ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on August 8, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BROWN: DON'T GET ANGRY TO ME FOR MEMO
Coach of U.S. Dream Team Larry Brown said that he has heard that people got angry to him as he did not give Mehmet Okur the chance to play at Detroit. He added that Mehmet is a young and new player and he had contribution in the championship of the team. U.S. National Basketball Team, which started European tour before 2004 Athens Olympic Games, arrived in Istanbul yesterday. Brown said that it was an honor for them to be in Istanbul.

ONLY HOPE IN ATHLETICS IS ELVAN
After the developments about Sureyya Ayhan, our only hope in athletics for golden medal is Elvan Abeylegesse. Elvan will compete for golden medal in Athens both in 5000 and 1500 meters. Elvan, who was born in Addis Ababa in 1982, came to Turkey in 1999 and was transferred to ENKA.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH DRIVER IS ABOUT TO DIE
Terrorists who kidnapped Turkish driver Abdurrahman Top in Iraq threatened to behead him unless his company pulls out of the country in 48 hours. Top's company rapidly announced that it stopped its activities in Iraq.

TRAIN PASSES MEKECE WITH A SPEED OF 20 KM
Trains resumed services 16 days after high-speed train derailment. There is no vacant place in trains. The trains pass Mekece district, where the accident occurred, with a speed of 20 km.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ANOTHER TURKISH CITIZEN IS TAKEN HOSTAGE BY AL QAEDA
A militant group released a video tape of a Turkish truck driver, Tahsin Abdurrahman Top, kidnapped in Iraq. Top was from southern Mersin Province. In the video tape, Top said, ''you see the treatment made to me. Iraq is our friend. Do not serve to the United States.
The group threatened to behead him in 48 hours unless his company pulls out of the country.
ERDOGAN SAYS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS UNEMPLOYMENT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey's biggest problem was unemployment.
Erdogan said, ''the government will not only remove the obstacles in front of the investors but also expend them support to accelerate investment process.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ATO HARSHLY REACTS 3-YEAR FRESH STAND-BY AGREEMENT DECISION OF GOVERNMENT
It became definite that relations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be carried out with a three-year fresh loan. Reactions came to this new loan.
Ankara Chamber of Trade (ATO) Chairman Sinan Aygun resembled government's new agreement with the IMF to a forced marriage. Aygun said the period with the IMF is ''economic terrorism years'' for Turkey.
Aygun stressed that 30 billion U.S. dollars source stemming from the current deficit was transferred abroad.
State Minister Ali Babacan said, ''Turkey will discuss a fresh three-year loan program with the IMF that would come into effect when the current deal ends next year.''
Babacan said IMF officials are due in Turkey next month to work out details for the new loan arrangement.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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REFRESHED CONFIDENCE
Ankara-Istanbul railway connection, which stopped due to high-speed train derailment in Sakarya, resumed on Saturday.
Train services between Ankara and Istanbul stopped after high-speed train accident which occurred in Mekece-Osmaneli route on July 22 and caused death of 38 people.
Istanbul-Ankara railway line was closed to transportation for 16 days after the train accident.

SECURITY TO BE PROVIDED JOINTLY IN IRAQ
Turkish Foreign Ministry and transportation companies determined new measures for the safety of Turkish drivers in Iraq. According to the measures, the drivers would not go alone to Iraq, and would not wait except the accommodations for travelers.
Foreign Ministry decided to work jointly with the administrators of the companies to control the drivers of 60 thousand vehicles.
Aiming to secure the lives of drivers, Foreign Ministry will increase the number of communication bureaus on the route and renew the communication system.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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RUSH TO TRAINS
Istanbul-Ankara train services, which stopped for 16 days for the first time in history of republic after train derailment in Pamukova, resumed yesterday. Citizens rushed to trains. Additional railway cars were brought to service due to high amount of demand.

NEW DEAL WITH IMF
Turkish State Minister Ali Babacan said that International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation will come to Turkey in September and added, ''we will sign three-year stand-by deal.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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GREEK CYPRIOTS WHO REJECTED PEACE IN REFERENDUM MARCH FOR SOLUTION
Greek Cypriots, who rejected Annan Plan that would bring peace to Cyprus after 30 years, now started to march with the slogan 'solution-reunification-peace'. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said regarding the march that there was no need for uneasiness.

TURKISH OFFICERS TO TRAIN IRAQI SOLDIERS
Turkey which gave the message during NATO Summit in Istanbul that it is ready to contribute to training of Iraqi soldiers conveyed that it could assign three Turkish officers. The place of training is not clear yet. Ankara prefers a place out of Iraq. NATO will take the decision about this issue.

(GC-AY) 08.08.2004