ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 9, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TEST FOR 2008
Match to be played by Fenerbahce soccer club of Turkey and Panathinaikos club of Greece will be a test of friendship between the two countries which want to host the Euro 2008. Fenerbahce will play its first match with Panathinaikos in Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Istanbul while Besiktas and Denizlispor will play away matches in the UEFA Cup second round. Fenerbahce administrators said, ''Fenerbahce will display their friendship. We will host them very well, but unfortunately we will see them off without giving any points in the cup.'' The first leg will take place on October 31 and the second leg on November 14.
EACH BABY BORNS WITH 246 USD DEBT OF SUNKEN BANKS
The burden of 20 banks transferred to Savings Deposits Insurance Fund (SDIF) on Turkey has exceeded 17 billion U.S. dollars. Thus, banks, the coffers of which have been emptied due to bad administration and bad intentions, took 246 U.S. dollars from pockets of every Turkish citizen.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TAX TO BE LIFTED IN 50 PROVINCES
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz will make a call to political parties for the European Union (EU) after the Regular Reports on progress towards accession by Turkey is announced today. Yilmaz said, ''let's make a common contract on the EU. Let's say that we will continue the road exactly whoever comes to the power from now on.'' Yilmaz, who visited Milliyet daily, claimed that ANAP would get 18 percent of votes in the general elections. Yilmaz said that the burden of State Security Agency for the Self-Employed (Bag-Kur) on the state would be lifted and tax would not be taken from 50 provinces for 10 years if they came to the power.
''LIMITS'' EXCEEDED IN NORTHERN IRAQ
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit reiterated his warning after he examined the new constitution draft foreseeing federation in Northern Iraq and drew the attention to the draft which he defined as ''unacceptable.'' Touching on the draft, Ecevit said, ''this is only a draft. It has not become definite and official yet. However, it cannot be accepted in its current shape. It almost erases Iraq from the map. It almost does not give any authority to the central government. It considers Baghdad as non-existent. It recognizes more authorities to Northern Iraq, which it foresees as a federal state, than this status requires. It foresees a status close to independence. It puts forward some intentions which refer to Sevres Treaty. It gives an army under command of the head of the federation.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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JURISDICTION ALSO APPROVES EU
The Constitutional Court unanimously rejected the request of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) for stopping of enforcement of some articles of the European Union (EU) adjustment laws. Thus, the EU supporters have been relieved.
BAYKAL EVERY NIGHT
Meeting with Republican People's Part (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal is popular these days. Businessmen of Istanbul are hosting dinner for CHP leader one after the other. Baykal says, ''these are social meetings.'' Baykal met with businessmen of Istanbul in Cam Restaurant of Rizt Carlton Hotel the previous night. Besides Ozyegin, Suzer and Demiroren, Ferit Sahenk, Cem Demiroglu and Ozer Oztarhan were among the participants of the dinner. Baykal and Kemal Dervis attended the dinner with their wives. Baykal said, ''these are social meetings. Circles which have seen our rise want to establish close contacts with us. Especially wives of businessmen are very interested in CHP.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ANKARA ALARMED AGAINST WAR
The Prime Ministry sent notes to public institutions and organizations and asked them to make necessary preparations in case of mobilization and war. Measures against immigration wave that Turkey will face in case of a probable operation on Iraq was debated at a meeting in Prime Ministry.
TUPRAS TO BE PRIVATIZED WITHIN TWO MONTHS
International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen, who are continuing the fourth review, visited State Minister Yilmaz Karakoyunlu. Karakoyunlu announced the privatization method of Turkish Oil Refineries Inc. (TUPRAS) as ''debenture bond convertible to shares.'' State Minister Tunca Toskay announced that the IMF was concerned about the decrease in tax revenues.
COST OF BUREAUCRACY IS HEAVY
Accidents cannot be prevented in the straits since 9 ministries and 18 public institutions are responsible for security of the straits. Twenty tons of oil was spilled to the Strait as a Maltese-flagged vessel named ''Goida'' hit Emirgan Port due to strong southwest wind. Provincial environment directorate applied to the port directorate for the prohibition of the vessel from sailing and also they applied to the relevant court requesting the vessel to be confiscated. Around 300 fishermen are getting prepared to file a lawsuit for compensation about 6 million U.S. dollars.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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INDUSTRY RECOVERING
Industrial production, one of the important indicators of overcoming economic stagnation, increased 7.2 percent in August. The increase in the first eight months is 8 percent. Industrial production had decreased by 10.8 percent in August of 2001.
