ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 15, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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JOY IN SOUTH, SADNESS IN NORTH
While approval of European Union (EU) full membership of the Greek Cypriot side created a nationwide joy in Southern Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriots were disappointed in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The EU which invited the Greek Cypriot side to full membership on May 1, 2004, kept its doors open for the Turkish Cypriots. If an agreement is reached till February 28, 2003, the island will become a full member of the EU as the United Cyprus.
GUL: ''WE CAN START ACCESSION TALKS WITH THE EU EARLIER''
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who returned from Danish capital Copenhagen where he had attended the summit meeting of heads of state and government of member and candidate countries to the European Union (EU), said, ''Turkey got a certain date for opening of accession talks with the EU in 2004. Many European leaders told me that Turkey could start accession talks earlier according to its performance.''
SINGLE PERSON VICTORY
The True Path Party (DYP) elected its new leader in its yesterday's regular congress. Mehmet Agar who got votes of 815 out of 1,109 delegates became the new leader of the DYP.
TEARFUL FAREWELL FROM CILLER TO DYP
Tansu Ciller who has been acting as leader of the True Path Party (DYP) for the last ten years, bade a tearful farewell to the DYP during yesterday's regular congress. Ciller said, ''I have taken the responsibility, and decided to give up DYP leadership. I am not anry with anyone.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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CANKAYA: ''PRESIDENT SEZER IS NOT PLEASED WITH EU'S DECISION''
Presidential Foreign Affairs Chief Adviser Tacan Ildem said, ''the decision taken at the European Union's (EU) Copenhagen summit is far away from being the response to important steps and taken by Turkey to adopt Copenhagen political criteria and to the determination of Turkish society to become a full member of the EU. Therefore, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer was not pleased with the decision taken at the EU Copenhagen summit as the decision did not meet Turkey's expectations.''
''THANK GOD, WE ARE HAPPY''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan assessed the date set by the European Union (EU) for opening of accession talks with Turkey saying, ''Thank God. We are happy with the decision.'' He said, ''I have completed my tour to the EU member countries. Now, a tour to the Russian Federation, Turkish Republics in Central Asia and the People's Republic of China is on our agenda to increase our trade volume with these countries.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN: ''TURKEY GOT THE SECOND BEST RESULT''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, ''Turkey got the second best result at the European Union's (EU) Copenhagen summit. The decision taken at the summit did not meet fully our expectations, because we wanted the best for our people.'' He noted, ''we want Turkish people to have living standards higher than the standards of even the industrialized countries of the world. As a result of the decision taken at Copenhagen summit, Turkey has reached a serious stage to get more democracy and more qualified living standards.''
76 DAYS FOR PRESIDENT DENKTAS OF TRNC
If an agreement is not reached between President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides till February 28, 2003, the Greek Cypriot side will become the only representative of Cyprus in the EU. In that case, the European Union (EU) will become the interlocutor of Turkey and the TRNC. Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) does not want to face such a situation.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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''EU ACTED UNJUSTLY ABOUT CYPRUS''
Criticizing the EU's not seeking a condition of solution for the unilateral membership of the Greek Cypriot side while it was trying to set up a connection between Turkey's membership and Cyprus issue, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said, ''the EU is assuming an unjust and contradictory attitude.'' Stressing that the EU had made a very serious mistake regarding Cyprus, Sezer said, ''for us, a solution on basis of a new partnership in a way which protects safety, prosperity and equal status of Turkish Cypriots and strategic interests of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is principle.''
CUSTOMS UNION UNDER CROSS-EXAMINATION
The Customs Union deal that Turkey signed in 1995 brought results that are totally opposite to Turkey's expectations. According to a survey by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce, imports increased instead of exports after the deal while the EU companies preferred to send their goods to Turkey instead of opening factories. Stressing that the EU prefers eastern Europe, China and India for textiles, the survey said arrangements which were made under the deal negatively affected the medicine and agriculture sectors.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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NOW, IT IS TIME TO DO OUR HOMEWORKS
The European Union (EU) will prepare its new Accession Partnership Accord in January of 2004. And, Turkey will put forward its targets in its new National Programme. The government aims at fulfilling Copenhagen political criteria till August 1, 2004.
ARINC TO PAY HIS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO INDIA
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc will pay an official visit to India between December 15 and 21, 2002 as the guest of his Indian counterpart Manohar Joshi. Akif Gulle, a deputy of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) from Amasya, and Feridun Ayvazoglu, a deputy of the Republican People's Party (CHP) from Corum, will accompany Arinc during his visit to India.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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''EU MADE A MISTAKE''
Explaining President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's opinions about the Copenhagen summit, Presidential Foreign Affairs Chief Advisor Tacan Ildem said, ''what the appropriate thing was that the EU should say 'there can't be membership before end of talks between the two sides in Cyprus'. But it didn't do that. There can't be a solution if Greek Cypriots who were granted membership put a great deal of trouble.'' Regarding the 2004 date, Ildem said, ''according to the President, this date is far away from constituting a response that we expected in return for the radical steps that Turkey took for Copenhagen. Mr. Sezer is not pleased with 2004. However, he was not surprised at this decision.''
THIS SONG TO CONTINUE
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who returned from Copenhagen said, ''the negotiations start earlier as long as we record progress'' while Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, ''we will take more determined steps on the EU path''.
ERDEM HONORED
Turkish-Spanish Business Council Chairman Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem was awarded with the ''Spanish Royal Medal of Merit'' by King Juan Carlos of Spain for his contribution to development of relations between Turkey and Spain. Erdem said, ''it is an honorable day an behalf of my country''.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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GUL: ''UNCERTAINTY ENDED AS WE SET UP A NEW RAIL WITH EU''
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that the European Union (EU) might open accession talks on a date earlier than December 2004 according to Turkey's performance. Noting that the Copenhagen summit had set up a new rail between Turkey and the EU, Gul said that Turkey's controversial candidacy had become definite. Making a statement in Ankara after he returned from historical summit, Gul said that December 2004 was accepted as a definite date for start of negotiations. Stressing that reforms under adjustment with the EU had been made actually for Turkish people, Gul said that at the summit, the Cyprus issue and EU's enlargement had been taken up as different issues and that he hoped a satisfactory compromise would be reached by February 28.
MEHMET AGAR BECOMES NEW LEADER OF DYP
True Path Party (DYP) deputy from Elazig province Mehmet Agar was elected the new DYP leader. In the congress in which Tansu Ciller did not run for the leadership, Agar won 815 of the 1,109 votes and became the sixth leader of DYP.
BRITISH GIRL RACHEL WHO GETS ENGAGED WITH TURKISH BOY HANDED OVER TO HER PARENTS
Fourteen-year-old British girl Rachel Elizabeth Lloyd who met and later got engaged with twenty-four-year-old Turkish bartender Mehmet Ocak in Marmaris and has started to live with him in Gaziantep since January was handed over to her father Bob Lloyd. Defending that her daughter had left home and he had learnt that she came to Marmaris and got engaged; Bob said that he did not want to sue Mehmet Ocak who was put into prison the day before. Meanwhile, Rachel who put her arms around her father and cried said, ''I don't want to leave Turkey. I got engaged by myself. I love Mehmet.''