ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 20, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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RESPONSIBILITY BELONGS TO TURKISH SOLDIERS
The United States has sent its response to Turkey's document including a series of questions about dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq. Turkish soldiers will be deployed in western and northern parts of Iraq. They would be in a separate sector. The response was sent by U.S. Supreme Allied Commander General James Jones to General Staff Chief General Hilmi Ozkok. It includes unofficial observations and assessments of U.S. authorities.

ANKARA'S PROPOSAL ABOUT KIRKUK-YUMURTALIK OIL PIPELINE
Ankara has been working on a new proposal to provide security of Kirkuk-Yumurtalik oil pipeline transporting Iraqi oil to Turkey. The pipeline expected to be reactivated today following recent sabotages.

A NEW ILLEGAL ACTION OF IMAR BANKASI REVEALED
Banking Regulation and Supervision Board (BRSA) stated yesterday that an important part of sales of Treasury bonds and state bonds were carried out illegally in Uzan family's Imar Bankasi, which was transferred to the Savings Deposits Insurance Fund (SDIF). BRSA also said that it had denounced all directors of Imar Bankasi.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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U.S. CONGRESS MEMBER COMES TO OZKOK
John Murtha, a senior member of the U.S. House of Representatives Allocations Committee Sub-Commission for Defense, paid two important visits yesterday for Turkish support to stability force that would be formed in Iraq. Murtha, who was looking for a support by meeting with National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok, departed from Turkey rapidly following the meetings. Gonul said that the most important reason of Murtha's visit to Turkey was Iraq issue. Murtha said, ''I have been working in the Congress for 28 years and we have not had a better ally than Turkey.''
UNITED STATES FIRSTLY WANTS TO SEE PARLIAMENT DECISION
Ankara, which is planning to send nearly a division of Turkish soldiers to the international stability force in Iraq by holding an extraordinary meeting at Parliament in September, received a meaningful answer from Washington. Bush administration, which said that they would carry on unofficial negotiations about technical details, conveyed that they wanted to see parliamentary decision to start real bargaining.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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UNITED STATES ACCEPTED TWO REQUESTS OF TURKEY
The United States, which has a difficulty in providing stability in Iraq, shed green light to the conditions that Turkey demanded regarding sending soldier to Iraq. The United States sent answer yesterday to the set of questions of Turkey. Turkey's requests about ''Turkish sector'' and ''Turkish commander'' which were among the conditions to send soldier to Iraq were replied positively by the United States.

EARTHQUAKE BOARD IS COMING
The government, which held the last Council of Ministers meeting in Sakarya, will form a Higher Board of Earthquake that will include the whole Turkey. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who received a briefing from Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler regarding Istanbul earthquake yesterday, announced after the meeting that they decided to form a Higher Board of Earthquake.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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DIRECT CONTACT WITH IRAQI ADMINISTRATION
Turkey prepares to contact directly with interim Iraqi administration council which was formed in Baghdad. Some members of Iraqi administration council are planning to visit Ankara soon. The issue of Turkey's sending soldier to Iraq will be the most important agenda item of the meetings with council members. Diplomatic sources said that it was not certain yet which members of the council would come to Turkey.

ERDOGAN WILL GO TO GERMANY AND ITALY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will go to Germany between September 1 and 3, and to Italy between September 5 and 7 to hold meetings. Erdogan, who will inaugurate Berlin office of Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) in Germany, will meet with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and CDU leader Angela Merkel. Erdogan will meet with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi during his contacts in Italy.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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NSC TO CONVENE ON FRIDAY
The National Security Council (NSC) will convene under the chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on Friday. The monthly meeting of the NSC at the Cankaya Presidential Palace is expected to focus on the issue of dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq. Meanwhile, Naval Forces Commander Admiral Bulent Alpkaya, Air Forces Commander General Cumhur Asparuk and NSC Secretary General General Tuncer Kilinc will attend the meeting for the last time before their retirement in accordance with decisions of the Higher Military Board.

CHP OBJECTS TO DISPATCH OF TURKISH SOLDIERS TO IRAQ
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said, ''when the motion about dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq is submitted to the parliament, we will cast our votes against it. We think that Turkey cannot send soldiers to another country without the principle of international legitimacy.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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SEARCH UNDER WAY
Police has still been searching for twelve people including Kemal Uzan, Hakan Uzan and Yavuz Uzan under an investigation into corruption at Imar Bankasi, which was transferred to the Savings Deposits Insurance Fund (SDIF).

''CORRUPTION OF CENTURY''
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said, ''Turkey faced with corruption of the century in the investigation about Imar Bankasi. However, jurisdiction should first focus on institutions preventing it from fulfilling its duties. Our judges and prosecutors should act without any hesitation and concern.''

GIANTS OF ENERGY DUE IN TURKEY
The Ninth Turkish Energy Conference and the International Energy Fair will be held between September 24 and 27, 2003. Also, the Sixth International Energy and Gas Conference will be held in Istanbul in September. The conference will start with opening remarks of Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler. Energy and gas sectors will be taken up in detail during the conference. Leading names of energy sector will convene in Turkey during the activities.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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KIRKUK-YUMURTALIK PIPELINE CAN BE ACTIVATED ON SATURDAY
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler said that they were expecting oil to be transferred from Kirkuk-Yumurtalik Oil Pipeline again on Saturday. Replying questions of reporters, Guler said when recalled the statements claiming that the oil transfer would start from Kirkuk-Yumurtalik oil pipeline on Wednesday, that they were expecting the oil transfer to start on Saturday but it was not certain. When asked the current condition of the negotiations carried out with Russian Gazexport company, Guler said that the activities would be taken up in the meetings to be held on August 26.

TURKISH CONTRACTORS WON 13 INTERNATIONAL TENDERS
Turkish contractors won 13 international tenders worth of 780 million U.S. dollars in Russia, Afghanistan, Iraq, India, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Bulgaria in June and July.

(GC-UK) 20.08.2003