ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on May 23, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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RULING AND OPPOSITION HAND IN HAND
Turkish Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal took each other by their hands and talked for a while in the general assembly of the Union of Turkish Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB). Erdogan, who delivered a speech at the general assembly, said, ''all of us should remember that we went through difficult days.'' Erdogan stated that economic program would continue without any change.

TRNC PM TALAT: ''WE WON'T TAKE BACKWARD STEP FROM ANNAN PLAN''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said that it was not possible for them to discuss again United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem. Talat, who replied to questions of Hurriyet, said that Greek Cypriots could demand that Turkish soldiers should leave the island, but there was Annan's plan. He added that they would not take backward step from Annan's plan.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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SURPRISE CHAT
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had a sincere dialogue with two people from the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, who had earlier staged a demonstration in front of Turkish Embassy, in Russian capital Moscow. After Gul completed his official meetings in Moscow, he had a walk on Arbat Street. When he was walking, two Turks approached Gul. Turkish officials said that they remembered these two people from a protest in front of Turkish Embassy. The officials were uneasy about possibility of occurrence of an unfavorable incident. But, two Turks who shook hands with Gul, requested Gul to ''continue domestic peace efforts.''

THIRTY-NINE KG HEROIN SEIZED IN TRUCK
Turkish police confiscated 39.5 kilograms of heroin in an operation staged in Avcilar district of Istanbul. Three people were detained in connection with the haul. Acting on a tip-off that heroin was smuggling from Turkey to European country by a truck, police found 39.5 kilograms of heroin hidden in the truck.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ECEVIT'S CROWN PRINCE BECOMES ZEKI SEZER
Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit nominated DSP deputy leader Zeki Sezer as his successor. Ecevit, who announced that he would not run his candidacy for DSP leadership in DSP congress to be held two months later, nominated Sezer as his successor. Sezer said that he did not expect such a proposal.

DGM'S ABOLISHED BUT ADJUDICATION TO CONTINUE
The constitutional amendment abolishing the State Security Courts (DGMs) has entered into force. But, lawsuits will continue due to the provision of the Constitution saying, ''courts are established by laws.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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SPECIAL REDUCTION TO INVESTMENTS
The draft tax package ends tax exemption but reduces tax of businessmen who makes investments. The new package foresees 40 percent of tax reduction for investors besides the current 40 percent tax reduction made for them.

TOBB WARNS GOVERNMENT: PEOPLE WANT ACTION FROM YOU
Rifat Hisarciklioglu, the Chairman of Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), said that the government ''took wrong economic steps'' and stressed that the government did not monitor implementation of reform programs. Hisarciklioglu noted that Turkish people were expecting concrete action from the government not only words.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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DIYARBAKIR MAYOR SAYS DIALOGUE IS INSUFFICIENT
Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir, who said that there was betterment in humane relations when compared with the past, explained his problems to Radikal daily. Baydemir said, ''we are facing big problems in Diyarbakir since we can't reach the desired level in solution of human rights, democracy and Kurdish issue. There is betterment in humane relations when compared with the past but, the central government is still prejudiced.'' Baydemir also said, ''there is a problem of confidence between the central government and local administration and this should be overcome. I can have a positive view towards the governor. We don't have to like each other but we have to respect each other. Municipality is a public institution, and public institutions should work together.'' Baydemir said, ''we should not have ethnic and nationalistic problems. Points of view of all our governments towards democracy, human rights and Kurdish issue are the same. If there is a positive situation today, this is the common point of all of us. Whoever is brave, he/she can find a solution.''

NEW ATTACK FROM TRNC
Citizens of European Union (EU) member countries, including the Greek Cypriots, can cross from the south to the north of Cyprus without passport. The Greek Cypriot side lifted its punishment threat towards EU citizens who entered the island from the north and passed from the Green Line upon EU's warning, the Turkish Cypriot side also took a new step. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will not ask EU citizens, including the Greek Cypriots who want to cross from the south to the north of the island, to show their passports. Their identity cards will be adequate in crossing to the north of the island.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GUL: ''IF TURKEY IS NOT ACCEPTED TO EU, EU MENTALITY WILL FAIL''
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that if Turkey was not accepted to the European Union (EU), EU mentality would fail. Gul, who attended a panel discussion on new horizons in Turkish foreign policy in Turkish commercial hub Istanbul, noted that telling Turkey that it had not met Copenhagen political criteria would be very unjust for Turkey. Gul said, ''today, Turkey has made all its homework and met Copenhagen political criteria. And, it is ready to start full membership negotiations with the EU.'' Turkish Foreign Minister Gul said that EU leaders, who would convene in Brussels under term presidency of the Netherlands in December, would decide whether or not Turkey had met Copenhagen political criteria. Gul stated that EU leaders would decide whether or not to start full membership negotiations with Turkey.

AGAR: ''WE SHOULD LEAVE IMF''
True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar, who delivered a speech in the general assembly of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) of Turkey, said that International Monetary Fund (IMF) policies which have been implemented in Turkey came to an end and stated that Turkey should put forth its own model and alternative from now on.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ZAPSU SAYS ERDOGAN MADE MISTAKE BY TRUSTING IN RECTORS
Cuneyd Zapsu, who is among 'A Team' of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that the law on Higher Education Board (YOK) should have been passed from the parliament last year. Zapsu said that rectors were playing with time not to reach a consensus and noted that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made mistake by trusting in rectors. Zapsu stated that he did not agree with the concept of ''conservative democrat'' that was used for Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and added that AK Party was a reformist party.

(EÖ-BRC) 23.05.2004