ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on May 16, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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EU EMBARGO ON TRNC TO BE LIFTED
EU Commission will take steps for lifting the commercial embargo on Northern Cyprus. EU Commission will present a formula in its ''Aid Plan to Cyprus'' expected to be made public on May 27 to lift the commercial embargo to a great extent and to open the way for EU countries to make investment in the region. This issue was also discussed during the contacts of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Brussels yesterday. Gul talked about the formulas which would end the embargo on TRNC during his contacts with both EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen and also with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou. Gul and Papandreou noted that both countries were in consensus of opinion about the issue and they agreed on a formula. They also exchanged views about the EU countries' commercial ships' carrying goods to Northern Cyprus.

2007 IS VERY AMBITIOUS DATE
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said that the words of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi who stated that 'Turkey could be a member of EU in 2007' were not realistic. Verheugen, who met with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, told reporters that Turkey was on the right track. Berlusconi pointed out that the words of Berlusconi about membership of Turkey were very ambitious. Gul told Verheugen that the new reform package would be adopted by the parliament soon.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY-U.S. RELATIONS SOFTEN
Turkey-U.S. relations, which were strained with the statement of U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz who said, ''Turkey should accept its mistake'', were softened with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's phone call to U.S. President George W. Bush. Erdogan said on the phone, ''I offer my condolences for Americans who died in terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia. Terror has become a humanity problem'' and Bush said, ''I am pleased with this call. We are ready for cooperation with Turkey in every field in fight against terrorism as we had in Afghanistan and Iraq. I would like to especially emphasize that we were pleased with your attitude in the north of Iraq and in Iraq's territorial integrity, with your sensitivity and the policy that you implemented. Palestine-Israel issue will be brought onto agenda in coming days. We want you to support road map regarding the solution of Middle East problem.'' Erdogan replied, ''I am sending Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul to Israel. We are supporting your road map and we are ready to do the necessary things. Italian Prime Minister was here in the beginning of the week. He said he would come to you in the end of the month. He has things to convey about Turkey's participation in stability power in Iraq.''

2007 IS TOO MUCH AMBITIOUS FOR MEMBERSHIP TO EU
European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen who met with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Brussels had a very moderate approach. Verheugen found the approach that Turkey could be a member of EU in 2007 ''interesting, surprising and ambitious'' and he said, ''the approach of Berlusconi as the next term president is surprising. We should carefully analyze this. However, it can be too much ambitious. It is necessary to do everything in order.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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DGM ANSWERS QUESTIONS OF GUL ABOUT IHD
Foreign Minister Gul asked the reason of the search performed in Association of Human Rights (IHD) headquarters and its Ankara office before going to Brussels. Gul visited DGM Chief Prosecutor's Office before going to Brussels thinking that the search performed in IHD could come to agenda during his contacts in Brussels. State Security Court Chief Prosecutor's Office responded briefly to the question of Foreign Ministry about the issue. Noting that the investigation continued, DGM only said that the decision to search IHD was taken by Ankara DGM No. 2 on April 29, 2003 and that the search was conducted on May 6.

GREEK FM PAPANDREOU COMPLAINS ABOUT TURKEY TO VERHEUGEN
Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou gave a break to his policy of having warm relations with Turkey which he pursues since 1999, by sending a letter to EU Commission complaining about Turkey. Writing his letter to EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen who is responsible for candidacy of Turkey to the EU, claimed that Turkish war planes violated the Greek airspace. Papandreou said in his letter that Greece would regularly report these 'violations' to EU Commission.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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FIRST STEP IN CHRISTIAN CLUB
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul who attended the European Convention meetings in Brussels, met with officials of the European Christian Democrat Party. At the meeting it was decided that Justice and Development Party (AKP) would apply to the party soon to become its member.

GREEK TOURISTS RUSH TO TURKEY
The number of tourists coming from Greece to Turkey increased by 42 percent. Alexandros Migliaressis, the Co-Chairmen of Turkish-Greek Tourism Forum said that the initiative formed by the efforts of Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou and former Foreign Minister Ismail Cem has started to yield positive results. Undersecretary of Ministry of Tourism and Culture Mustafa Isen said that Greece was ranked the tenth in the list of countries sending tourists to Turkey.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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EU CANNOT BE ACCESSED WITH DREAMS
European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, who met with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Brussels, criticized the statement of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi who said, ''Turkey enters EU in 2007''. Verheugen said, ''he is very ambitious, it is an interesting suggestion, I am surprised. It is necessary to be realistic'' and he wanted the positive developments in Cyprus to continue.

TUNISIA HOSTS SEZER
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer visited Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali who had come to Turkey in March, 2001. Developing bilateral relations, Middle East problem and Iraq issue were on the agenda of Sezer.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ONE PHONE CALL IS ENOUGH
Tension in Turkish-U.S. relations, which started with the rejection of motion at Parliament and continued during Iraq war, left its place to a 'warm atmosphere' when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called U.S. President George W. Bush and offered his condolences regarding the explosion in Saudi Arabia.

TANAYEV: ''COME TO US FOR INVESTMENT''
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Nikolai Tanayev invited Turkish firms to privatization tenders in his country and said, ''there will be no obstacles before you but these firms should have financial sources and good references.'' Noting that there were satisfactory studies in military and technical fields with Turkey, Tanayev said, ''but relations in commercial and economic fields do not satisfy me.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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MIGRATION IN BALKANS CHANGES ITS ROUTE
A total of 250,000 migrants who had earlier come to Turkey from Bulgaria, applied to Bulgaria for citizenship. The economic crisis in Turkey and the possibility that Bulgaria would be admitted to EU before Turkey, played a significant role in change of the migration route.

TURKISH BUSINESSMEN START TO GO TO BAGHDAD
Turkish businessmen started to go to Iraq when Turkish Trade Consulate started its activities in Baghdad a week ago. Trade Counsellor Metin Deger said that the office was officially opened yesterday, adding that ''we try to help Turkish businessmen in Iraq.'' International Transporters Union which carries out activities in Turkey will also open an office in Baghdad.

(GC-ÖS-AÖ) 16.05.2003