ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 13, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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MEASURES TAKEN FOR SNOWFALL IN ISTANBUL WORK
Snowfall which was expected in Istanbul started on Thursday. Measures which were taken in Istanbul due to cold weather and snowfall worked. Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler and Mayor Ali Mufit Gurtuna were pleased with measures which prevented daily life and traffic from being paralyzed due to snowfall. Guler thanked people in Istanbul for their solidarity and help. Istanbul Meteorology Regional Director Mustafa Yildirim said that there would be also snowfall in Istanbul on Saturday.
ANNAN CONSIDERS PROPOSAL ''CONSTRUCTIVE''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) side has presented a written three-stage proposal to find a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue. United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan considered the proposal ''constructive''. Turkish side accepted timetable and road map of Annan with this proposal.
LONGEST NIGHT IN NEW YORK
Greek Cypriot side responded with new demands to proposals of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas during Cyprus talks which have been continuing in New York. Greek Cypriot side wanted U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan to be accepted as ''basis'', not as ''reference'' in negotiations on Cyprus issue. Turkish and Greek sides also attended talks. Greek Cypriot side responded to proposals of Turkish Cypriot side with a package of proposals on the third day of Cyprus talks. Annan first met separately with delegations headed by TRNC President Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN: ''THANKS DENKTAS''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called TRNC President Rauf Denktas by phone and expressed pleasure with the efforts Denktas launched in New York during Cyprus talks. Cyprus talks have also ended the tense atmosphere between Prime Minister Erdogan and TRNC President Denktas. Turkey is pleased with Denktas's proposing a quartet meeting including Turkey and Greece and Denktas's accepting U.N. Secretary General Annan's filling in the blanks in Annan plan.
CYPRUS TALKS STILL CONTINUE
The third meeting of Cyprus talks started late in New York. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan who met separately with Denktas and Papadopoulos for 2 hours, carried out shuttle diplomacy between them. Later the sides came together. The talks still continue in New York. The Turkish delegation missed the plane due to the delay in the talks. Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos brought new proposals on the third day of the summit.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SNOW DOES NOT CAUSE DISASTER IN ISTANBUL THIS TIME
Meteorology predicted the snowstorm in Istanbul. The governor's office, municipality and highways directorate took measures and the drivers abided by the rules. So this time the snowstorm didn't cause a disaster in the city due to the measures taken beforehand.
TEAM PLAY
Political resolution, diplomatic creativity and the courage to produce new policies will make Ankara the architect of solution in Cyprus in the end. The common courage and attitude of Ankara that considers EU membership as the biggest political project of Turkey and the creativity of Foreign Ministry regarding Cyprus issue yielded positive results. The paper lists the architects of successful Cyprus diplomacy carried out in New York as ''Erdogan, Ziyal, Denktas, Ozkok and Gul.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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BUSY DIPLOMACY
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan met separately with Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides on the third day of Cyprus talks which have been continuing in New York. After Turkish Cypriot side presented a written three-stage proposal to find a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue, Greek Cypriot side said that the European Union (EU) should also be involved in solution process. Sources said that upon the proposal of Greek Cypriot side, Ankara wanted also the United States to be involved in the process. Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that the proposal which was brought onto the agenda during talks in New York was planned earlier and stated, ''we have shown our good will and we will continue to do so. We hope that a solution will be reached by May.''

''PEOPLE NOT INFORMED ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS ON CYPRUS ISSUE''
True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar said that Turkish public opinion and parliament were not informed about developments about Cyprus issue. Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy leader Onur Oymen said that Annan's filling the blanks was accepted and said, ''is it the decision of National Security Council (NSC)?''

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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CHALLENGING BARGAIN
Turkish Cypriot side proposed that Turkey and Greece should join the process on the second round of Cyprus talks. Upon this proposal, Greek Cypriot side said that the European Union (EU) should also be involved in talks and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan should fill the blanks when there were disagreements. Greek Cypriot side also wanted the final document to be submitted to the U.N. Security Council. The third session of the Cyprus talks started after about two hours delay on Thursday. During this period, Annan held shuttle diplomacy between Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides which were staying in separate rooms.

LIKE A WAR: 15 PEOPLE DIE IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT
A lorry had collided with a public passenger bus and a minibus in Iskenderun town of southern province of Hatay on Thursday earlier in the day when its brakes were failed. A total of 15 people died and 27 others were injured in the accident. Injured people were taken nearby hospitals.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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OUR PLAN WORKS OUT
The plan proposed by TRNC President Rauf Denktas was found positive and it was understood that Turkey was the side which wanted peace in Cyprus. The surprising steps which Turkey took during the meetings held between TRNC and Greek Cypriot leaders in New York under the auspices of U.N. caused great repercussions in the international circles. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan also found positive the three-stage plan proposed by Denktas. This development also showed that Turkey and TRNC were the side which launched sincere efforts for solution in Cyprus. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said in his part that there were no differences of opinion between Turkey and TRNC, adding that ''we do our best to find a solution in Cyprus until May 1.''

HERE IS PLAN OF DENKTAS
Here is the plan of TRNC President Rauf Denktas about Cyprus issue: ''Let's negotiate with the Greek Cypriot side until March 15 and take a step for compromise. If we can't reach compromise, Ankara and Athens will take initiative and sort out the problem. If not, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan can fill in the blanks in the plan, which can go into force on March 31.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ERDOGAN GIVES DEMOCRACY WARNING TO AI
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Amnesty International's Secretary General Irene Khan that Europe had double standards in human rights. Noting that four European foreign ministers visited Turkey following the suit filed against Diyarbakir mayor Feridun Celik, Erdogan said that ''I was also the mayor of Istanbul, and accused, but nobody was interested in my case. I applied to the European Court of Human Rights and head terrorist Abdullah Ocalan applied to ECHR after two years, but ECHR took a decision to stop the enforcement of the punishment given to Ocalan, while it didn't even get my defense in my case. There is double standard here.''

SIGN OF COMPROMISE IN CYPRUS BOOSTS MARKET
The news telling that progress was recorded in Cyprus talks in New York positively affected the markets in Turkey. The message coming from the American Central Bank that ''interest rates of U.S. dollars would not increase in short term'' also supported this optimism. Foreign exchange and interest rates reduced, while Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) index increased to 18,885 points due to these developments.

(EÖ-Öª-AÖ) 13.02.2004