP administration will also expend support to the initiatives to keep the Parliament open.
ANAP Deputy Chairman Cengiz Altinkaya said his party was against recess of the Parliament, stressing that they wanted the Parliament to work to remove the political ban on Necmettin Erbakan and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan closing ways for Parliament.