ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 15, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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A NEW TCK JUST IN 50 HOURS
The Parliamentary Justice Commission approved the draft Turkish Penal Code after a working period of 50 hours. The draft is expected to be enacted in the new legislative year. Parliamentary Justice Commission Chairman Koksal Toptan said that they would assess new proposals of deputies about the draft in September or in October.

''DEATH SENTENCE'' EXCLUDED COMPLETELY FROM TURKISH LAWS
Turkish parliament ratified a draft law changing the expressions of ''execution of death sentence'' and ''death sentence'' in laws as ''heavy life imprisonment'' in order to conform to recent constitutional amendments. Both ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputies cast their votes in favor of the draft envisaging changes in 46 articles of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and in many other laws in line with the amendments to articles 15, 17 and 87 of the Constitution about the death sentence.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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COURT OVERTURNS CONVICTION OF FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
The Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department no: 9 unanimously overturned conviction of four former deputies of the outlawed Democracy Party (DEP) on the basis of opinions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), articles of the European Convention for Human Rights, and the recent packages aiming to adjust Turkey to the European Union (EU) standards. Leyla Zana and three other former deputies were released from prison last month after prosecutors asked for a retrial citing procedural violations in their earlier retrial. The former deputies had already served 10 years of their 15-year sentence. They will remain free during their retrial. No date has yet been set for the new trial.

OLMERT ASSURES TURKEY: ''WE DO NOT TRAIN KURDISH GROUPS''
Israeli First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communications, Labor, Industry and Trade Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday that Israel had not carried out any activities against Turkey in northern part of Iraq. In an interview with the CNN-Turk TV Channel, Olmert, who held talks with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, stressed that they had never trained Kurdish groups in northern part of Iraq. In response, Ankara told Israel that the bilateral relations would be preserved.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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OLMERT PROPOSES ESTABLISHMENT OF A RED LINE
Israeli First Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert proposed to establish a direct telephone line between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to brief Turkey daily if it is necessary. He also stressed that Israel was against foundation of an independent Kurdish state in northern part of Iraq.

GIVE UP CYPRUS IN RETURN FOR EU MEMBERSHIP
President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said that Britain had proposed Turkey to give up recognizing TRNC in return for opening of accession talks with the European Union (EU). Stressing that the so-called proposal was nothing but a threat, President Denktas said that Ankara should show the whole world that it had always attributed great importance to Cyprus.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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COURT PAVES WAY FOR RETRIAL OF FORMER DEP DEPUTIES
The Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department no: 9 unanimously overturned conviction of four former deputies of the outlawed Democracy Party (DEP) by paving the way for the second retrial. Leyla Zana and three other former deputies were released from prison last month after prosecutors asked for a retrial citing procedural violations in their earlier retrial. The former deputies had already served 10 years of their 15-year sentence. They will remain free during their retrial. No date has yet been set for the new trial.

''CEM IS IN GOOD HEALTH''
The New Turkey Party (YTP) Secretary General Metin Sahin denied claims about health of YTP leader Ismail Cem, one of the former foreign ministers, stressing that Cem was in good health. Earlier, it was claimed that Cem was suffering from lung cancer.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ANKARA EXPRESSES ITS CONCERNS ABOUT KIRKUK
At a weekly news conference, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Namik Tan gave information about the visit of Turkish delegation to Kirkuk between July 6 and 11, 2004 upon a proposal of Patriotic Union of Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani. ''Our delegation found out that there were serious efforts aiming to change demographic structure of Kirkuk. Many sections of Iraqi population are concerned about these efforts,'' Tan told reporters.

TUBITAK TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT WITH ESA
Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council (TUBITAK) will sign an agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA). After a five-year period, Turkey will become a full member of the ESA. Under the agreement, the two sides will inform each other on activities, programs, potential cooperation areas. The sides will exchange experts. TUBITAK and ESA will conduct joint projects, and Turkish scientists will be provided with special education opportunities in Europe.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TALAT: ''GREEK CYPRIOTS WANT TO DROWN US''
Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said that the Greek Cypriot side was trying to prevent the European Union's (EU) economic assistance to TRNC. During his visit to The Hague, the Netherlands, Talat met Dutch Secretary of State for European Affairs Atzo Nicolai. Speaking after the meeting, Talat said, ''the Greek Cypriot side has been exerting efforts to further strengthen the existing isolation of TRNC. Therefore, they have been working to prevent the EU's economic aid of 259 euros.''

SHARON'S REQUEST
Israeli First Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert conveyed letter of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Sources said that Prime Minister Sharon, in his letter, asked Prime Minister Erdogan not to criticize Israel harshly and not to use expressions such as ''state terrorism''. Stressing that they were trying to protect Israeli people from acts of terrorism, Sharon also denied allegations saying that Israel had been training Kurdish groups in northern part of Iraq. Prime Minister Sharon also requested inclusion of Israeli companies in Turkey's tender for helicopters. He invited both Erdogan and Foreign Minister Gul to Israel.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TUZMEN: ''TURKISH-SYRIAN BORDER WILL BECOME A BASIN OF STABILITY''
State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen said that all problems between Turkey and Syria were overcome. Recalling that mutual trade volume between the two neighboring countries rose 52 percent to 821 million U.S. dollars in 2003, Tuzmen said that they would turn the border region between Turkey and Syria into a basin of stability.

(UK-AÖ) 15.07.2004