ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on August 20th, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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DEATH THREAT TO TURKISH HOSTAGE
Iraqi terrorists threatened to kill translator Aytullah Gezmen whom they kidnapped together with Murat Yuce, the first Turkish hostage they killed three weeks ago.
The group linked to al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi threatened to kill Gezmen if the company he is working for would not withdraw from Iraq within three days.
Aytullah Gezmen, who spoke in a tape that was sent to NTV and Ihlas News Agency, said he would be killed within 72 hours if the Tepe and Bilintur companies he is working for would not withdraw from Iraq.
In the footage, Gezmen was seen sitting on a sofa and showing his passport. Gezmen said he has been hostage for 24 days, and called for help from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Bilintur, aiming to prevent any damage to life of Gezmen, called back its personnel from Iraq on August 15. However, Tepe construction company still has workers in Iraq.

BABY FACE HERCULES
First Turkey was shocked after Sule Sahbaz failed drug tests in weight lifting. Later, we became cheerful with the Olympiad championship of Taner Sagir.
19-year old Sagir of Turkey won the men's weightlifting 77-kg gold medal at the 28th Summer Olympics in Athens.
Sagir lifted 172.5 kg in the snatch and 202.5 kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 375 kg.
Turkey took third gold medal at the Olympics from weightlifting again.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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CUSTOMS UNION DEAL WITH GREEK CYPRIOTS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat confirmed the news reports that Turkey would have customs union deal with the Greek Cypriot side.
Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said that a customs union deal between Turkey and Greek Cypriot side was not a claim, but a reality that would happen inevitably.
Asked about the news reports in Greek Cypriot side that Turkey would sign a customs union agreement with Greek Cypriot side under the name of ''Cyprus Republic'', Talat said that it was not a Greek Cypriot claim and stated that he expected Turkey would make a customs union deal with the Greek Cypriot side under the name of ''Cyprus Republic''.
Talat said Turkey would put into practice customs union with the Greek Cypriot side like it had done with nine of the ten new EU members, stressing that it was ''inevitable''.

RTUK MAKES INQUIRES FOR KURDISH LOCAL BROADCAST
Upon demands from the Southeast for broadcast in Kurdish, Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) asked for views of the National Intelligence Organization, Interior Ministry and several other public institutions if broadcast could start in southeastern Diyarbakir province.
RTUK, which prepared regulation for broadcast in mother tongue and opened ways for Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) to broadcast in Kurdish, now started activities for local institutions to start broadcasting.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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I AM YOUNG, I DON'T WANT TO DIE
Aytullah Gezmen, kidnapped in Iraq, begged Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to help him.
A video tape given to a news agency in Baghdad was saddening. The person in the cassette was the friend of Murat Yuce who was killed in Iraq three weeks ago.
Gezmen was calling for help from Erdogan: ''If my companies leave Iraq within 72 hours, I will be able to live. Following the call, Bilintur company decided to call back all its personnel from Iraq.''

SULE CAST SHADOW
Sule Sahbaz of Turkey, who would attend 2004 Athens Olympic Games in weightlifting category, failed drug tests.
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) announced the names of the five athletes who failed drugs tests before the Athens Olympics.
Sahbaz would attend the Olympics in 75 kg category.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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INCIRLIK INSISTENCY
It was reported that U.S. Defense Department was working on new proposals on Incirlik Base. Washington whose proposal to deploy two F-16 squadron to Incirlik without limitation was refused, is getting ready to bring this issue onto agenda once again with another proposal.

POLICE CAPTURE TWO PKK/KONGRA-GEL TERRORISTS IN IZMIR
Two members of terrorist organization PKK/KONGRA-GEL were captured with explosives in a police operation in Cesme town of western Izmir province.
Anti-Terrorism Department teams raided a house in Ciftlikkoy region in Cesme and captured two members of terrorist organization with nearly 1.5 kg of C-4 explosive.
The two suspects were brought to Izmir Police Department for questioning.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TWO TURKISH OFFICERS LEAVE FOR IRAQ
There were two Turkish officers in the group which NATO sent to Iraq to design Iraqi security forces. This decision had been taken in Istanbul summit of NATO in June.
Some Iraqi administrators opposed assignment of Turkish soldiers in Iraq even within NATO scope.

ERDOGAN CALLS ON NUMBER OF VISITS TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO BE REDUCED
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on official visits that would be done to foreign countries to be reduced to minimum level because of the savings measures.
In the related circular, it was reported that, ''temporary foreign and domestic assignments will be done only in compulsory cases. Bus and train will be used in domestic visits unless necessary.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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RESCUE ME
Video tapes were sent to Ihlas News Agency showing that translator Aytullah Gezmen was still alive. Gezmen was kidnapped together with Murat Yuce who was killed three weeks ago.
Gezmen, who seemed extremely exhausted, begged the authorities to save him.
Gezmen called his family to talk to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan soon.
ONE CHILD DIES IN FLOOD IN SORGUN
One child died during flood in Sorgun town of central Anatolian Yozgat province.
Kamil Yildirim who was lost after torrential rains in Gedikhasanli hamlet of Sorgun was later found in a river bed.
Yildirim was drowned to death during the flood.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ALPOGAN: I WILL DO MY JOB PROPERLY
Yigit Alpogan, the first civilian secretary general of the National Security Council (NSC), he would meet the kind regard that was shown to him.
Alpogan said he was honored to be appointed as the NSC Secretary General, and noted that, ''importance of this assignment is clear and I am aware of this importance.''

TANER SAGIR BECOMES OUR THIRD PRIDE IN WEIGHT LIFTING
Taner Sagir of Turkey won the men's weightlifting 77-kg gold medal at the 28th Summer Olympics in Athens .
Sagir lifted 172.5 kg in the snatch and 202.5 kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 375 kg.
Turkey took third gold medal at the Olympics from weightlifting again.

YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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''ESTEEM AND FRIENDSHIP AWARD'' FROM GERMANY TO ERDOGAN
Non-governmental organizations in Germany awarded Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan with ''Esteem and Friendship'' reward due to his contributions to Turkey's democratization process.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will give the award to Erdogan on October 3.

NEW PARTY TO BE SET UP IN TRNC
The group, including the two parliamentarians who resigned from the Democratic Party (DP) in April in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will set up a new party.
The group is acting under the leadership of Salih Cosar, one of the former ministers. The group is getting ready to organize themselves under the name of Free Thought Party.

(AY-AÖ) 20.08.2004