ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 25, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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CENTER WILL BE DIYARBAKIR FOR FIVE YEARS
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul stated Washington's demand for 80 thousand American soldiers' taking position in Southeast Anatolia to Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal on Tuesday. According to the demand of Washington, the operation center of American soldiers will be southeastern Diyarbakir province.
American units which will enter Iraq through Southeast Anatolia will take position there during the war and will launch operations against Iraq on Turkey. The units will participate in the process of reconstruction of Iraq. Total time of the operation is predicted as at least five years and the United States asks for taking military position during this time.
Meanwhile, Turkey, considering the possible developments in Iraq, decided to increase the number of its soldiers in Northern Iraq to 30 thousand apart from the operation of the United States.
BAYKAL: WE OPENED THE WAY FOR OUR RESPECT TO 34 PERCENT VOTE
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal responded the criticisms towards his party with a tough manner and said that nobody should try to teach them how to make political struggle with Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Upon the criticisms that his party opened the way of AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan by supporting Constitutional amendment, Baykal said that people accepted his name in the elections as the leader of AK Party and 34 percent of people voted for him, adding that their support is not for Erdogan but because of their respect to the voters who voted for Erdogan.
Baykal also said that they knew how to struggle with AK Party and added that they will carry on their struggle on democratic platform and before people. Baykal said ''This is new politics and new opposition.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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IT LASTS FIVE YEARS
American forces which are counting down days are making preparation as if they would stay in the region for a long time. Meanwhile, the Turkish Armed Forces will proceed to 60-70 kilometers inside from the border at first stage. Demand for entrance of U.S. land forces to Turkey is not accepted ''for the time being''. Meanwhile, the door is kept ajar for smaller operational units. At the critical summit held two days ago, Ankara once again discussed the reasons for Turkey's ''involve'' in a military operation. Military flank explained four reasons for Turkey's ''involvement'' while a consensus was reached on the issue that there should be a parliamentary decision. According to information obtained by the newspaper, the issues discussed and the results reached at the summit meeting at the Prime Ministry two days ago are as follows: ''Results of the military, technical and diplomatic talks with the United States were changed into political will. Ankara which thinks operation should base on international legitimacy decided that there should be a parliamentary decision that authorizes the government to take decisions on operation.'' According to the military flank, these are the four reasons for Turkey's ''involvement'' in operation: ''1 - We should keep the risk of Kurdish state at zero level. Chaos in Northern Iraq may cause undesirable movements in both sides of the border. 2 - PKK may increase its armed force again if the region is left unsupervised. 3 - Oil reserves (Mousul-Kirkuk) can't be left to dominance of a single power. 4 - Military and diplomatic contacts show that the United States is planning to stay in Iraq for at least 'five years'. And this proves that the United States targets to reconstruct Iraq. So Turkey should exist in the region together with the United States and be influent.'' Meanwhile, it was mentioned that Turkish soldiers have to proceed 60-70 kilometers toward inside of Iraq from the north at first stage. The aim of this plan called ''operation peace assistance'' is to block possible migration wave.
SOMETHING HAPPENING IN MERSIN
Six docks in southern Mersin Port which the United States wants to use were closed. Cranes were pulled out and prefabricated offices were set up. While preparations in Mersin Port are continuing rapidly, it was claimed that a U.S. delegation had carried out an investigation in the port and took photos. Meanwhile, it was claimed that the depth in docks belong to the NATO would be increased to allow warships to approach the docks. It was observed that a dining hall was also formed in these docks.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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FRIGHTENING GUEST
Turkey is against the deployment of the American land soldiers in Turkey as it is worried that the American soldiers can stay longer. Sources which are close to AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan say that Erdogan thinks that ''the U.S. soldiers who came to a country didn't leave that country in a short time. The soldiers stayed for decades. Turkey can't tolerate such a thing.'' Erdogan thinks that ''the force which was set up in Turkey after the Gulf Crisis, is still in Turkey within the scope of Operation Northern Watch now.'' General Staff shares the concerns of Erdogan.
