ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 22, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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A SIGNATURE WORTH OF 1.5 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS
A pre-contract on Turkish Airlines' (THY) purchase of 36 planes from the Airbus firm was signed yesterday during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's state visit to France. The pre-contract worth of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars was signed at Paris' Elysee Palace in the presence of Prime Minister Erdogan and President Jacques Chirac of France. Under the pre-agreement, THY will buy 36 A-320, A-321 and A-330 planes from Airbus company. The Airbus planes will be delivered to Turkey, starting from end 2005.

RATE OF CAPACITY UTILIZATION INCREASES TO HIGHEST LEVEL
The rate of capacity utilization increased from 80.1 percent in June of 2003 to 84.5 percent in June of 2004. The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced primarily provisional results of 713 large scale manufacturing industrial establishments. Sources said that it was the highest level of capacity utilization in history of the Republic of Turkey. When the reasons of not working in full capacity for June of 2004 compared to the same month of the previous year, shortage of demands in domestic market decreased from 67 percent to 60.4 percent, and shortage of demands in foreign market increased from 14.5 percent to 16.7 percent.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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FRANCE SAYS 'YES'
French press which wrote many news stories about Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to France said that there were positive signals for Turkey's European Union (EU) membership. Le Monde said that French President Jacques Chirac supported Turkey, while Le Figaro stated that a message of courage was given to Erdogan in its news story. On the other hand, a protocol which was prepared for Turkish Airlines' (THY) purchase of 36 Airbus planes was signed by THY Executive Board Chairman Candan Karlitekin and Airbus Director General Noel Forgeard. Erdogan and Chirac were also present in the signing ceremony.

RECORD IN CAPACITY
State Institute of Statistics (SIS) announced the results of monthly manufacturing tendency survey in June of 2004. The rate of capacity utilization that is weighted by production value, increased from 80.1 percent in June of 2003 to 84.5 percent in June of 2004.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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THREE-MONTH TOURISM INCOME INCREASES
Tourism income increased 44.7 percent to 3 billion 269.9 million U.S. dollars in the second quarter of 2004. A total of 4 million 324 thousand 70 foreign tourists visited Turkey in the same period.

SCHROEDER EXTENDS FULL SUPPORT TO TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said that his statements about Turkey's European Union (EU) membership process were distorted. He stressed that a conditional approval for opening of accession talks between Turkey and the EU was totally out of question.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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DEBATE ON TURKEY
The European Parliament which convened for the first time after the elections discussed Turkey's European Union (EU) membership. The decision concerning Turkey (whether or not to start accession talks with Ankara) should be ''honest'', Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said. Taking the floor in the European Parliament to outline the Dutch EU presidency's program, Balkenende said that EU leaders would assess in December whether Turkey met the Copenhagen criteria. Balkenende said Turkey, which has been waiting in the antechamber for decades, should be allowed in, if it meets the criteria set for other potential members.

GUL'S WARNING ON KIRKUK
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that Kirkuk issue should be solved before it became more complicated. Speaking in the Regional Initiative on Iraq held in Egyptian capital Cairo, Gul said that Turkey considered that some disputable issues should be taken up in this meeting, and placed Kirkuk problem among the most important topics. Noting that Kirkuk issue must be solved within the framework of new constitutional process in Iraq, Gul added that terrorism had serious effects on Iraq's stability, and therefore, should be dealt carefully.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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GUL EXPRESSES TURKEY'S CONCERNS OVER KIRKUK
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul represented Turkey at the meeting of the regional initiative on Iraq held in Egyptian capital Cairo yesterday. Speaking at the meeting, Gul expressed Turkey's concerns over Kirkuk. ''The Kirkuk issue should be resolved before it becomes more complicated,'' he stressed. Stressing that neighboring countries with Iraq were uneasy about security in the region, Gul added that acts of terrorism originating from Iraq and aiming neighboring countries should be prevented.

EUROMED TRADE MINISTERS CONFERENCE STARTS IN ISTANBUL
The Fourth Conference of Euro-Mediterranean (Euromed) Trade Ministers opened in Istanbul yesterday. Ministers and high-level representatives of 25 EU member states and ten Mediterranean littoral states participated in the conference. Making the opening remarks of the conference, State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said that Turkey wanted to sign free trade agreements with all the participating countries. Tuzmen said that Turkey is eager to sign free trade agreements with Tunisia, Syria, Lebanon, Algeria and Egypt before the end of this year.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TURKEY SUBMITS CAKICI'S EXTRADITION FILE TO AUSTRIA
The file elaborated by Turkey to support Alaattin Cakici's extradition was submitted to Austrian Justice Ministry. The file prepared by Turkish Justice Ministry contains all information and documents about crimes committed by Cakici in Turkey, and the judicial process regarding these crimes.

SCHROEDER: ''NO CONDITION''
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder denied press reports alleging that he said that ''a conditional yes'' decision could be taken as regards the opening of accession talks between Turkey and the European Union (EU) in December. Schroeder said that a conditional approval was totally out of question.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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VISA AND PASSPORT FACILITIES FOR NATO PERSONNEL
The General Staff requested the Ministry of Interior Affairs to resolve problems of NATO personnel in Turkey. Upon the request, NATO personnel and their relatives have been provided a series of facilities such as passport, visa and driving license.

PRESIDENT BUSH THANKS CERRAH
U.S. President George W. Bush sent a letter to Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah for the NATO Summit in Istanbul on June 28 and 29, 2004. In his letter, President Bush expressed his appreciation with professional and determined work of the Istanbul police .

(EÖ-UK-ULG) 22.07.2004