ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 21, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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FOUR PEOPLE RELEASED
Four people, Kazim Saglam, Irfan Kavak, Ahmet Satici and Hasan Karakaya, who were detained in connection with the bomb attacks in Istanbul were released after their interrogation. Irfan Kavak said that he had joined Al Qaida camp in Afghanistan and was trained by Adnan Ersoz in 1997.

SAHIN: THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT EU SHOULD NOT GOVERN TRNC
Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said that it was not right for people who were against Turkey's European Union (EU) target to be in active positions in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

U.S.: VISIT OF ERDOGAN TO BE FAILURE
U.S. administration wants negotiations in Cyprus within the scope of Annan Plan to start before the meeting of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan with U.S. President George Bush on January 28, 2004. An American source said that if not, the visit could turn to a failure.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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ELEKDAG: U.S. PUSHES TURKEY TO BARGAIN WITH PKK
Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul deputy Sukru Elekdag, who had been Turkey's Ambassador in Washington for years, asserted that the United States forced Turkey to have political negotiations with PKK terrorist organization. Making a speech at Parliament, Elekdag said Turkey's uneasiness about PKK and concerns about the territorial integrity of Iraq increased after the intervention of the United States in Iraq. He stressed that although the government took a promise from the United States on eradication of PKK from the north of Iraq, no progress was made.

TALAT: NO ANKARA PLAN, YES ANNAN PLAN
Mehmet Ali Talat, the leader of Republican Turkish Party (CTP) in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), told Milliyet that he was not sure about Turkey's efforts for solution, adding that negotiations with Greek Cypriot side should be carried on by the government, not by Denktas. Talat said that there was only Annan Plan on table and an Ankara Plan was not existing, adding that Ankara Plan was related with arrangements and calendar depending on Annan Plan. He commented that Turkey could make arrangements on the parts which were only related with Turkey.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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EU WARNING TO DENKTAS
Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin warned Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Sahin said that people who were against Turkey's European Union (EU) target should not undertake mission in TRNC.

FIRST TARGET OF SUICIDE BOMBERS WAS ERDOGAN
Police is on alert against suicide bombers after the attacks in Istanbul. Intelligence units have found out that illegal DHKP-C organization would launch a suicide bombing. Six bombers were chosen for the activities including the suicide bombing against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Police captured five of those bombers a month ago. The remaining one's name is Eyup Beyaz.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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WOMEN HAVE MANY PROBLEMS IN TURKEY
National Woman Health Commission carried out a survey about women and girls in Turkey. The survey revealed that women were very ignorant about education, reproduction and sexual life. The percent of those women younger than 20 who give birth to their children at home is 25.8 and 19.5 percent of women who give birth at home don't even resort to midwife. According to the survey 6 million women in Turkey do not know reading and writing.

AKP'S CYPRUS MISTAKE
The AK Party government targeted to soften the expressions of the final declaration of EU summit in Brussels about Cyprus telling that Turkish Foreign Ministry carried out a study on Cyprus issue. But it is seen that the government made a strategic mistake which could also affect the negotiation process on the island. The impression that is given as if Ankara and Lefkosa have different studies on Cyprus can weaken the position of the Turkish side.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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AKP LOOKS FOR ANOTHER ISTANBUL MAYOR
A questionnaire was carried out by the AK Party for the post of Istanbul mayor. Veysel Eroglu, Cuneyd Zapsu and Kadir Topbas got the highest number of votes. Local elections will be held on March 28, 2004 and AK Party tries to find a new candidate for Istanbul. The name of Istanbul mayor Ali Mufit Gurtuna who is from AK Party was not in the list.

ERDOGAN: U.N. SAYS TRUTH
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan extended support to the call of the United Nations (U.N.) which said that negotiations on the island should start on the basis of Annan plan. Erdogan said that ''we also want the same thing.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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RELATIONS WITH UZBEKISTAN WARM UP
The Turkey-Uzbekistan relations which almost came to the point of breaking off after the death of ex-president Turgut Ozal warmed up again by the visit of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Uzbekistan. The visit of Erdogan was very important in respect of politics and also economy. Uzbekistan earlier withdrew ten thousand of Uzbek students studying in Turkey and closed the Turkish schools there. Visa application brought for Turkish citizens when they want to visit Uzbekistan. Turkish businessmen started to leave Uzbekistan. These negative developments are expected to end by Erdogan's visit.

TOUGH MESSAGE TO DENKTAS
Evaluating the words of TRNC President Rauf Denktas who said that ''the Turkish government should say who they prefer to become the negotiator so I can appoint one,'' State Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said that ''it is not right for persons who are against EU target of Turkey to be in active positions in TRNC.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ANKARA SECURITY ESTABLISHES BOMB COORDINATION CENTER
Ankara Security established a bomb coordination center in case of a possible attack on especially foreign mission chiefs in Ankara after the bomb attacks in Istanbul.

EU OPPONENTS SHOULD NOT UNDERTAKE ACTIVE MISSION IN TRNC
Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin had also reacted after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who said Denktas should change his advisors. Sahin said that Turkey's target was the European Union (EU), adding that those who were against this target should not be in active positions in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

(GC-Öª) 21.12.2003