ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on May 21, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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VIRTUALLY STATE TERRORISM
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan harshly reacted against the United States for bombing a wedding house in Iraq and against Israel for attacking on a Palestinian refugee camp. Erdogan called world leaders to take joint stance against the steps which aggravate terrorism to virtually a state terrorism if they were to establish a joint platform in fight against terrorism.

ERDOGAN: WE SHALL BUILD PIPELINE WITH ROMANIA
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase attended Turkish-Romanian Business Council and addressed businessmen of both countries. Stressing that there could be a serious cooperation between two countries in economy field, Erdogan said that Turkey and Romania could lay natural gas pipelines beneath the sea. He added that this project was very important for transportation of Caspian and Caucasus natural gas to Europe.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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DGM SENDS GREETINGS TO EUROPE
State Security Courts (DGM), which will be closed if constitutional amendment package goes into effect, took radical decisions. Van and Erzurum DGMs decided acquittal of Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) leader Tuncer Bakirhan who was tried on charge of propaganda of terrorist organization in separate cases. DGMs said that making propaganda of terrorist organization was not sufficient for being a crime and showed norms of European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) as reference.

ECHR CHANGES ATTITUDE
When Greek Cypriot side voted 'no' in the referendum that was held in Cyprus regarding Annan Plan, European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) started to search for a stance regarding the lawsuits which were filed against Turkey by Cyprus. ECHR decided to evaluate political elements which emerged after the referendum. ECHR, which generally has taken decisions against Turkey in Cyprus cases until now, can now interpret new cases by taking some political realities into consideration.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SECOND SHIFT IN AFGHANISTAN
The United States demanded Turkey to undertake the command of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is active in Afghanistan under NATO, for the second time. The number of Turkish soldiers, which is now 240 in Kabul, will increase to 1500 when Turkey undertakes the command for the second time in February.
TURKEY TO SIGN FUTURE WAR PLANE
Turkish Defense Industry Undersecretary Murat Bayar said that Turkish Air Forces has a new project on war planes for 2010 and after 2010. He added that those new war planes would replace F-16 planes.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ISRAEL INSISTS ITS OWN WAY
Ankara reacted harshly to Israel's massacre in Rafah refugee camp. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that what happened in Iraq and Palestine were aggravated to state terrorism and added that only peace was hit with bombs. Erdogan called world leaders to take joint stance against inhumane developments.

GUL: RELATIONS WITH TEL AVIV WILL BE AFFECTED
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that very dangerous developments were happening in Gazza and added that the attitude of Israel would certainly affect relations between Turkey and Israel. Gul said that Turkey harshly condemned the attacks, adding that peace could not be settled by this way.

ERDOGAN: U.S. WANTS SOLDIERS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the United States demanded Turkish soldiers for NATO operations in Afghanistan. However, he added, this demand was not certain yet. He said that the United States demanded 400 soldiers and logistic support.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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CONDEMNATION NOT ENOUGH FOR ISRAEL
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted against Israeli administration and said that the attacks were inhumane. He said that the United Nations Security Council should not remain on condemning stage and added that related countries should convene and take necessary step. He said that the attitude should be determined within the scope of fight against terrorism. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''we harshly condemn the attacks. Peace cannot be settled by this way. This situation affects negatively Turkey-Israel relations.''

NEW UNDERSECRETARY FOR FOREIGN MINISTRY
Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ali Tuygan will be appointed as Undersecretary. Tuygan will take over the mission from Ugur Ziyal. Tuygan, who worked as ambassador in Ottawa, Riyadh and Athens, has been deputy undersecretary since 2001. Ziyal, who has been Foreign Ministry Undersecretary since 2001, can undertake mission in Rome.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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BITTER REALITY
When two million 250 thousand Turkish Liras (TL) per day is taken as basis for basic needs of a person, 24 million people, 34 percent of Turkish population, are living as 'poor'. This part of the population can take only five percent of national income.

FULL SUPPORT FROM ROMANIA TO TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that when Turkey starts membership negotiations with the European Union (EU), relations between Turkey and Romania would reach to a very different future. Erdogan and Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase held a joint press conference. Nastase thanked Turkey for its support to Romania's NATO membership and wanted the continuation of this support. He said that Romania would provide the necessary support and assistance for Turkey's EU membership.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SAAKASHVILI: TURKEY IS A SOUND COUNTRY WHICH GEORGIA CAN RELY ON
President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia told Zaman that they took Turkey as an example in many aspects. Noting that Turkey was a sound country which Georgia could rely on, Saakashvili said that Turkey's positive policy during Adzharia crisis prevented Russia to intervene in the region. Stressing that Turkey's integration with Europe and its success would open the path of Georgia as well, Saakashvili said that the relations between Turkey and Georgia would reach to the highest point with his visit to Turkey.

CONSOLIDATED BORROWING STOCK DROPS TO USD 205.5 BILLION
Turkey's total consolidated budget borrowing stock dropped by 12.4 billion U.S. dollars. According to Treasury's provisional monthly consolidated budget domestic and external borrowing statistics in April of 2004, Turkey's total consolidated budget borrowing stock dropped from 217.9 billion U.S. dollars at the end of March of 2004 to 205.5 billion U.S. dollars in April of 2004.

(GC-AÖ) 21.05.2004