ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 18, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BARZANI SENDING A DELEGATION AGAIN
Hoshyar Zebari, the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) representative in London and KDP leader Massoud Barzani's international affairs advisor; and Nechirvan Zebari, the KDP official for regional administration and nephew of Barzani who continues harsh statements against Turkey, will hold contacts in Ankara. It was mentioned that work on programme of this visit was under way and that the visit would take place next week under the decision taken by the sides to hold direct meetings about developments during the visit of Zebari to Ankara 1.5 months ago. Issues such as the Kurdish parliament, representation of Turkmens and draft federal constitution are expected to be taken up during KDP officials' meetings in Ankara under latest developments in Northern Iraq. Zebari had conveyed the message of Barzani who said that ''we don't want to escalate tension in relations with Turkey,'' during his last visit to Ankara he paid after the meeting of Iraqi opposition leaders in Washington D.C.
USD 1.2 BILLION DISAPPEARS
The indictment sought imprisonment terms up to 4 thousand 727 years for Yahya Murat Demirel on charges of causing his former bank Egebank to suffer 1.2 billion U.S. dollars. However, when other bank owners who committed same crime were released, also Demirel was released. So far, the court has sentenced him to pay only 228 million Turkish liras (nearly 140 U.S. dollars) fine. Meanwhile, he married Aysenur Esenler who was arrested together with him on same charge while they were staying in prison. Moreover, when he was released, Demirel wrote a letter to the U.S. Consulate General and said, ''as you know that my wife is also a U.S. citizen. She faced an unjust decision. Your citizen is staying in prison although she is not guilty. She is facing pressure, oppression and torture. Protect your citizen.''
''THEY GAVE SUDDEN FRIGHT TO IMF''
Political parties running for the power are determined to continue relations with the IMF which left the 1.6 billion U.S. dollars tranche of loan after the polls. Industry and Trade Minister Ahmet Kenan Tanrikulu from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) said, ''the IMF felt uneasy when the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) said they would postpone debt repayments and reduce non-interest surplus.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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''BE CAREFUL, BARZANI''
Many provinces in eastern and southeastern Anatolia are shown as if they were cities of Kurdistan in maps issued by Massoud Barzani's Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). KDP changes its maps according to political balances. The map in the official web-site in Iraq is different from the maps in the web-sites of KDP representations in Turkey and Spain. The region shown as ''Kurdistan'' in the web-site in Iraq is limited with the area between Erbil and Duhok and Iranian border. As the ethnic border, Musul and Kerkuk are also included with red lines. And some Turkish provinces are included within ethnic borders. In the official web-page of KDP's Madrid-based representation in Spain, Kurdistan map includes also Malatya, Elazig, Van, Hakkari, Siirt, Batman, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Kars, Hatay and Gaziantep provinces. In this map, Kurdistan border reaches Ankara and Armenia and Azerbaijan are shown as border countries. KDP's Athens-based representation in Greece gives the same map. In the maps in official web-site of Kurdistan National Government formed by Jalal Talabani and Massoud Barzani in Erbil, some of the provinces in eastern and southeastern Anatolia are shown as ''Kurdistan'' region. Meanwhile, the map in KDP's representation in Ankara does not include any Turkish province.
TURKER: ''LETTER OF INTENT IS IN KAHKONEN'S BRIEFCASE''
State Minister Masum Turker took the letter of intent out from his briefcase during a visit to a food fair yesterday and read out four articles. Noting that the letter of intent had already been sent to IMF's Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen, Turker said, ''IMF made a statement, it was sent. These four articles are as follows: ''350 trillion Turkish liras of supplementary fund in the budget was cancelled. These expenditures were frozen while 1 quadrillion 859 trillion Turkish liras of subsidy for agriculture will remain. Tax returns will continue to be paid until also in 2003. Social Solidarity Fund's planned social expenditures won't be frozen.''
IRAQ COSTS USD 15.5 BILLION TO TURKEY
International investment bank Morgan Stanley estimated the cost of a possible intervention in Iraq to Turkey as between 9-15.5 billion U.S. dollars. It stressed that in case of a war, defense expenditures would rise and this would risk the 6.5 percent non-interest surplus target in 2003 and also the future of the economic programme. It said that Turkey's export incomes might decrease by 1-2 billion U.S. dollars and tourism revenues might suffer 2-3.5 billion U.S. dollars loss in case of a war in Iraq.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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HIS MIND BUSY WITH IRAQ
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's abstraction: the Prime Minister who has been preparing himself for days for the summit meeting on Iraq at the Presidential Palace faced an unexpected protocol problem during the luncheon banquet he and his wife hosted in honor of the Hungarian President and first lady. Ecevit took the wineglass that the Hungarian first lady raised in a toast as he thought that she was giving the glass to him. When he wanted to correct his mistake, he wanted to give the glass to the Hungarian first lady, but he had already drunk a little from the wineglass. When Ecevit and the Hungarian guest got rid of their confusion, they put their glasses in front of them.
