ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 8, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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MISSION ORDER TO JEEPS
National Defense Ministry's Department of Mobilization issued ''an order of mission'' for jeeps worth of billions of Turkish liras (TL) which are included in the list of motorized land transporter. The license plates and addresses of the owners of jeeps have been noted down. Owners of those vehicles have started to be notified about this order. In case of a mobilization, these vehicles have to be handed over to concerned departments within six hours.
HOSTAGE OPERATION ON A PLANE ON RUNWAY
A person named Ali Ilker Durbak took hostage two flight attendants on a Turkish Airlines (THY) plane flying among Malatya, Ankara and Istanbul after the plane landed at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. The protest of this crazy, man who said that there was a bomb in the package he was holding, ended with the operation of special teams. Ten candles came out of the package.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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BOLUKBASI RESISTANCE
The United States asked Turkey to change the head of the Turkish delegation which continues bargaining with the United States on Iraq. The head of the delegation is ambassador Deniz Bolukbasi. Contacts between the United States and Turkey on this issue are very challenging because Bolukbasi is a very tough negotiator. According to backstage information, Marisa Lino, the head of the U.S. delegation, wanted Bolukbasi to be replaced with another person. Lino expressed the uneasiness to Washington. But, the Foreign Ministry and the General Staff are insistent on Bolukbasi. Our envoy wants strict rules about the place of mission of the U.S. personnel who will come to Turkey and the legal issues they will be subject to.
DREAM THAT MAKES GUL SLEEPLESS
''I saw children under bombardment in my dream. I cannot sleep since that day.'' These are the words of Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. When the prime minister was chatting with his close friends, he complained that he could not sleep in recent days. When asked about the reason he said, ''I saw children under bombardment in my dream. I cannot sleep since that day although I am really tired.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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THREE CONDITIONS FROM ANKARA
Turkey is pressing for especially guarantee for economic assistance and command in Northern Iraq. The United States does not make concessions easily. Traffic in the capital has been accelerated. Ankara pushes forward this economic condition during negotiations with the U.S. officials: ''We want a decision of the Congress for this assistance. A memorandum of understanding is no sufficient.'' On the part of the operation which will take place in Northern Iraq, Ankara says, ''two commanders, one from Turkey and one from the United States. They have to be at the same rank and have equal authority.'' ''Schwarzkopf model general command'' is accepted for the whole of Iraq. On the authority to send soldiers, Ankara notes that resolution of the Security Council on February 15 will be awaited. ''How the political structure will be after an operation should become clear right now.''
TURKEY PARALYZED
There was no electricity in Istanbul last night due to a breakdown caused by the storm. Residents of Istanbul were blocked by snowfall on Friday morning while they remained in dark due to a breakdown in the electricity lines caused by the storm. Minaret of a mosque was demolished in southern Antalya province due to southwest wind while one cargo ship sank. Traffic stopped on Istanbul-Tekirdag, Izmir-Balikesir, and Edremit-Canakkale highways.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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THEY CONTRADICT WITH THEIR PROMISE
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) preferred the United States to the nation. Baykal said that government and AK Party leader were in contradiction and noted, ''they are trying to conceal this contradiction by attacking on others.'' Stressing that the first step in the process heading towards a war had been taken by the parliamentary decision on the bases, Baykal said that the government did not have any other choice than entering a war. Baykal said that they would vote against the motions on sending troops and deployment of troops.
MOTION RATIFIED, IMF DELEGATIONS COMES
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation started its contacts in Ankara under the fourth review which could not be completed for five months. It drew attention that Turkey visit of the delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen came just after the statement of Prime Minister Abdullah Gul that the United States would be supported about Iraqi issue. Holiday of economy bureaucrats during the Feast of Sacrifice has been cancelled due to the contacts of the IMF delegation.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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GENERAL DIRECTOR ATTEMPTED TO OCCUPY
When Vakifbank General Director Kamil Erciyes, who was dismissed from his office, decided not to go out of his office to protest his dismissal, things were messed up. The financial department teams surrendered the Vakifbank building.
FOREIGN MINISTRY FULL OF GUESTS
The Foreign Ministry hosted 20 U.S. officials every day last week. At least 20 U.S. soldiers and diplomats held contacts at the Ministry every day during the last week. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey was at the Ministry every day of the previous week.
NATO DOES NOT PROTECT
NATO returned for three times the proposal to defend Turkey against any possible attack of Iraq. The leading actors are France, Germany and Belgium. Application of Turkey and Washington to take Turkey under an umbrella of defense against Iraq was not accepted in three NATO meetings. France, which took joint action with Germany and Belgium, will prevent a decision to be taken next week.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TURKEY TAKES THE ISSUE TIGHTLY
U.S. Deputy Treasury Undersecretary John Taylor for International Affairs met with State Minister Ali Babacan and Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. Turkey asked Taylor to give a written commitment to Ankara about the support to be extended to Turkey.
DISPATCH CONTINUES FROM HAYDARPASA
Turkish Armed Forces, which continues to take measures in case of a possible operation against Iraq, continues to dispatch personnel and equipment to border. Many soldiers and vehicles sent from Thrace are being dispatched firstly to Haydarpasa, Istanbul, and then to border by trains.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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GUL: ''WE WILL NOT ENTER WAR EVEN UNDER THE WORST CONDITION''
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that he continued to take risk for a peaceful solution of the Iraqi crisis and announced that Turkish soldiers would not have a hot clash in Iraq even under the worst conditions. Stressing that a possible war that might erupt would not be Turkey's war, Gul said that he harshly urged Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan whom he held a secret meeting in Turkey, to facilitate peace.
TREASURY ISSUES AN INVOICE OF 15 BILLION USD TO UNITED STATES
State Minister Ali Babacan for Treasury discussed losses of a possible war on Iraq with U.S. Deputy Treasury Undersecretary John Taylor and his team. The Treasury drew the attention to possible budgetary deficit which might result from an increase in especially oil prices and the current tense situation of interest rates and foreign exchange rates. The Treasury told Taylor that the cost of a possible war on Turkey's economy could reach 15 billion U.S. dollars in the short term.