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Turkey in 2003: February
FEBRUARY 3
- A Russian flag cargo ship ''Strelets'' sunk off shores of Zonguldak. Eight crew members died.
FEBRUARY 4
- Lawyer of former Democracy Party (DEP) parliamentarians Hatip Dicle, Leyla Zana, Orhan Dogan and Selim Sadak applied to Ankara State Security Court (DGM) for retrial after second Adjustment Package was put into practice.
- Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan arrived in Turkey.
FEBRUARY 5
- Prime Ministry motion about arrival of U.S. technical and military personnel to Turkey for renovation, modernization, and construction works continue in bases and ports was submitted to Parliament.
FEBRUARY 6
- Parliamentary General Assembly allowed the government to carry out necessary arrangements about deployment of U.S. technical and military personnel in Turkey for three months for modernization, renovation and reconstruction of military bases and ports.
- Prime Minister Abdullah Gul met with ambassadors of Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iran for solution of Iraq problem through peaceful means.
- A group, comprised of 38 people, from the United States, Britain and Italy, who set off from Britain to protest a possible Iraq war, entered Turkey from Edirne's Ipsala border gate.
- Greenpeace members hanged placards writing ''no to war'' climbing to Istanbul Ataturk Culture Center.
FEBRUARY 8
- Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, some ministers and bureaucrats came to Prime Ministry to have several evaluation on Iraq problems.
Gul, in his address to nation, stated that, ''any war in Iraq would not be a war of Turkey.''
FEBRUARY 9
- Red Crescent sent tents and equipment to its main depot in Silopi for the refugees who could come to Turkey in a possible intervention.
FEBRUARY 10
- A group of people who called themselves ''human shields'' against a possible U.S.-led military operation against Iraq set off from Istanbul together with a group of Turkish citizens.
FEBRUARY 15
- A meeting took place under the leadership of Prime Minister Abdullah Gul to discuss measures that could be taken against a possible inflow of refugee from Iraq.
FEBRUARY 16
- Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and several ministers participated in a meeting about Iraq.
FEBRUARY 17
- U.S. delegation had observations in Mersin and Iskenderun ports for modernization of ports and bases.
FEBRUARY 19
- U.S. delegation visited international Sabiha Gokcen Airport.
FEBRUARY 20
- A meeting took place in Prime Ministry about Iraq problem.
- U.S. delegations observed Mardin and Batman.
- High Election Board (YSK) unanimously rejected opposition of Labor Party and some citizens against the candidacy of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan from Siirt to be a parliamentarian.
FEBRUARY 21
- President Ahmet Necdet Sezer received a U.S. delegation, led by Joel Hefley from the U.S. House of Representatives.
Sezer underlined that international legitimacy condition should be fulfilled to make Parliament take a decision about deployment of foreign armed forces to the country. He said the Constitution determined the Parliament as the only authorized organ in this respect.
- General Staff General Secretariat said accepting combatant forces of foreign countries, like tank, artillery, and warplanes was out of question.
- U.S. Commander of European Forces General Burwell Bell came to Mersin province as site preparations continue in bases and ports.
FEBRUARY 23
- Five-year political ban of former leader of banned Welfare Party (RP) leader Necmettin Erbakan ended.
- Young Party (GP) held its first Regular Congress. Cem Uzan elected as leader of the party.
FEBRUARY 24
- A group of people, who are members of Greenpeace, protested a possible Iraq operation.
- People's Democracy Party (HADEP) held its second Regular Congress. Ahmet Turan Demir was elected as leader of the party.
- Prime Ministry circular about deployment of foreign armed forces to the country and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad was opened to signing.
FEBRUARY 25
- Parliament Speaker Arinc said: ''I am addressing the government: We expect 2003 budget from you, not a motion.''
- State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir said, ''the motion does not have international legitimacy. It will be beneficial if the motion does not pass. Democracy will be strengthened if it fails to pass.''
- Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Parliamentarian Goksel Kucukali was sent to Central Discipline Committee to be dismissed from the party following his criticisms toward the motions on Iraq.
- A cargo ship, belonging to U.S. fleet, approached Iskenderun Port.
- Prime Ministry motion authorizing the government about dispatch of soldiers to foreign countries and deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey was submitted to Parliament.
FEBRUARY 26
- Three convicts, who were under trial on charges of involving in many bomb attacks, including killing of author Onat Kutlar and archeologist Yasemin Cebenoyan, were sentenced to life imprisonment.
- First two of the Awacs type early warning planes came two central Anatolian Konya province within NATO defense planning. Patriot air defense systems came from the Netherlands.
FEBRUARY 27
- Presidential Foreign Affairs Chief Adviser Tacan Ildem President Ahmet Necdet Sezer sincerely believed that the parliament would take the most correct decision about the Prime Ministry motion by protecting national interests of Turkey and by seeking the condition of international legitimacy in line with the Constitution.
FEBRUARY 28
- Ankara State Security Court (DGM) no:1 accepted application of four former Democracy Party (DEP) parliamentarians for re-trial.
Next > March
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