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

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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SNOW, AVALANCHE AND FLOOD: 13 DIE FIVE OTHERS MISSING
Six people died and five others were missing in flood caused by rain and melting ice in eastern and southeastern Anatolia. Seven people from the same family died in avalanche in Dogubeyazit township.

46 KG HEROIN SEIZED IN DEREKOY CUSTOMS GATE
Customs Guard teams seized 46 kg heroin in a car which was about to go to Bulgaria from Derekoy Customs Gate in Kirklareli. The heroin was hidden in secret parts of the car.
Bulgarian driver in his interrogation said he loaded the heroin from Istanbul's Kumburgaz region to take it to Bulgaria.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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UKRAINE PASSION OF GOVERNOR
An investigation was launched about former Agri Governor Cumhur Ersoy for making special telephone calls with Ukraine. It has been revealed that when he was Agri Governor, Ersoy made the state pay his international telephone calls invoice worth of billions of Turkish liras, including his telephone calls with Ukraine. Ersoy rented Dogubeyazit Fodder and Agri Milk Factory for 20 years contrary to the laws. Ersoy said, ''I have friends in Ukraine. I called Ukraine after midnight because tariffs are cheaper at that time of the day. I learned that a factory can't be rented for more than ten years after I had rented it. Yes, I have made a mistake.''

''HATAY WAS A SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION FOR SYRIA''
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, who is paying a visit to Damascus, did not consider important the map hung on the wall of Syrian Oil Ministry which showed southern Hatay province within borders of Syria. Tuzmen said, ''Hatay was a source of frustration for Syria. We should not make it a complex.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ENERGY COOPERATION WITH SYRIA IS ON THE AGENDA
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said he thought Turkey and Syria could make cooperation in energy.
Tuzmen said, ''natural gas projects will be our field of study.''
Tuzmen, currently in Syria together with 220 Turkish businessmen to improve commercial relations and cooperation facilities between Turkey and Syria, started his meetings in Damascus.
Speaking at his meeting with Syrian Trade Minister Ghassan al-Rifai, Tuzmen stated that bilateral relations had gained significant momentum following Syrian President Bashar al-Asad's visit to Turkey in January.
Tuzmen said that Turkey wished to further improve bilateral relations with Syria and said that cooperation between two strong and influential countries of the region would be a symbol of stability in the Middle East.
Turkey wished to sign free trade agreement with Syria, Tuzmen noted.
10,000 HOUSES INUNDATED IN MERSIN
Flood negatively affects daily life in southern Mersin province.
Mersin Governor Atilla Osmancelebioglu said 10,000 houses were inundated in seven districts in Silifke township after Goksu River overflowed.
The governor said, ''studies are underway to rescue 60-70 people who were stranded in various districts.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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PRESIDENT SEZER STARTS EXAMINATION FOR MINES
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer set Presidency State Inspection Board into action to examine the mine resources and the fields where they can be used. It was reported that the Board will pay a special importance to boron and gold.
Experts said Turkey has necessary sources that will meet its needs in industrial raw materials and mine.

TEMPERATURES TO INCREASE
Istanbul Meteorology Regional Director Mustafa Yildirim said there would not be snow in the country today and that temperatures would increase.
Yildirim said temperatures would increase up to seven and 11 degrees Celsius.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ANKARA ASSURES U.N. OF CYPRUS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy for Cyprus Alvaro De Soto that they would solve Cyprus issue. Gul relieved De Soto, who showed his hopelessness by a question that what they would do since leaders could not agree, by clear words. Those who are feared of the course of Cyprus talks and who start a tour, are being calmed in Ankara. After U.S. envoy for Cyprus Weston, De Soto was encouraged with strong messages in Ankara. Gul replied to De Soto, who asked what they would do since leaders could not agree, by saying, ''we will conclude this issue.'' De Soto said that he was always bewildered by Turks. Thus, De Soto received ''the most comprehensive contribution'' from Turkey for quartet meetings to start on March 22. De Soto had a five-hour meeting with the bureaucrats. Ankara not only detailed its expectations verbally but also presented De Soto a written note.

CIVIL SERVANTS REBEL
Civil servants and workers protested all drafts which foresaw reforms in public and local administrations and provincial administrations with the support of many opposition parties, including Republican People's Party (CHP). About 60 thousand people chanted slogans against Justice and Development Party (AK Party) saying, ''yes to reform, no to trap.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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INFLATION IS PUT INTO COFFIN, WE ARE BURYING IT
Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan, who said that his party was in the power for happiness of the nation, noted, ''we have made all health agencies to serve people. We will take very important steps in field of education. Our national income will be 5 thousand U.S. dollars three years later.''

ANKARA WARNS
Ankara warned the United States that Turkey was uneasy about constitution of Iraq and expressed thought that it would be beneficial if the United States and all the concerned authorities took into consideration concerns of Turkey as soon as possible. Turkey conveyed its uneasiness about the interim constitution prepared by Iraqi Interim Government to the United States. Turkey's concerns were conveyed to U.S. Charges d'Affaires to Turkey Robert Deutch, who was summoned to the Foreign Ministry the previous evening. After Deutch left the building, the Ministry released a statement. In this statement, the Foreign Ministry drew attention to some negative developments stemming from insufficiency and imbalance in formation of Iraqi Governing Council in the law according to unofficial information received by the Ministry.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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WATER LEVEL IN STREETS REACH ONE METER DUE TO FLOOD
A great part of southern Silifke town was under waters as Goksu river overflowed its banks. Around 50 thousand people were affected by flood in the town and villages. Level of water in streets reached one meter.

BODY OF ENGINEER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN TO BE BROUGHT TO TURKEY TODAY
Body of twenty-nine-year-old Turkish engineer Tolga Erdem, who lost his life in the armed attack of unidentified assailants in Afghanistan, will be brought to Turkey today. Erdem's body will be brought to Ankara by a special plane. Turkey's Ambassador to Afghanistan Bulent Tulun said that Afghan Interior Ministry continued efforts to capture the assailants and to find Salih Aksoy, an official of the Kolin company who was abducted.

(BRC-AY) 07.03.2004