ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 13, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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FROM TURKISH MAJOR TO U.S. LIEUTENANT GENERAL: ''IF I HAD ORDERED,
AT LEAST 40 PEOPLE WOULD HAVE DIED''
U.S. Lieutenant General John Sylvester visited Turkish special team detained in Sulaymaniyah on July 4. This dialogue took place in the visit:
-Major, did you give an order for intervention?
-If I had, at least 40 people would have died.
-I sincerely congratulate and thank you for not causing any clash.

PIRISTINA TO BECOME A MEMBER OF CHP
It was claimed that Izmir Mayor Ahmet Piristina, who resigned from the Democratic Left Party (DSP), would join the Republican People's Party (CHP).

GUL: ''WE WILL MAKE SAVING AND BETTERMENT NEXT YEAR''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that the businessmen would pay Social Security Agency (SSK) premium and tax at the current rate for almost one more year and there would be some betterment with the savings that had been acquired in the following year.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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''WE COULD HAVE BLOWN UP YOUR SOLDIERS IF WE HAD WANTED''
Gen. John Slyvester, NATO Supreme Allied Deputy Commander, visited the building where Turkish soldiers were detained by U.S. forces in Sulaymaniyah. The general was explained about the explosive mechanism which aimed to blow up those inside and around the building in case of an intervention in the bureau of Turkish soldiers. The message that ''everybody would have blown up during the raid if Turks had not behaved calmly'' was given to the general.

LAW IS EN ROUTE, FORESTS UNDER FIRE
When the law which enables construction in forests is on agenda, forest fires are doubled. Like this summer. After western town of Marmaris, Bodrum is also under fire. The fire broke out in four separate places. And, this increases the possibility of sabotage. That fires broke out before the arrangement which will enable construction in forested areas draws attention.

A PARADISE UNDER SMOKE
Fire which broke out near Yali region of western Bodrum town at 2.00 p.m. yesterday spread toward Gokova Gulf due to strong winds. The fire was taken under control before it spread to area of settlement.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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THEY WILL SEARCH FOR ''CORRUPTER'' INSTEAD OF MAKING LAW
In the report to be completed till the end of this week, the Parliamentary Commission to Investigate Corruption demands formation of 10 investigation commissions for 11 inquiries. If the demand is accepted, 285 of 550 deputies will work to reveal corruption.

ERDOGAN ANGRY AT THOSE WHOSE MONEY SQUEEZED BY ISLAMIC HOLDINGS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was in Austrian capital Vienna, was angry at those living abroad who deposited money in Islamic holdings. When a Turkish citizen working in Austria said, ''we deposited money in some holdings here and our money was squeezed by Kombassan and Yimpas'', Erdogan said, ''you shouldn't have done so. Whom you asked when you were depositing your money to these holdings? You made a big mistake.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TALABANI IS PERSONA NON GRATA
Ankara felt great uneasiness over the active role of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) led by Jalal Talabani regarded with detention of Turkish soldiers by U.S. soldiers in Sulaymaniyah. The uneasiness felt over Talabani was brought onto the agenda during the meeting of the high ranking military officials of Turkey and the United States in Ankara. It was pointed out that Talabani acted jointly with U.S. soldiers in detention of Turkish soldiers and that Talabani, who earlier needed Turkish soldiers, now that did not want them. Talabani's son's filming the detention further increased reaction in Ankara.

SEARCH FOR HARMONIZATION WITH NSC
The government is looking for harmonization with the General Staff for the 7th adjustment package which it targeted to legalize before Parliament recesses. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to visit Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok about the package which is expected to be sent to the Parliament next week.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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IS TURKEY GARBAGE AREA OF WORLD?
The German-based MSK firm sent second ship loaded with cancerous materials to Turkey for dismantling. Greenpeace, which recalls that Sea Beirut ship cannot be sent back for one year, warns Turkey not to accept entrance of this second ship in its territorial waters. After the ship named Sea Beirut which was made of asbestos causing cancer and which was brought to Turkey last year, another ship named Novocerkask is to enter Turkish territorial waters. The ship is being sent by German-based MSK firm which considers Turkey ''a dismantling place for ships made of asbestos. Greenpeace wanted prevention of entrance of the Ukrainian-flagged ship in Turkish territorial waters.

GUL ON TOUR TO CONVINCE SOLDIERS
The government wants to pass the seventh adjustment package closely concerning the soldiers with a compromise. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul asked for appointment from Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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QUAKE VACUUM
We are desperately waiting for the calamity as National Quake Network could not be set up.
''National Quake Network'' which had been planned to minimize the damage of quake after massive August 17 quake, could not be put into enforcement yet. As every institution tried to carry out the preparations within itself, many experts appeared.
As the institutions failed to make cooperation, a serious step could not be taken. For example, ''Early Warning System'' which would warn Istanbul for the quake, was set up but could not be worked.

BUSINESS LINKS IN IRAQ ARE FULFILLED ONE BY ONE
The contracts, which were brought onto agenda during the visit of State Minister Kursad Tuzmen to Iraq a short time ago from the war, are fulfilled one by one.
Foreign Trade Undersecretary Tuncer Kayalar said United Nations announced that it gave export permission to the contract of Turkish companies in electricity sector. The contracts are worth of 90 million U.S. dollars.
Kayalar emphasized that 800 million U.S. dollars part of the contracts signed by Iraq before the war would be put into practice.
U.N. announced the list of contracts within scope of U.N. Oil for Food Programme the same day, Kayalar said.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SURPRISE FROM ECEVIT: I HAVE NOT TAKEN DECISION TO GIVE UP''
A surprise statement came after statement of Izmir Mayor Ahmet Piristina showing Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit as reason. DSP leader Ecevit, who stated that he would not run candidacy for leadership after November 3 elections, left the door open in this respect. Ecevit said, ''I did not take a decision to leave leadership. My health improved. I work hardly for local administration elections.''

U.S. PRAISE TO TURKISH MAJOR WHO PREVENTED CLASH
U.S. Gen. John Sylvester, who held investigations in northern part of Iraq regarded with Sulaymaniyah raid thanked to Turkish soldiers as they acted with responsibility. Gen. Sylvester, who talked to Turkish Major, pointed out that, ''you are a real hero''. Turkish-U.S. Joint Commission, which was formed to investigate detention of Turkish soldiers in Sulaymaniyah, will resume works today.

(AY-BRC) 13.07.2003