COAST CITIES INUNDATED
Autumn has started to be felt in Turkey. Many houses and workplaces were inundated in Balikesir, Manisa and Izmir provinces due to torrential rains. Transformer exploded and electricity was cut in Marmaris township due to torrential rains. A wall demolished in Adapazari in the storm and a person was seriously injured. A person died in Aydin in thunderbolt strike. Precipitation will start to influence central parts of Turkey on Thursday.
M60S COMPLETED, NOW IT IS ARROW'S TURN
Project on modernization of M60 tanks between Turkey and Israel has entered into effect. Israel continues initiatives in the United States for the sale of Arrow missile defense system to Turkey. This project has reached the final stage.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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EU BLOCKAGE TO BORON
Some European Union (EU) countries initiated a campaign to block use of our ''boron'' mineral. ETI Holding Board Chairman Ziya Gozler said that Turkey has 63 percent of boron reserves in the world and that this situation caused some EU nations especially the Netherlands to get a desire for boron and that those countries initiated a campaign to prevent use of our ''boron'' mineral. Gozler said, ''these countries are trying to show this mineral as a hazardous substance by putting a skull symbol on the boron packages. Their aim is to destroy our boron market.'' Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Guven Onal said, ''efforts to destroy the boron market over which the United States and Turkey have influence lie beneath this campaign.''
MHP'S OBJECTION TO ''EU ADJUSTMENT LAWS'' REJECTED
The Constitutional Court took a decision on the Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) request for stopping the enforcement in the case it opened against the EU reform package. Constitutional Court Deputy Chief Judge Hasim Kilic said that they unanimously rejected the request.
IRAQ SHOULD NOT BE DIVIDED
Iraqi Turkmen Front Representative in Turkey Mustafa Ziya said that the United States assured that a Kurdish state would not be founded in Northern Iraq. Regarding the timing of an operation against Iraq, Ziya said, ''it does not happen in the winter. I suppose that it would start either before the winter or in March.'' Ziya said that Turkmen had nothing to do with the Kurdish parliament and that division of Iraq would cause a chaos in the Middle East.
WE WARN EUROPE!
Foreign Ministry Under Secretary Ugur Ziyal summoned EU member countries' ambassadors in Ankara and conveyed uneasiness about leakage of news about issues which have not become official about Turkey, to press. Ziyal stressed that news about parts of the report concerning implementation and allegations about continuation of torture negatively affected the relations between Turkey and the EU.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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''RELATIONS WITH EU MAY STOP IF A DATE IS NOT SET''
Minister of Foreign Affairs Sukru Sina Gurel said that relations with the European Union (EU) might stop if a date for opening of accession talks with Turkey was not set at the Copenhagen summit. He said that if a date was not set, relations would suffer a great blow as it had happened after the Luxembourg summit in 1997 whichever political party comes to the power. Gurel stressed that acceptance of Greek Cypriot side's EU membership before a solution to the Cyprus issue was ''absolutely unacceptable''. Regarding possible operation against Iraq, Gurel said, ''it may happen before December.'' Referring to the parliament that convened in Northern Iraq on October 4 as a so-called parliament, Gurel said that Turkey would do what it saw necessary if the groups in Northern Iraq attempted to found an independent state. Gurel added that Turkmen could have 15-20 percent representation in this so-called parliament.
TURKEY TO KEEP REFUGEES IN 36TH PARALLEL
The Prime Ministry took action to block a refugee wave following a possible U.S. military operation against Iraq. At a meeting held under chairwomanship of Prime Ministry Under Secretary Fusun Koroglu yesterday, it was decided to keep refugees between the 36th and 37th parallels outside the border. Turkey which will enter Northern Iraq to meet refugees is making preparations for tents and foodstuffs for 300 thousand refugees.