Monday, 19 October 2009
These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on October 19, 2009. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET
--------
ONE NATION LEAVES
Turkey-Armenia rapprochement has been shaking the concept of "two states, one nation" whose foundation was laid by former Turkish president Suleyman Demirel and former Azerbaijani president Haydar Aliyev. Turkey and Armenia signed protocols in Zurich on October 10 and also Azerbaijani flags have been banned at the World Cup qualifying match between Turkish and Armenian national soccer teams watched by Armenian President Serzh Sargsian. These developments caused tension
between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Turkish flags have been removed from cemetery for soldiers in Baku. Azerbaijani authorities said that there is no more cheap natural gas for Turkey.
EUROPE NEEDS TURKEY
Guenter Verheugen, Vice-President of the European Commission, said that the European Union needed Turkey much more than Turkey needed Europe. Speaking to a German radio, Verheugen said, "Turkey has a great strategic importance. I'm talking about security of whole region." Turkey's EU membership would help boost relations between the western democracies and Islam world, Verheugen said.
MILLIYET
--------
MAIN OPPOSITION SHOULD BE PRESENT AT MGK MEETINGS
President Abdullah Gul said that very important matters more than daily issues were taken up in National Security Council (MGK) meetings, and added, "I think it would be beneficial that leaders of main opposition parties should attend MGK meetings so that they would have full information. However, this is a Constitutional matter." Gul said that he at least wanted to meet with parliament speaker and the leader of main opposition after MGK meeting once in two months.
SWINE FLU RECESS IN TWO MORE SCHOOLS
Seven people including six students were tested swine flu positive in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir. Classes were suspended in two schools for one week. First batch of swine flu vaccines including 500,000 doses, which Turkey bought from Novartis, was brought to Istanbul yesterday. The vaccines will be brought to Ankara today. Meanwhile, according to the surveys in the U.S., 47 percent of people do not want to get vaccinated against swine flu.
SABAH
-----
REFUGEE IN PARIS
The Sabah newspaper found Cem Uzan, who is wanted with a red bulletin, during a jogging in Paris in the morning. Businessman Uzan sought asylum from France after escaping from Turkey. He lives in a luxurious residence facing the Tower of Eiffel. He has ten bodyguards.
IMPORTANT MESSAGES FROM NAZARBAYEV
President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan is coming to Turkey on a state visit after eight years. He gave important messages ahead of the visit. He said that they wanted to support the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline. He added that they also wanted to take part in the refinery to be built in Ceyhan.
DAY OF RETURN
Twenty-six people including 4 children will return from the Makhmour camp in northern Iraq while 8 others will return from Qandil to Turkey. They will enter Turkey from the Habur border crossing with Iraq. The Democratic Society Party (DTP) called on everyone to welcome them. PKK members will be questioned by officers from the Psychological Movement Department. Meanwhile, eight convicts were chosen to be sent to the prison on Imrali Island. There are no PKK members among them. Some of them are members of the Hezbollah while the others are members of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C).
VATAN
-----
GOOD THINGS HAPPENING
The most concrete step of democratic move will be taken today. A group of 34 people from Qandil and Makhmour, where PKK terrorist organization takes shelter, will surrender in Silopi town of the southeastern province of Sirnak today.
President Abdullah Gul said, "related units of the state have been exerting great efforts for months. I hope this opportunity is not missed." Upon directives of PKK's head Abdullah Ocalan, 34 PKK terrorists, under the name of "Peace Group", will enter Turkey from Habur border gate at noon. Democratic Society Party (DTP) chairman Ahmet Turk and his deputy Emine Ayna, DTP deputies and many DTP supporters will welcome the group. The group, who will come from Makhmour shelter in the north of Iraq, is expected to be released following their first interrogation. The situation of eight PKK terrorists including four women, who will come from Qandil, is not clear yet. Their custody period can be longer.
SUICIDE DURING MARATHON
An unbelievable incident happened during the 31st Intercontinental Istanbul Eurasia Marathon yesterday. Yasar Olmez (43), who came to Bogazici Bridge --the start point of the marathon--, took out his raincoat and left his umbrella soon after the marathon started. Then, he jumped from the bridge into the waters just before the eyes of thousands of people who joined the marathon. His body floated on the water for a while, and then found off Dolmabahce.
CUMHURIYET
----------
FIRST GROUP TO SURRENDER
The first group will come to Turkey from Makhmour camp in northern Iraq. There are 26 people in the first group including 4 children and 9 women. The second group including 8 people who did not take part in any of PKK's armed acts, will come from Qandil camp. The Democratic Society Party (DTP) distributed 100 thousand flyers and called on everyone to welcome them.
PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE'S MOVE ABOUT MGK
President Abdullah Gul said that he was planning to meet with the parliament speaker and leader of the main opposition party before or after every National Security Council (MGK) meeting. "I believe that main opposition party leader's attendance at the meetings will be useful. The ruling and opposition parties should be able to work together," he said.
RADIKAL
-------
BAYKAL: "WE WILL WELCOME STEPS WITH GOOD INTENTION"
Deniz Baykal, chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), gave messages on democratic move process in southern province of Antalya. Baykal said that terrorism must be ended and they would help those (terrorists) who would understand it. "We will welcome steps with good intention," he said.
HARSH REACTION FROM ISRAEL
Turkey-Israel crisis has been deepening with statements from officials.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Turkey was not an honest mediator any more. Turkey's President Abdullah Gul said, "Israel's reaction is not right. It should not overreact and it should take lesson from the UN report."
TURKIYE
-------
JOB OPPORTUNIES FOR THEIR FAMILIES
A person from the families of each PKK terrorists who surrender to security forces will be employed. 26 people will return from the Makhmour camp in northern Iraq while 8 others will return from Qandil later today. They will benefit from the Repentance Law.
PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE OPPOSITION PARTY AT MGK MEETINGS
President Abdullah Gul has proposed a system which envisages attendance of leader of the main opposition party at National Security Council (MGK) meetings. "It could be useful. They can make comments after getting information about what is going on in the country," he said.
NO MORE VISA WITH ALBANIA
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that there were good economic and political relations between Turkey and Albania. "We agreed to cancel visa procedures between the two countries in an effort to further develop our cooperation," he said.
ZAMAN
-----
FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM NOT CARRIED OUT ONLY BY WEAPONS, GUL
President Abdullah Gul said regarding the democratic move of the government that a historical opportunity had been caught. Appearing on a TV program, Gul said that fight against terrorism was not carried out only by weapons. Gul said the state had some important works for the move and these works had been discussed in the meeting of National Security Council. Gul underlined that there was need for a new constitution.
"WE WANT TO FURTHER SUPPORT BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE"
President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan will pay a visit to Turkey on Wednesday. Kazakhstan and Turkey will sign strategic partnership agreement. Speaking to daily ZAMAN, Nazabayev said that they wanted to extend more support to Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Nazarbayev said that he supported the positive developments between Turkey and Armenia.
YENI SAFAK
----------
IZMIR TO BE CONNECTED TO ISTANBUL WITH 7 BLN USD
Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim said that they would connect
Istanbul and the western province of Izmir with a seven billion USD of
investment. They would begin the construction of a highway from both sides, and the huge project would be completed in the mid-point of the highway, Yildirim said.
400 PEOPLE WANT TO COME, ORGANIZATION SAYS 26 ENOUGH
400 people applied to come to Turkey from Makhmour shelter. However, the shelter's management found this number high. A group of 26 people will enter Turkey from Silopi town of the southeastern province of Sirnak, and they will surrender.
