ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 21, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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OZKAN SAYS HE HAD DISAGREEMENT WITH RAHSAN ECEVIT DUE TO AMNESTY LAW
Husamettin Ozkan, the former aide of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit for eleven years told the paper that he had disagreement with Rahsan Ecevit, the wife of the prime minister due to the adoption of the amnesty law. ''We didn't come together with Rahsan Ecevit since then - three years-,' Ozkan said, adding that he didn't do anything without giving information to Prime Minister Ecevit for eleven years.
DENKTAS HAS ANOTHER OPERATION
TRNC President Rauf Denktas who went through a heart surgery on November 7, went through another operation yesterday. The operation was not a heart surgery, and it was done successfully to clean the wound caused by the breaking off of the stitches of the first operation. Denktas was taken to the intensive care unit of the hospital and he will stay there for another 2-3 days.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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DON'T EVER THINK ABOUT IT
U.S. Central Command Chief General Tommy Franks will start his contacts in Turkey today. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson visited certain commanders before the contacts of General Franks. Turkish military officials gave the message to Pearson that ''the U.S. is also responsible for the developments in Northern Iraq. Turkey won't permit the foundation of an independent state in Northern Iraq. Turkey is resolved and capable of preventing this under all circumstances.''
SOKMENOGLU SAYS TURKMEN AUTONOMOUS REGION HAS TO BE SET UP
Deputy Parliament Speaker Murat Sokmenoglu said that Turkey has to think about formation of a Turkmen autonomous region in Northern Iraq. A group of non-governmental organizations held a demonstration in Istanbul yesterday. Kirkuk has always been a Turkish city, said Sokmenoglu in the demonstration.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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COMMANDERS' SUMMIT OF WAR
Two U.S. commanders came to Turkey yesterday. General Tommy Franks, the U.S. Central Command Chief and General Joseph Ralston, NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe will meet with Chief of General Staff General Hilmi Ozkok today. Military sources expect Franks to bring two files to the table, one is about the Iraqi operation and the other one is about the U.S.'s demand of Turkey's commanding the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for another six months.
TOBB TO CALL PEOPLE
A total of 354 chambers and commodity exchanges which are members of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) will make a call to politicians, bureaucrats, people and non-governmental organizations tomorrow telling them ''please save the future of Turkey.'' TOBB will ask for completion of the reconstruction studies in the state. A statement will be read out to this end.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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BAYKAL: EITHER ARABS OR EUROPE
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal who said that the Nov. 3 elections had an historic importance, called on the people in western Denizli province to cast votes for the political party which will turn Turkey's direction to Europe, and the European Union, not to the Arab world. Addressing people in southeastern Diyarbakýr province, Baykal said that everybody learns, speaks, sings in his mother tongue, and listens to it on tv.''
VURAL:''GO TO EUROPE ON NOV.4''
Volkan Vural, the Secretary General for EU Affairs called on the political parties for Turkey to get a negotiation date from the EU. Vural proposed the political parties which will enter the parliament after Nov. 3 to visit European capitals with a joint delegation without losing time. ''Having such a common attitude will be very beneficial for Turkey to get the negotiation date,'' he said.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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DERVIS: ''IF WE CAN'T SOLVE ECONOMIC CRISIS, SHARIA CAN COME''
Kemal Dervis, the former state minister in charge of economy and a deputy candidate from the Republican People's Party (CHP) told the paper that ''there is no sharia danger in Turkey today, but if we can't solve the economic problems, this can become a danger. The majority of those who cast votes for AK Party want Sharia. Hitler came to power in Germany in the period when there was significant unemployment.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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IRAQ SUMMIT IN ANKARA
Army Gen. Tommy Franks, head of U.S. military operations in the Persian Gulf, and Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, the U.S. Air Force general commanding NATO forces in Europe, will first meet Chief of General Staff, Gen. Hilmi Ozkok on Monday. Generals will explain their demands to use Turkish air space, Diyarbakir and Malatya bases. The two generals will depart from Turkey in the afternoon.
ECEVIT: ''I HAVE OPENED EU DOOR''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who addressed people in a public meeting in Izmir said that the European Union (EU) door was opened during the period when Democratic Left Party was in the power. Ecevit stated that the biggest blow was dealt to separatist terror and corruption during his party's period. Ecevit also said that he would withdraw his post, but would not leave DSP.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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CONSTRUCTION OF BLUE STREAM PIPELINE PROJECT COMPLETED
Construction stage of the Blue Stream Project envisaging transportation of natural gas from Russia to Turkey with undersea pipeline, was completed. The pipeline under the Black Sea was combined with the pipeline in northern province of Samsun as a part of the Blue Stream Natural Gas Project at a ceremony on Sunday.
HALIS TOPRAK WANTS PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR AK PARTY
Toprak Holding Executive Board Chairman Halis Toprak wanted people in Diyarbakir to vote for the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) at the November 3 elections for the continuation of the investments. Toprak has met previously with AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, former owner of Pamukbank Mehmet Emin Karamehmet and former owner of Kentbank Mustafa Suzer in Bozuyuk. Toprak said that he, Erdogan, Karamehmet and Suzer discussed the opening of the factories which were closed due to the economic crisis and decreasing the number of unemployed people at the meeting.