ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 20, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BASBUG: ''TURKEY IS SECULAR, DEMOCRATIC AND SOCIAL STATE OF LAW''
Turkey's Deputy Chief of General Staff Ilker Basbug held a news conference for Turkish reporters at the Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C. after completing his meetings in the United States. Basbug said, ''some circles are talking about Turkey's undertaking a model role under the Greater Middle East Initiative. In fact, Turkey does not have any claim to be a model. Republic of Turkey has been a secular, democratic and social state of law since its foundation in 1923. There are some allegation about model of an Islamic state. Secularism and moderate Islamic state cannot co-exist. We have been explaining that Turkey was secular, democratic and social state of law. We think that other views are not appropriate. Our counterparts have well-understood it.''

GUL: ''DENKTAS HAS A DECISION. WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO PERSUADE PEOPLE BY FORCE''
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) had made a decision, noting that, ''we are not in a position to persuade people by force.'' Gul said he and Denktas evaluated developments regarding Cyprus during a telephone conversation yesterday. Meanwhile, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government decided to hold a summit on Cyprus issue on Saturday.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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KURDS MINT MONEY
Kurds who have gained status of federation under the interim constitution of Iraq have minted money. A state is being founded in north of Iraq step by step. Kurds in north of Iraq have taken another step on the road to full independence and pushed into market thousands of money. The money minted in north of Iraq is similar to the ''cent'', the smaller monetary unit in the United States. This money was minted in bronze, nickel and gold. ''Kurdistan state'' is written on some of these 1, 10, 100 and 1,000 dinars.

IF ANNAN PLAN DOESN'T CHANGE, TRNC WILL VOTE ''NO''
According to a survey carried out in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), 40 percent of Turkish Cypriots will say ''yes'' to the referendum if no changes are made in United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan. If the plan is changed, this rate will rise to 52 percent.

''TURKEY'S STRUCTURE IS EVIDENT''
Turkish Deputy Chief of General Staff Ilker Basbug said that Turkey did not have any claim to be a model for Middle Eastern countries. Basbug said, ''some use concepts like 'modest Islam model' for Turkey. But, an Islam state can't be both secular and modest at the same time. Turkey's structure is evident. We are a secular and social state of law.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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FIGHT FOR IZMIR
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal will ''duel in the fields'' in western Izmir province on Sunday. Erdogan will continue his struggle in Izmir to win the local elections in three metropolises, namely Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir while Baykal will try not to lose the castle of the left. Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Prime Minister Erdogan will campaign in Inciralti district of Izmir while Baykal will campaign in Gundogdu district.

BLOODSHED IN ELECTION CONVOY: TWO JOURNALISTS DIE
Cameraman of Dicle News Agency and correspondent of Evrensel newspaper died when they were covering the trip of Democratic Union of Forces to southern Adana province. Two journalists hit their heads on an overpass when they were covering the campaign of the party on the election bus.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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''THEY HAVE DETERIORATED THE SYSTEM''
Higher Education Board (YOK) Chairman Erdogan Tezic said that government officials limited their work on YOK with only imam hatip schools, high schools giving religious education. Tezic noted that this issue was used as a tool for elections. YOK Chairman Tezic stressed that the basis of the Republic was secular education. Tezic pointed out that as the opposition was weak, government-opposition balance had turned into state ruling-party ruling balance.

MURDERER OF SEVEN YOUNG PEOPLE FREED
Haluk Kirci, the murderer of seven students who supported Turkish Workers' Party (TIP), was released as he benefited from Execution Law. Some circles were bewildered as Kirci, who was sentenced to death penalty for seven times, was released. Ersen Sansal, the lawyer of families of the seven students, said, ''nobody should be bewildered if this person is decorated with a medal of merit after all these developments.'' Lawyer Sansal said that the article on abolition of death penalty was interpreted wrongly, adding that he would object to the verdict.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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GUL: NOTHING CAN BE ACHIEVED BY SLOGANS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas can't be convinced to participate in the four-party conference to take place among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece in Switzerland as a part of the ongoing Cyprus negotiations. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''we can't compel him. At what point slogans will take us in foreign policy can't be certain.'' Gul, who spoke to Denktas by phone, said, ''we started the process with you and we would like to end it with you'' but Denktas did not take a backward step. Gul then told reporters, ''we can't compel him.'' Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok and Gul will meet to assume an attitude before the quartet conference to be held in Switzerland.

DECISION TO ARREST 28 MORE PEOPLE IN PROTEST
Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office thought that arresting only 13 people in the demonstration held in Ankara to protest the Higher Education Board (YOK) was not enough. Therefore, the court decided to arrest 28 more people in absentia.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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DENKTAS CAN'T BE CONVINCED
Turkish Foreign Ministry and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) government are trying to convince TRNC President Rauf Denktas after he announced that he would not participate in the quartet conference to take place among TRNC, Greek Cypriot side, Turkey and Greece in Switzerland as a part of ongoing Cyprus negotiations. Denktas announced that he insisted on his decision not to go to Switzerland and he had notified his decision to Ankara and the United Nations (U.N).

GENERAL BASBUG: ''PKK SHOULD BE ERADICATED''
Turkish Deputy Chief of General Staff Ilker Basbug, who held meetings in the United States, said, ''we are expecting the United States to take concrete and convincing steps about elimination of the terrorist organization PKK from north of Iraq.''

RECORD DAY OF STOCK EXCHANGE
Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) rose to 20.023 points yesterday and reached the highest level in its history. The previous record of the stock exchange was 19,926 points, which was reached on January 9, 2004.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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AMBASSADORS TO HELP TURKISH BUSINESSMEN
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said that they gave ambassadors special authority to help Turkish businessmen who planned to make investments abroad. Gul noted that they launched initiatives to help Turkish businessmen. Gul attended a meeting on ''New Initiatives in Foreign Policy and Its Reflections in Business World'' and answered to questions.

BAYKAL: ''WE WILL VISIT PROVINCES MORE THAN 30 TILL LOCAL ELECTIONS''
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal who continues his party's campaign on local elections said, ''timing of campaigns is very important. CHP has launched timely campaign. We will visit provinces more than 30 till local elections.''

(EÖ-BRC) 20.03.2004