ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 20, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TWO SHOTS VERY CLOSELY
Cold blooded murderer, who parked his car and came near Associate Prof. Necip Hablemitoglu, put the barrel of the gun on his left eye and shot the gun two times. The murderer used a 9 mm handgun. One of the bullets entered from his left eye and the other one entered 3 cm near his head and remained in the brain. It was stated that the bullets were made in the United States.
Hablemitoglu came face to face with the murderer when he locked the door of his car. The murderer brought the handgun to the left eye of Hablemitoglu very nearly and shot two times one after the other.
Foot steps of the murderer could not be found on the spot because of -8 degrees Celcius temperature in Ankara. Because of this, number of murderers could not be determined. No fingerprints could be found in the car of Hablemitoglu. It was stated that there was not important information in the files of Hablemitoglu which were in his car.
IMF: THEY GOT 100 MILLION, FIVE PERCENT WILL BE ENOUGH FOR CIVIL SERVANTS
As the government adopts to make increase in salaries of civil servants in stages during the Council of Ministers meeting held the previous day, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation wanted this rate not to be more than five percent.
IMF says, with a decree which the previous government issued, the civil servants would get increased salaries till March. Meanwhile, in the three-months temporary budget, there would not be inflation arrangement.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN VETOED
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed constitutional amendments which pave the deputyship way for Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan with the pretext that these amendments have ''subjective, concrete and individual'' purposes. If the parliament sends the vetoed package back to the Presidential Palace without making any change, Sezer will either approve it or resort to referendum. The veto shocked the AK Party.
LET'S ENTER TOGETHER
Giving information to the newspaper, a high-level Western diplomat said that the United States had given Turkey the message ''let's enter Iraq together. If we enter Northern Iraq together, we get a rapid and more stable result'' to Turkey. Summarizing the point reached in bargaining between Turkey and the United States, diplomat said, ''some of the conditions requested by the United States were accepted and remaining ones are still being evaluated.'' According to the diplomat, these are the developments in talks between Turkey and the United States:
''-The United States gave all guarantees about Turkey's red lines; that is, an independent Kurdish state will not be founded after Saddam regime and an ethnic group won't be allowed to use energy resources in Mousul and Kirkuk.
-Some of the United States's military demands were met. It is still waiting response to its other demands.
-The United States launched initiative to make the NATO be a part of its operation and it recorded progress in its initiative. If this happens, it will be more easier for the United States to get response of Turkey for military demands.
-The States gave Turkey the message that if Turkey and the United States enter Northern Iraq together, this brings along a rapid, more effective and more stable result. The United States also wadrned that if this does not happen, risks would increase much for both sides.''
The U.S. administration clearly told Ankara which seeks international legitimacy and compromise condition for an operation that it does not feel the need for a new U.N. resolution for operation.
ERDOGAN TO HAVE MEETING WITH PUTIN
AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to have a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Moscow next week. Preparations for Erdogan's visit are under way. Erdogan's visit is planned to start on December 23. On the same day, Erdogan is expected to attend opening of Ramstor's mall Ramcity that was set up by Koc and Enka holdings. Meanwhile, Erdogan-Putin meeting is expected to take place on December 24. The two leaders will come together for the first time. Moscow criticizes Ankara as it believes ''Turkey sends aid to Chechen separatists''.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY SAYS O.K.
After the statements of U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz who said that Turkey and the United States came to the second step in military cooperation subject, some western diplomats stated that ''some positive responses'' were given from Turkey to the United States and some other subjects were still discussed. The diplomats said that the United States would surely like to be in cooperation with Turkey in northern Iraq and added that the closer the United States and Turkey work together in northern Iraq, the better and more rapid result is taken and more stability is provided. According to western diplomats, the United States asks for Turkey's cooperation in a possible operation against northern Iraq.
SURPRISE VISIT FROM OZKOK TO GUL
Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok met with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and no statement was released about the meeting. Ozkok had earlier paid a courtesy visit to Gul with the commanders of forces after the government received vote of confidence and paid another surprise visit on Thursday. The agenda of the meeting was not released and the meeting was close to press members. Prime Ministry Press Center only stated that Gul received Ozkok for an ''ordinary meeting''.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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DENKTAS: NEGOTIATIONS WILL CONTINUE
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said that Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government eliminated its hesitations about Cyprus question. He added that they will carry on Cyprus negotiations until February 28 with ''good intentions''. Denktas said that he hoped that they would make progress until that time and added ''This will be our study. Taking a result or not depends on the good intentions of the two sides.''
