ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 26, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TOM HANKS, WITH BEADS IN HIS HAND
World-famous American actor Tom Hanks stopped by Aegean Bodrum province with his wife and children when he was having a yacht tour. Hanks walked around Bodrum coasts with beads in his hand, and ate doner (tightly packed meat roasted on a large vertical spit) and drank ayran (a drink made of yogurt and water).

ACCIDENT LIKE A MASSACRE IN GRADE CROSSING: 15 DIE
A report of disaster came from Aegean Aydin province when Turkey was mourning for the victims of the train disaster in Pamukova town of northwestern Sakarya province. A passenger train en route from Aegean provinces of Izmir to Denizli crashed into a minibus which was passing from the grade crossing in Aydin province. Fifteen people, including five children died while four people were injured in the accident.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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THEY'RE STILL THERE
Three days passed since faster train disaster, killing 37 people. Those who are responsible from the disaster are not thinking of resigning besides they are still indifferent to criticisms. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gets angry as saying, ''you don't share the grief''. But how Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim and Turkish State Railways (TCDD) authorities who do not even think of resigning ''share the grief'' is clear. A banner with a caricature that resembles those who criticize faster train to ''cows'' is still hung on a wall in the Haydarpasa Train Station in Istanbul. Meanwhile, TCDD Director General Suleyman Karaman's article with the headline ''We Are Happy and Proud'' on the faster train is still in the TCDD's magazine in the TCDD's web page. In the same web page, TCDD asks its passengers to express their opinions and proposals about the project, saying that ''our passengers' opinions are important''. However, it does not include opinions and criticisms in the web page.

''EVERYTHING WAS DONE UNDER INSTRUCTIONS''
Testimonies of Train's chief Koksal Coskun and engineers Fikret Karabulut and Recep Sonmez who were arrested after the train disaster were disclosed. Engineers who said that it was the first time they were driving the faster train defended that they had done everything according to the instructions given to them.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TCDD DIRECTOR GENERAL CONFESSES
Suleyman Karaman, the Director General of Turkish State Railways (TCDD), said that speed of high-speed trains should be controlled by computers. Karaman once more kept train drivers responsible for the disaster in northwestern Sakarya province and said, ''there is not any computer system which limits speed of trains. I had hesitations since train drivers are responsible for the speed.'' In western countries, speed of even cargo trains are controlled by computers.

ECEVIT FREES PIGEON AND GOES HOME
Bulent Ecevit, the leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), ended his 47-year political life in yesterday's party congress and said, ''we should rule the country again.'' The new leader of DSP is Zeki Sezer, who gained 576 votes in the congress. Sukru Sina Gurel won only 239 votes.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM COLLAPSED
Traffic security is risky in Turkey. Railway infrastructure is old, and highways are below standards. The high-speed train disaster has demonstrated that transportation system collapsed in Turkey. According to a report of the Turkish State Planning Organization (DPT), Turkey has the smallest railway network among the other European Union (EU) states with 10,948 kilometers of rail lines. The report also draws attention that highways where 91 percent of cargo transportation is made is not secure.

ANNAN PLAN: SECRET PREPARATIONS OF GREEK CYPRIOTS
The Greek Cypriot side is putting Annan plan back on the table. Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos said that they had sent their proposals for amendments to the plan to the concerned authorities, and announced that the plan could be re-negotiated within the framework they had proposed. Papadopoulos said that he could not announce names of persons they had contacted since they exerted their efforts secretly.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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GOVERNMENT FINDS RIGHT TRACK AFTER ACCIDENT
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which did not consult to experts before launching high-speed train service, asked for assistance of five countries to find the causes of the train crash. The government took action after 37 people died, and asked Germany, Japan, France, Spain and the Netherlands to help Turkey to find the causes of last Thursday's train crash. Three-member German team was the first to come to Turkey upon invitation of the Transportation Ministry. German experts who visited the scene of the crash said that they had seen many details, but it was too early to say something.

CRITICAL VISIT TO TEHRAN
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who will start his tour to Iran tomorrow (Tuesday), will mainly focus on Iraq. Erdogan will say, ''Iran, Syria and Turkey can give hand-in-hand and prevent separation of Iraq.'' Erdogan, who will meet Iranian President Khatimi, will ask Iran to exclude PKK militants from its territory and to reduce natural gas prices.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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EP PRESIDENT: EU IS READY FOR NEGOTIATIONS
European Parliament (EP) President Josep Borrell said that Turkey's becoming an European Union (EU) member would encourage Islam world. As December, when the EU will decide whether or not to open negotiations with Turkey, is getting closer, EU representatives have started to extend more support to Turkey's EU membership bid. EP President Borrell said that the EU was ready to start negotiations with Turkey, a Muslim but secular country, adding that Turkey's accession would motivate democracy in the Islam world. On the other hand, German Die Welt newspaper said that EU's report on Turkey to be announced in October would be positive. Noting that German Chancellor Schroeder, who was in the power with votes of Turks, was supporting Turkey as a ''Turkish chancellor'', the newspaper said, ''this shows that the possibility of EU's starting negotiations with Turkey in 2005 was 80 percent.''

TARGET IS IRAN
Ankara is developing relations with Iran. Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen will go to Tehran today and start talks before Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to this country. Erdogan will go to Iran tomorrow (Tuesday).

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SCHOOL TRAINING UP STAFF FOR RAILWAYS CLOSED FOR SAVINGS
In Turkey where even primary school graduates can be train engineers, the Railway Vocational High School in Eskisehir which was training up qualified staff who are needed by the State Railways has been closed for six years for savings. Nothing has been done about the vocational high schools that were planned to open to replace the school in Eskisehir. Staff are given training in courses.

TRAIN HITS MINIBUS WHICH CROSSED GATE, KILLING 15
Another train accident occurred after last week's derailment in Pamukova. A passenger minibus attempted to pass grade crossing in Aydin although the gate barriers were lowered. It was carrying 15 passengers including five children. Aydin Acting Governor said, ''the driver of the minibus attempted to pass the grade crossing. But the barriers were lowered. Then, the fatal accident happened. It was fault of the driver.''

(BRC-MS-AÖ) 26.07.2004