ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 14, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ANKARA TO PROPOSE STARTING 4-PARTY MEETING ON MARCH 24
The government has been getting ready to four-party meetings to be held in Switzerland under the negotiation process aiming to find a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue. After it became clear that President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos could not reach an agreement, Turkey has taken action. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared a list of proposals. Ankara will propose starting a four-party meeting on March 24 instead of March 22. Turkish and Greek foreign ministers will join President Denktas and Papadopoulos at the first stage. Later, Turkish and Greek prime ministers will attend the meeting.

MOGHADAM: ''TURKEY SHOULD MAINTAIN ITS REFORM PROCESS''
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam has said that Turkish lira was considered as a currency to hold as a value. Noting that macro economic stability had been provided and steps should be taken to further consolidate it and make it permanent, Moghadam said that it should be backed by structural reform, preserving the advantages and benefits that had been gotten so far to make more progress. Pointing out that successes in macro economic field in 2003 had been quite effective on basis of indicators in 2003, Moghadam said that indicators in 2004 were not different from those.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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KURDS RIOT IN SYRIA
A fighting at a soccer match in Syria turned into a Kurdish riot. Incidents started two days ago when pro-Saddam Arabs swore at Kurdish leaders Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani during a soccer match at the Kameshli Stadium near Syria's border with southeastern province of Mardin and they turned into almost a civil war. Demonstrators which set fire to a number of state buildings also raided the Turkish Border Gate in Kameshli and set fire to the customs buildings. Kurds spread their rioting to other towns. They burned Syrian President's posters and Syrian flags. Armored vehicles were sent to areas. In the riot which could be seen from the settlements near the border, 52 people were killed and 200 others were injured.

''WE MADE A GOOD TAKE-OFF SO WE WON'T NOSE-DIVE''
In an interview with the newspaper, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that Turkey from time to time took an upward trend but it nose-dived at each time. ''This time, we made a good take-off so we won't nose-dive again. There is a big and brilliant future in front of us. Ideological issues and some ethnic movements will reduce.''

HERE CYPRUS' NEW FLAG
Turkish and Greek Cypriots have made their first deal since the beginning of negotiations on February 19. The delegation comprising Turkish and Greek Cypriots reached a memorandum in principle on United Cyprus Republic's flag. The new flag will be in blue, white, red and orange colors.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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CLASH ERUPTS BETWEEN POLICE AND STUDENTS IN ANKARA
Security forces intervened in a group students who held a demonstration in Ankara to protest the Higher Education Board (YOK). Clash erupted between security forces and students. Students responded security forces' warning to disperse by throwing paving stones at them. Security forces used tear-gas to disperse students. Nearly 50 students were arrested.

BABACAN: ''WE TRIED HARD NOT TO INCREASE PRICES OF ESSENTIAL GOODS''
State Minister Ali Babacan has said that they had tried hard not to increase prices of essential goods. Babacan said, ''we focus on a large package of measures including twenty-twenty five items. We tried hard not to increase essential goods in price. Two-thirds of these measures are savings measures and the remaining measures aim to increase revenues. Under the seventh review, there won't be increase in prices of natural gas, electricity and liquefied natural gas. These are not among the measures to close the seven quadrillion liras of deficit. However, there is a full consensus of opinion that those measures would be enough to close the deficit.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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KIZILAY BATTLE
More than 2 thousand students who came to Ankara from different provinces have held a demonstration to protest the Higher Education Board (YOK). Clash erupted between security forces and students during the demonstration. When security forces warned students to disperse immediately, they threw paving stones at security forces. Police used tear gas and sprayed students with water to put an end to the demonstration which turned Kizilay Square of Ankara into a battle zone.

DENKTAS: ''I AM IN A DILEMMA ABOUT PRESENTING DRAFT CONSTITUTION''
President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has said, ''I am in a dilemma about presenting the draft constitution of partner state, that would destroy the TRNC, to the United Nations. The chief prosecutor ruled that the draft constitution could not be sent to the parliament legally for approval. I will made a decision after holding talks with leaders of political parties.'' The draft constitution of the Turkish Cypriot state, one of the two founder states to form the united Cyprus state in line with the plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, was prepared by a special parliamentary committee under the negotiation process aiming to find a fair and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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MOGHADAM EULOGIZES CENTRAL BANK
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam has expressed his wish that stability would be permanent in Turkey. He stressed that Turkish lira was considered as a currency to hold as a value. Moghadam eulogized efforts of the World Bank.

NUMBER OF DETAINEES INCREASES TO 15 IN BOMB ATTACK ON MASONIC LODGE
Number of people, who were detained in connection with the bomb attack on the Free and Accepted Masons Grand Lodge Association in Kartal district of Istanbul, has increased to fifteen. Security forces detained six more people under the investigation into the attack. It was revealed that two of them had received military training abroad, and they had been in Afghanistan for a while. Meanwhile, Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) has given additional time for interrogation of the detainees. Two suicide bombers struck at the association building on March 9. One killed himself while the other failed to set off his explosives. In the attack, a person was killed and several others were injured.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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CEOs TO COME TO TURTEY
Istanbul will host a meeting of the Turkish Investment Consultative Council at the Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski on March 15, 2004. World Bank President James Wolfensohn, International Monetary Fund (IMF) First Deputy Managing Director Anne Krueger and representatives of international economy and finance organizations will be among participants of the meeting. CEOs of nearly 20 multinational companies will attend the meeting. During the meeting, government officials and representatives of Turkish private sector will give information on developments in investing environment in Turkey. The target of the meeting to listen to foreign investors' expectations from Turkey and to determine necessary additional measures to be taken to increase foreign investments in Turkey.

DEMIREL EXTENDS HIS CONDOLENCES TO SPANISH PEOPLE
Former President Suleyman Demirel visited the Spanish Embassy in Ankara, and extended his condolences to those who lost their lives in Thursday's bomb attacks in Spanish capital Madrid.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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STATE SUMMONS 148 VOTERS TO TOWN INSTEAD OF SENDING BALLOT-BOX TO VILLAGE
Ballot-boxes are sent to villages in the eastern Turkey which do not have any road connection with a town or city-center before every local and general elections. However, residents of Cicekli village in eastern province of Kars will cast their votes in Kagizman town which is 50 kilometers from their village in the local elections on March 28. Villagers showed reaction by saying, ''ballot-box does not come here so we go to it by riding mules.''

30,000 JAPANS CHEER ILHAN
Turkey's World Cup striker Ilhan Mansiz played his first official match yesterday as a J-League club Vissel Kobe player. The cheers of the fans filled the jam-packed stadium. Mansiz was vigorously applauded whenever he played with the ball. He played important role in his team's 2-1 home win.

(UK-MS) 14.03.2004