ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 7, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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THEY ARE RELEASED
Eleven Turkish soldiers who were detained in an ugly raid by U.S. soldiers in Suleymaniyah and taken to Baghdad were released 57 hours later. Our soldiers will be brought to Suleymaniyah by helicopter on Monday morning.

LIKE JOHNSON'S LETTER
Detention of 11 Turkish soldiers in north of Iraq and continuation of their detention for days shook Turkish-U.S. relations as much as ''Johnson's letter'' did in 1964. Turkish-U.S. relations, which experienced the severest shock with the ''Johnson's letter'' crisis after Cyprus landing in 1964, was hit once more with the detention of our soldiers in north of Iraq. Turkish press and public opinion which defended different views in many issues like the motion crisis united and reacted to the last stance of the United States as a whole. Johnson, the U.S. President in 1964, wrote a letter to Ankara that ''Turkey could not use their weapons in Cyprus.'' Ismet Inonu, the Prime Minister then, gave a historic response to the letter dated June 5, 1964 by saying, ''then, a new world can be established and Turkey also takes its place in it.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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60-HOUR CAPTIVITY ENDS
Diplomatic initiatives continued for two days gave result. After phone conversation between Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney by phone. Cheney announced that soldiers would be released after a few contacts and Turkish soldiers were released at 11.00 p.m. last night.

ILLEGAL VALVE DISASTER
It is revealed that an illegal LPG valve caused the explosion in a gas station in Ankara which injured 123 people, 10 of whom suffer severe injuries. In the investigation, it was seen that there was only one gas filling valve having pressure check system. But, it was learned that the station which had to buy the gas from that firm agreed with subcontractor firms to buy gas with low price and high commission. Therefore, the station installed illegal valve in the LPG depot. It is revealed that the explosion occurred as the hose was torn due to high pressure and the gas caught fire due to friction when the subcontractor firm was filling gas from illegal valve.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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BUREAUCRATIC PUNISHMENT TO UNITED STATES
Ankara reacted harshly to detention of Turkish soldiers in Suleymaniyah by U.S. soldiers. The Office of General Staff called back two Turkish liaison officers who were sent to Florida Tampa to provide direct contact by lifting bureaucratic procedures with the United States. General Hursit Tolon, who was scheduled to attend the hand over ceremony in United States, cancelled his program.

FROM ERDOGAN TO CHENEY: ''I AM STANDING AS SURETY FOR SOLDIERS AS PRIME MINISTER''
Interesting dialogue took place in phone conversation between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney. Erdogan told Cheney, ''I am standing as surety for our soldiers as the prime minister.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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HOSTILE AND PROVOCATIVE
Reactions were shown to detention of 11 Turkish soldiers in north of Iraq. Political parties, non-governmental organizations and citizens who wanted the government to give harsh response to the United States drew the attention that the country was left without a protector against incidents that occurred in the north of Iraq. Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit said that the United States ''insulted'' Turkey and harshly criticized the ''late'' stance of the government. Republican People's Party (CHP) group acting leader Ozyurek said, ''Turkish soldiers were detained'' while BCP leader Soysal said, ''United States put into practice Kurdish policy.'' Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Bahceli said, ''an apology should be made to Turkey'' whereas True Path Party (DYP) leader Agar said, ''it is an incident for which ultimatum should be given.''

HEADSCARF UNDER AUTHORITY OF RECTOR
The bill on higher education will be given final shape. If the bill is adopted in its current shape, university administration will decide whether or not to accept students wearing headscarf to classes. The bill limits the authorities of the president on Higher Board of Education (YOK).

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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''DISGUSTING INCIDENT WHICH CAN'T BE UNDERESTIMATED''
The severest reaction to the United States was given by the Office of General Staff. Tolon Pasha, who cancelled his visit to Tampa, the United States, said, ''this is a disgusting incident which can't be underestimated.'' Two liaison officers in Tampa base were called back. Hursit Tolon, Aegean Army Commander who is currently in the United States for hand over ceremony in Tampa, will not attend the ceremony. Tolon said, ''how come don't they give information to us? Are Turkish soldiers murderers? It is a disgusting incident which does not have any similarity.''

PROTESTS IN TWO CITIES
Leaders of opposition parties are of the same opinion that the government behaved passive after Turkish soldiers had been detained in north of Iraq: The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government acts both irresponsibly and insensitive. A protest was staged in front of U.S. Embassy in Ankara while police dispersed demonstrators who wanted to walk to the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul. Former prime minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''the United States acts like an enemy.''

ARMED USURPING OF JOURNALISTS
Two Anadolu Agency (A.A) correspondents working in Iraq were usurped by six armed people when going to Baghdad. Sami Tolga Adanali and Kenan Gurbuz, A.A correspondents in Iraq, were attacked by six armed people. Adanali, who reached Turkish Embassy in Baghdad after the attack, said, ''when we were en route from Kirkuk to Baghdad, our car was waylaid by six armed people. When we told the driver to continue to drive, they opened fired. We said that we were journalists and Turks. They took our two phones, laptops, two cameras, clothes, passports and money. They then told us to go. They opened fire behind us. Our driver said the attackers were Kurds.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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CRISIS SOLVED
Ankara-Washington crisis which occurred as 11 Turkish soldiers were detained by U.S. soldiers in north of Iraq was overcome last night. The government and Turkish Armed Forces exerted intense efforts for release of our soldiers. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney by phone and demanded our soldiers to be released quickly. Cheney said that soldiers would be released immediately.

THEY TORTURED
Emel Mevlut, the cook of the Turkish unit in Suleymaniyah who was detained together with 11 Turkish soldiers and later released, said, ''U.S. soldiers entered inside by force. They shot everywhere. They put sacks on our head, handcuffed us and put us in cells.'' Son of the cook, Cengiz Mevlut said, ''when we were leaving the building together with the U.S. soldiers, they shouted people that 'we were terrorists' and showed us as target. At that time, stones and bottles started to be thrown on us. We were interrogated in same cells for hours.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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LAST PHONE CALL FROM SOLDIERS: ''THE U.S. DON'T WANT US''
One of Turkish soldiers who were detained in Suleymaniyah and taken to Baghdad, spoke to his family by phone and said, ''the United States wants to tell us 'leave the region'.'' Turkish soldier who said that he was in good condition noted that the U.S. soldiers were following them for a long time.

(BRC-AÖ) 07.07.2003