ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 28, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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LET'S CLOSE THIS SUBJECT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a historical call to Armenians and said, ''we want to remove so-called genocide and similar issues from our history books,'' and added that Turkey wanted to see the same approach from Armenians. Erdogan met with Turkish people living in the United States at Turkish House in New York. When a Turkish citizen complained about so-called Armenian genocide's being brought onto agenda frequently, Erdogan said that Turkey did not think of a passive policy, but thought of an active policy in its foreign relations. He added, ''if you remain on defense all the time, it will be necessary to answer those things.''

SUPPORT LETTER FROM PRISON
Banned Democracy Party (DEP) former deputy Leyla Zana sent a letter to the European Parliament President Pat Cox and wanted support for Turkey's receiving a certain negotiation date from the European Union (EU). Noting that EU's giving a negotiation date would break the resistance of people who were against EU in Turkey, Zana said that if it was not the case Turkey and the region could drag into chaos.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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ONE STEP BEYOND
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul implied that even if a consensus would not be reached during negotiations to be carried on within the scope of Annan Plan, the referendum could be acceptable. Gul said that it would be right to reach an agreement at first. Stressing that U.S. support was needed for solution of Cyprus issue, Gul said, ''I hope Greek Cypriot side and Greeks do not remain behind these demands of Turkey and both sides exert every type of sincere efforts for solution before May 1.''

HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT CARD ON GOOD WAY
Reform packages, which were put into practice within adjustment to the European Union (EU) process, started to show their first concrete effects. According to 2003 figures of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), Turkey's human rights report card was on recovery process in the aspects of quality and quantity.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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DOUBLE REACTION TO BARZANI
Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) official Nechirvan Barzani wrote a letter and wanted Turkish soldiers' withdrawal from the north of Iraq and said that if this was not made, they would close the office of Turkish soldiers in Irbil. First reaction came from Turkish Armed Forces yesterday. Military sources said that Turkish soldiers went to the north of Iraq to prevent a clash among Kurdish groups. Foreign Ministry stated that Barzani should know his limits.

CYPRUS MEDIATOR SHOULD BE AN IMPORTANT PERSON
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that Turkey took a new position about Cyprus issue and added that few names were suggested for the position of mediator. Gul said that the mediator should be a person, who had political influence beyond his technician level and had the support of his state and to whom both sides would show respect.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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HOOLBROKE SURPRISE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is carrying on his meetings in the United States will meet with U.S. President George Bush today. U.S. Senator Richard Hoolbroke had attended the private meal hosted by Turkish businessmen Ahmet Ertegun for Erdogan. The participation of Hoolbroke, who was the architect of Bosnian peace, was interpreted that Hoolbroke would be the name for mediator for Cyprus issue.

TALAT: THEY DO NOT WANT SOLUTION
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said that Greece and Greek Cypriots started to make maneuver and added that their aim was not finding a solution to Cyprus issue until May.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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HUMAN RIGHTS ON GOOD WAY
The number of lawsuits filed against Turkey in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) decreased in the last one year from 3,887 to 2,616. However, Turkey is still the fifth country against which the most lawsuits were filed.

FIRST NO FROM ATHENS
Foreign Ministers of Greece and Greek Cypriot side rejected Turkey's suggestions for discussing Annan Plan within a narrower text and with a new mediator. Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou said that it was not an approach based on common sense to ask for somebody else's becoming mediator for Cyprus talks.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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NEW THREAT FROM BARZANI
Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) official Nechirvan Barzani wanted withdrawal of Turkish soldiers from the region which were sent to prevent clashes between IKDP and Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IKYB) forces. Barzani said that they would hold demonstration if necessary to remove Turkish soldiers from the north of Iraq and they would close Turkish military offices in the region.

TALAT: NOBODY COULD SAY GIVE AND GET RID OF CYPRUS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said that nobody was saying give and get rid of Cyprus. Paying his second visit to Ankara after he has become Prime Minister, Talat said that solution before May 1 would be for the benefit of Turkey, adding that Greek Cypriot side, on the contrary, was trying to leave the solution after May 1.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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RULING PARTY'S EFFORT FOR CYPRUS ISSUE PLEASING
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal evaluated the developments about Cyprus issue and U.S. tour of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Stressing that the ruling party started to exert efforts for finding a solution to Cyprus issue, Baykal said that this was very pleasing.

TURKISH SIDE ALWAYS TO BE IN FRONT FOR SOLUTION TO CYPRUS ISSUE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan replied to questions about Turkey in think-tank organization CSIS in Washington. He said that Turkey would tell White House about Cyprus issue that Turkey was insistent on May 1 process and Turkish Cypriots would always be one step further of Greek Cypriots.

(GC-Öª) 28.01.2004