ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 12, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ECHR'S DECISION ON HEAD SCARF
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rejected the application regarding the issue of wearing head scarves in universities of Turkey. ECHR which examined the application of Leyla Sahin, a university student in Turkey, approved the ban on wearing religious head scarves in universities in its draft decision. Noting that religious symbols could constitute pressure on other students, ECHR said that universities could limit the freedom to express beliefs in order to provide the unity among students having different beliefs. The draft decision is expected to become final next month.

TERRORISTS HAVE AFGHANISTAN CONNECTION
The terrorists who launched the attack on the Masonic lodge in Yakacýk, Kartal last Tuesday were identified. One of them was Engin Vural (33) who was working in a natural gas distribution company IGDAS and whose father was a retired police officer and the other one was Nihat Dogruel (28) who was a worker in a furniture shop. Dogruel died when he detonated the bomb on him during the attack. Both of them were earlier detained for collecting money for Chechen terrorists and they had been to Afghanistan.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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AL QAIDA CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR ATTACK ON MASONIC LODGE
An e-mail message claimed to be sent by the terrorist organization Al Qaida assumed responsibility for the attack launched on the Masonic lodge in Kartal district of Istanbul last Tuesday. An Arabic newspaper based in London announced that it received an e-mail message from the terrorist organization Al Qaida which claimed responsibility for the train blasts in Spain and also for the Masonic lodge attack in Istanbul. In the message, it was noted that ''all the Masons would have been killed, but there was a technical fault. So because God wished it, only three were killed.''

CALL TO DENKTAS: PLEASE REMAIN SILENT
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that he was against making public everything that was discussed in Cyprus negotiations, giving a message to TRNC President Rauf Denktas. TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and TRNC Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas came to Ankara and met with Gul prior to the give-and-take process that would start in Cyprus negotiations today. Gul said that ''certain things are said and done behind the closed doors to have sound negotiations, statesmen give importance to this issue and know what can be said and what can't be said. Mr. Denktas is a person who knows this very well.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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QUADRILATERAL SUMMIT IN LUZERN TOWN ON MARCH 24
Greek Cypriot press asserted that the U.N. decided to hold the quadrilateral meeting to take place on March 24 among the two sides in Cyprus, Turkey and Greece in Luzern, which is a small town between Zurich and Bern cities of Switzerland. TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat also confirmed that the summit would take place in that town of Switzerland. Turkey wants those meetings to be at the level of prime ministers.

GIVE-AND-TAKE PROCESS STARTS IN CYPRUS NEGOTIATIONS
A new process starts in the 14th session in Cyprus talks today. TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said that De Soto made preparations about the issues in which give-and-take process would start. Talat stressed that everything seemed to be left to U.N. Secretary General Annan in the end, adding this was not wanted by the two sides in Cyprus.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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REACTION TO LISTING OF PEOPLE
Media reacted to the news saying that Land Forces Command sent a letter to military centers and local governors asking them to collect information and intelligence about certain groups and persons like those who support European Union and the United States, Masonic groups, minorities and internet groups. All newspapers including the conservative ones reacted to the news which was confirmed by General Staff.

GENCLERBIRLIGI GETS ADVANTAGE IN UEFA CUP
Genclerbirligi beat Valencia of Spain 1-0 in the UEFA Cup fourth round first leg in Ankara yesterday. By this result Genclerbirligi got an advantage for the quarterfinal match. The only goal of the match came from Filip Deams of Genclerbirligi in an early penalty.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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WARNING TO DENKTAS
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who met with TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and TRNC Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas in Ankara yesterday warned TRNC President Rauf Denktas, calling him not to make public everything that was discussed in Cyprus negotiations through live broadcasts.

GIVE-AND-TAKE PROCESS STARTS TODAY
U.N. Secretary General's special envoy for Cyprus Alvaro De Soto met with the new government in Greece before the give-and-take process that will start in Cyprus negotiations today. Athens gave the message that its policy (that of the PASOK government) would not change and De Soto was pleased to hear it.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ERDOGAN: WE UNDERSTAND VERY WELL PAIN OF SPAIN
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer sent a message of condolence to Spanish King condemning the train attacks in Spain killing many people. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said in their part that ''Turkey suffered from terrorism for years. We very well understand the pain of Spain and share their grief.''

CALL TO DENKTAS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul who evaluated the developments in Cyprus sent a message to TRNC President Rauf Denktas. Asking him not to make explanations about the bilateral talks through live broadcasts, Gul stated that this was necessary for carrying out sound negotiations in Cyprus. TRNC and Greek Cypriot side will start the give-and-take process today. The quadrilateral meetings including Turkey and Greece will be held in Switzerland.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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''THEY CAN ALSO PUT ME ON LIST, BECAUSE I AM DEMOCRAT''
Reactions continue to come to the demand of Land Forces Command which asked local authorities to collect information about persons supporting European Union and the United States and other specific groups in Turkey. Turkish Democracy Foundation Chairman and former deputy from Motherland Party (ANAP) Emre Kocaoglu said that ''they can also put me on the list because I am a democrat.''

(ÖÞ-AÖ) 12.03.2004