ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 24, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
SACK CASE AGAINST UNITED STATES
A British citizen who was detained in Sulaymaniyah by the United States together with 11 Turkish soldiers after a sack had been put on their heads, is filing a lawsuit against Washington administration. Hurriyet daily found British citizen Michael Todd, who was detained in Sulaymaniyah last July together with 11 Turkish soldiers, who was kept under detention for three weeks and whose finger was broken during this detention, in York city of Britain. Todd, who said that U.S. soldiers thought that he was the commander of Turkish special force, will sue the United States due to the treatment of U.S. soldiers against him as if he had been a terrorist. Todd said that the U.S. soldiers put sacks on their heads and noted that they were too tightly handcuffed that they had problems with their veins. Todd said that U.S. soldiers were continuously cursing and the commander of Turkish special forces kicked U.S. soldiers in Sulaymaniyah. Todd added that he would sue the United States.

BABACAN: ''WE WILL USE 8.5 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS WHEN IT SUITS OUR INTERESTS''
State Minister Ali Babacan said that Turkey would decide when it would use the 8.5 billion U.S. dollars of loan to be extended by the United States and there was not any urgent situation necessitating use of loan. Babacan said, ''we will use the loan when it suits our interests.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE COSTAS!
Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis sent Pangalos, who hid the bloody-handed terrorist Ocalan, to the regular congress of Republican People's Party (CHP) as a representative. PASOK, the leader of which was Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis, sent Teodoros Pangalos, who tried to hide Abdullah Ocalan, the most bloody-handed terrorist in Turkey after the republic had been founded, to the congress of CHP, which had founded the republic. Pangalos, who sat in the place allocated for foreign guests, was applauded when his name was announced. Pangalos, who came to the congress with PASOK deputy Costas Zepos, willingly made a speech after CHP leader Deniz Baykal. Speech of Pangalos, who was called to the rostrum by being announced as the ''deputy leader of PASOK, the sister party of sister country of Greece,'' was translated into Turkish. Replying to questions of Milliyet daily on Ocalan, Pangalos said, ''I am proud of what I did those days.''

WAGES TO DECREASE
The special reduction practice which leaves a part of wages of workers outside the scope of tax will end as of the end of this year. Income tax will be imposed on all of wages and salaries as of January 1, 2004. There will be between 6 million 750 thousand and 9 million 450 thousand Turkish liras (TL) of decrease in income of workers who will pay more tax as of the beginning of the new year.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
---------------
ATHENS THROWS AWAY ARMS
Greece decided to shrink its army saying that ''Turkey was no more a threat.'' First Army and Third Army Corps which were deployed against Turkey are being abolished. Greece is taking the biggest step towards peace in the Aegean after the Turkish-Greek Agreement had been signed by President Ataturk and Greek Prime Minister Venizelos in 1930. The Greek General Staff approved this initiative of the Greek government last week. In this case, three full generals, nine lieutenant generals, 25 major generals and brigadier generals will retire. The number of soldiers in Greek army will be reduced from 178 to 140 thousand within two years.

ELEVEN TRILLION FROM TREASURY TO UZAN
Young Party (GP) will double the Treasury assistance of annual 5.5 trillion Turkish liras (TL) in 2004 due to local elections. The budget of 2004 allocated 125 trillion TL to assist political parties. Parties which have deserved this assistance will be extended two-times more than the expected assistance since local elections will be held in 2004. Accordingly, 52 trillion TL is allocated for Justice and Development Party (AK Part), 30 trillion for Republican People's Party (CHP), 15 trillion for True Path Party (DYP), 13 trillion for Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and 11 trillion for GP.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
SOLUTION IN CYPRUS AFTER ELECTIONS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul gave the message that Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government definitely wanted solution on Cyprus and that talks could start after elections in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in December. Sources said that a certain point was reached in ongoing secret talks on Aegean issues and that a new development could occur.

SIEGE OF TUBITAK
Scientists charged by the Scientific and Technical Researches Center of Turkey (TUBITAK) to attend European Union (EU) Sixth Framework Program meetings are not allowed to take part in these meetings. Turkey can't be represented in the meetings in which scientific projects are development and decisions are taken due to practice of the AK Party government.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
CRISIS CAUSED THIS WAY
Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) announced the official balance sheet of the banking crisis. The total loss was 47.2 billion U.S. dollars. According to the report of BRSA on ''Efforts to Strengthen Turkish Banking Sector and Imar Bankasi Event,'' the cost of crisis worth of 47.2 billion U.S. dollars was equal to 32 percent of national income in 2001. Duty loss of state banks was 19 billion U.S. dollars. State banks were extended 2.9 billion U.S. dollars of capital support while problems of the banks transferred to the Savings Deposits Insurance Fund (SDIF) could be solved by 22.5 billion and there was need for 2.8 billion U.S. dollars to strengthen capitals of private banks. SDIF could collect 1.8 billion U.S. dollars while a protocol was made for the rest 11 billion U.S. dollars of loan receivables.

CONGRESS WITHOUT ANY EXCITEMENT
The 30th Regular Congress of Republican People's Party (CHP) lacked excitement when compared with the former congresses since there was not any struggle among different wings in the party.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
---------------
VISA NOT OBLIGATORY FOR EUROPE
Europe-Turkey Researches Institute expert Associate Professor Harun Gumrukcu said that Turkish businessmen could travel in Europe without any visa under a decision of the Court of Justice. Gumrukcu said that the right gained by the European Economic Community (EEC) agreement in 1973 was still valid today.

EU STARTS RELEASING LOANS
Compromise was reached on financial assistance to be extended to Turkey by the European Union (EU). One billion Euro will be donated to Turkey within three years under the agreement. Turkey's success in adopting adjustment loans on the road to opening of full membership negotiations with the EU paved the way for financial assistance. State Minister Ali Babacan said that ''Decentralized Implementation System (DIS)'' which was set up to administer the European Union (EU) funds was approved by the EU Commission on October 8, 2003. Babacan said, ''thus, Turkey will be donated 1 billion Euro by EU till 2006. As it is known, this 1 billion Euro is in grants not in loans.'' Babacan added that EU funds would be start to flow in Turkey as of November.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
--------------------
PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN GIVES MESSAGE OF ''COOPERATION'' TO TAJIKISTAN
Great interest was shown to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was the first Turkish prime minister visiting Tajikistan. Speaking in dinner hosted in his honor by Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov, Erdogan said that Turkey and Tajikistan should unite forces in every field particularly in economy and added that two countries decided to increase trade volume from 50 to 250 million U.S. dollars. Rahmonov emphasized that Erdogan's visit improved cooperation and responded positively to Erdogan's invitation to Turkey.


(BRC-AY) 24.10.2003