ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 3, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
MURDER OF A CONTRACTOR
An eleven-storey building collapsed in Selcuklu town of central province of Konya at about 8.15 p.m. on the second day of the Feast of Sacrifice. The building including 38 apartments razed to ground, killing four people and injuring 24 others. More than 100 people are feared to have been trapped under rubble of the collapsed building. Chamber of Engineers officials have accused contractor of the building of using poor material in the construction.

NINE TURKS DIE IN STAMPEDE IN ANNUAL HAJJ
It was revealed that there were nine Turkish people among those who trampled to death on Saturday during a devil stoning ritual at the annual hajj. Four Turkish people were injured in the same event. Meanwhile, 12 Turkish people have still been missing. A total of 251 people, who slipped and fell during the ritual, were trampled to death in the crush of people throwing pebbles at stone pillars symbolizing the devil.

TURKISH BUSINESSMAN AKALIN DIES IN SUICIDE ATTACKS IN IRBIL
Turkish businessman Resat Sevket Akalin died in Sunday's twin suicide attacks on bureaus of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and the Patriotic Union of Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) in Irbil city of Iraq. Akalin had been the owner of Bo-Tan International Fair Services Company in southeastern province of Diyarbakir. He had been holding talks with Iraqi officials about the fair to be organized by Iraqi-American Businessmen's Association in Irbil in April. Body of Akalin was brought to Turkey.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
''OSAMA BIN LADEN GAVE DIRECTIVES FOR SUICIDE ATTACKS''
Security forces captured a person in Istanbul on January 29, 2004 in connection with the quadruple suicide attacks in Istanbul in November of 2003, in which 58 people were killed and many others were wounded. During his interrogation at the Anti-Terrorism Department, the suspect who was identified as Baki Yigit, said that he had taken directives of Osama bin Laden and military officials of the international terrorist network Al-Qaida to stage the suicide attacks. Later, Yigit was arrested and sent to prison.

BUSH SENDS FIRST LETTER TO GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE
U.S. President George W. Bush has launched a letter diplomacy in an effort to find a solution to the Cyprus issue. In his letter to Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, President Bush recalled that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had accepted conditions of United nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to resume negotiation process in Cyprus, and stressed that the Greek Cypriot side should also display the necessary political will.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
---------------
DISASTER LIKE AN EARTHQUAKE
An eleven-storey building including 38 apartments collapsed in Selcuklu town of central province of Konya. More than 100 people are feared to have been trapped under rubble of the collapsed building. Search and rescue efforts have continued throughout the night. 26 people were pulled alive from the rubble while bodies of two people were recovered. Meanwhile, it was claimed that the Provincial Directorate of Public Works had given a report about three months ago that the building was uninhabitable due to shoddy construction.

EXPORTS OF FLOUR AND CEMENT FROM GAP TO IRAQ RISES
Exports to Iraq from the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region in 2003 rose 158 percent when compared to previous year. According to Southeast Anatolian Exporters Associations statistics, total exports from the region to Iraq last year was 99 million U.S. dollars. Total exports from the region to Iraq in 2002 was 38 million 300 thousand U.S. dollars and Iraq followed Italy, Germany and Saudi Arabia. The region exports cotton thread, carpets, cleaning materials and various foodstuffs, particularly chickpeas and other dried beans, flour, vegetal oil, margarine, sugar and biscuits to Iraq.
Exports of flour broke record last year and increased 1,068 percent from 1,687 thousand U.S. dollars to 19,710 thousand U.S. dollars. Besides, exports of cement rose 1,326 percent from 722 thousand U.S. dollars in 2002 to 10,297 thousand U.S. dollars in 2003. The region also exports chemicals and electric and electronic devices to Iraq. Officials said they expected exports to rise under rebuilding of Iraq.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
BAYKAL REACTS HARSHLY TO PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN
Opposing Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal criticized Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who said during his visit to the United States last week that they could cede a certain amount of territory from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Baykal said, ''extremely serious developments are occurring in our foreign policy.'' Meanwhile, Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit advocated that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK party) had posed a serious threat against the regime and national unity, saying, ''the prime minister does not have the authority to make concessions from TRNC for the Greek Cypriot side.''

ANKARA EXPRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT ESCALATING TENSION IN IRAQ
Ankara has expressed its concerns about escalating tension in Iraq and recent suicide attacks on bureaus of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and the Patriotic Union of Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) in Irbil city of Iraq. Ankara advocated that formation of a federation on the basis of ethnicity would lead to a serious turmoil in Iraq and that the terrorist organization of PKK/KADEK could benefit from the atmosphere of turmoil to concentrate its acts of terrorism.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
''NOW, IT IS TURN OF GREECE AND GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, ''both Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have taken necessary steps to resolve the Cyprus issue. Now, it is turn of Greece and the Greek Cypriot side to take action.'' Referring to economic developments, Prime Minister Erdogan said that exports increased by 38 percent in January of 2004 over to the same month of 2003. He added that he would pay visits to many countries together with businessmen to further increase exports.
TWO AWARDS FROM JAPAN
Turkish caricaturists Eray Ozbek and Muhammet Cerrah were presented with awards in the international competition arranged by Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun Daily. More than eight thousand caricaturists from 66 countries participated in the 25th Yomiuri International Caricature Competition. While Eray Ozbek was presented with the ''Jury Special Award'', Muhammet Cerrah won the ''Overseas Youth Special Award''. Turkish Embassy in Tokyo Press Attache Sinan Kurun took the awards on behalf of Ozbek and Cerrah.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
---------------
DISASTER IN KONYA
A ten-storey building collapsed in central province of Konya burying scores of people under its debris. A crisis desk has been formed under the structure of Konya Governor's Office. Search and rescue efforts have continued throughout the night. Teams recovered bodies of five people and pulled 30 people alive. It was claimed that the building collapsed due to an explosion in the boiler of a central heating unit.

TURKEY PROPOSES UNITED STATES TO REPAIR ITS TANKS
Turkey has proposed the United States that Turkish firms could repair U.S. armored vehicles in Iraq. National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, who accompanied Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit to the United States last week, conveyed the proposal to U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. During the meeting with Wolfowitz, the Turkish side proposed the United States to use Turkish company FNSS's factory near Ankara for repair of such vehicles. The FNSS was a joint establishment of U.S. United Defense Company and Turkish Nurol Firm. At the meeting, the Turkish side said that repairing armored vehicles in Turkey would be cheaper and easier. The U.S. side said that it would assess the proposal.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
--------------------
NINE TURKISH PEOPLE DIE IN STAMPEDE IN ANNUAL HAJJ
It was revealed that there were nine Turkish people among those who trampled to death on Saturday during a devil stoning ritual at the annual hajj. Religious Affairs Deputy Director Mehmet Gormez expressed profound sorrow over demise of Turkish people in the stampede. Meanwhile, death toll increased to 251 in the event. Sources said that people who slipped and fell during the ritual, were trampled to death in the crush of people throwing pebbles at stone pillars symbolizing the devil.

(UK-AÖ) 03.02.2004