ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on November 15, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
SEZER TO RECEIVE ERDOGAN TODAY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will receive Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss who will be the prime minister of the 58th government. It is mentioned that Sezer could assign a name from the AK Party with forming the government. The meeting at the Presidential Palace will start at 10.30 a.m. In addition to prime minister issue, Erdogan will bring outlines of the new government to the agenda. In the meeting, Erdogan will get Sezer's opinion and later he will propose his prime minister candidate and wait for assignment by the President. It is claimed that this name might most probably be Abdullah Gul. Meanwhile, Erdogan will visit General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok at 5.30 p.m. AK Party estimates that the 58th government would work until March 2003. Abdulkadir Aksu, Vecdi Gonul, Murat Basesgioglu, Koksal Toptan, Kemal Unakitan and Mehmet Dulger are among the names for prime minister of the new government in addition to Abdullah Gul. Erdogan is getting prepared to form the new government with a caretaker prime minister. After this, he is planning to be elected through formula of by-election and form the 59th government in March 2003 under his leadership.
''WE WON'T ALLOW THEM TO GIVE GUZELYURT''
Residents of Guzelyurt province in Northern Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are anxiously waiting for the decision about their province that is foreseen to be given to Greek Cypriots according to the two maps which were presented together with the U.N. Cyprus plan. Speaking to the newspaper, Mahmut Ozcinar, the mayor of Guzelyurt that has 15 thousand population, said, ''this place was a village which even did not have pavements when we came here 29 years ago. We altogether made Guzelyurt a province. We won't have them give Guzelyurt.'' Ozcinar said that more than 20 thousand Turkish Cypriots living in city center and villages of Guzelyurt would again become refugees if Guzelyurt was given to Greek Cypriots. Stressing that the United States had presented maps without making territory bargaining with the sides, Ozcinar said, ''they did not get our opinions. We don't want to migrate.'' Noting that they would express their concerns to President Rauf Denktas and government and initiate governments, Ozcinar said, ''Guzelyurt has the most productive soil on Cyprus. It exports 100 thousand tons of citrus fruits. It makes half of the exports from the TRNC. If it is given to Greek Cypriots, this means that Greek Cypriots have all water resources in north and there will be water shortage in Lefkosa and Magosa. Besides, Guzelyurt is a strategic place in terms of military. We would be surrounded by Greek Cypriots.''
BAYKAL TO DISCUSS CYPRUS WITH BLAIR
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal who is in Warsaw, Poland to attend Party of European Socialists is expected to meet with British Prime Ministry Tony Blair to ask for his support to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's Cyprus plan. Baykal will also have a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis today. Baykal said that he would not bring Cyprus issue onto the agenda while Simitis is expected to bring it onto the agenda.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
FALCON AS HE IS GOING
Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel, who will leave the office in a few days, found the United Nations (U.N.) report for Cyprus unacceptable. Gurel accused Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan of having a secret meeting with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis.
PARLIAMENT HALL EMPTY AND FADIL TAKES OATH
The parliament formed by two political parties was opened yesterday with the oath taking ceremony of the deputies. Deputies of Republican People's Party (CHP) left the Parliamentary General Assembly hall to protest Siirt independent deputy Fadil Akgunduz. Yozgat deputy Emin Koc hit on the table when he was leaving the hall to show his reaction. Justice and Development Party (AK Party) protested Akgunduz by not applauding.
NAME OF VICTORY: BESIKTAS AND DENIZLISPOR
We are happy with the scores of Besiktas and Denizlispor soccer clubs of Turkey in the UEFA Cup. Denizlispor defeated Sparta Prague of Czech Republic 2-0 and qualified for the third round while Besiktas reached the UEFA Cup third round with the only goal scored by Ilhan Mansiz in its second match against Alaves of Spain. Ilhan and Tellez of Spain were sent off on the 84th minute. Fenerbahce was eliminated from the cup by being defeated by Panathinaikos of Greece 4-1.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
---------------
I HAVE THREE NAMES ON MY MIND
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Sabah before his appointment at the Presidential Palace this morning. Erdogan said, ''I reduced number of prime minister candidates on my mind to three.'' Erdogan will try to see the tendency of President Sezer about these names during the meeting. Erdogan is saying that he is not afraid that the new prime minister will be a rival for him and to this end, he gives up the formula of becoming the prime minister from outside by an amendment to article 109.
