ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 23, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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MINORITY REVOLUTION WITH SECRET CIRCULAR
Government quietly put a very important decision about minorities into effect. Minorities Subordinate Commission was abolished.
The Commission, which has continued its activities since 1962, was brought onto agenda upon a warning that was made to the Reform Follow Up Group comprised of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu and Justice Minister Cemil Cicek.
The group, which was formed to cover implementation of EU adjustment laws, took action immediately even if the issue did not concern adjustment to the EU.
Upon an investigation, it was revealed that the Minorities Subordinate Commission had been founded in 1962 with a secret circular.
According to the circular, the commission included representatives from interior and foreign ministries, National Intelligence Agency, General Staff and National Security Council.
It seemed that the commission was founded to follow up the different procedures carried out against minorities. However, the real assignment had seemed to follow procedures of the minorities against national security.
Some citizens had been perceived as threat to Turkey's security as they were minorities. Minorities had been forced to get permission from this commission for their activities, but most of them had not been given permission.
The 42 year old secret circular was abolished by another secret circular bearing the signature of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

VERHEUGEN WARNS GREEK CYPRIOTS: DO NOT BLOCK THE SOLUTION
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen warned Greek Cypriots: ''Nobody should relieve himself thinking that he will become an EU member in any case. You will face problems in the EU in case there is a belief that Greek Cypriots have responsibility in insolubility.''
Verheugen said there were countries ready to create political problems against Cyprus. The United States and the strongest countries of the EU are among those. ''You know Islam countries did not recognize Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) so far because of Washington.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN: ''WE WANT AK PARTY'S MAYOR CANDIDATES TO BE ELECTED ESPECIALLY IN CANKAYA''
Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that they wanted AK Party's mayor candidates to be elected especially in Cankaya and all districts of Ankara. Erdogan, some ministers and Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek attended opening ceremony of Bahcelievler underpass in Ankara. Erdogan said that they wanted AK Party to be elected especially in Cankaya district and all districts of Ankara.

BANKING SECTOR FOCUSES ON FACTORING
Factoring Association Executive Board Chairwoman and international factoring organization FCI Deputy President Rengin Ekmekcioglu said that banks focused on factoring rather than granting investment loans to companies. Stating that banking sector focused on small and medium scale enterprises (KOBIs), Ekmekcioglu said that KOBIs were users of factoring products.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN ANNOUNCES HIS PARTY'S MAYOR CANDIDATES
Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his party's mayor candidates. Kadir Topbas is AK Party's mayor candidate for Istanbul, Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek became mayor candidate for Ankara and Taha Aksoy became AK Party's mayor candidate for western province of Izmir.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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INVITATION TO CATASTROPHE
All of us were deeply sorry after a train carrying industrial chemicals exploded in Iran and erased five villages from the map. However, residents of Istanbul are very close to danger of explosion every day which may overshadow the train explosion in Iran. At least 100 tankers, carrying nuclear waste, chemical items, LPG and several other dangerous cargo pass from the Istanbul Strait everyday.
Experts said in case a ship, loaded with ''ammonia gas'' makes an accident, life in 3 km area will be damaged.

SNOW AND SNOWSTORM PARALYZE DAILY LIFE
Two passenger buses were stranded with its 50 passengers in Gurun township in Central Anatolian Sivas province because of heavy snow. Police managed to reach the two buses after 16 hours. A person in Istanbul has frozen to death.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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AK PARTY OPENS ITS CARDS
There is no surprise in mayor candidates of Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced AK Party's mayor candidates. Kadir Topbas is mayor candidate for Istanbul, Melih Gokcek became mayor candidate for Ankara and Caglar Mesut Bozoglu is mayor candidate for Cankaya district of Ankara. Taha Aksoy became mayor candidate for western Izmir province, Aytac Durak is mayor candidate for southern Adana province and Hikmet Sahin became mayor candidate for Bursa province.

TEMPERATURES TO RISE IN TURKEY
Temperatures will rise first in western regions and then the whole country. While heavy snow paralyzes daily life and traffic in Eastern Anatolia Region, there will be warm and rainy weather in western regions of the country on Monday. Temperatures will increase by 8-10 Celsius degrees. Schools recessed for two days in Erzurum, Bingol, Mus, Ordu, Artvin, Bayburt, Siirt, Trabzon, Giresun and Erzincan provinces due to heavy snowfall.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GERMAN FRIENDSHIP
Turkey for the first time hosts a German Chancellor after 11 years following the visit of Helmut Kohl.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who gives positive messages about Turkey's full membership to the European Union (EU), will meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan today and give message both to European politicians and Turkey that, ''we are beside Turkey''.
Bilateral relations as well as Turkey's full membership to the EU, Cyprus, Iraq, Middle East and NATO summit in Istanbul, regional and international issues are expected to be discussed during the two-day visit of Schroeder.

HARSH REACTION FROM ARMY
General Staff General Secretariat issued a written statement to criticize the news reports claiming that Sabiha Gokcen, adopted child of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of Modern Turkish Republic, was of Armenian origin.
The statement said, ''Sabiha Gokcen is a valuable and rationalist symbol showing where the Turkish women should be in Turkish society. Whatever its reason is, opening such a symbol into discussion is an approach failing to contribute to the national unity and society peace.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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EXPORTS INCREASES 500 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS FOLLOWING VISIT OF UNDERSECRETARY TO AFRICAN COUNTRIES
Foreign Trade Undersecretariat started to examine Africa after they had positive results from the strategy to improve trade with neighbors. Turkey's exports to African countries increased 500 million U.S. dollars following the visits to those countries in 2003. Now, the target is to increase this figure to five billion U.S. dollars in the short term.

GUL TO PAY THE FIRST VISIT TO MOSCOW AFTER EIGHT YEARS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will leave for Moscow today on an official visit as the guest of Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.
Gul will be received by Russian Head of State Vladimir Putin and will have comprehensive talks with Ivanov.
This is the first official visit of a Turkish foreign minister to Moscow after eight years. A series of cooperation protocols are expected to be signed during the visit. Regional and international issues are also expected to be discussed.

(EÖ-AY-AÖ) 23.02.2004