JANUARY WILL BE THE DESTINY OF IRAQ
The United States is expecting the end of January to get permission from United Nations (U.N.) Security Council about the use of power due to Iraq's violation of No. 1441 resolution of U.N. An American diplomat said that the United states and Turkey are planning to launch an operation against northern Iraq together to control the region. Ankara will decide which countries to intervene northern Iraq.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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HIDDEN SIDE OF BASE BARGAINING
The United States knocked on Turkey's door for three times to carry out investigation at bases that it is planning to use during operation against Iraq. And it began to behave harshly when in couldn't get a clear response: ''What is Turkey's intention?'' Upon this, Ankara finished necessary formalities. The United States made its first initiative on November 29. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz invited Turkish Ambassador in Washington Faruk Logoglu. Logoglu who met with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld there, conveyed United States' demands to Ankara. The second initiative was made by Wolfowitz who came to Turkey on December 3. The third initiative was launched on December 9, the day when Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan left for the United States. Wolfowitz repeated their demand for use of bases to Logoglu. The last initiative was on December 17. Wolfowitz told Logoglu that they wanted a response immediately and said, ''what is Turkey's intention?'' The day after, Ankara gave the necessary permission.
ANNAN: ''GET PREPARED''
Sending letter to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said his special envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto would visit the island on January 8, and asked the sides to make necessary preparations. While the U.N. Security Council criticized late response of Denktas to Annan's letter, Turkey's strategy after the summit meeting at the Presidential Palace became clear: ''for a solution, Denktas will stay at the table till the end''. Meanwhile, Denktas criticized the EU's attitude and the United Nations which said, ''reach an agreement until February 28''. Denktas said, ''we will continue talks with good will''.
SEZER VETOES ERDOGAN
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer sent back the three-article constitutional change package which was adopted by the parliament and paves the way for deputyship for AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, back to parliament, spoiling Erdogan's plan to become the Prime Minister by joining by-election in Siirt. In his statement of reasons, Sezer said, ''there can't be a special arrangement for a single person under universal principles of law''. If the AK Party insists on its decision and submits the package to the President without any change, Sezer can bring it to referendum. Meanwhile, AK Party Parliamentary Group Deputy Chairman Salih Kapusuz said, ''we will adopt the package without any change and send it again.'' AK Party deputy leader and Erdogan's lawyer Hayati Yazici defended, ''President Sezer's decision was personal''.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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NO DIFFERENCE OF OPINION WITH AK PARTY
President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) held a news conference in Ankara evaluating the recent developments on Cyprus issue. Pointing out that they were forced for signature during Copenhagen Summit. He said no opportunity has been given for negotiations.
Denktas said Greek Cypriot side should be very flexible to reach an agreement till February 28.
Denktas said they were in full harmony with the government, adding that there had been a hesitation with the government on Cyprus issue when it came to power. He said, ''this hesitation had been removed when the government settled and understood the situation.''
Underlining that Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan fully supported the Cyprus case.
OLD ISSUES TO BE BROUGHT UP
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) brought onto agenda of the Parliament the corruption allegations which appeared during the period of previous government.
AK Party Group Acting Chairman Salih Kapusuz, and some other AK Party parliamentarians Ahmet Isik, Nevzat Yalcintas, Aziz Akgul, Alaating Buyukkaya, Abdulmecit Alp, Bayram Ozcelik, Mustafa Tuna, Zulfu Demirbag, Ozkan Oksuz, Ahmet Erturk, Recep Koral, Murat Yildirim, Hasan Kara and Yuksel Corbacioglu from the Republican People's Party (CHP) presented a motion to the Parliamentary chairmanship in line with the directives of AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to investigate the allegations of corruption.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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EU COMMISSION: NEGOTIATIONS CAN START IN THE END OF 2003
European Union (EU) Commission can pull the starting of negotiation date to the end of 2003 if Turkey speeds up the reform process and fulfills the implementation without concession. Brussels conveyed this view to Turkey. EU gave Turkey conditional December 2004 as a negotiation date in Copenhagen Summit.
SCHROEDER: MUSLIMS ARE PART OF EUROPE
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said that Turkey's European Union (EU) membership is necessary because Turkey can be a bridge between Europe and Middle East. He added that accession to EU depends on Turkey. Schroeder said that if the experience gained from history and the reality of 21st century are considered, Turkey's taking its place in Europe is completely possible, adding that Turkey can be an important, perhaps most important, bridge between European continent and the east of Mediterranean basin.