ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 30, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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THREE MESSAGES FROM CANKAYA
Three important messages came out from the Republic Day reception held at Presidential Palace yesterday. The wives of AK Party deputies who wore head scarves were not invited to the reception. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that ''I didn't want to give an opportunity to those attitudes directed against the secular character of the state. Such kind of measures are also taken in Germany and France.'' Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said in his part that whatever the president said and did was right. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a woman journalist that ''if you want to know my feelings, please put yourself in place of my wife.'' Only 34 of 368 AK Party deputies were present in the reception.

SEZER SAYS ISSUE OF SENDING SOLDIERS TO IRAQ IS OVER FOR HIM
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that the issue of sending Turkish soldiers to Iraq was over for him. Upon questions about the issue, President Sezer said that ''in my opinion it is very difficult from now on to see the formation of the necessary conditions. We only had the intention of helping Iraqis by going there.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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WE ARE MOVING VERY SLOWLY
The progress report will be presented to the approval of members of EU Commission on November 5. The report on progresses which Turkey recorded on EU membership process reached the final shape before the approval process. The report said that they appreciated steps which Turkey took and stated that but those steps should not remain on paper. The report said that Turkey had some shortcomings in implementation.

3.5 KM LENGTH FLAG CARRIED FROM MECIDIYEKOY TO TAKSIM
The 80th anniversary of Turkish Republic is being celebrated throughout Turkey, foreign representations of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Wednesday. A record was broken in Istanbul where the Republic Day was also celebrated with joy. Many citizens carried the 3.5 km length Turkish flag from Mecidiyekoy district to Taksim in Istanbul by singing 10th Year March.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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PRESIDENT SEZER SAYS THERE ARE SOME ATTITUDES AGAINST SECULARISM
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that he invited Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies without their wives to the reception of October 29 Republic Day as there were some attitudes against secularism and he could not allow those kinds of attitudes.

PARTICIPATION IN RECEPTION
All of Republican People's Party (CHP) deputies except CHP leader Deniz Baykal, who is currently in Brazil, attended the reception which was hosted by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. But Justice and Development Party (AK Party) attended the reception with 11 deputies and 16 ministers.


CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''WE CONTINUE OUR WAY WITH MOTHERLAND''
TRNC President Rauf Denktas called his people to follow the path of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern and secular Turkish Republic. ''Even if they want to take us to heaven without Turkey, we won't go,'' said Denktas, regarding the attempts to take Turkish Cypriots to EU. The 80th foundation anniversary of the Turkish Republic was celebrated with joy in TRNC. Addressing the ceremony, Denktas said that ''the motherland does its best in the international arena to protect the rights of TRNC and Turkish Cypriot people.''

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS POSITIVE IN TURKEY
EU Commission which announced its annual report on the economic positions of EU member and candidate countries said that there was economic stability in Turkey since the beginning of the year and that the economic developments were positive. The Commission said it believed that the annual inflation rate would decrease below 20 percent in 2004 and reach one-digit figures in the near future.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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EU: NO IMPLEMENTATION
The Progress Report of the European Union (EU) has taken the final shape before the approval process. The report said that the laws which were passed from the parliament were good and added but concrete steps in implementation were not sufficient. The report said that if steps which were taken in Turkey during its EU membership process remained on paper, no one could get benefit from it. The Progress Report said that arrangement on National Security Council was good, but there was still great effect of military and stated that there were some shortcomings in freedom of expression.

PEOPLE FEEL JOY, BUT TENSION IN POLITICS
Tensions over invitation overshadowed October 29 Republic Day celebrations. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer who was protested by some Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies said that he could not allow attitudes against secularism. Sezer said that people were invited to the reception on behalf of the state. People celebrated the Republic Day across the country with joy. Many people visited Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the Founder of Turkish Republic.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TURKEY CELEBRATES REPUBLIC DAY WITH JOY
The 80th foundation anniversary of the Turkish Republic was celebrated with joy all over Turkey. Ceremonies were held successfully despite the snow and rain in many parts of the country. The Republic Day was also celebrated in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and representations of Turkey abroad.

TURKEY EXPORTS MORE THAN 14,000 DIFFERENT PRODUCTS TO 250 COUNTRIES
While the 80th foundation anniversary of the Turkish Republic was celebrated, today Turkish businessmen can export products to almost all countries of the world. When the Republic was founded, Turkey's exports was 51 million dollars. The figure reached 42 billion dollars in 80 years. Today,Turkey can export more than 14,000 different products to 250 countries and regions.


ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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BAYKAL TELLS WORLD LEFTISTS: ''YOU CAN'T ACCUSE WHOLE MUSLIMS''
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal delivered a speech on the last day of Socialist International general assembly meeting. Baykal was elected as the deputy chairman of the Socialist International. Rejecting the views saying that democracy was not suitable to the Middle East because of Islam, Baykal said that ''we can't accept accusing one billion Muslims due to their religious beliefs. The overwhelming majority of these people don't have any responsibility in spreading of terrorism, they are the victims, not the ones responsible of authoritarian regimes.''

EU: PRACTICE IS SLOW AND DIFFICULT
The draft of the EU Commission's Progress Report on Turkey which will be published on November 5, noted that the implementation of the reforms undertaken by Turkey was slow and difficult. The draft does not give a signal about starting full membership negotiations with Turkey and it leaves the decision to the report to be announced next year.

(EÖ-ÖŞ-AÖ) 30.10.2003