ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on August 25th, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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SECRET SIDE OF A DISAPPOINTMENT
Turkey's Ambassador to Ethiopia Kenan Tepedelen confirmed that extreme nationalists in Ethiopia started a campaign against athletes, particularly Elvan Abeylegesse, who acquired the citizenship of another country. In their campaign, they accuse such athletes of ''being unfaithful to Ethiopia'', he said.
Tepedelen said this campaign became tense especially after Elvan broke world record in women's 5000 meters in Bergen. Tepedelen said that ''The Reporter'', a periodical published in English in Ethiopia, issued two articles against Elvan.
Tepedelen stressed that he launched necessary initiatives at Ethiopian Foreign Ministry against those articles.

SEMINARY IN HEYBELIADA TO BE DISCUSSED IN NSC MEETING
''Seminary in Heybeliada'' will be the special topic of the agenda of today's National Security Council (NSC) meeting. Government's formulas about opening of seminary school will be discussed in the meeting.
Reliable sources said alternatives which the government prepared regarding opening of seminary in Heybeliada, one of the most important demands of the European Union (EU), will be discussed in the NSC.
Government focuses on two alternatives. One of them is the opening of seminary under structure of the Turkish National Education Ministry. Another alternative is opening of seminary under supervision of a professorship from the Istanbul University.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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HISTORY BURIED
Excavations carried out by archeologists in Uskudar district of Istanbul under the Marmaray Project have revealed a fact. Many historical artifacts suffered damage during the diggings that were carried out earlier for sewer system or installation of cables. Committee for Protection of Cultural Assets will decide whether excavations would continue in Uskudar district under the Marmaray Project. Excavations may completely stop according to the decision of the committee.

PUBLIC REGULATION FOR PRIVATE SECTOR
New Public Procurement Draft Law which has been prepared for sectors of energy, transportation, telecommunication and water also covers private sector. The draft law which has been examined by Finance Ministry will be also examined by Energy and Natural Resources Ministry and Transportation Ministry.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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HATIPOGLU: ''I AM THE ONLY GUILTY PERSON''
Ertan Hatipoglu, the coach of National athlete Elvan Abeylegesse, said Abeylegesse could not be considered guilty for finishing the 12th in women's 5000 meters at Olympic Games.
Abeylegesse who caused disappointment at the 28th Summer Olympic Games in Greek capital Athens, said, ''also I wish I could have won the Olympic gold medal in women's 5000 meters race but I failed.''
Hatipoglu said, ''Elvan should not be seen responsible for this result. I am the guilty person.''
Offering his apology to everybody in Turkey, Hatipoglu said, ''Elvan did what she had to do after 3,000 meters. She did exactly what I ordered her to do.''

ATASOY IS VICTIM OF A VIRUS
Veysel Atasoy, former transportation ministry, lost his life because of a MRSA virus that is called the ''hospital disease germ''.
Atasoy received treatment in Ibni-Sina hospital's intensive care unit for 20 days.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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BE SILENT, GET THE SCHOLARSHIP
National Education Ministry, dreaming of a youth that does not show reaction to its decisions, will punish the students who chant slogans or hold boycott.
Democratic rights like chanting slogans, boycotting, hanging banners are described ''terrorist or anarchist activities'' in the Regulation for scholarship.
Tutors said that by not providing the students with the scholarship, the government actually aimed to create an unreactive youth, that was a heavy punishment and contradicted the legal state.

109 KG HEROIN SEIZED
Security forces impounded 109 kg of heroin in an operation in Istanbul.
Istanbul Police Narcotics Department Deputy Director Hakan Unsal Yalcin told the A.A correspondent on Tuesday that acting on a tip-off, security forces stopped and searched a lorry in Istanbul.
During the search, they found 109 kg of heroin with the help of sniffer dogs. Two people were detained in the operation.
Yalcin added that the lorry was destined for a country in the Balkans.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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PARLIAMENT TO RESUME WORKING ON SEPTEMBER 14TH
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Central Executive Board (MYK) decided to ask for an emergency meeting of the parliament on September 14th to debate new Turkish Penal Code (TCK). After the meeting which lasted for about two hours, AK Party deputy leader Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat told reporters that they discussed economic and political developments and schedule of the parliament in the new legislative period.

