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

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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THE BIGGEST PARTICIPATION TO ALIYEV'S FUNERAL IS FROM TURKEY
Turkey made the biggest participation to the funeral ceremony of former Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, ten ministers and 76 deputies participated in the ceremony in Baku yesterday. Firstly, Sezer and Ozkok left for Baku. Sezer said prior to his departure that Aliyev had a distinguished and special place both in history of Azerbaijan and in further improvement of bilateral relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan.

KATSU SAYS TURKEY HAS THE CHANCE TO BE LEADER OF REGION
World Bank Vice President Shigeo Katsu said that Turkey which had entered the 21st century with enormous opportunities, had the potential to be a regional leader and a leading economic power of the world. He said that Turkey had a potential to become a member of the European Union (EU), a regional leader and a major economic power of the world. Speaking at a seminar entitled, ''Towards Macroeconomic Stability and Sustained Growth'' jointly staged by World Bank and Treasury Undersecretariat, Katsu said Turkey had entered the 21st century with enormous opportunities, had a young population, dynamic private sector and pivotal geographic location, and that those gave Turkey the ability to move to the forefront of emerging markets.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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GUL'S CRITICAL MESSAGE
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul told TRNC President Rauf Denktas on the phone that the new plan prepared by Ankara for solution of Cyprus problem was completed. A Foreign Ministry delegation will go to TRNC within few days and give a briefing to Denktas about the new plan. Denktas will put on the table his own plan. An adjustment study will be made on two plans.

TURKEY WANTS COALITION GOVERNMENT IN CYPRUS
Turkey does not want new elections and crisis in Cyprus. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to invite political parties which had gained seats in the TRNC Parliament to Ankara after returning from Japan. Ankara which seems pleased with the election results in north of Cyprus, will meet with the TRNC political party leaders next week. Turkey thinks that TRNC President Rauf Denktas will carry out the negotiations, and Mehmet Ali Talat, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), the winner of the elections, will make coalition with a political party which is close to Denktas.

EYES OF U.S. ON ANKARA
Bush administration expects Turkey to take steps on the basis of Annan plan for solution of Cyprus problem following the elections in TRNC. Washington was pleased with the success of the opposition parties in TRNC elections as they favoured EU membership. However, the equal share of the seats between the two blocs in TRNC parliament led those American officials who were directly concerned with Cyprus, to turn their eyes on Ankara. The expectation of Bush administration from Ankara is to see the latter to take action for resume of talks on the basis of Annan plan.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH CYPRIOTS VOTE FOR EU
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said that the election results showed that Turkish Cypriots wanted the European Union (EU) membership and solution but they had different views about the method. Denktas said that the most ideal way was to form a ''National Government'' by bringing leaders of all parties together. He stressed that the right thing was to talk with government.

GUL: NOW IT IS TIME TO HAVE COMMON SENSE AND BE CONSTRUCTIVE
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that sides should work with a constructive manner after the elections in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Noting that everybody should receive the message that the people gave, Gul said that people on the one hand wanted solution and on the other hand attributed importance to the views of Denktas.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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RATIO OF POOR PEOPLE INCREASES
World Bank stated in its report about Turkey that the ratio of unemployment increased two times in the last five years and also the ratio of poor people increased three times in the last decade.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS LAY ALIYEV TO REST
Turkey participated in the funeral ceremony of former Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev with the highest-ranking officials to show Turkey's close relations with Aliyev and Azerbaijani people. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, ten ministers, 76 deputies, 15 bureaucrats and a group from Republican People's Party (CHP) participated in the ceremony.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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EVERYBODY WINS ELECTIONS IN CYPRUS
In TRNC, the leader of National Unity Party (UBP) Dervis Eroglu, the leader of Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Mehmet Ali Talat and the leader of Democrat Party (DP) Serdar Denktas all claim that they were the winners of the elections. CTP leader Mehmet Ali Talat said that it was difficult to reach the target of founding the government with the equal share of seats in the parliament.

ANKARA TO SPEED UP CYPRUS PROCESS
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul thinks that TRNC can not act independently from Turkey. Ankara thinks that TRNC President Denktas will remain as the chief negotiator and the disadvantageous parts of Annan plan can be erased.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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EU: NEGOTIATIONS SHALL START RAPIDLY
The European Union (EU) Commission said that majority of Turkish Cypriots showed in the elections in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) that they were supporting solution and opposing status quo, and the commission called for restarting of negotiations within the scope of Annan Plan. Jean-Christophe Filori, the Spokesman of EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, said regarding the elections that people in the north of the island showed their will for ending status quo and this situation proved that it was time to return to negotiation table.

DENKTAS: FORM THE GOVERNMENT RAPIDLY
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas, who said that it was people who won the elections, wanted opposition and ruling power to form a national government. Noting that on the contrary a crisis would start in the country and early elections would be brought onto agenda, Denktas said that the best thing was parties' coming together and forming a national government.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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NEITHER GOVERNMENT, NOR OPPOSITION HAPPY IN TRNC
The result that came out from TRNC elections has been the equality sustained between the government and opposition parties in the parliament. Two blocs had each 25 seats in the parliament. Republican Turkish Party-United Powers (CTP-BG) which was the winner of the elections by getting 35 percent of the votes, postponed the celebrations which were planned for last evening. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who assessed the election results in TRNC called everybody to have a constructive attitude, adding ''we must work together in cooperation with TRNC President Denktas.'' Gul stressed that Turkey would give the final decision in solution of Cyprus problem.

ISTANBUL POLICE FASTER THAN FBI
Security Directorate clarified the cell structure of Al Qaida in Turkey within one month following the bomb attacks in Istanbul. Istanbul police even found out the telephone lines which bombers bought. Al Qaida in Turkey set up seven telephone distributorships to prevent being listened by the police. Feridun Ugurlu, who was one of the suicide bombers bought telephone lines by using the names of distinguished businessmen in those shops.

(GC-Öª-AÖ) 16.12.2003