ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 15, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN: WE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU ALONE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and praised him for his attitude during Cyprus talks. Erdogan said that for the first time the opportunity to provide peace in the island was found and added that this process was fulfilled with the leadership of Denktas.

MERKEL: ANOTHER METHOD IS APPROPRIATE FOR TURKEY
Germany's Christian Democrat Union (CDU) Party leader Angela Merkel who was against Turkey's membership to the European Union (EU) said that they preferred a third method instead of Turkey's membership to EU. Merkel said that they wanted a privileged partnership to be formed between Turkey and EU which meant a third method. Merkel who will meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said that Turkey exerted very much efforts for full membership to EU, adding that she would stress during the meeting that they wanted to develop their friendship and private relations with Turkey.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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GAME IS OVER
Under law no:5020, known as fight against embezzlement, Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF) took over the management Saturday of 219 companies owned by the Uzan group. New managers, who were appointed to the companies will have the authority to collect revenues. SDIF said in a statement that Saturday's takeover was aimed at collecting owed money stemming from embezzlement at the group's flagship bank, Imar Bankasi. The bank was taken over last year.

FROM ERDOGAN TO DENKTAS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who phoned President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said, ''we congratulate you. A good result has been obtained for now. Our support will continue. All the institutions support you.'' Erdogan said Turkish side gave a positive image to the world by remaining at the negotiation table.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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END OF A GIANT
All of the companies of Uzan Group, who had been the bank-industry-media giant of the past, were taken over as they did not pay 7.5 quadrillion lira debt.
Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF) took over the management Saturday of 219 companies owned by the Uzan group. More than 1000 policemen participated the operation only in Istanbul.
SDIF said partners of Imar Bankasi did not take any step for months to pay the 7.5 quadrillion lira debt of the bank and did not present a plan to pay the debt.
The last part of the operation was to the house of Cem Uzan. Uzan did not open the door to the police. A warning was made to Uzan to discharge his house in a week.

BIG PRIZE FROM BERLIN
The film ''Head-On'' which Meltem Cumbul was the actress, won the Golden Bear best film award at the Berlin Film Festival.
The film was directed by Turkish origin German citizen Fatih Akin. The film joined the Festival on behalf of Germany.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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REAL BARGAINING FOR CYPRUS STARTS NOW
Sides will try to reach an agreement on problematic items of the plan during the process which will start on February 19 and end on April 21 with the referendum to be held in both sides. If Turkish and Greek sides cannot reach a consensus during the process in which bargainings on sovereignty, guarantor rights, property and share of lands will be carried on, a five-way process will start with the participation of Turkey and Greece. Kofi Annan will fill in the items on which sides do not reach a consensus and sides will hold a referendum on April 21.

GOLDEN BEAR IS FATIH AKIN'S
Turkish Director Fatih Akin's movie ''Gegen die Wand'' (Head-On) won the Golden Bear best film award at the Berlin Film Festival. The movie joined the festival on behalf of Germany and tells the story of a Turkish girl living in Germany who falls in love with a boy and leaves her home.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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SECRETS OPENING WAYS OF SOLUTION IN CYPRUS
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and his team prepared three files including Annan Plan and the solution. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the political decision after elections in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Cooperation between Foreign Ministry and Turkish Armed Forces was not cut. Communication lines were formed with the European Union (EU) and the United States.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok supported the decision on January 8. TRNC President Denktas made Sezer and Gen. Ozkok confirm the new joint plan when Erdogan told the U.N. Secretary General ''we are ready''.

DAILY LIFE NORMALIZES
Daily life, which was paralyzed because of snow, normalized on Saturday.
Istanbul Strait, which was closed to transit passages because of heavy storm, was re-opened to transportation yesterday.
Officials warned the citizens against icy roads. Directorate of Meteorology said temperatures will increase 4 degrees Celsius.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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CYPRUS SPRING
The steps that Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have taken for the solution of Cyprus issue, which had been on the table for 40 years, brought respect to Turkey in international relations. The European Union (EU) officials said that Turkey was more powerful for membership now and added that this solution process would be a very appropriate dynamic for Turkey to receive a negotiation date.

ARMENIANS IN SHOCK
Armenians applied to Luxembourg Court of Justice by using so called Armenian genocide as an excuse to prevent Turkey's European Union (EU) membership. The court said 'no' to Armenians. It said, ''the claims do not have legal basis. They are unjust and unfounded claims.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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PERES: TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP TO EU PREVENTS ISLAM-WEST CLASH
Shimon Peres, leader of the Israeli Worker's Party in opposition and former Foreign Minister of Israel, said that if Europe wanted to end big clashes between Islamic world and Christian world, Turkey's membership to the European Union (EU) would be the best solution for this.

GUL SUGGESTS EU MODEL TO MIDDLE EAST
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul called Middle East countries to form a new security umbrella as Europe had done after the Second World War. Making a speech at the meeting of neighboring countries to Iraq in Kuwait, Gul said, ''we should take necessary lessons from the wars and clashes as Europe did after the Second World War. We can form our multilateral cooperation and security frame with political determination. We have the power to take this responsibility.''

(GC-AY) 15.02.2004