ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on April 8, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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CANCELLATION OF HONG KONG FLIGHTS
The vital severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) also shook Turkish Airlines (THY). THY cancelled its flights to Hong Kong which were held seven days a week.
HERE IS DOCUMENT CAUSING CRISIS IN AK PARTY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and ministers signed the agreement which considered Islamic Community-Denominational Vision a terrorist organization without reading the ''statement of reasons.'' Government spokesman and Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said, ''AK Party government is not a movement of Denominational Vision. There can be people who agree and who don't agree with this arrangement. International agreements can't be changed but its statement of reasons can be changed in the parliament.'' The draft which was sent to parliament at the weekend and the process of which was started by Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, foresaw ratification of agreement signed by Turkey and Germany on cooperation in fight against terrorism and organized crime.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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AL BARAKA ECONOMY
The person who the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is thinking to appoint to the Treasury Undersecretariat was a member of the Al Baraka Turk, which was making interest-free banking. Now, it is the Treasury Undersecretariat's turn in the ongoing efforts of the AK Party to change cadres. The person who is thought to be appointed as the Treasury Undersecretary is Mesut Paktas. Paktas worked in Al Baraka Turk, which was making interest-free banking, and Istanbul Municipality.
OUR GUIDE IS POLAND
Turkey, which launched its efforts to become a full member of the European Union (EU) with its application 44 years ago, will benefit from experiences of Poland, a nine-year EU candidate. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey, which had been waiting at the door of the EU for 44 years, would benefit from experiences of Poland, which applied for membership nine years ago and which would become a full member in the coming year. The first official foreign guest of Erdogan as the Prime Minister was Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller. In the joint press conference, Erdogan said that Turkey and Poland were two countries experiencing NATO and EU enlargement processes together which trusted each other and which were in an effort to improve cooperation. Erdogan said, ''Poland will become an EU full member next year. We will make use of experiences of Poland in this respect.''
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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FISCHER-TOUR
Here is a surprise guarantee for Turkish tourism which has been affected by the war. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer will come to southern Antalya province next week and give the Germans the message that ''Turkey was a safe country.'' Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul reproached his western correspondents last week and said, ''with the statements you make, you have shown Turkey as a risky country involved in war. You damaged Turkish tourism. Cancellation of reservations has exceeded 40 percent.'' When Gul especially pressed on Fischer, Fischer said that he would like to compensate it and he would immediately come to Turkey and send a message from a holiday center to German citizens.
DENOMINATIONAL VISION TO BE EXCLUDED FROM LIST OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that the Islamic Community-Denominational Vision which was considered a terrorist organization in the agreement signed by Turkey and Germany on cooperation in fight against terrorism during the Ecevit government would be excluded from the list of terrorist networks.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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CAUTIOUS DIPLOMACY
The Foreign Ministry, which gave a positive response to the proposal of Iran and Syria for a trilateral initiative against Iraq war prior to U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell's visit to Turkey, assumed a more cautious attitude after Powell's contacts. And, the Foreign Ministry did not totally adopt the proposal. During the meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, ''mutual concerns'' were overcome and the Foreign Ministry proposed bilateral consultation to Iran.
EXPORTS TO IRAQ VIA ISKENDERUN
Foreign Trade Undersecretary Tuncer Kayalar said that it was decided to make exports to Iraq within the framework of the United Nations (U.N.) oil for food program via Iskenderun Port. Kayalar said that a great deal of goods would be transferred to Iraq via Iskenderun Port in coming days and 250 trucks a day and 7,500 trucks a month were expected to transfer the goods to Iraq.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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NEW TURKEY PLAN
The public management reform of the government will basically change the structure of administration in Turkey. Offices of all ministries except five in rural areas will be closed. The rural offices of the ministries except Defense, Justice, Interior, Finance and Labor and including Health and Education will be either closed or given under authority of vocational chambers, special administration or municipalities. The authorities of the governor will be given to municipalities. The policy determination authority of the ministries will remain in the central branch but the services like appointment will be given under the authority of the local administrations. Provincial directorates of tourism, culture, industry, environment and agriculture will be closed.
TREASURY SEARCHES FOR MONEY
In the 126-day bond auction of the Treasury, the composite interest became 56.48 percent. The total bid had been 1 quadrillion 626 trillion Turkish liras (TL) while the net sale was 1 quadrillion 393 trillion TL. The Treasury will also hold two auctions today.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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BABACAN'S UNITED STATES TOUR
The last round of the negotiations, which will make 5.3 billion U.S. dollars of loan foreseen to be released in 2003 by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) operational, will be held in the United States. State Minister Ali Babacan and some economy bureaucrats will especially make 700 million U.S. dollars of IMF loan operational during their contacts to be held in the United States till April 13.
DENKTAS: ''WHAT I HAVE DREAMT OF IS TO SAVE MARAS''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said that if proposals which he earlier presented to the Greek Cypriot side were not accepted, he thought of opening Maras to settlement. ''What I have dreamt of is an operation to save Maras,'' he said. As he received representatives of non-governmental organizations, referring to some news stories which asks ''how Maras will be given to Greek Cypriots'', Denktas said, ''Turkey has a commitment to the Security Council that a part of Maras will be given to its former owners. Thus, we are making those proposals within the scope of those commitments.''
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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UNIONS SETTING COMMON STRATEGY FOR LABOR SECURITY
Representatives of employees announced that they were uneasy about the polemics on labor security law which entered into force on March 15. Chairmen of Turkish Confederation of Labor (Turk-Is), Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Union (DISK) and Moral Rights Workers Union (Hak-Is) said that they would search for their rights in the squares if the law was not implemented and accused the business world of being hypocritical.
(BRC) 08.04.2003