ELVAN DOES NOT GIVE IN
Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey qualified for the semifinals of women's 1,500 meter race at the Olympic Games in the Athens. Abeylegesse ran the 1,500 meters at 4.06.42 seconds, finishing the fifth and qualifying for the semifinals. Semi-finals will take place tomorrow.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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'EU SHOULD NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY''
German newspaper Die Welt listed the benefits that Turkey would bring to the European Union (EU) if it joins the Union. The paper stressed that Turkey would offer a number important opportunities to the EU. Die Welt eulogized Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's efforts for Turkey's EU membership. The paper noted that Turkey would change the future of the Union.
What Europe would benefit from Turkey's membership:
*Frontiers will extend to the Middle East and Caucasus. Then, all the European NATO-allied countries extending to Austria, Sweden, Norway and Iceland will be EU members. Thus, EU's political-strategic importance will increase in terms of competition with the United States for being global power.
*Together with Turkey, which is the biggest regional military power, EU will have a different image in military sense. This will be something beyond being only political alliance.
*EU will form better facilities for itself to cope with the future challenges in case it accepts a Moslem and secular country.
*Instead of borders, political, economic and universal bridges will be formed among Arab-Moslem peoples thanks to Ankara. Cultural disputes will be prevented.

GESTURE FROM UNITED STATES TO TURKISH CYPRIOTS
Turkish Cypriots will now get U.S. visa more easily. Releasing a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Greek Cypriot side said that Turkish Cypriots who did not aim to migrate could get U.S. visa in one or two days. Earlier getting U.S. visa could take a couple of weeks. U.S. Ambassador in Greek Cypriot side Michael Klosson said that they were very pleased to get positive results of their efforts purporting to facilitate Turkish Cypriot tourists' and businessmen's visits to the United States.

ERDOGAN HOLDS A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN OF RUSSIA
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia.
The conversation focused on details of the scheduled state visit of President Putin to Turkey on September 2nd.
Prime Minister Erdogan and President Putin agreed that the first state visit between Turkey and Russia after a period of 32 years would accelerate multilateral cooperation between the two countries.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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YALCINKAYA COMPETING IN 48 KG BOXING GUARANTEES BRONZE MEDAL
18-year-old Atagun Yalcinkaya of Turkey, competing in men's 48 kg boxing, qualified for semifinals and guaranteed bronze medal at Athens 2004 Olympic Games. Yalcinkaya defeated his Italian opponent Alfonso Pinto in yesterday's event and became a semifinalist. Thus, Yalcinkaya guaranteed bronze medal. He will take on Sergey Kazakov of Russia on Friday.

PUTIN'S VISIT TO TURKEY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOREIGN TRADE
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will visit Turkey between September 2nd and 3rd, will be the first Russian leader paying an official visit to Turkey in the last 32 years. Experts said that Putin's visit should be considered an opportunity to balance commercial relations between the two countries.

YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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INVESTIGATION AGAINST ISRAELI INTEREST IN GAP
A report of Land Registry Directorate General was discussed at a meeting in Prime Ministry. Officials discussed whether or not interest of foreigners in real property in Turkey would pose threat for the future of the country.
Intense interest of Israelis in immovable assets in the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region was particularly discussed.
Land Registry Directorate General sent an inspector to the region and he started an investigation.
The inspector will prepare a detailed report after the investigation.

TURKEY AND SYRIA TO CONSTRUCT DAM
Turkish Public Works and Settlement Minister Zeki Ergezen said Turkey and Syria would construct a dam on the Asi River under a joint project.
Ergezen said, ''The dam will be used for irrigation besides power generation.''
''The Asi River in the border region between Turkey and Syria overflows every year inundating thousands of hectares of cultivated fields and villages. Together with a fifty-member delegation of contractors and bureaucrats, we paid a three-day visit to Syria a few days ago. We held talks with Syrian officials. Meanwhile, our contractors had the chance of meeting their Syrian colleagues about construction of highway and a dam. During the talks, they decided to construct a dam on the Asi River for irrigation besides power generation. With this objective, Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Utri gave necessary directives to his minister of public works,'' he said.

(AY-EÖ-MS) 25.08.2004