CYPRUS REMAINS HUNG UP ON DENKTAS'S HEART
There are news reports that President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) who underwent a heart surgery last week has still not gotten well. It was reported that Denktas had a lung complication so he had difficulty in breathing and walking.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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BILL: 25.5 QUADRILLION
An operation by the United States against Irag will put a serious financial burden on shoulders of Turkey which is going through a difficult economic situation. According to a report by international finance organization Morgan Stanley, in case of an operation, Turkey's export revenues will decrease by 1-2 billion U.S. dollars. Due to high oil prices, there will be a 1-2.5 billion U.S. dollars increase in cost. There will be a 3.5 billion U.S. dollars loss in tourism incomes, 1-2 billion U.S. dollars loss in service and other sectors incomes and 2.5 billion U.S. dollars loss in manufacturing sector. Besides, 1.5-3 billion U.S. dollars will be required for military expenses. Most probably, the United States would erase Turkey's 5 billion U.S. dollars of military debts, the report said and warned that the government to be formed after the polls might take strict measures to limit destruction in macro economic figures.
KDP SENDING REPRESENTATIVE
Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) regional official Nechirvan Barzani and foreign affairs official Hoshyar Zebari are expected to bring the message that the ''region parliament'' which convened for the first time after six years is ready to give assurance that it won't act against Turkey's interests.
TURKMENS' WARNING: ''KURDISH STATE IS ABOUT TO BE FOUNDED''
In a letter it sent to Ankara, the Turkmen Consultative Committee warned, ''the region has started to be called Kurdistan. If a new Turkmen representation is established, Turkmens become more powerful and the balance in the region changes in favor of Turkey.''
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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BAYKAL WANTS ERDOGAN TO EXPLAIN CLEARLY HIS VIEW ON POLITICAL IMMUNITY
Upon Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statement that he was the only leader who would not gain political immunity, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said, ''you should not talk nonsense. You should clearly say whether you will lift political immunity or not.'' Baykal who addressed the people in a public meeting in Gaziantep said that they would first lift the political immunity when they came into power. Baykal said that he was calling all political parties to have a clear attitude on their political immunities.
SOLUTION PLAN FROM U.N.
Sources said that United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto has presented a new plan on Cyprus to Turkey and wanted Turkey to think about the plan. De Soto will come to Ankara next week and discuss the issue with the Turkish side.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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CAKMAKOGLU SAYS ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD
National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said that there was no state of war in the country that could affect the holding of elections. Upon questions of journalists in central Kayseri province, Cakmakoglu said that he issued statement about the developments in Northern Iraq when he felt the need to do so, adding he did not want to make comment on the issue. When asked if rumors of war affected the elections or not, Cakmakoglu said that ''the provisions in the Constitution regarding the abolishment of the elections are clear. There has to be state of war for elections to be cancelled, which does not exist today.''
BAHCELI: ''EU SHOULD KNOW ITS LIMITS''
Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli who addressed the people in a public meeting in Afyon said that the European Union (EU) administration should know its limits in the relations with Turkey and added, ''Turkey is an independent and free country. EU cannot impose embargo on national will.'' Bahceli added that Turkey-EU relations had the best days during the period of the 57th government.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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OPERATION AGAINST IRAQ CAN COST USD 16 BILLION TO TURKEY
Morgan Stanley, which is an investment bank, said that a possible U.S. military operation against Iraq could cost 16 billion U.S. dollars to Turkish economy. According to the report of the bank, if there is a U.S. military operation against Iraq, the trade revenues of Turkey will decrease 1 or 2 billion U.S. dollars. Tourism incomes will also have 2 or 3,5 billion U.S. dollars of loss if there is an intervention against Iraq.
GOLDEN AGE OF TURKISH NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM
Turkish National Soccer team enjoys the most brilliant days of its history. Turkey, which ranked the third in 2002 World Cup, has won last five matches. Turkey beat Macedonia 2-1 away on Saturday and followed up with a 5-0 thrashing of Liechtenstein on Wednesday in Euro 2004 qualifying matches. National Team Coach Senol Gunes said that Turkey has recorded a great progress in football and added that the world was talking about Turkey now.