ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 12, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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IS IT LAST SUPPER?
European Union (EU) leaders will take this decision tonight: Will EU be formed only by Christians as it was in the last supper of Jesus or will there be a Muslim on the table? The summit will start with the dinner of EU member leaders tonight. If 15 countries set a certain date for Turkey to start full membership negotiations not later than 2004, a new period will start.
DEMOCRATIZATION PACKAGE WAS ACCEPTED RAPIDLY
A total of 35 articles of government draft which comprises 37 articles and is also known as Democratization Law were accepted in a very short time in Parliamentary General Assembly with the cooperation of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Republican People's Party (CHP) on Wednesday. After the second voting of Constitution package on Friday, the last two articles of democratization package will be discussed and will become a law.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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REFERENDUM FOR IRAQ
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in his meeting with the U.S. President George W. Bush that a referendum can be done for Turkey's participation in Iraq operation of the United States. Erdogan said that he got the impression in the meeting that it is a high possibility that the United States will launch an operation against Iraq.
ERDOGAN PASSED THE TEST IN WASHINGTON
The officials of the United States believe that they made a ''strong beginning of a very close cooperation'' with Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Bush administration which accepted Erdogan as ''Turkey's new leader'' and received him as if he is a Prime Minister is pleased with the meetings.
WE AND THEY
When Turkey's conditions are compared with the conditions of ten countries which will be accepted to European Union on May 1, 2004, those ten countries have great difference in the aspect of national income per capita. For instance, this figure is 12 thousand 900 dollars in Czech Republic and 16 thousand dollars in Greek Cypriot side, while it is only two thousand 260 dollars in Turkey.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ANKARA PRESSES FOR 2003
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul for the last time warned the countries which approach coldly towards the negotiation date: We,of course, will have sanctions. Gul and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan who went to Denmark for European Union's (EU) Copenhagen Summit said that Turkey should be given an appropriate date for negotiation until the end of 2003. Gul said that Turkey fulfilled the requested Copenhagen criteria and the responsibility will be the EU's, if an expected result does not come out in the summit.
BAN OF WEAPON FROM ARINC TO DEPUTIES
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said that they will take measures to prevent deputies from entering the Parliament with weapons. Arinc who visited the Association of Parliament Journalists said ''If it is necessary, I will implement the ban by myself.'' adding that he will control them and then show them to everybody. He said that deputies should not carry weapons in the parliament.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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CYPRUS IS THE KEY OF 2003
European Union (EU) conveyed Ankara that Turkey's call to get a date before 2004 could take place on condition of solution of Cyprus question in Copenhagen.
The EU Term Presidency wants a ''framework agreement'' in Cyprus till the end of the summit, and stated that French-German joint proposal ''appointment in 2004, date in 2005'' may be changed in a way that can meet Turkey's expectations.
RESONANT BOMB CAUSES MINOR DAMAGE IN ANKARA COURT HOUSE
A resonant bomb exploded in Ankara Court House early on Wednesday, causing minor damage. Ankara Chief Prosecutor Fahri Kasirga said that security officials said that a resonant bomb exploded, shattering some windows and causing a minor damage in electricity network of the court house.
Kasirga said that an investigation was launched regarding the blast.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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EU LEADERS TO OPEN EUROPE'S FUTURE MAP INTO DISCUSSION
Historical Copenhagen summit will start. The 15 European Union (EU) members will discuss the position of 13 candidate countries.
Turkey's dreams since 1963 enters into a historical turning point today. The 15 members of the EU will be in an effort to determine the decision about Turkey and the other 12 candidate countries.
Turkey will be in an effort to overcome the thesis of Germany and France by saying that, ''we have fulfilled Copenhagen Criteria. The date should be April 30, 2004 the latest.'' France and Germany earlier said, ''the decision will be taken in 2004, and full membership negotiations will start in July 2005.''
EYES TURNED TO DENKTAS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will be represented by TRNC Defense Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu in Copenhagen. TRNC President Rauf Denktas could not go to Copenhagen because of his illness, however his hope for a solution continues.
Denktas, who found deficiencies in the new plan, will be in contact with Ankara and Copenhagen. He said, ''the document has not come to a stage that it can be signed.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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''SINCERITY SUMMIT''
Everybody waits for the historical summit that will start in Copenhagen on Thursday evening and will last for two days. European Union, which Turkey worked hard to be a member for 43 years, will go through a test today.
Sincerity of the EU, which said, ''issue the adjustment laws, let us take you to the union'' will concretely be revealed at this summit. The EU will either set July 2005 for Turkey to start full membership negotiations as Germany and France agreed earlier, or a suprise decision will be recorded in history.
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who met Prime Minister Abdullah Gul following his busy agenda in New York, will hold important meetings with the leading leaders of Europe till the starting of the summit and call for support for the last time. Turkey's membership and Cyprus will put its seal to the EU summit in Copenhagen which will determine the future of enlargement process.
PARLIAMENT GIVES ASSURANCES
Parliament sent a letter to the representatives of the European Union (EU) member countries and members of the European Parliament prior to the summit that would take place in Copenhagen today. The letter gave assurances that there would not be human rights violations.
Parliamentary Human Rights Monitoring Commission Chairman Mehmet Elkatmis sent a letter to European parliamentarians and representatives of EU member countries. Elkatmis said, ''we have conveyed to our European colleagues that there would not be any human rights violations in Turkey from now on. We have given them assurances and told them that they should not be concerned.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TURKEY TO PUT ITS SEAL TO ENLARGEMENT SUMMIT
Busy diplomacy efforts which Turkey exerted to get a date from the European Union (EU) is about to end. The 15 EU members will have bargainings at the Copenhagen Summit to set a date for Turkey to start full membership negotiations.
EU's two-day historical enlargement summit will start in Danish capital Copenhagen today. The 10 candidate countries are expected to be officially invited to the EU membership.
Diplomatic sources said the 15 EU member countries, which could not agree on setting a date for Turkey during the General Affairs Council held in Brussels the previous day, will have intense bargainings during the summit.
ERDOGAN: WE MAY GO TO REFERENDUM ON IRAQ ISSUE
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who completed his contacts in the United States, pointed out that there was a possibility for an operation on Iraq, stressing that the United States was expecting the attitude of Turkey in this respect.
As the United States was refraining from pronouncing a date for the operation, Erdogan gave the message that a referendum may take place to determine Turkey's attitude regarded with the operation.
AK Party leader Erdogan, who responded to the questions of reporters, stressed that a date was not pronounced for the possible operation against Iraq, stressing that, ''they said Turkey was under a serious threat on the issue of mass destruction weapons.'' Erdogan said figures like 1-2 billion U.S. dollars was mentioned to meet the loses of Turkey.