ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 5, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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SIGNAL OF SECOND MOTION
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, ''Turkey will not remain silent against developments for its security and Iraq's territorial integrity. It will determine its attitude in the coming days.'' Speaking at the AK Party parliamentary group meeting, Erdogan signalled that the motion could be resubmitted to the parliament. Erdogan said, ''when Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, whole world mobilized to save Kuwait. The same world did not make anything for hundreds of thousands of refugees, who migrated to Turkey. Therefore, we cannot assess the Iraq issue in the same way with Australia and Norway. Because they do not have any idea about history and peoples of this geography. They will not be affected by a possible military action of the United States and Britain against Iraq. However, we will be affected seriously.''
CERRAH APPOINTED AS ACTING ISTANBUL POLICE CHIEF
Istanbul Police Chief Hasan Ozdemir resigned from his office on Tuesday. Ozdemir, who held an emergency meeting with Istanbul deputy police chiefs and directors of the police departments, announced his decision to resign. Hasan Ozdemir was quoted as saying that he had worked for a long time in the police department and that he wanted to return to his real duty as governor. Sivas Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah was appointed as the Acting Istanbul Police Chief as Hasan Ozdemir resigned from this office. Cerrah, who was born in Aksehir town of central Konya province in 1953, graduated from Police Academy in 1974. He became Mardin Police Chief in 1989, Batman Police Chief in 1990, Siirt Police Chief between 1991 and 1992, Kutahya Police Chief between 1992 and 1997, and Sivas Police Chief between 1997 and 2000.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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BUSH: ''WE ARE WAITING''
U.S. President George W. Bush who does not want his ''Northern Front'' plans to be spoiled after refusal of the motion on stationing foreign troops in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish troops abroad by the parliament, sent a message of ''I am waiting for your new decision'' to Prime Minister Abdullah Gul through U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Robert Pearson. In his message, Bush congratulated Gul for ''his political bravery'', and Gul replied: ''Developments proved that imposing pressure causes negative impact. The United States should wait for the normal political process. Mistakes should not be repeated. It is very risky to submit a new motion to the parliament before a broad consensus is reached.''
A NEW BARGAINING WITH UNITED STATES?
The government has started to ''prepare ground'' for second motion on deployment of U.S. troops in Turkey. It was claimed that the United States was expected to take positive steps to ease passing of second motion from the parliament. Speaking to his parliamentary group, AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave the message of ''we are expecting further steps'', and Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis's statement following meeting between Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Robert Pearson drew attention. Allegations about preparation of second motion spread when Yakis said, ''there were several responses we were expecting, but we have not received them yet. Talks remain on the point where they were suspended. We will consider it when they resume.'' Noting that evaluations about preparation of a new motion were under way at the AK Party group and in the government, Yakis said, ''when this process ends, it will become clear whether or not a new motion would be submitted.'' Allegations that ''the government has again opened the door ajar to bargaining on second motion'' were spread in Ankara. It was mentioned that the government asked the United States to keep the IMF away from control especially over the economic aid package and to accept its demands and expectations about northern Iraq.
''METIN KAPLAN'' TO BE EXTRADITED IN JUNE
Extradition of banned Islamic Community-Denominational Vision's head Metin Kaplan who is currently serving his sentence in Germany for inciting murder, to Turkey after June came onto the agenda. The twenty-hour-visit of German Interior Minister Otto Schily to Ankara clarified the situation of Kaplan who is currently staying in Dusseldorf Prison. After negotiations between Turkish and German delegations, Germany accepted to extradite Kaplan to Turkey.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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PEARSON MEETS WITH GUL
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey had a meeting with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. After the meeting, Pearson said he and Gul talked about the value and importance of Turkish-U.S. relations, and that they would continue to work together on issues which had earlier been discussed. Pearson said resulting those issues were important from the point of view of the United States. Responding to a question whether or not he still has hope regarding passage of a second motion from the Parliament, Pearson said they have hope as they always had. He said that was the hope to be in close cooperation with Turkey, stating that he hoped to work in close relations with Turkey for many reasons.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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LIKE A ROBBERY
The most serious blow of the government's new package of economic measures will strike workers and farmers. The monthly loss of workers will be 54 million Turkish liras (TL) and monthly loss of farmers will be 39 million TL while civil servants and retired civil servants will suffer a 5 million TL loss each month. Each month, motor vehicle owners will pay 12,200 TL more and real estate owners will pay 3 million TL more.
