ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 25, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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PERMISSION FOR INCIRLIK WITHOUT DECREE
During Monday's meeting of the Council of Ministers, the government has opened all airports and ports to the United States under rebuilding process of Iraq quietly and unobtrusively. The request of the United States was conveyed by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul at the World Economic Forum meetings in Jordan last week.

NSC TO CONVENE ON THURSDAY
The National Security Council (NSC) will convene under the chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on Thursday. Turkey's European Union (EU) membership process will be high on agenda of the meeting. During the meeting, the seventh EU adjustment package, which is expected to be submitted to the parliament in the coming days, and the National Program will be taken up in detail.

ERDOGAN: ''TSK MADE A NICE GESTURE''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) had made a nice gesture by shortening military service. ''The General Staff decided that military service could be shortened as a result of a long assessment,'' Prime Minister Erdogan added.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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REPENTANCE LAW DISCUSSED DURING ZIYAL'S VISIT TO UNITED STATES
During the meetings between Turkish and the U.S. delegations on future of militants of the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK in northern Iraq, the new Repentance Law of the government was brought onto agenda. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal informed U.S. officials on the law. The U.S. administration pledged to put an end to presence of KADEK in the region. Ziyal said that talks with the United States would continue after enactment of the law.

GUL: ''CYPRUS QUESTION WILL COME TO AN END AT THE END OF THIS SUMMER''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that the negotiations in Cyprus would be resumed under the initiatives of the United Nations. ''President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) does not have any intention to escape from the negotiations,'' he said. Referring to the Aegean dispute, Gul said that Turkish and Greek delegations would hold meetings till the end of the summer. ''We should solve our problems through dialogue. Important progress has been recorded to this end,'' he added.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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DISAGREEMENT ENDS
Ankara has given the first signal of detente in tension which escalated between Turkey and the United States following the war in Iraq. The Turkish government has opened airports and ports including the Incirlik Air base to the United States. During visit of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal to the United States, the process aiming at returning to the strategic partnership has been accelerated. Upon a request of the United States, the government decided to open the Incirlik Air Base to U.S. planes.

ITALY TO ACT AS A MEDIATOR IN NATURAL GAS BARGAINING
Italy has been getting prepared to take action in natural gas bargaining between Turkey and Russia. Industry Minister Antonio Marzano of Italy stated that they had decided to increase their cooperation with Turkey in energy.

''NO ONE HAS PRIVILEGES''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that they were determined to fight against corruption. ''Those who expect our government not to touch their unfair privileges, are mistaken. No one has privileges,'' he stressed.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ROAD MAP FOR EU
The draft National Program prepared by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, envisages some reforms such as making the National Security Council (NSC) harmonious with its characteristics of being a consultative organ, fulfillment of political criteria in 2003, putting into practice education and broadcast in mother tongue and broadening freedom of expression. However, the AK Party government opens religious freedoms to the exploitation of religious groups.

PLANS TO DECREASE TURKISH CYPRIOT POPULATION IN CYPRUS
The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (COEPA) approved two new reports about Cyprus. One of the reports claims that the Greek Cypriot and Maruni communities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) were exposed to pressure. Meanwhile, the second report prepared by Jaakkso Laakso, the Finnish parliamentarian, defended that number of those who migrated from Turkey to the TRNC exceeded number of Turkish Cypriots. The report noted that these people should return to Turkey.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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VICTORY OF TORTURE AT SUPREME COURT OF APPEALS
While the government pledged both the European Union (EU) and Turkish society to prevent torture, the Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department has suspended punishments given to policemen who were convicted of torture.

SECOND NATIONAL PROGRAM HAS A CLEAR SCHEDULE
The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been making the last retouches in the National Program prior to meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) on June 27. There is an important difference between the first and the second national programs. The second National Program has a clear schedule for 2003 and 2004.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TURKEY OPENS ITS AIRPORTS AND PORTS FOR HUMANITARIAN AID TO IRAQ
A new era has begun in relations between Turkey and the United States after tension escalated following the motion crisis. The United States applied to the Turkish government a few days ago and requested permission to use some bases including the Incirlik Air Base for its activities in Iraq and the region. Turkey conveyed the message that it was positive about the request through Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ugur Ziyal. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday, ''bases and ports have been opened for humanitarian aid to Iraq.'' Besides the United States, 50 countries are expected to benefit from this decision.

LARSON: ''WE CANNOT GIVE UP. TURKEY IS STILL VERY IMPORTANT''
Addressing journalists during the World Economic Forum meetings in Jordan, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Alan Larson said that Turkey had a great potential in the Middle East. Noting that Turkey had an important commercial potential in the Middle East, especially Iraq, Larson said that Turkey's potential should be well-assessed. Stressing that Turkey had recorded noteworthy progress in its structural reforms process, Larson highlighted importance of these reforms in regard to economic stability.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ECHR SENTENCES TURKEY BECAUSE OF MILITARY JUDGES IN DGMs
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Turkey had violated Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights about equal and unbiased trial in four separate cases against Turkey. In lawsuits filed by Emrah Dertli, Mustafa Yuksel, Ozgur Isik and Halit Yalcin, the ECHR upheld that military judges in the State Security Courts (DGMs) had overshadowed independence and impartiality of courts.

(UK-AÖ) 25.06.2003