ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 20, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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EMERGENCY RULE TO COME BACK IN SIX PROVINCES
General Staff sent a letter to prime ministry and stressed that re-starting implementation of Emergency Rule in Diyarbakir, Batman, Mardin, Siirt, Sirnak and Hakkari provinces was inevitable when Iraqi war starts.
Emergency Rule will be re-implemented in six provinces in the Southeast when Iraqi war starts.
General Staff sent an official letter to Prime Ministry and stressed that it would be inevitable for the Council of Ministers to declare emergency rule in six provinces when war starts.
The letter, bearing the signature of Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, recalled that inflow of more than a hundred thousand Iraqis are expected following intervention of the United States in Iraq. The letter wanted 12 camps to be settled in Northern Iraqi territories, and also called on six refugee camps to be established within Turkish border in case other camps are not adequate.
VITAL POINT IS MONEY
Bargaining with the United States on motion regarded with deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad, which would be sent to the Parliament, tangled up on ''money''.
As important progress has been recorded in political and military parts of the negotiations carried out between Turkey and the United States pertaining to Iraq, the bargaining was mainly locked on the bigness of the economic package.
Bush administration is reluctant to accept Ankara's demand to increase the amount of donation which it prepared aiming to compensate the loss which Turkish economy would suffer in case of a war. Bush administration earlier increased this amount from four billion U.S. dollars to six billion U.S. dollars.
In Turkey, Turkey's loss has been estimated as 21 billion U.S. dollars only for the first year. It is seen that there is a very big gap among those amounts.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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MILITARY AGREEMENT REACHED
Turkey and the United States reached an agreement in military negotiations. They agreed on a draft memorandum of understanding which will be signed if the parliament approves motion on stationing of foreign soldiers in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad. According to the memorandum of understanding, a Turkish officer will command Turkish soldiers, and U.S. soldiers will cross Turkey under control of the Turkish Armed Forces.
NEW IRAQ TO BE FOUNDED IN 8 STAGES
In line with Turkey's sensitivities, the United States presented a plan to Ankara which puts forward ''sine qua non'' conditions about issue of ''Iraq after Saddam'' in return for its support to a military operation. The plan which constitutes political framework of the talks on memorandum of understanding, foresees transition into civilization in 18 months. The plan which describes the operation as ''rescue of Iraq'' will be put into practice in eight stages:
1- A 'military government' will be formed shortly after operation. U.S. Central Command Army General Tommy Franks will head this government that will stabilize chaotic environment that is going to emerge after overthrow of Saddam regime.
2- An 'interim civil government' will be formed during same stage. Retired general Jay M. Garner, the first commander of the Provide Comfort, will head this government. This government will settle civil order.
3- A single Iraqi army and a single Iraqi police will be formed. Forces especially the groups in Northern Iraq that have 'army structure' will be prevented from making use of chaotic environment.
4- An Iraqi Consultative Council will be established. This council will form the superior structure of rebuilding of Iraq.
5- A Judicial Council will be formed. The function of this council will be formation of judicial order after operation.
6- A Constitutional Council will be formed. This council will prepare a new Iraqi Constitution.
7- The new constitution will be brought to referendum together with general elections that will be held 18 months after operation.
8- Under ''geographical'' restructuring which constitutes the most important part of the political plan in regard to Turkey, protection of Iraq's territorial integrity is the priority. A kind of 'states system' is planned to be formed not through ethnic, but geographical separation, particularly between Turkmen and Kurds.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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COUNT BACK IN KIRKUK
Northern Iraqi Kurdish groups and Turkmen parties started to launch initiatives to hold political superiority in Kirkuk before the war starts.
Kirkuk, which is another important oil city after Baghdad, became an issue of political fighting in case of a possible U.S. operation on Iraq. Iraqi opposition groups and Turkmen parties accelerated their secret political activities toward Kirkuk before the war started.
They base on the account that those who has political sovereignty in Kirkuk, would have an important part of the Iraqi oil.
SNOW PARALYZES DAILY LIFE AGAIN
Snowfall which began to affect daily life in Istanbul in the early morning hours, paralyzed traffic on the E-5 motorway. Connection of some townships with the city center was cut. Schools were recessed in Istanbul for today.
