ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 19, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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FICTITIOUS AMOUNT TRICK OF CENTURY
Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) Chairman Engin Akcakoca said that they had revealed a double amount system in the Imar Bankasi, a private bank owned by the Uzans which was shut and seized control by the BRSA. The system includes official and coded amounts. Akcakoca noted that they had denounced owners and former directors of the bank on charges of illegal decisions and proceedings in line with the Banks Law and the relevant articles of the Turkish Penal Code.

CENTRAL BANK INTERVENES IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET
Central Bank intervened in the foreign exchange market by purchasing foreign exchange to prevent the extreme fluctuation in foreign exchange rate. Central Bank stated that the foreign exchange rate was determined by supply and demand conditions in markets under the floating exchange rate system. Noting that it followed closely the fluctuation in foreign exchange rate, Central Bank stated that it could directly intervene in case of extreme fluctuation.

TURKEY LAUNCHES INITIATIVES ABOUT OSMAN
Turkey has launched initiatives both in Ankara and Washington D.C. after appointment of Mahmut Osman, who is claimed to have been a member of the terrorist organization, to the interim government council in Iraq. U.S. Embassy Undersecretary Robert Deutch was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Deutch met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Middle East Department Director General Tahsin Burcuoglu. During the meeting, Burcuoglu expressed Turkey's concerns about appointment of Osman, who does not hide his close relations with terrorist organization PKK/KADEK, as member of the council.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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GENERAL STAFF OBJECTS TO SEVENTH EU ADJUSTMENT PACKAGE
The General Staff objected to some articles of the seventh European Union (EU) adjustment package about the National Security Council (NSC). The government has taken action as soon as it received views of the General Staff about the package. After a meeting held at the Ministry of Justice, some additions were made to two articles of the package in line with views of the General Staff.

CHP FILES A LAWSUIT AT CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
The Republican People's Party (CHP) filed a lawsuit at the Constitutional Court requesting the annulment and stopping the enforcement of the law which reduced retirement age for civil servants to 61 and which foresaw gradual retirement for civil servants. CHP deputy group chairman Oguz Oyan submitted the petition to the Constitutional Court. Oyan said that the Constitutional Court had stopped the enforcement of the first regulation that reduced retirement age from 65 to 61. Noting that Justice and Development Party (AK Party) adopted the new law without waiting for the decision of the Court in respect of merits of the case, Oyan claimed that the government insisted on political favoritism.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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GUL DUE TO UNITED STATES
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul will leave for the United States on July 22. During his visit to the United States, Gul is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, President George W. Bush's National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney.

DISARMED PKK ON AGENDA
The United States targets to disarm terrorist organization PKK together with the other groups in Iraq. Washington D.C. plans to disarm all these groups in coordination with Turkey.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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THREE PROPOSALS FOR IRAQ
During his meetings in Ankara, U.S. Central Command Chief General John Abizaid brought on agenda alternatives of formation of coordination points including Turkish and U.S. soldiers and appointment of Turkish liaison officers in Baghdad. General Abizaid also proposed that U.S. forces could play an active role in dissolving terrorist organization PKK/KADEK and disarmament of the terrorist organization.

GUL MISLEADS
It was revealed that the letter of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan included some allegations about Turkish soldiers. Earlier, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that Rumsfeld expressed their regret about detention of Turkish soldiers by U.S. soldiers in northern Iraq. In fact, Rumsfeld defended in his letter that they had rightful and urgent reasons about detention of Turkish soldiers.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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GENERAL STAFF CONVEYS ITS OBJECTIONS TO GOVERNMENT
The General Staff conveyed its objections to the government about some articles of the seventh European Union (EU) adjustment package on the National Security Council (NSC). The General Staff defended that the NSC should act as an executive council instead of a consultative council. The General Staff also stressed that restricting authorities of the NSC Secretariat General would contradict with current conditions in Turkey.

PRESIDENT SEZER APPROVES SIXTH EU ADJUSTMENT PACKAGE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved on Friday the sixth European Union (EU) adjustment package envisaging amendments to some laws. The package was adopted by the parliament on June 19, 2003. President Sezer returned to package to the parliament to debate Articles 19 and 21 of the package again. The package was re-debated and adopted by the parliament on July 15. Under the package, Article 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Law was annulled.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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''TURKEY WILL BECOME A WORLD GIANT''
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said, ''a new Turkey with a foreign trade volume of 100 billion U.S. dollars will emerge.'' Giving information about his meetings in Pakistan, Tuzmen said, ''the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Trade Agreement was signed by ministers of member countries. As a result of this agreement, Turkey will have significant advantages in foreign trade. Member countries have committed to decrease their customs prices to 15 percent in the next eight years. In that case, Turkey will be able to export its goods to these countries more easily.'' He added, ''Turkey has accelerated its exports. We expect exports from Turkey to the other countries to increase up to 40 billion U.S. dollars. Our imports are expected to rise up to 60 billion U.S. dollars. A new Turkey with a foreign trade volume of 100 billion U.S. dollars will emerge.''

NASA TO TAKE PART IN 72ND IZMIR INTERNATIONAL FAIR
National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States will officially take part for the first time in the 72nd Izmir International Fair. NASA will promote its experiences and researches in the space in its stand in the fair. Astronaut Albert Sacco, who flew as a payload specialist on STS-73, which launched on October 20, 1995, and landed at the Kennedy Space Center on November 5, 1995 and who raised the Turkish flag in the space for the first time, will also join the fair. Sacco will share his space experience with visitors at a seminar.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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GOVERNMENT INSIST ON CHANGES ABOUT NSC
The General Staff conveyed its objections to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about some articles of the seventh European Union (EU) adjustment package on the National Security Council (NSC). Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''the NSC should be a consultative council instead of an executive council. There are institutions similar with the NSC in many member countries to the EU. Turkey has passed from military administration to civil administration in 1983 following the military intervention. The law about formation of the NSC was adopted in order to provide control as passing from military administration to civil administration. We have been carrying out works to change this law. Our works were sent to the relevant institutions. We will assess their views.''

(UK) 19.07.2003