ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on May 9, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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A HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD TUBE DREAM BECOMES A REALITY IN THE END
''Marmaray Project'' which will bring a radical solution to busy traffic in Istanbul in the end becomes a reality.
Foundation of Railway Tube Passage and Gebze-Haydarpasa, Sirkeci-Halkali Suburb line will be laid today.
The 2.5 billion U.S. dollars project, which Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim described as ''a hundred-year-old dream'' is comprised of 13.5 km line.

WHITE PAGE AGREEMENT
The step, which provided ''white page agreement'', was taken with the meeting between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Greek counterpart Costas Caramanlis.
Erdogan conveyed the uneasiness felt over a meeting which took place in Athens by Armenians and in which some Greek ministers and administrations joined.
Caramanlis said ''this is a free country'' and gave the message that they could not intervene in such meetings.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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JOY IN THRACE
Komotini had a historical day on Saturday. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was welcomed by many people in Komotini. Erdogan who was the first Turkish prime minister visiting Komotini after 51 years addressed the people in Komotini saying that ''Turkey always remembers you.'' Erdogan said that they would extend efforts for solution of Western Thrace issue with good will as they did in Cyprus issue. Erdogan noted that good will which appeared between the two countries would further improve relations and stated that they aimed to talk about the future, not the past. Some women who hugged Erdogan cried.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS PLEASE EU
European Union (EU) Commission considered constitutional amendments which were passed from Turkish parliament another step which was taken on political criteria. EU Commission said that they were pleased with constitutional amendments in Turkey and noted that this new package showed once again Turkey's commitment on political reforms. The Commission added that this package was another step for completion of Copenhagen political criteria.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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CALL TO WESTERN TRACE TURKS FOR COMMON SENSE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the first prime minister which the Western Thrace Turks welcomed, listened to the problems and said, ''be patient''.
Erdogan gave the message to the Turkish minority in Komotini who complained about the Greeks that the problems could be solved through patience and common sense.

UNCERTAINTY IN RELATIONS WITH THE IMF SHOULD BE REMOVED
Central Bank Deputy Governor Fatih Ozatay said uncertainty regarding how relations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would continue should be removed as of February 2005.
Ozatay stressed that political stability was also important, stating that inflation reached a positive point in indexes like debt stock and growth.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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END OF A PERIOD IN JUDICIARY
State Security Courts (DGMs) which put its seal to the 20 years of the judicial system will end if President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approves constitutional amendment package which was approved in the Parliament.

HISTORICAL VISIT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who paid an official visit to Greece, met with Turkish society in Komotini in the last day of his visit.
Around 300 people comprised of Turkish minority welcomed Erdogan at Kavala Airport. Erdogan wanted Western Thrace Turks to work for a ''strong Greece''.

INDUSTRY PRODUCTION INCREASES
The Monthly Industrial Production Index increased by 14.9 percent in March of 2004 over to the same month of the previous year.
State Institute of Statistics (SIS) announced on Saturday the results of monthly industrial production index for March 2004.
At the level of sub-sectors of industry, manufacturing industry production increased by 17.0 percent, mining industry production decreased by 3.6 percent, electricity, gas and water production increased by 3.4 percent, in March of 2004, over to the same period of the previous year.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ERDOGAN TO TAKE FINAL DECISION ON DRAFT YOK LAW
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Central Executive Board (CEB) determined proposal on the draft Higher Education Board (YOK) law which will be submitted to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The proposal said that withdrawing the draft YOK law from the parliament would harm Turkey's European Union (EU) process and noted that they should search for compromise in the parliament. After reaction of universities and the statement of the General Staff, AK Party has been searching a solution concerning the draft YOK law.

ERDOGAN WELCOMED IN WESTERN THRACE
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who was the first Turkish prime minister visiting Western Thrace after 52 years was welcomed in Komotini. Erdogan asked Turkish minority to work for a powerful Greece. Erdogan said that Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis would be more sensitive on Turkish minority issue than previous governments.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ISOLATION TO BE LIFTED
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, who returned from the United States, said assurances were given that isolation on TRNC on economy and many other fields would be lifted even if they were not recognized.
Talat said U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell reiterated that various aid would be made to TRNC.

BAIRAM DAY IN KOMOTINI
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who started a new period with Greece by visiting Athens, also went to Western Thrace and boosted morale to Turkish kinsmen there.
Erdogan was welcomed with enthusiasm in Western Thrace where no president or prime minister have visited for 52 years.
Erdogan said, ''be in unity and integrity and send joint candidates to parliaments. The two countries want peace from now on.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TALAT: ''WORLD SHOULD MAKE BUSINESS WITH US''
Mehmet Ali Talat, the Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said that the United States was pleased with Turkish Cypriots' great peaceful initiative. Stating that Greek Cypriots could not represent Turks anymore, Talat said, ''the world also including European Union (EU) should make business with us.'' Talat said that they wanted solution as the world and the United Nations (U.N.) wanted and recalled that however Greek Cypriots voted against the U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan on Cyprus. Talat added that U.N. Secretary General's report was very important.

(EÖ-AY) 09.05.2004