Many accidents occurred in Istanbul causing financial damage. Efforts are underway to clear off the icy roads.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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BABACAN: WE REFUSED THE LAST PROPOSAL
State Ministry for Treasury Ali Babacan said they have not yet reached an agreement on the economic support package which caused bottleneck in Iraqi talks held with the United States.
Stating that last proposal of the United States was six billion U.S. dollars, that two billion U.S. dollars would be for military issues and four billion U.S. dollars to be used in other issues, Babacan said there was a choice to turn four billion U.S. dollars of the donation to 25-30 billion U.S. dollars credit.
Babacan said the United States wanted International Monetary Fund (IMF) control over the economic aid. He said, ''we have refused this proposal. Instead, we presented a comprehensive file including the alternatives. No clear response has come to this.''
TURKISH COMMANDER TO TURKISH SOLDIER
Military dimension of the talks carried out between Turkey and the United States was completed.
According to the agreement, number of Turkish soldiers would be more than the U.S. soldiers that would be deployed in the region.
Washington accepted the requests of the Turkish Armed Forces that Turkish commanders would command the Turkish units, and to be informed about the plans beforehand.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ERDOGAN CHALLENGES
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted harshly to the U.S. administration. Erdogan said, ''we will not accept verbal guarantee. Many agreements have been made so far, but none of them has been taken into consideration. Prime Ministry will not prepare the motion before our demands have been fulfilled.''
Erdogan said, ''they always expect us to make concession. Nobody has the right to make Turkey to pay a cost as it had happened in 1991. First of all, the demands should be met.''
AK Party leader Erdogan stated that, ''we will not accept verbal guarantee. The agreement that would be made should be like the international agreements.''
SENER: EVERYTHING MAY CHANGE IN FIVE MINUTES
Council of Ministers discussed in details the developments experienced in Iraq. However, the motion regarding deployment of the U.S. soldiers in Turkey was not brought to signature at the meeting. Government Spokesman Abdullatif Sener said no decision has been taken regarding the motion.
Responding to the questions of reporters, Sener said, ''you ask me the situations that may occur within some hours. However, very new developments may occur within five minutes.''
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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WE GET COMMAND
According to the agreement which was reached after bargaining that continued for several days between Ankara and Washington, a Turkish officer will command all of the Turkish soldiers who will enter Northern Iraq in a possible Iraq war. Turkish soldiers will act only upon orders of this Turkish commander. According to the agreement, American soldiers will be under control of an American commander. Also Turkish officials will be assigned at command centers to be formed in Diyarbakir and Qatar to prevent occurrence of any coordination problem.
SHIPS WAITING FOR 'MOTION'
Although the parliament has not approved the motion that allows crossing of U.S. troops, an American vessel arrived at Iskenderun port and discharged 522 military vehicles. Meanwhile, it was mentioned that several ships that were carrying soldiers and ammunitions cast anchor off Cyprus and they were waiting for approval of ''motion''.
BARGAINING HEATED
U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson proposed ''4 billion U.S. dollars of donation, erasing of 2 billion U.S. dollars military debt and 1 billion U.S. dollars share from Iraq oil'' to Turkey. Meanwhile, Turkey said that the aid should be at least 32 billion U.S. dollars.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TURKEY NOT WELCOME ALSO 'FINAL' PROPOSAL, RELATIONS TENSED UP
In motion bargaining with the United States, Turkey found the ''final'' proposal insufficient. U.S. President George W. Bush gave Prime Minister Abdullah Gul the message ''hurry up'' while Gul told U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell that they had to persuade Turkish people before submission of motion on 'deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey' to the parliament. Meanwhile, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan put forward two conditions: ''Turkey's demands should be met, and there should be a second U.N. resolution''. Ankara was not satisfied with the United States' final response to its political, economic and military demands that it laid down as conditions in return for cooperation in possible Iraq war. It was mentioned that U.S. President George W. Bush stated that Ankara should take a decision until the weekend while U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld defended that the U.S. President did not make such a statement.
TURKEY RANKED 1ST IN 6 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
In terms of amount, Turkey was ranked first in production of hazelnut, fig, apricot, cherry, quince and hashish. Turkey was in second place in production of watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, beans and lentil; and ranked third in production of tomato, eggplant, pepper, apple, pistachio, chickpea and chestnut.
(AY-MS-AÖ) 20.02.2003