ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on November 17, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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GUL: ''WE WILL SHOCK EUROPE''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairman Abdullah Gul who was designated by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to form the 58th government, said, ''we will shock European leaders . We will prove that a Muslim country can integrate with democratic, transparent and modern world. A European Union (EU) member Turkey will constitute a great model for all other Muslim countries. Turkey will further strengthen the EU.''
ERDOGAN ANNOUNCES URGENT ACTION PLAN
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced AK Party's urgent action plan. According to the plan, new meetings will be held with the International Monetary Fund (IMF); implementation of financial zero will end; farmers will be relieved; investments will be accelerated; and families living below the poverty line will be provided aid.
YILMAZ TO ACT AS TURKEY'S ENVOY TO EUROPE
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has proposed that Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz should lead Turkish delegation at the meeting of European Convention to be held on November 30. Yilmaz responded this proposal in the affirmative. Erdogan said that they wanted to benefit from Yilmaz's experience and knowledge about the European Union (EU).
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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''I AM THE ONLY AUTHORITY''
Abdullah Gul who was designated by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to form the new government, said, ''situation of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be solved in the course of the time. He is our leader. We rely on each other. Each one will have full authority in his field.'' He added, ''female ministers will take place in our Council of Ministers. We aim at further strengthening the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.''
PRESIDENT SEZER: ''WELL-ASSESS THIS OPPORTUNITY''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer received Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairman Abdullah Gul at the Cankaya Presidential Palace and appointed him to form the 58th government. Holding a press conference after the meeting, Gul quoted President Sezer as telling, ''let's work together to overcome the crisis. Please, well-assess this opportunity.'' Meanwhile, Gul said that he would hand over his prime ministry position to AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan after political bans on him were lifted.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN: ''OPPOSITION SHOULD ATTEND NSC MEETINGS''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok. The meeting which was scheduled to last for 20 minutes, continued for 45 minutes. During the meeting, Erdogan proposed that leader of the opposition party at the parliament should also attend the monthly meetings of the National Security Council (NSC). General Ozkok said that the proposal would be assessed.
BAYKAL: ''GUL IS A GOOD PREFERENCE''
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal returned to Turkey from Polish capital Warsaw in which he attended the meeting of the Party of European Socialists (PES). He met with Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is about to leave for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) at Ankara's Esenboga Airport. Baykal said that Gul was a good preference for the position of prime ministry, and added, ''but, a better preference would have been Erdogan.''
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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VEILED WARNING TO GUL
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan who could not be elected in the general elections due to political bans, has given clear messages that Abdullah Gul who was designated by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to form the 58th government, was the second man while he was the first. Stressing that the prime ministry was a coordination center, Erdogan said, ''we will maintain a continuous communication and coordination. Otherwise, some serious problems can emerge.''
CLASH ERUPTS IN ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATION
A group of nearly 200 university students wanted to march to Istanbul's Taksim Square to protest a possible military operation of the United States against Iraq. Security forces intervened in the group and warned them to disperse immediteately. When demonstrators insisted on their march, clash erupted between security forces and students. 22 policemen, 20 demonstrators and 2 journalists were injured in the clash in which students threw stones to security forces. Policemen detained nearly 40 of demonstrators.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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''OUR FIRST TARGET IS EU MEMBERSHIP''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairman Abdullah Gul who was designated by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to form the new government, said, ''I will hold consultations with AK Party officials to prepare the list of Council of Ministers, and submit to the President on Monday. Our first target will be the European Union (EU) full membership. We will fulfill Copenhagen and Maastrich criteria. Turkey will further strengthen the EU. Also, a EU-member Turkey will constitute an important model to other Muslim countries.''
TSK: ''GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE THE DECISION''
After the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has assessed the solution plan which was presented to the sides on Cyprus by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. Military officials decided that the government should take the decision about the plan.
ERDOGAN: ''ANNAN'S PLAN CAN BE DISCUSSED''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan who paid a visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), will leave for Greece. Referring to the solution plan which was presented to the sides on Cyprus by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, Erdogan said that the plan could be discussed.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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IT'S TIME TO WORK
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer appointed Abdullah Gul to form the cabinet. Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the Urgent Action Plan. Now they are getting ready to serve for Turkey. Erdogan said that the government they would form would untie the knots that constitute obstacle in front of people's future. He said that the Urgent Action Plan prepared by his party was foreseen to be implemented within one-month, three-month, six-month and one-year periods according to priorities. Speaking to reporters after his appointment, Gul said, ''now it's time to serve people. We got prepared well and we will do what is needed.'' Noting that the Council of Ministers would have 23 ministers and a prime minister, Gul said that he would submit the list of new cabinet to the President on Monday.
BUSINESS WORLD: POSITIVE
Regarding the Urgent Action Plan, the Association of Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen (TUSIAD) said, ''it is a very good plan'', Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) said, ''positive and pretentious'', Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) said, ''it's the intensive care plan we need'' and Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) said, ''this programme is feasible.'' Meanwhile, Association of Independent Industrialists and Businessmen (MUSIAD) said, ''by preferring Gul, the President has appointed a person expected by everybody and has made a great contribution to the stability.''
ACTION PLAN
Temporary budget will be prepared. Financial Zero implementation will be annulled immediately. Tax burden will be reduced. Extravagance in public sector will be prevented. Privatization will be accelerated. Economy Ministry will be formed. Real sector will be strongly supported. Incentive measures will be rearranged in line with current conditions. Electricity prices will be reduced. Importance will be attributed to mining sector. Boron institute will be established. Double roads will be constructed. Tourism potential will be activated and tourism cities will be established. With the direct income support, low-income farmers will be supported. Poor people will be supported. Appointment of personnel will be made under objective criteria. Wage and salary imbalances will be removed. With local administrations reform, local administrations will be strengthened. Provincial councils will be formed.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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''IT'S AN ORDEAL. I WILL OVERCOME IT''
Speaking to the newspaper, Abdullah Gul said that the new government would start working on Tuesday at the latest. ''We got prepared. My aim is to make our people happy. I am aware of my responsibility. Possible cabinet: ''Deputy Prime Minister: Abdulkadir Aksu, Abdullatif Sener, Erkan Mumcu; State Minister for Economy: Ali Coskun, Ali Babacan; Interior Minister: Abdulkadir Aksu, Murat Besesgioglu; National Education Minister: Koksal Toptan; National Defense Minister: Murat Basesgioglu, Vahit Erdem, Mehmet Dulger; Foreign Minister: Yasar Yakis; Energy and Natural Resources Minister: Hilmi Guler; Justice Minister: Ertugrul Yalcinbayir, Burhan Kuzu, M. Ali Sahin, Sadik Yakut; Tourism Minister: Erkan Mumcu, Murat Mercan; Labor Minister: Kursad Tuzmen, Nukhet Otar; Finance Minister: Abdullatif Sener, Nurettin Canikli; Other ministries: Bulent Gedikli, Reha Denemec, Aziz Akgul, Akif Gulle, Cemil Cicek, Salih Kapusuz, Faruk Ozak, I. Naim Sahin, Zeynep Karahan Uslu, Besir Atalay''.
TARGET: LOTS OF WORK IN SHORT TIME
- IMF programme will be reviewed.
- 'Financial Zero' will be annulled within one month.
- Expenditures will be collected under single budget.
- Poor families will be determined.
- Turkish Radio and Television share in electricity bills will be removed.