ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 16, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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IMF: YOU ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam said the program, implemented by the government, was successful, stating that very successful results were obtained in economy above the expectations and targets.
Speaking at a joint news conference together with State Minister Ali Babacan, Moghadam said talks with economy administration were completed, and that an agreement was reached on the steps that should be taken.
Moghadam said this agreement would be presented to the approval of IMF administration and later to IMF Executive Board.
Moghadam said that it was seen that inflation rate could stay lower than the target which was determined as of the end of year thanks to sound policies with high credibility of the Central Bank and noted that there was a great decrease in interest rates according to the last review.
Moghadam said more positive developments could be added to those results in case the program is implemented with determination.

COMPROMISE: DRAFT ON IMAM-HATIP SCHOOLS SUSPENDED
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met on Wednesday with university rectors and suspended draft on Imam-Hatip schools. Military also had expressed concern over the draft.
Erdogan told rectors that, ''we don't have any haste. Come together and work on the issue for 10 or 20 days. The problem is not the Imam-Hatip schools. Interest in vocational schools gradually decrease.''


MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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GUL SHOWS AK PARTY AS EXAMPLE
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently in Kuala Lumpur to participate in OIC summit, met with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.
Moussa said Arab world has not yet reached a decision on Turkey's sending soldiers to Iraq.
Foreign Minister Gul proposed OIC members to open a representation in Baghdad.
Gul, who also addressed a panel discussion entitled: ''Islam Against Modernism: A New Situation for Islam Communities'', stated that he did that see Islam and modernization as concepts contradicting with each other.
Showing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) administration as example, Gul said, ''this seemed as a contradiction for many people. A government, set up by a party based on traditional values, started a political and economic reform campaign in Turkey.''

50,000 SOLDIERS TO IRAQ
A report, prepared by Turkish generals and colonels who visited Iraq, stated that number of soldiers in Iraq could be increased to 50,000.
In the report which General Staff sent to the government, stressed that number of soldiers wanted from Turkey could be increased to 50,000 in case reactions increase.
A delegation, comprised of three generals and three colonels had visited the region to examine ethnical structure of the region and post war situation.
The report said Kurdish groups were trying to arouse the people to revolt against Turkish soldiers, and that ethnical groups in southern part of Iraq did not consider Turkish soldiers different from U.S. soldiers.
The report said, ''as losses of U.S. increase in the region day by day, the units in the region are in low spirits. This causes difficulties in restoration of order. Elements of Turkish Armed Forces should go to the region with high morale taking into consideration the probability of meeting a very serious reaction in the region. Turkey's entrance to the region should absolutely be made from north of Iraq, and security of the units should be provided by setting up stations in five separate regions.''


SABAH (LIBERAL)
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PAKSUT: ATTACK CANNOT STOP DISPATCH OF TURKISH SOLDIERS
Turkey's Ambassador in Baghdad Osman Paksut said suicide bomb attack on the Embassy would in no way affect dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq negatively.
Paksut said the attack was staged at a time when they hosted lunch to Iraqi guests, could mean that a strong organization, having a broad intelligence, was behind this attack.
Paksut said embassy personnel were in high spirits despite the attack, stating that evacuating or closing the Embassy was out of question because of the attack.
Paksut said investigation was under way to determine the type of the explosive device which injured two Turkish citizens.

RADIOACTIVE MEASURE
General Staff intensified studies to reduce the risks which may be faced in case Turkey sends soldiers to Iraq.
General Staff in its risk analysis put danger of radiation as well as the attacks which the Turkish soldiers could meet.
It was reported that General Staff would send experts on biological and chemical weapons to the regions which Turkish soldiers could be deployed.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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STEP BACK FROM AK PARTY FOR NOW
Government, following warnings coming from General Staff, stepped back on the draft regarding facilitation of ways for Imam-Hatip students to university.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who met with the rectors on Wednesday, accepted a proposal of the rectors to send the draft to the Parliament together with a Higher Education Board (YOK) draft that would be jointly prepared with universities.

ERDOGAN LEAVES FOR BRUSSELS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan left for Brussels to participate in European Union (EU) summit.
Speaking to reporters prior to his departure, Erdogan said he would discuss with his European interlocutors Turkey's full membership process to the EU.
Erdogan said sending Turkish soldiers to protect Turkish Embassy in Baghdad was out of question at the time being.


RADIKAL (LEFT)
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IMAM-HATIP CRISIS ENDS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accepted the proposal of rectors who met with him. The draft, bringing facility to Imam-Hatip students in entering universities, was withdrawn.
Erdogan said the draft would be discussed within the whole Higher Education Board (YOK) draft which is currently under evaluation.
Erdogan said, ''social agreement is very important for us. Our target is for contemporary YOK draft.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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PROPOSAL FROM GUL TO OIC
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul proposed that Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to open a representation in Baghdad in a package of proposals for OIC to be more effective in Iraq issue.
Diplomatic sources said that Gul, who is currently in Malaysia for Ministerial Preparatory Meeting of the 10th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference of OIC, proposed in the package that he presented to members of OIC that OIC should send an aid package to Iraq in Ramadan.

PAKSUT WAS WARNED BEFOREHAND
Turkey's Ambassador in Baghdad Osman Paksut was reported to be warned beforehand that an attack could take place.
It was revealed that Paksut and U.S. military sources were expecting an attack on Turkish Embassy in Baghdad before the attack.
It was also reported that the damage was decreased to the minimum thanks to the barriers which Embassy personnel set up.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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IMF TO CONVENE FOR 500 MILLION DOLLARS IN NOVEMBER
Meetings with International Monetary Fund (IMF) which have been carried on for three weeks regarding 6th Review are completed and pre-agreement is reached. Letter of intent which is started to be written within this scope will be taken up in IMF Executive Directors Board in November. Some laws should be adopted at Parliament for board's taking a decision about sixth review including loan tranche worth of 500 million dollars.

PERFORMANCE OF TURKEY IS OVER TARGET
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam said that Turkey had a performance over targets regarding inflation, interests and reserves. He added that positive developments would be possible with economic program carried on by the support of IMF.

(GC-AY) 16.10.2003