IT'S A SHAME
The ''formality government'' is not only intervening in foreign policy but also making inappropriate appointments. The coalition government started to fill in cadres instead of waiting for the new government. A total of 93 people started to work in the Prime Ministry in recent days. Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli made an appointment to Prime Ministry Chief Consultancy. Thirteen drivers were recruited. Sukru Sina Gurel, who will hand over the Foreign Ministry soon, made statements that will bind the new parliament about Cyprus question: ''Annan's plan is a conspiracy for Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Territory and migration cannot be negotiated.''
CONSTITUTIONAL STRANGENESS
Bulent Ecevit is the official prime minister while Recep Tayyip Erdogan is de facto prime minister. However, they are both obstructed by the Constitution because they are not deputies. Ecevit is the first prime minister of Turkey who cannot be elected as a deputy. But, since he will continue to be in the office till the new government is formed, article 109 of the Constitution saying that ''a person who is not a deputy cannot be elected as a prime minister'' is not valid for him.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
NO DATE FROM EU
European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen announced that Turkey would not be given a date for opening of accession talks at Copenhagen summit as it failed to fulfil political criteria. Defending that majority for Turkey could not be found at parliaments of EU member countries, Verheugen said, ''but this situation changes when a totally changed Turkey is in question. However, I can't think about membership as long as the army controls the politics.''
SOLDIERS' FOUR CONCERNS ABOUT CYPRUS
Evaluation of Annan's document and maps is continuing. Soldiers are concerns about four issues: 1- Territories foreseen to be given to Greek Cypriot administration according to two maps have the characteristics that may cause narrowing and to some extent besieging of places that are of vital importance to security of Northern Cyprus. 2- A very high amount of territory is demanded from Turkish Cypriots. This can't be accepted. According to the optional map, the proportion of territory left to Turkish Cypriots is foreseen to be 28.5 and 28.6 percent. 3- It is foreseen that Greek Cypriots will settle in territories to be left by Turkish Cypriots. This plan which will be put into practice in stages, has the characteristic that may turn Cyprus into an Hellenistic island. 4- Settlement of Turkish Cypriots in other areas may destroy also economic and social structure of the island. It can be expected that almost 70-80 thousand Turkish Cypriots may have refugee status.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
ERDOGAN TO GO TO PRESIDENTIAL PALACE TODAY
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit President Ahmet Necdet Sezer at 10.00 a.m. on Friday and name his prime minister candidate. The government will be formed next week.
SOLANA SAYS POLITICAL WILL IS OBLIGATORY
European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who came to Ankara as the guest of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that they were expecting political will about Cyprus issue, EU and European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP).
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
---------------
DENKTAS CAUTIOUS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said that they entered an important stage and said, ''we are given four weeks of time. We cannot accept this. We have significant reservations about sovereignty and territory. We will take up the United Nations (U.N.) plan for Cyprus calmly.''
ASSURANCE FROM GUL
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy leader Abdullah Gul, who was briefed by economy bureaucrats, said, ''our priority is to continue structural reforms and realistic policies.''
DENIZLISPOR EPIC
Denizlispor soccer club of Turkey defeated Sparta Prague of Czech Republic, its strongest rival in the UEFA Cup second round, 2-0 and qualified for the third round. Mustafa Ozkan scored the goals of Denizlispor.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
--------------------
A DIFFICULT TEST AWAITS TWO-PARTY PARLIAMENT
Important issues like initiatives to get a full membership negotiation date from the European Union (EU), Cyprus question, possible operation on Iraq, and relations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) await the parliament which is formed by only two political parties after half a century. Deputies who took their oath in the opening session of the 22nd legislative term started a new period. The two parties of the parliament, namely the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Republican People's Party (CHP), gave harmonization messages on the first day. The nation expects a revival in many fields from the new government and the parliament, particularly in relations with the EU and economy.
GEN. OZKOK: ''WE WILL NOT PERMIT TURKEY'S INTERESTS IN CYPRUS TO BE TRAMPLED''
The positive atmosphere that occurred when the details of the United Nations (U.N.) plan on Cyprus were not definite started to be replaced with a ''cautious process.'' Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas criticized the plan while General Ozkok, the Chief of General Staff, said that they would not permit Turkey's interests in Cyprus to be trampled. Ozkok, who went to TRNC to attend celebrations to mark the 19th anniversary of the Republic Day, said that Turkey and Turkish Armed Forces would never permit any approach which would deteriorate peace and tranquility in Cyprus and threaten the security of Turkish Cypriots.
ERDOGAN AND HIS SENIOR AIDES ASK QUESTIONS TO ECONOMY BUREAUCRATS
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his senior aides, who gave the second priority to economy, were briefed on Turkish economy by Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak and Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti. Erdogan and his senior aides asked many questions to Oztrak and Serdengecti.