ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 16, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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DENKTAS: WE WANT THE RED COLOR IN THE FLAG TO BE PERPENDICULAR
Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders presented a list to U.N. Representative Alvaro do Soto including the amendments they wanted to be made in the Annan Plan and they started give-and-take process.
Meanwhile, President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), speaking about the new Cyprus flag which U.N. announced, said, ''there are oppositions why the red color of Turkish flag is below. We want the red lines to be perpendicular, not horizontal.

WOLFENSOHN: EXPEND SUPPORT TO TURKEY
World Bank President James Wolfensohn, speaking about the investment amount that could be made to Turkish economy, stated that, ''there is 70 million population in Turkey. Also, the company investing in Turkey, may reach one fourth of the world markets from here. Nice steps have been taken. The government promised continuation of this. Also, there are important facilities for small and medium scale enterprises. The government wants to make local and international investments. I believe that all of us expend necessary support to Turkey's efforts.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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CONFIDENCE INCREASES IN TURKEY
CEO of Fiat SPA Giuseppe Morchio said Investment Advisory Council would be a turning point for Turkey. Morchio said, ''we are on the eve of a new investment in Turkey. We are consulting with our partner. We are about to complete preliminary preparations.''
Morchio said, ''Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised for formation of direct atmosphere for foreign investors. He also gave the signals to back this promise. My confidence in Turkey increased.''
Stating that Turkish economy improved amazingly, Morchio said, ''it is a very big revolution that inflation and interest rates were taken under control in such a short time. Sales in domestic markets are very important for investors. Maintenance of stability is very important.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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EIGHT PROPOSALS TO PRIME MINISTER
High level administrators of 20 big companies, who joined Investment Advisory Council, presented an 8-item list.
Here are the eight proposals:
1-Rise exports potential and simplify tax system.
2-Form Investment Promotion Agency to attract new investors to the country
3-Improve telecommunication, energy and transportation facilities of the country
4-Invest more in education and decrease bureaucracy.
5-Provide more areas and fields for investments.
6-Make judicial system operational and protect intellectual property rights.
7-Speed up privatization and control unregistered economy.
8-Exert efforts for strengthening of small and medium scale enterprises within the program.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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INDIRECT TALKS START IN CYPRUS
U.N. Representative Alvaro de Soto separately met with Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos and TRNC President Rauf Denktas.
De Soto said give-and-take process has not started yet.

THEY LISTED CONDITIONS FOR INVESTMENT
Super bosses who joined the Investment Advisory Council wanted tax system to be simplified, bureaucracy to be decreased, and intellectual property rights to be protected.
The bosses wanted a series of betterments in Turkey regarding investment atmosphere in Turkey.
Prime Minister Erdogan said a company could be set up in a day in Turkey now, stressing that there was no discrimination between the local and foreign investors.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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Turkish police seized 153 kilograms 800 grams of heroin in two separate operations, Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah said.
Cerrah said 46 kilograms 800 grams of heroin were confiscated in an operation staged in Bahcelievler district of Istanbul in coordination between police departments in Istanbul and southern Mersin province.
Police detained three people who were loading the heroin on a truck, Cerrah said.
Cerrah noted that police seized 107 kilograms of heroin in the trunk of a vehicle in another operation in Kadikoy district of Istanbul.
Cerrah pointed out that police took into custody four people in this second operation.
PROMISE FROM ERDOGAN TO WORLD GIANTS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who addressed the meeting which leading 19 giant companies of the world attended, promised that they would not apply a policy that would disrupt market mechanisms.
Company administrators said the progress recorded in regulations to attract foreign investors, should also be put into practice.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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RECENT SUMMIT IN ANKARA
President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok will convene under the leadership of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in Cankaya Palace for the last time before the four-way meeting which Turkey and Greece would join.
Negotiations carried out in the island and the four-way meeting which would take place in Luzern city of Switzerland on March 24 would be discussed at the meeting in Cankaya Palace.
Turkey's basic conditions in Cyprus would be re-evaluated and referendum that would take place in TRNC would also be discussed.

ABDULLAH DUE IN TURKEY
King Abdullah of Jordan, one of the persons who exerted extreme efforts to provide peace in the Middle East, will visit Ankara today.
Fight against terrorism will be taken up in talks between Turkey and Jordan.
The sides are expected to discuss attacks in Turkey last November, and terrorist attack which shook Spain last week. A decision is expected to be taken at the end of the talks to further improve cooperation between the two countries against the terrorism threat which Al Qaida and other terrorist groups posed in the region for democratic countries.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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PROGRESS RECORDED ACCORDING TO DE SOTO WHO STARTED INDIRECT GIVE-AND-TAKE PROCESS IN THE ISLAND
U.N. Special Representative Alvaro de Soto, who did not pass to direct give-and-take process after considering the demands of the sides far away from each other, met with the leaders separately.
U.N. Representative said a satisfactory progress was made in talks so far, yet did not give details.

ANKARA: AJARIA IS PART OF GEORGIA
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that Ajaria Autonomous Region was a part of Georgia, and noted that, ''we suggest them not be split up and disrupt their authority.''
Replying to a question of reporters, Gul said Turkey closely followed the problems that erupted between Ajaria Autonomous Region and Georgia recently.
Gul said Ajaria was a part of Georgia, stressing that, ''we suggest them not be split up and disrupt their authority.''
Pointing out that Turkey wanted integrity of Georgia to be preserved, Gul said, ''we prefer stability in the Caucasus. Stability in Caucasia is for the benefit of both Turkey and the region. As you know, Georgia has problems with some other regions as well as Ajaria Autonomous Region. It has internal problems.''

(AY-AÖ) 16.03.2004