ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on November 13, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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DIFFERENT PROTOCOL FOR ERDOGAN IN ITALY
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan didn't apply for red passport (passports given for diplomatic mission) before starting his visit to European countries to get a negotiation date from the EU for Turkey. Erdogan who will go to Italy with normal passport will have a different protocol in Italy. Erdogan will not be welcomed with an official ceremony there, but he will be treated as the prime minister in the lunch to be hosted by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in his honor.
CYPRUS REPUBLIC TO BE THING OF THE PAST
According to the Annan plan of Cyprus, the most important advantage of Turkish Cypriots will be the rotational presidential system. Cyprus is going through the most critical period in the last ten years with the submission of the solution plan to Denktas and Clerides by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders who missed the opportunity to make an agreement when the Gali's Set of Ideas was presented to them, will now determine the fate of their peoples by the response they will give to the Annan plan. In the plan, the Turkish Cypriot side gets advantages regarding constitutional issues, the Greek Cypriot side on the other hand reaches its goal on the issues of return of immigrants and getting territory.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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MFA ASSESSES SOLUTION PACKAGE OF UNITED NATIONS
Turkey has begun to assess solution package presented by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to the sides in Cyprus. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed recognition of sovereignty of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). However, proposals about return of people, territory and properties caused uneasiness. The first meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the participation of Ahmet Zeki Bulunc, the Ambassador of TRNC to Turkey. These meetings will continue for the next few days. Later, at the meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) a decision will be taken whether to accept or reject the package.
ERDOGAN TO REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT FROM PRESIDENT SEZER
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan will request an appointment from President Ahmet Necdet Sezer for November 14, Thursday when the oath-taking ceremony would be held at the parliament. At the meeting, Erdogan will submit his candidate for prime ministry. AK Party officials says that they expected President Sezer to designate the prime minister to form the new government on Friday.
CILLER TO GIVE UP DYP LEADERSHIP
True Path Party's (DYP) regular general congress will be held between January 25 and 26, 2003. DYP Chairmanship Council convened under the leadership of DYP leader Tansu Ciller. Following the meeting, Ciller said, ''I have undertaken the responsibility of DYP's defeat in the general elections. Therefore, I will not be a candidate for DYP leadership during the general congress.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TWO COURAGEOUS MEN
Attitudes of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Costas Simitis of Greece have paved the way for a solution to the 46-year Cyprus question. Erdogan told reporters that he had not received detailed information yet about United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's solution package, and added, ''as I said before, finding a solution to the Cyprus question will accelerate Turkey's European Union (EU) full membership process.'' Meanwhile, Prime Minister Simitis of Greece said that United Nations Secretary General Annan had presented a good opportunity to start talks.
GENERAL ALPKAYA TO BE DECORATED WITH MEDAL OF MERIT BY ITALY
Naval Forces Commander Admiral Bulent Alpkaya will be decorated with the medal of merit by Italy for his efforts to further improve bilateral relations between Turkey and Italy. Italian Naval Forces Commander Admiral Marcello de Donno will present the medal to Admiral Alpkaya at a ceremony later today.
ERDOGAN TO COME TOGETHER WITH BERLUSCONI AT LUNCHEON
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay his first foreign visit to Italy following the general elections on November 3. Erdogan will come together with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy at a luncheon. Representatives of some non-governmental organizations including Union of Turkish Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu and Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) Chairman Oguz Satici will join the visit.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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DANISH AMBASSADOR: ''WE WILL PLEASE TURKEY''
Ambassador of EU Term President Denmark in Turkey Christian Hoppe defended the view that the AK Party government won't be an obstacle for Turkey's EU membership target. Hoppe said that they expect AK Party to fulfil the commitments it gave about secularism and democratization by taking concrete steps in these issues. He added that if the AK Party government undertakes reforms in issues of right to freedom of thought and expression and prevention of torture until the Copenhagen summit, this will be very positive for AK Party. Hoppe stressed that Denmark launches efforts for EU's taking the most positive and useful decision for Turkey at Copenhagen summit.
TALABANI IN ANKARA
Jalal Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union for Kurdistan came to Ankara yesterday. Upon questions asking his view about the uneasiness of Turkey due to inclusion of certain issues in the constitution which was signed by him and Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani, Talabani said that ''this is just a draft. It can be changed, developed and new things can be added. We will explain these to our Turkish friends. If necessary, we can make additions. We are here to make full cooperation with Turkey. We want to develop our relations. We will do our best to end all the obstacles.'' When asked if the news telling that American officials started to train 5,000 peshmergas in Northern Iraq, was correct, Talabani said that ''not yet.'' Upon a question, Talabani said that such a thing is out of question now and that if Americans propose such a thing, they will be pleased.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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EVERYBODY IS POSITIVE ABOUT ONE PLAN FOR FIRST TIME
Foreign Ministry and General Staff examined together the Cyprus plan presented by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan prior to the Copenhagen summit. Foreign Ministry adopted the view that the plan could constitute the basis in negotiations. TRNC President Rauf Denktas said in his part that ''there are parts which are not in line with the views of both sides, when we finish examining the plan, we will see what we can do.'' TRNC Prime Minister Eroglu said that the plan has both negative and positive aspects. The opposition parties in TRNC are very pleased with the plan. Greek Prime Minister Simitis said that ''there are negative aspects, but we must look at it as a whole, yet this is a historic opportunity for reaching a solution.'' Europe and the U.S. also welcomed the plan.
2.3 MILLION UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE
Even if the economy started to grow, unemployment increased in the country. The rate of unemployment is 9.9 percent and the official number of unemployed people is 2.3 million. Industrial workers became poorer by 23 percent due to the economic crisis.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TOWARDS THE END IN CYPRUS
The Swiss model presented by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan two days ago, was welcomed by both the Turkish Cypriot and the Greek Cypriot sides. An intense traffic has begun to solve the Cyprus question which could not be solved for 30 years, till the European Union's (EU) Copenhagen Summit in December. Both sides on the island considered the plan 'acceptable'. President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said that they had been assessing the plan, and would give a constructive response. Meanwhile, Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides said that the direct talks had come to a critical stage, and added that they would announce their decision on Saturday.
TALABANI: ''WE WANT COOPERATION''
Patriotic Union for Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani said that they were not in favor of foundation of an independent Kurdish state, and added that they wanted a democratic and federal Iraq. Recalling that he had held contacts in Syria and Iran last week, Talabani said that these countries did not want an independent Kurdish state in the region. Pointing out that he wanted to meet with Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, Talabani said that he could not get appointments from the leaders due to their intense programme.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TURKEY NOT WARM TO ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION AND TERRITORY DEMAND
While the package of proposals which were submitted to the Turkish and Greek Cypriot side by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan was found positive by Greece and the Greek Cypriot side, Turkey is cautious about it. Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel said that the plan is generally in line with the expectations of the Turkish Cypriot side regarding the sovereignty issue, but there are difficulties about the return of Greek Cypriot immigrants and territory demand. AK Party deputy leader Yasar Yakýs who is expected to be the new foreign minister said in his part that the plan met the expectations of the Turkish Cypriot side when compared to the models that came out till today.
ECEVIT SAYS FAREWELL TO STATE OFFICIALS
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who will leave politics following the foundation of the new government continues to pay farewell visits to state officials. Ecevit visited Supreme Court of Appeals Chairman Ozkaya, Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Kanadoglu and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday and stressed the importance of secularism principle in the country.