GUL: ''IT IS DIFFICULT TO ESCAPE FROM FIGHT''
The U.S. has presented two alternative plans of war to Turkey. The first one is to join the land operation, and to open the bases to U.S. use. The U.S. wants to deploy 80,000-90,000 soldiers in Turkey. Turkey will give its response soon. Prime Minister Abdullah Gul thinks that it is impossible not to join the fight. Gul explained the recent developments about the Iraqi war to CHP leader Deniz Baykal and gave him information about the two alternative plans of war.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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CONDITIONAL YES TO UNITED STATES
In the summit meeting on Iraq at the Prime Ministry two days ago which was not publicly announced, Turkey's proposals were determined in return for demands of the United States. Turkey wants that everything should finish in April of 2003, there should not be any special protection of PKK-KADEK existence in Northern Iraq and Turkmens would be granted the status same as the groups of Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani. At the summit meeting, it was adopted to let the Unites States use airports and ports in eastern and southeastern Anatolia and in Mediterranean region. Turkey which thinks that the United States would stay in the region for 8-10 years wants preparation of ''multi-optional'' plans about the losses that Turkey would suffer. Under this, demands like supply of Iraq's requirements from Turkey in new period and Turkey's participation in rebuilding of Iraq will be brought onto the agenda.
''PARTIAL'' APPROVAL FOR FEDERATION
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government which has started to make new plans about Iraq's future is receiving the opposition leaders one after another. Ankara gave Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani the message that if Iraqi people chose federation in the future, it would not oppose to it if ''federation is based on geographical principles and representation of Turkmens is consolidated''. Meanwhile, Talabani said they would not welcome it if Turkey intervenes in Northern Iraq ''alone''. Meanwhile, Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani postponed his visit to Turkey due to his illness.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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IT IS NOT PREPARATION FOR WAR
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who gave information to Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal about the developments in Iraq on Tuesday said that they were examining the scenarios and they had five alternatives from not joining to full participation to war, adding that they did not give any promises to the United States. Upon the criticism of Baykal who said that allowing site-survey of bases drags Turkey into war, Gul said that they did not convey any agreement to the United States. Noting that they were examining the scenarios but not preparing for a war, Gul said that they cannot act with fait accompli. Baykal said that Gul conveyed the condition with all dimensions and he thanked Prime Minister.
GUL: THERE WILL BE REFORMS IN UNIVERSITIES
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul criticized Cankaya, opposition and Higher Education Board (YOK). Gul made his toughest criticism on rectors and YOK Chairman Kemal Guruz who announced that he would not accept emergency action plan and criticized the government. Gul said that nobody should cause uneasiness, adding that universities cannot remain out of the reforms and that they will make reforms according to the expectations of people and to laws.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ERDOGAN:''BAN KADEK IN RUSSIA''
AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan who came together with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow told him that Turkey is uneasy about the activities of KADEK, the successor of the terrorist organization PKK, in Russia. Putin promised Erdogan to deal with the issue.
U.S.'S THREAT ON TURKEY ABOUT IRAQ
The U.S. is uneasy about the delay in the response of Turkey to the demands of the U.S. regarding a possible operation against Iraq. If Turkey's support to the U.S. is not significant, U.S. President George W. Bush can think of decreasing the political and economic relations with Turkey to the minimum level.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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U.S. WANTS TO DEPLOY 80,000 SOLDIERS IN SOUTHEAST TURKEY
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul told CHP leader Deniz Baykal yesterday that the U.S. wanted to deploy 80,000 soldiers in Turkey in long term. Prime Minister Gul said that Turkey would increase its number of soldiers in Northern Iraq to 30,000.
RUSSIANS PROPOSE TO SELL HELICOPTER TO TURKEY
AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan was received by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the second day of his visit to Russia. Russia, which plans to sell military equipment to Turkey, launches efforts particularly to sell its attack helicopters to Turkey. The KA-50-2 ''Erdogan'' helicopter is jointly produced by Russian and Israeli firms.