ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on November 29, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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UNITED STATES TO ASK TURKEY TO SUPPORT ITS POSSIBLE IRAQ OPERATION
Prior to today's meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), the New York Times and the Washington Post, two of leading newspapers of the United States, claimed that U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz who was scheduled to come to Turkey on December 3, would convey requests of the United States. The newspapers claimed that visit of Wolfowitz aimed at forming a military coalition between Turkey and the United States. According to the newspapers, Wolfowitz would try to enlist the support of Turkey for soldiers, air bases and a northern front in case of a possible war in Iraq.
58TH GOVERNMENT WINS CONFIDENCE VOTE
Programme of the 58th government led by Prime Minister Abdullah Gul got vote of confidence of the parliament. A total of 516 deputies cast their votes in the open voting held with the electronic system at the parliament. While 170 deputies cast their votes against programme of the government, 346 deputies voted in favor of it. Addressing the Parliamentary General Assembly, Prime Minister Gul said, ''programme of the 58th government was the object of confidence of our parliament. Therefore, I am grateful to the MPs. A new period has begun. It is time to appraise this period all together. Now, it is time to take action instead of talking. As the 58th government of Turkey, we are well-prepared, resolute and determined. All citizens of the Republic of Turkey are our priority, and it is our duty to serve all of them in the best way.''
DIONYSOS RETURNS TO TURKEY
An ancient bronze statue of Dionysos, the Greek god of vegetation and fruitfulness known especially as the god of wine and ecstasy, returned to Turkey as a result of legal struggle of the Ministry of Culture. After Turkey won its lawsuit, Britain returned the statue which was confiscated in Switzerland in 1998. The statue was handed over to the Anatolian Civilizations Museum.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN IS POSITIVE FOR FORMULA OF CONDITIONAL DATE
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan who has been visiting European Union (EU) countries said that it is a poor possibility that Turkey will receive a date in Copenhagen Summit. He said, ''It is also a positive decision. They can announce the negotiation date some time in 2003'' for the formula of conditional date for setting a date.
BAYKAL SAYS ''RE-TRIAL OF OCALAN WILL BE A SCANDAL''
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that if the way of re-trial of Abdullah Ocalan is opened, it will be a ''scandal'', thus, the adjustment package which was presented by Justice and Development Party (AK Party) should carefully be examined. Baykal who evaluated the studies on package with his staff opposed the method of AK Party and said ''What answer do they want from us? Will we say yes or no? If they would like to know our view, they would present the package firstly to us and suggest a joint study.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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EASIEST VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
Abdullah Gul government won perhaps the easiest vote of confidence of the last 30 years. A total of 346 deputies from Justice and Development Party (AK Party) cast their votes in favor of the programme, while 170 deputies from Republican People's Party (CHP) were against the programme. The voting lasted only ten minutes with electronic system.
EU SAYS ''CONDITIONAL 2004''
European Union (EU) diplomats are working on a formula for Turkey prior to Copenhagen Summit. According to some sources, EU negotiations of Ankara will start in 2004. Some diplomats said ''This formula does not mean a certain date. It is like a date for setting a date.''
DISTRESS OF FINANCIAL ZERO YEAR IN IMF
International Monetary Fund (IMF) is distressed by the lifting of Financial Zero Year. The studies for lifting Financial Zero Year were agitated IMF and it also found the tax threshold project inconvenient.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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CYPRUS MARATHON STARTS
Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have begun preparing their reservations about the solution plan which was presented to the sides in Cyprus by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. After preparatory works are completed, President Rauf Denktas of the TRNC will sent a letter to United Nations Secretary General Annan, and convey reservations and proposals of the Turkish Cypriot side.
BAN ON ASSOCIATIONS WHICH TARGET TO INSULT ATATURK TO BE LIFTED
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has prepared a package of adjustment laws with the European Union (EU). The package envisages to lift the ban saying, ''no one can form an association with the aim of blackening or insulting personality, principles, works and memoirs of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.''
TURKEY LOSES TWO INTELLECTUALS
Turkey lost two of its intellectuals. Melih Cevdet Anday and Prof. Dr. Bulent Tanor passed away. 87-year-old Melih Cevdet Anday had been one of pioneers of ''Garip Movement'' aiming at renovating Turkish poetry. He had been writing in Cumhuriyet Newspaper for the last 35 years. He died of respiration and kidney failure. 62-year-old Prof. Dr. Tanor had been a democracy defender, scientist and writer. He passed away from cancer.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TWO STEPS FORWARD ON EU PATH
The government has prepared a draft making changes in a number of laws within framework of adjustment with Copenhagen political criteria. The package includes positive steps about right to re-trial, struggle against torture, freedom of thought and expression and closure cases against political parties. The package adds a temporary article to the Higher Education Board (YOK) Law, and pardons disciplinary crimes. Under the package, disciplinary punishments of students will be pardoned from the beginning of 2001-2002 academic year to the date when the law comes into effect. Another change to be made in the Turkish Criminal Code, lapse of time will be removed in crimes of torture.
A STEP BACK IN IMPLEMENTATION
Inspectors found policemen who beat a demonstrator, not guilty. They decided that the beating was not intentional. According to a report submitted by the inspectors to the Inspection Board, policemen forced the demonstrator to enter a depot because it was ''safe'. When the report is presented to the Directorate General of Security, these policemen will return their duties. On November 11, Veli Kaya denounced Ankara Deputy Police Chief Zekai Baloglu and four policemen to Chief Prosecutor's Office by claiming that he was beaten by the policemen during a demonstration in Ankara to protest Higher Board of Education (YOK).
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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SPIRITUAL TORTURE
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded questions of journalists aboard the plane on his way back from France. When asked, ''you have been banned from the politics. Can we say that you have been exposed to a political torture?'' Erdogan said, ''I have been exposed to a spiritual torture.''
SEVEN COMMISSIONS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY
The government has taken action to make a comprehensive health and social security reform. Seven separate commissions have been formed to re-organize health and social security services. These commissions have begun working. Health and social security services of Social Security Agency (SSK), Self-Employed (Bag-Kur) and State Employees Pension Fund will be separated from each other. While health services will be gathered under the roof of the Ministry of Health, social security services will be carried out by Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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EMERGENCY RULE WILL END ON SATURDAY AFTER 15 YEARS
Emergency Rule which started in 13 provinces in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia Regions in 1987 will end as of November 30, 2002. Emergency Rule (OHAL) was started to be implemented in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia Regions to prevent the actions of terrorist organization PKK that began in August 1984. During Emergency Rule, more than 30 thousand people had died in the clashes.
BAYKAL WAS THE FIRST TO CONGRATULATE GUL AFTER VOTING OF CONFIDENCE
The 58th government formed by Prime Minister Abdullah Gul won on Thursday the vote of confidence when 346 deputies voted in favor of programme while 170 deputies cast their votes against the programme. A total of 22 deputies did not attend the voting and six independent deputies supported the government. Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal was the first to congratulate Gul.