WAR PREPARATION IN NORTHERN IRAQ
Following the demonstration in Irbil in northern Iraq two days ago in which Turkish flag was set to fire, tension in the region is escalating while Kurdish groups have started to arm civilians. It is mentioned that the number of weapons distributed to civilians in recent days in several cities especially As Sulaymaniyah, Irbil, Dahuk and Zakhu had reached 20 thousand. It was claimed that Iraqi Kurds had deployed armed men in key locations against Turkey's intervention in northern Iraq. It was also claimed that a regular army of 100 thousand people under control of two Kurdish groups that were trained and equipped with heavy weapons by the United States, was formed.
ASPARUK: ''PATRIOTS ARE READY''
Air Forces Commander General Cumhur Asparuk said that Patriots would be ready for use on Wednesday at the latest following completion of 'set up' of those missiles that had been deployed in Diyarbakir and Batman.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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SIGNAL FOR SECOND MOTION
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave signal for new motion. Erdogan, who wanted discussions on the first motion to end, said, ''we can not remain outside the developments. Turkey will set its date soon for its security and Iraq's integrity. We can not act with daily feelings.''
GEN. ASPARUK: PREPARATIONS ARE FOR DEFENSE
Air Forces Commander Gen. Cumhur Asparuk said refusal of the motion in the Parliament would not negatively effect Turkey's military preparations.
Gen. Asparuk said, ''our preparations already totally aim at defending the country. This means we have taken and increased our measures in this respect.''
REJECTION TO ERBAKAN
Diyarbakir State Security Court (DGM) no: 1 rejected the requests for clearing off record of convictions of Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP).
Mehmet Ener, the lawyer of Erbakan, requested the court to clear off his client's record of convictions and to acquit him in accordance with the amendment to Article 312 of Turkish Penal Code (TCK).
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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UNITED STATES STILL HOPEFUL ABOUT COOPERATION WITH TURKEY
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul held a surprising meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson. Gul informed Pearson about reason of refusal of the motion in the parliament at the meeting and said that Turkey was not supported sufficiently. Gul also expressed his concern due to initiatives of Kurdish groups in northern Iraq. There was a busy traffic in Prime Ministry building prior to Gul's departure for Qatar where an extraordinary meeting of Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) will be held. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Gul, Pearson said that his meeting with Gul was very constructive. Replying to a question whether or not he still has hope regarding passage of a second motion from the Parliament, Pearson said they have hope as they always had. He said that they were hopeful about to be in close cooperation with Turkey, stating that he hoped to work in close relations with Turkey for many reasons.
ASPARUK: ''WE TAKE MEASURES ACCORDING TO THREAT''
Air Forces Commander Gen. Cumhur Asparuk said that they were always prepared for a threat which may come from Kurdish groups in northern Iraq. Gen. Asparuk met the Dutch Air Forces Commander Gen. D.L. Berlijn who is currently officially in Turkey. When asked if he has concerns for security weakness under the light of incidents that occurred in Northern Iraq recently, Gen. Asparuk said, ''no, every measure is taken according to the threats. Land Forces and armed forces will take measures in case such a possibility appears.'' Responding to a question if the Kurdish groups in the region have power to threaten planes of Turkish Armed Forces, Gen. Asparuk said, ''no. We have not assessed such a thing according to our intelligence.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ERDOGAN'S SIGNAL ABOUT SECOND MOTION GIVES HOPE TO UNITED STATES
AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled that government motion would be transferred to the parliament once again and stressed that Turkey could not remain silent towards developments in its neighbor. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Robert Pearson who surprisingly visited Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that they were still hopeful about ''second motion''. Following this meeting, Gul left for Qatar to attend Iraq Summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Meanwhile, opposition party Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal reacted to possible second motion. He said that the parliament was not a ''playground''.
GUL: ''WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH THE UNITED STATES''
Speaking to reporters before he left for Qatar to attend ''Iraq Summit'' of the OIC, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that evaluations by the government, AK Party and the United States were under way after refusal of the motion on stationing of foreign troops in Turkey. Recalling that he had had a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Pearson, Gul said, ''we understand each other's concerns and situation. We are discussing what we would do together with the United States after this point. Our relations in every field are continuing.''
YASAR YAKIS: ''IT WAS ABSOLUTELY PROVOCATIVE''
Turkish flags were set to fire in demonstrations held in Irbil by Kurdish groups in northern Iraq. About these incidents, Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said, ''it was absolutely a provocative act.'' Meanwhile, regarding Cyprus issue, Yakis said that there were factors which Turkey called red lines, and talks could continue if these were responded. Yakis noted that referendum would be wrong before a definite agreement on Cyprus.
(AY-MS-EÖ-AÖ) 05.03.2003