ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 13, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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MYSTERIOUS PASSENGER ABOARD MILITARY CARGO PLANE
A mysterious passenger aboard the military cargo plane which came from Afghanistan and landed at Ankara's Etimesgut Airport, has caused concerns in Ankara. During his interrogation, he said, ''I proceeded to Afghanistan prior to September 11th events and joined Taliban forces. During the war, I was in Afghanistan. General Dostum's supporters took me hostage. I have spent two years in prison. Later, I was released.''

NEW CRISIS
Despite Turkey's objections, the European Union (EU) has included an expression in the final statement of Brussels Summit saying that Turkey should take steps about cultural rights in Southeastern Anatolia region. Except for it, EU leaders have given the first concrete sign of their plans to set a date for opening of accession talks with Turkey at the end of 2004.

GUL: ''WE WANT TO FIND A SOLUTION TO CYPRUS QUESTION BEFORE MAY OF 2004''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said, ''we want to find a solution to the Cyprus question before May of 2004. But, we want a satisfactory solution. We cannot accept anything. We will display our sincere efforts to find a lasting solution to the Cyprus question.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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IMF BOARD TO CONVENE ON DECEMBER 18
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spokesman Conny Lotze has said that IMF Board would convene on December 18 to discuss the six review works with Turkey. The IMF Board is expected to release a new tranche of loan worth of nearly 500 million U.S. dollars following the meeting.

DENKTAS: ''IF THE OPPOSITION SIGNS ANNAN PLAN, I WILL APPLY TO COURT''
President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, ''if the opposition wins the elections on December 14 and attempts to sign the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, I, as the president, will apply to the court. This plan ignores the rights given to Turkey and Turkish Cypriot people by the agreements of 1960. Any political party cannot destroy these rights by signing the plan without approval of Turkey.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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NOT MOSQUE, BUT SCHOOL
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in Belgium for the EU summit, performed Friday's prayer with Turkish people, who are living in Brussels, in Ulucami in Turkish district. After prayer, Erdogan came together with representatives of non-governmental organizations. Representatives told Erdogan that they wanted to be more active in the Turkey's EU membership process. Erdogan said, ''Turkey is becoming closer to the Union. We have a big role in this process. European people will know better Turkey thanks to you. All of us should be more active in cultural and social fields. You should build schools instead of mosques.''

''WE WILL SOLVE CYPRUS ISSUE IN SIX MONTHS''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently in Brussels for the EU summit, said that a satisfactory solution had to be found till May 2004 when Greek Cypriot side would join the EU. Gul said that they would prove that Turkey took every steps and they would give a direction to six month process. ''We will announce what sort of initiative we will launch in Cyprus after elections. We are engaged in an intimate effort. Elections will be held fairly. We said it earlier. I have learnt that observers of the EU are in TRNC. I examined the reports. Those people have some estimations regarding results of elections which will be held in TRNC on December 14,'' Gul stated.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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EU PRODUCES CONDITIONS
The European Union (EU) has been putting forward new obstacles against Turkey while it has been waiting for a date for opening of accession talks at the end of 2004. The EU brought the situation in Southeastern Anatolia region onto agenda for the first time in the final statement of Brussels Summit. The EU also said that it expected Turkey to remove macro-economic imbalances and structural deficiencies. Turkey is expected to express its uneasiness over expression of Southeast Anatolia in the final statement.

A LETTER FROM WOMEN TO ANNAN
Female members of the Human Rights Association (IHD) has sent a letter to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to mark the 55th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In their letter, they stressed that women had been experiencing more pressures than men all over the world.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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MIGROS TO BUILD A SHOPPING CENTER IN MACEDONIA
Turkish shopping market Migros will start investing in Macedonia after Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Bulgaria. Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski of Macedonia and Koc Holding's Honorary President and Migros Executive Board President Rahmi Koc signed a memorandum of understanding in Skopje for undertaking Ramstore investment in Macedonia. Ramstore investment in Skopje will be the biggest Turkish investment in this country and in its retail market. The investment, which also carries importance for improving the friendship and commercial relations between the two countries, is expected to contribute to economic activities in Macedonia and to reduce the prices.

31ST ARREST IN ISTANBUL BOMBINGS
One out of five people who were detained and transferred to the State Security Court (DGM) in connection with Istanbul bombings in which 57 people were killed while 712 others were injured, was arrested. Suspect Ramazan Tahta was arrested and sent to prison on charges of being member of an illegal organization. Number of people, who were arrested following the suicide attacks, increased to 31.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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RESONANT BOMBS FRIGHTEN PEOPLE IN ISTANBUL, ANKARA AND IZMIR
Resonant bombs exploded in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir provinces on Friday evening. There were not any casualties in the explosions. People in those cities panicked due to resonant bombs. A bomb exploded near Court House in Ankara on Friday evening. Security officials said that a bomb exploded behind the Court House at around 6.30 p.m. and it caused some financial damage. State Security Court (DGM) Chief Prosecutor Hakan Kizilarsan came to the blast site for investigation. Another explosion took place near exit of a parking lot of Istanbul Court of Justice in Sultanahmet district at the same time. The third explosion occurred near a police station in Aegean Izmir province. The blast which occurred near a police station shattered windows of some nearby houses and vehicles. Explosion did not cause any damage in the police station.

''IF THERE IS NOT OVERWHELMING MAJORITY, I WILL NOT GIVE AUTHORITY''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said that if the opposition which was in favor of Annan's plan did not win elections by an overwhelming majority, he would not give authority to those political parties to form the new government. Denktas stressed that the party to which he would give authority to form the government should be a party which did not insult Turkey and himself.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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AZERBAIJAN LOSES HAYDAR ALIVEY
Former Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev, who had been undergoing medical treatment in the United States for some time, died at 5.00 p.m. on Friday. Demise of Aliyev caused sorrow in the whole world and Azerbaijan. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who learnt demise of Aliyev in Brussels spoke to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev by phone and offered his condolences to Aliyev.

BESIKTAS, GALATASARAY AND GENCLERBIRLIGI FACE STRONG RIVALS IN UEFA CUP
Draw for the third round of the UEFA Cup made in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday. Besiktas will take on Valencia in the third round of the UEFA Cup. Galatasaray faces Spanish team Villarreal, while Genclerbirligi goes to Parma in the first leg and Gaziantepspor hosts AS Roma.

(EÖ-UK) 13.12.2003