ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on September 12th, 2004. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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KOC AND AKBANK AMONG BEST COMPANIES OF THE WORLD
U.S. periodical Forbes put Akbank and Koc Holding among the best companies of the world. Koc Holding ranked the 140th in the list of ``the biggest companies of the world`` with its 11 billion U.S. dollars of profit. On the other hand, Akbank ranked the 320th with its 2.9 billion U.S. dollars of profit. Turkish Oil Refineries Corp (Tupras) which was the only Turkish company included in the list of 2003 was not among the biggest companies of the world this year.
``THEY WILL GIVE CITY TO KURDS``
Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Turkey representative Ahmet Muratli explained details of attacks on Turkmens in Tal Afar city of Iraq. Muratli said that attacks in Tal Afar aimed to purify the city from Turkmens and give the city to Kurds, stating he thought that`s why Turkey showed its strongest reaction to the United States.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TRT SHOOTS MUSIC VIDEOS FOR KURDISH SONGS
Turkish state-run TRT television, which is broadcasting in languages and dialects other than Turkish, is shooting music videos for Kurdish songs since it doesn`t like those sent by the music companies. TRT has spent 600,000 U.S. dollars for 60 music videos mostly in Kurdish and Circassian. TRT doesn`t air most of Kurdish music videos sent by music companies since ``they include words and expressions that may recall separatism``. And, it is trying to overcome this crisis by shooting its own music videos. On the other hand, TRT administration is waiting for the decision of the government regarding demands for broadcasting in the Laz language, Georgian, Kazakh, and Kyrgyz. Latif Okul, the Chairman of the TRT Broadcasting Supervision Board, commenting on these demands, said, ``Turkey`s Voice Radio is in fact broadcasting in 26 languages.``
REFUSING TURKEY WILL BE DISASTER
Guenter Verheugen, the European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement, said, ``if Turkey isn`t accepted to the EU, this will be a disaster``. Verheugen noted that Turkey could not join the Union before 2015, adding that neither Turkey nor he believed that Turkey would be admitted to the EU before this date.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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WE HAVE OVERCOME IT WITH NO HARM
Zeynep Tugrul, a correspondent of ``Sabah`` daily, was taken hostage by insurgents who control Tal Afar, Iraq. Fortunately, she was saved by intense bargaining. Tugrul was kidnapped by militia, who are against the United States, in Tal Afar when she was trying to go to Baghdad. Tugrul, who was kept hostage for two days, was released yesterday thanks to efforts of Iraqi Turkmen Front and Turkish Foreign Ministry. Tugrul was handed over to Turkish authorities in Irbil.
WE WILL ERADICATE TORTURE
Speaking in a meeting entitled ``European Turkey 5 to Finish``, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, ``we are running the last 100 meters on the road to EU (European Union)``. Erdogan said that if the EU did not take a decision that Turkey expected (in December), Turkey would continue its path with ``Ankara criteria``, not ``Copenhagen criteria``. Erdogan noted that they had eliminated torture within the framework of adjustment laws, and Turkey had zero tolerance towards torture. Erdogan said, ``we have done what is necessary. We are running the last 100 meters now. We will reach the final with success.``

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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``TURKEY SHOULD RAISE ITS VOICE``
Turkmen Independent Movement Chairman Sakir Hacioglu said that they were doing their best to end violence, stressing that ``we are inviting everyone to dialogue for the end of this violence.`` Hacioglu said that coalition powers should withdraw from the town. Iraqi Turkmen Tribes Association Chairman Abdulhamit Beyatli said that many people left their houses, stating that they expected everyone especially Iraqi government to help them. Beyatli stressed that Turkey should not remain silent to developments.
INONU: ``TURKEY SHOULD ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO SCIENCE``
Prof. Dr. Erdal Inonu said that Turkey should attach importance to science, not to religion. In regard to moderate Islam model that the United States put for Turkey, Inonu said, ``Turkey is a secular country. Thus, people cannot carry out politics based on religion. Besides, Turkey is an independent country.``

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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WHEN WE WERE ABOUT TO CAPTURE OCALAN...
The United States, which was uneasy that ``Turkey`s Iraq policy might change``, delayed terrorist Abdullah Ocalan`s handing over to Turkey. Bulent Ecevit, the Prime Minister then, solved the problem. It has been revealed that Iraq crisis occurred between the United States and Turkey during capture of Ocalan in 1999. The United States told Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) that it could capture Ocalan and hand him over to Turkey on February 4th, 1999. Turkish special forces set off from Turkey on February 10th, 1999 to get Ocalan. But, Ocalan wasn`t handed over to Turkish special forces for days. Ecevit received Iraq`s second man Tariq Aziz on February 11th despite the United states. A message was given during the meeting: The United States asked Turkey to pledge that it wouldn`t change its Iraq policy. And, Turkey made this commitment. Ocalan was handed over to Turkish special forces on February 15th.
IMPORTANT VISIT FROM THE FRENCH
Members of the French National Assembly Delegation to the EU will visit Turkey between September 13th and 17th. This visit of the French parliamentarians is important since France isn`t backing starting entry talks with Turkey as much as other EU member countries. The delegation will divide into two after their meetings in Istanbul and Ankara. One group will meet officials in eastern city of Kars, and the other in Elazig.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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``INTERVENTION IS OUR RIGHT``
Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who reacted to operation that the United States launched in Turkmen city Tal Afar, said, ``the United States should be very careful. We saved Kurds from Saddam in the past. Now, we have the right to worry about our Turkmen relatives who have problems.`` Gul said that the United States, which was reluctant to stage operation against terrorist organization PKK in the north of Iraq, could not attack on Tal Afar without taking into consideration civilians. Gul noted, ``we will do what is necessary on the issue. It is not an intervention in internal affairs of Iraq.``
TALAT: ``EU DECEIVED US``
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said that the European Union (EU) did not keep promises that it made for Turkish Cypriots. Speaking to Financial Times, Talat said that promise that isolation of Turkish Cypriots would end was not kept, adding that this situation disappointed Turkish Cypriots.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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CICEK: DEFICIENCIES WILL BE ELIMINATED AT PARLIAMENT
Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that the government would take into consideration the criticisms against the draft Turkish Penal Code (TCK). Cicek said that some of the provisions of the draft contradicted values they had adopted. ``We will try to eliminate deficiencies during the discussions at the parliament if there are any,`` Cicek said.
TURKEY HAS BECOME HAZARDOUS GARBAGE AREA
``M/V Ulla`` ship, which sank after moored in Iskenderun port for four years, caused a new hazardous waste problem for Turkey. Unless permanent solutions are found, Turkey will become hazardous garbage area in time.

YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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DESPITE TURKEY`S WARNINGS, UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO BOMB TAL AFAR
Clashes continue in Tal Afar, which is under siege of the U.S. and Iraqi forces. U.S. helicopter bombed the city again yesterday morning. Turkmens, who met in Mosul, called on Turkey and the world to help them. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said, ``when we see that our Turkmen relatives are in trouble, it is our right as a neighbor (of Iraq) to raise our voice. These (reactions) should not be perceived as an intervention in Iraq`s internal affairs.``
SENER: TURKEY BREAKS RECORD OF 40 YEARS IN GROWTH
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said that if the growth continued in the last quarter, Turkey would record a growth rate around 10 percent in 2004. And, this would be a record broken in the last 40 years, Sener stated.

(EÖ-BRC) 12.09.2004