ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 25, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
NO NEGOTIATION DATE, ONLY APPOINTMENT DATE FOR TURKEY
EU determined its strategy for Turkey in Copenhagen Summit. An appointment will be given to Turkey for the EU summit to be held in Thessaloniki in 2003. While discussing the issues of financial aid to candidate countries in Brussels yesterday, the EU leaders determined the strategy to be followed during the Copenhagen Summit in December. EU leaders are expected to give an appointment date, not negotiation date for Turkey.
The final declaration to be issued in Brussels today is expected to praise the reforms undertaken in Turkey and note that these reforms bring Turkey closer to negotiations. EU will probably tell Turkey that a decision will be given about the position of Turkey during the Thessaloniki Summit that will be held in June 2003.
''COST OF WAR'' TRIED TO BE ESTIMATED
While the whole world prepares for the intervention of the U.S. in Iraq, Turkey is getting ready to estimate the cost of a possible war. A study was undertaken under the coordination of Treasury Undersecretary to estimate the need of urgent additional payment and the loss expected in real sector in medium term. A working group was formed among officials from Treasury, Finance Ministry, State Planning Organization, and Foreign Ministry about the timing and duration of such an operation and alternatives on Turkish policy about taking part in the operation or not.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
BAYKAL AND ERDOGAN TO COME TOGETHER IN TV
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal will meet with Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Tayyip Erdogan at 22.00 local time in private tv channel Kanal D. The leaders of the most powerful parties of Turkey, CHP and AK Party will settle accounts with each other. Experts say that the meeting of two leaders on tv will affect the voters who have not made up their minds yet.
THREE TURKS AMONG HOSTAGES IN THEATRE IN MOSCOW
There are three Turkish citizens among those people who were taken hostage in a theatre in Moscow. FSB Spokesman Sergey Ignatcenko said there were around 700 hostages in the theatre, noting that 75 hostages were foreigners. Ignatcenko said three of the foreigners Turkish. Chechen militants said that if Russia didn't withdraw from Chechnya within one week, they would blow the theatre up.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
---------------
EU: DON'T WAIT FOR NEGOTIATION DATE FROM EU
European Commission President Romano Prodi said that the Commission did not think of proposing a date for beginning of full membership talks with Turkey in Copenhagen. Prodi told a press conference yesterday that ''he hoped the EU would advance more than encouraging Turkey.'' He expected the heads of state and government of EU member countries to ''accept that Turkey had taken significant steps in fulfilling Copenhagen criteria and recorded progress,'' Prodi said. Prodi noted that Turkey had progressed very much in adjustment to EU acquis and made comprehensive reforms. ''Turkey had to be encouraged to continue with its reforms and take further steps,'' Prodi said. Asked if they would give a date for accession talks to Turkey, Prodi said that the attitude of the commission was obvious. They welcomed Turkey's progress, Prodi stated.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
EXPECTATION FOR CONCESSION FROM CYPRUS
European Union (EU) leaders convened in Brussels to discuss enlargement process before the Copenhagen summit in December. Any important change was not made in the ''Turkey paragraph'' of the final draft of the statement that will be released at the end of the summit. However, some EU officials claimed that steps by Ankara on Cyprus might affect the decision on Turkey at the Copenhagen summit. European Commission President Romano Prodi said he did not suppose a date would be set for opening of accession talks with Turkey at the Copenhagen summit. French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said that Turkey had not yet met political criteria. Meanwhile, EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana said it was too early to say what would happen until the summit in December.
WE DON'T WANT KURDISH STATE
U.S. State Department spokesman Phil Reeker said they had close consultations with Turkey regarding all issues and efforts to have Saddam Hussein comply with the U.N. resolutions. He stressed that protection of Iraq's territorial integrity was a policy of the United States and that they were against foundation of a Kurdish state in the region.
TURKEY UNDER CLOSE MONITORING
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) which said that Turkey would need a 35.1 billion U.S. dollars source in 2003 decided to closely monitor economic developments in Turkey to prevent a delay in repayment of debts.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
POLICE-INTELLIGENCE SLEEPS, PROSECUTOR CATCHES!
Presecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel said farewell to his mission at the Ankara State Security Court (DGM) with an interesting indictment in which he seeks imprisonment terms from 8 up to 15 years for 15 people including high-level officials at five German foundations in Turkey, former chairman of the Istanbul Bar and actors of gold fight in Bergama. Yuksel charged officials at the Konrad Adenauer, Heinrich Boell, Friedrich Ebert and Friedrich Naumann foundations, and the Orient Institute with ''conspiracy against the state''. Under an investigation into five German foundations in Turkey, he filed a lawsuit against 15 people _ most of them representatives of foundations linked to German political parties which fund social activities in Turkey _ on charges of ''forming a secret alliance against Turkey's unity and secular republic regime''. Yuksel said the foundations acted against the country's national interests and forged close ties with ethnic and religious groups with the aim of breaking up Turkey and the groups' activities in Turkey amounted to legal espionage. Among the charges, the groups are accused of plotting to prevent an Australian mining company from going ahead with plans to mine gold in a village near Bergama. The prosecutor says the foundations encouraged villagers in Bergama to revolt against the mine on ecological grounds as part of a greater German plan to prevent Turkey from using its natural resources. The protests and court cases filed against the company delayed mining at Bergama for several years. The former head of the Istanbul bar association, the former mayor of Bergama and lawyers who led a campaign against the mine were also charged.
GERMANY APPROACHES CAUTIOUSLY
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer conveyed their uneasiness about the lawsuit against the German foundations to Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel. Officials at the Konrad Adenauer foundation said they trust independent Turkish jurisdiction while other German foundations did not want to make statements.
THREE GUARANTEES TO SEZER
U.S. President George W. Bush called President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on the phone and gave three guarantees: ''We understand your concerns regarding Iraq. We support your EU membership and economic programme.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
---------------
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. PRODI?
European Commission President Romano Prodi's personal statements before the summit in Copenhagen in December drew reaction. The statement of Prodi who said, ''a date for opening of accession talks won't be given to Turkey in Copenhagen'' is interpreted as a statement to ''influence the summit''. Romano Prodi also said, ''let's continue encouraging Turkey'' but the meaning of this statement couldn't be understood.
BAHCELI REACTS TO PRODI: ''BEHAVE RESPECTFULLY''
Evaluation Prodi's statement, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli said, ''he should not have such a biased attitude. He should respect Turkey more. I don't approve of his statements. He should have been patient until the summit in December.''
CILLER SHEDS GREEN LIGHT TO CHP True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said her party had gained people's confidence in recent weeks. She stated that they might form a coalition with the Republican People's Party (CHP) instead of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) if the DYP won the elections.
IRAQ PROBLEM SHOULD BE SOLVED THROUGH PEACEFUL METHODS
Speaking at the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) meeting in Istanbul, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that Iraq problem should be solved on the United Nations basis through peaceful methods and that Iraqi people should integrate with the international community as soon as possible.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
--------------------
EU GIVES DIFFERENT SIGNALS ABOUT DATE FOR TURKEY
At a meeting in which EU's enlargement was discussed, European Commission President Romano Prodi said that a date wouldn't be given to Turkey for opening of accession talks at Copenhagen summit in December. However, Turkey is still hopeful as many EU officials do not give ''definite and negative signals'' as Prodi. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said that they would do their best for giving the ''most powerful signal'' to Turkey at Copenhagen summit. Previously, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said he was in favor of setting a date for Turkey. Meanwhile, EU Term President Denmark's Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that Turkey had taken a giant step to meet Copenhagen criteria wit the reform it adopted on August 3, adding, ''we accept this and we should accept this, but we want to see practical implementation. Turkey is a candidate country which should be treated equally.''
WE ARE GOING TO REPAY USD 73 BILLION DEBT NEXT YEAR
Treasury will repay a total of 73.3 billion U.S. dollars debt next year. This amount will be composed of 62.6 billion U.S. dollars of domestic debt and 10.8 billion U.S. dollars of foreign debt. Meanwhile, Treasury will seek 5 billion U.S. dollars foreign borrowing and 5 billion U.S. dollars of new source through debenture bond issue.