ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 7, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ANKARA UNEASY ABOUT ANNAN'S LETTER
Ankara took initiative before the Cyprus negotiations that would start in New York on February 10. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul called U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called U.S. President George Bush. Erdogan told Bush that Turkey had good will and resolution for solution of Cyprus issue, but it had certain concerns about the conditions mentioned in Annan's letter. Bush said in his part that the U.S. would take initiative on the issue.

NATIONAL MARCH AND ANTHEM ON FEB 28
Here is the road map in Annan's letter for Cyprus:''the national march and anthem of united Cyprus will be selected on Feb 28. The constitution of the two states which would form the federal structure will be submitted to Annan on March 12. Athens and Ankara will complete negotiations on the security agreement on March 22. Turkey, Greece and Britain will approve the agreement on April 9.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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HERE IS ANNAN'S LETTER
In the letter which U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan sent to TRNC President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, Annan said that he was assured that the amendments that would be made in the plan by Denktas and Turkish Prime Minister would be limited and the parameters of the plan would not be violated. The paper says that the letter was more like a directive rather than an invitation.

ERDOGAN REQUESTS BUSH TO TAKE ACTION
Following the disappointment caused by U.N Secretary General Kofi Annan's letter in Ankara, the government took action by talking to U.S. top officials. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called U.S. President George W. Bush and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul phoned U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Erdogan told Bush that Annan's letter didn't take into consideration the sensitivities of the Turkish side requesting him to take initiative about the issue.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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BUSH EXERTS EFFORTS FOR CYPRUS ISSUE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with U.S. President George Bush on the phone on Friday. Prime Minister Erdogan conveyed Ankara's concerns over the letter which was sent by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to Bush. Bush said that they would do their utmost for contribution to solution. Erdogan stressed during phone conversation that they assumed completely similar attitude which he expressed to Annan in Davos and to Bush in Washington. Bush, in return, thanked Erdogan for the information he gave and expressed the expectation and desire of the United States for finding a solution to Cyprus issue.

DENKTAS: ''I WILL GO TO NEW YORK ACCORDING TO ANSWER FROM ANKARA''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said that Ankara still continued certain talks. TRNC President Rauf Denktas, Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas returned from Turkey to TRNC. Denktas told reporters that TRNC officials would make their own evaluation upon news coming from Turkey. Denktas said, ''we will give a written response to U.N. Secretary General Annan Friday or Saturday. If news coming from Turkey is positive, I will probably go to New York on Sunday.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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HERE IS ANNAN'S LETTER
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said in his letter that he would consider the sides' accepting his invitation to New York as their commitment to conclude Annan plan until March 31 'without making any amendments in the basic principles of the plan and the concessions made' and to resort to referendum on April 21. Annan noted that if the sides could not reach agreement on the plan, he would fill in the necessary parts of the plan with his ideas.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TRAGEDY IN KONYA
Konya Criminal Court of Peace sent the contractor and subcontractor of the building which collapsed in central Konya province on Monday, to prison. The court on duty imprisoned contractor Vedat Kaya and subcontractor Ismail Canlier to prison after the eleven-storey building collapsed in Selcuklu town of Konya last Monday. Search and rescue teams pulled out 58 bodies from wreckage of the building. A total of 31 people were rescued. It is guessed that there are still 70 people under the rubble.

DENKTAS TO GO TO NEW YORK, BUT WITH HIS CONDITIONS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's commitment that Turkish Cypriot side would be one step ahead of Greek Cypriot side for solution to Cyprus issue did not take place due to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas. After intensive efforts, Denktas announced that he would go to New York, but added that there would only be preliminary meeting in New York. Denktas received the letter sent by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan that invited the sides to New York on February 10. He announced his view on the issue when he returned from Turkey to TRNC. Denktas said that he would convey his reservations with a brief letter to Annan and he would wait for an answer. Denktas said that he would go to New York not for negotiation, but for preliminary meeting before negotiation. He added that he would wait for an answer from Ankara for restarting of negotiations.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL DISAPPOINTS ANKARA
Justice Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said that it was obvious that the letter sent by the U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to sides did not meet some of their expectations. Following the meeting of Council of Ministers, Cicek told reporters that they focused mainly on developments concerning Cyprus issue in the meeting of the Cabinet, noting that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul informed ministers about their visits to Davos and the United States. ''We are going through a critical and important process on Cyprus issue. Thus, there is need to take steps and make decisions on Cyprus issue the following days,'' he noted. Stating that policies which were carried out for such an important issue were considered state policy, he said that there was need to make assessments on the issue by taking into consideration facts of Cyprus and possible developments. Cicek said that the government was aware of its responsibility.

DEATH TOLL RISES TO 62 IN COLLAPSED BUILDING IN KONYA
Death toll due to the collapse of an eleven-storey building in Konya increased to 62. Search-rescue teams have been continuing their efforts and they pulled out two more bodies including a woman and a man, increasing the death toll to 62.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ERDOGAN ASKS GUARANTEE FROM BUSH ABOUT THREE ISSUES
When the letter sent by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan didn't meet the expectations of Turkey about Cyprus issue, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan phoned U.S. President George W. Bush. Erdogan asked for assurances regarding bi-zonality, guarantor rights and the continuation of the Turkish military existence on the island until peace was installed.

ALL PROVINCES TO BE TAKEN UNDER BUILDING SUPERVISION SYSTEM
The collapse of the eleven-storey building in Konya brought onto agenda the issue of the strength of buildings again. The building supervision system which covers 19 provinces (where fault lines present) today will be applied in all provinces.

(EÖ-Öª) 07.02.2004