ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 21, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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WE WON'T GIVE UP OUR STATE
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who spoke in July 20th Peace and Freedom Day celebrations in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said, ''we said 'yes' to UN plan, but the world hasn't kept its promises. We are exerting efforts to open airports.'' TRNC President Rauf Denktas said, ''Mr. Gul, they are saying that they will open ports if we give up our sovereignty and state. We will do everything difficult, but we won't give up our state.''

''36 AIRBUS'' GESTURE TO CHIRAC
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested French President Jacques Chirac that Turkey would buy 36 Airbus planes and cooperate with France in nuclear energy in return for France's support to Turkey's European Union (EU) membership bid. Turkish Airlines' purchasing 36 Airbus planes was one of the most important issues discussed during Erdogan's visit to France. Turkish and French delegations reached an agreement. The pre-contract on purchase of Airbus planes will be signed this morning. After THY chose Airbus and two countries reached an agreement in principle, French President Chirac said that he would immediately inform (German Chancellor Gerhard) Schroeder about the good news. The second issue which attracted the French authorities was the nuclear energy power plant. Erdogan said, ''there are projects on which Turkey is working with France in area of nuclear energy.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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NUCLEAR BRIBE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently paying an official visit to France, met President Jacques Chirac of France. During the meeting, Prime Minister Erdogan proposed priority for France in tenders of millions of U.S. dollars, including tenders for nuclear power plants, in return for its support to Turkey's European Union (EU) membership. However, France did not change its attitude, and insisted that it would wait for report of the EU Commission.

INONU NOT TO ATTEND CEREMONY IN MEXICO
Prof. Dr. Erdal Inonu, who won the Wigner Medal, one of the most important awards in physics, could not go to Mexico to take his medal due to decision banning him going abroad. The decision was made because of debts of his brother-in-law Selim Sohtorik. The award ceremony will take place in Mexico on August 4, 2004.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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NO, MY DIMITRI
Four triggermen shot dead Greek businessman before his father as they attempted to kill Turkish textiles exporter on the Istanbul highway. Dimitri Papadopoulos who was selling labels to textiles companies in Greece became victim of triggermen brutality in Istanbul: He was shot dead in a car driven by his Turkish partner Turgut Gunder. In a fire opened from another car carrying four gunmen, bullets just grazed Turkish businessman's head, but they thurst into Papadopoulos's abdomen. His last words to his father who was sitting in the back of the car were ''I think I am dead.'' Papadopoulos was coming to Istanbul frequently. Police is investigating whether two persons who lent 100 thousand U.S. dollars to the Turkish businessman had any link to murder.

ARMENIAN BORDER GATE IS A MUST
During his visit to France, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was asked questions mostly about ''Armenian issue''. Erdogan said that Armenians faced difficult situation due to Diaspora campaign. ''It is not in favor of Armenians. Turkey-Armenia border gates can open after end of Diaspora campaign.''

36 YEARS IMPRISONMENT SHOULD BE LESSON TO THOSE WHO ARM THEMSELVES
Turkish mother Ozlem and Scottish father David Grimason of Alistair who was shot dead by a stray bullet in Foca town of Izmir last summer when he was 2.5 years old said about 36 years sentence, ''the Turkish court has done his duty. This case should be a lesson against individual armament.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ECONOMY CARD FOR EU
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is holding meetings in France, announced that Turkey was discussing cooperation with France in area of nuclear energy. Erdogan said, ''we will take steps after necessary work is completed.'' Erdogan also called on French companies to invest in Turkey, reminding privatization of companies like Tekel, THY and Telekom. Erdogan demanded that two countries should continue their cooperation in economy, trade and military areas during Turkey's EU membership process.

ERDOGAN: ''CONDITIONED YES CAN'T BE ACCEPTED''
Erdogan said that Turkey did not have a ''sine qua non ambition'' for EU membership and noted, ''we will name Copenhagen criteria as Ankara criteria, and continue our path in the same way. That is, nothing will change for us.'' Erdogan stressed that ''conditioned approval'' of negotiations could not be accepted.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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CUKUROVA AND BRSA AGREE
Cukurova Group agreed with the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) to set a timetable for repaying 6.2 billion U.S. dollars of debt stemming from Pamukbank and Yapi Kredi Bankasi.

GARANTI'S SALE STOPS
Garanti Bankasi and Italian giant banking company Banca Intesa could not reach any agreement in their negotiations on sale of Garanti's shares. Bargaining stopped.

TURKEY TOPS AGENDA
Many French newspapers wrote about Turkey as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid a visit to this country. Conservative Le Figaro said that Brussels was ready to say ''yes'' to Ankara. Noting that the Commission would shed green light to negotiations with Turkey, Le Figaro said that the only problem could be Austria. On the other hand, Guy Coq of Le Figaro newspaper said that Turkey's 75-year secularism experience was very important. Yves Threard of Le Figaro noted that Turkey would be admitted to the EU sooner or later. Gerard Dupuy of Liberation said that being a European was not a must for EU membership.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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''KEEP YOUR PROMISE''
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul represented the Turkish government at ceremonies in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on the occasion of the July 20 Peace and Freedom Day. Speaking at the ceremony, Gul said, ''now, it is time for the world to keep its promises. Turkish Cypriot people proved that they are in favor of peace and solution. Now, the world should grant them rights. This isolation and embargoes of TRNC should come to an end.''

PARIS SAYS ''YES''
On the second day of his state visit to France, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met President Jacques Chirac of France. Following the meeting, Erdogan told reporters that it was a very positive and beneficial meeting. Sources said that President Chirac told Prime Minister Erdogan during the meeting that both France and he supported Turkey's membership to the European Union (EU). Noting that he believed that the EU Commission would release a positive report about Turkey, President Chirac said that they would announce their support following the release of report of the EU Commission.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SCHROEDER DENIES HE USED EXPRESSION ''CONDITIONED YES''
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder denied the words that ''EU leaders might take a conditioned yes decision about Turkey'' which were attributed to him. Schroeder said that putting something like ''conditioned yes'' in front of Turkey was out of question. Schroeder added that Germany was extending support to Turkey's EU membership bid without any preconditions.

AIRBUS OK, EU SUPPORT TO COME IN TIME
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was on a tour to lobby for Turkey's European Union (EU) membership, met French President Jacques Chirac yesterday. Chirac said that his country would decide whether or not to open negotiations between EU and Turkey according to the progress report to be submitted by the EU Commission in October.

(BRC-UK-AÖ) 21.07.2004