These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 15, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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''WE WANT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT TO BE ABOLISHED AND EDUCATION IN MOTHER TONGUE''
The European Union (EU) notified its sine qua non conditions to Ankara. Guenter Verheugen, the EU Commissioner for enlargement, told Ankara in a clear way that full membership negotiations would be opened in case all the political criteria were fulfilled. Verheugen asked a question to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, impliying the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) if ''there was a compromise in the government on the adjustment laws.'' Foreign Minister Ismail Cem asked for a negotiation date from Verheugen.

TURKISH UNIT LEAVES FOR AFGHANISTAN TODAY
The first Turkish troop will go to Afghanistan today. The Turkish unit compromised of 261 personnel will join the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The unit will be seen off by a ceremony held in 28th Mechanized Brigade Command in Ankara.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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THERE IS NO MORE DISMISSAL FROM WORK DISCRETIONARY
The employer can no more dismiss his or her employee without putting forth a valid reason. The draft labour security law has been presented to the parliament. When the draft law is enacted, a lawsuit filed by an employee dismissed by the discretion of the employer can be finalized within three month. If the employer cannot put forth ''a valid reason'' at the court, he or she has to recruit that employee again. If the employer does not recruit the earlier dismissed employee, he or she has to pay a compensation equal to 6-month wage.

JUDGE: ''FORGERY''
The U.S. court will give a verdict about the lawsuit filed by Motorola and Nokia requesting the court to impose precautionary measure to shares of Telsim on Friday. Judge Rakoff told the lawyers of Uzan family, the owner of Telsim, that if the things claimed to be done really happened, it was forgery.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SHAMEFUL TABLE
In the most comprehensive bribery survey of recent years, this result was gained: 46 out of 100 people have to bribe to have his or her work done. The Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) carried out the survey in 1,250 companies. ''Bribery and corruption'' which was ranked the eighth ten years ago in the list of ''Turkey's most important problems'' climbed to the second stage today. Inflation is ranked the first while unemployment is the third. The companies mostly bribe policemen controlling traffic and customs officials. Here is the rate of bribes given by companies: 53 percent to traffic, 49 percent to customs, 38 percent to title deed, 33 percent to police, 23 percent to municipalities, 16 percent to hospitals and 16 percent to tax offices.

SINCERE CONFESSION OF EU COMMISSIONER: ''WE HAVE NOW UNDERSTOOD TURKEY'S VALUE''
European Union (EU) Commissioner Guenter Verheugen for enlargement said that the Istanbul Summit that brought together the Islam countries and the West showed Europe that there were things in Turkey which could not be offered by anybody else. the EU Commissioner said that those values were standing there, but they were more visible today. Verheugen noted that Europe saw what it could gain from Turkey as a member.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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LINN: ''STRUCTURAL REFORMS INSUFFICIENT''
World Bank Vice President Johannes Linn said that he had listened to similar speeches and delivered a similar speech when he visited Turkey in November 2000 and put forth that he did not like one and a half years of Turkey's foreign capital performace. Linn claimed that Turkey's initiatives were not enough to encourage direct foreign investments although it was taking steps for structural reforms.

EU RETOUCHING ON CONSUMER LAW
The Law on Protection of Consumers that was adopted in 1995 is being re-shaped in line with European Union (EU) criteria. The draft law which foresees amendments in the current law on protection of consumers in order to limit the interest rates taken due to delay in repayment of credit card use and prevention of commission in credit card use was sent to the Office of Parliament Speaker. The draft law broadens the definition of faulty goods.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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WHAT A MISFORTUNE
Aksit family which moved to Kocaeli province following an earthquake which hit central Dinar township in 1997, was rescued alive from the rubble in the devastating earthquake that hit Marmara Region in 1999. The family later turned to central Afyon province while they also experienced the earthquake which rocked this province on February 3.

BOSS OF EU ASSISTANCE IS DERVIS AND YILMAZ
European Union (EU) Commissioner Guenter Verheugen and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz signed the memorandum of understanding on the financial assistance of the EU to Turkey. The memorandum of understanding foresees the formation of necessary institutional structures for the transfer of technical and financial management of the EU programmes to be made in Turkey to Turkish government. State Minister Kemal Dervis, who would have the title ''national authorization official'' will be responsible to take under guarantee the harmony of tendering, reporting and financial management of programmes with EU rules and methods. Secretariat General for EU will be responsible for the ''central financial tender department'' to be formed within the framework of the memorandum.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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SHAME OF CORRUPTION
World Bank rebuked Turkey for unsound proceedings in public sector. World Bank Vice President Johannes Linn said that the hurdles before the foreign investors could not be lifted. For example, Linn noted, buying a land lasted for four years in Turkey while it could be bought in a few months in Mexico. Linn said that he would like to stress once more that Turkey had to end corruption.

KORAY AYDIN ACQUITTED
Former Public Works and Housing Minister Koray Aydin was not sent to the Constitutional Court. The Parliamentary General Assembly discussed the report of the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission which was set up to investigate the claims that Aydin made corruption in tenders. The parliament decided that Aydin was not guilty in the secret ballot and did not send him to the Constitutional Court.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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NSC: ''WE DID NOT LEAK OUT E-MAILS OF FOGG''
National Security Council (NSC) Secretariat General said on Thursday that news stories were published in certain papers the same day hinting that the information about the e-mail messages of EU Commission's Representative to Turkey Karen Fogg was obtained from NSC Secretariat General. ''NSC Secretariat General has never been involved in such activities,'' said the Secretariat General issuing a written statement on the issue. ''Such claims which were covered by certain press organs on Feb. 14 are totally baseless,'' it was noted.

WORKS RE-START ON SECOND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BILL
Interparties Compromise Commission re-started on Thursday works on a second bill that would cover amendments to some articles of the Constitution. The commission convened on Thursday under the chairmanship of Deputy Parliament Speaker Yuksel Yalova. The commission withdrew from only changing the article 175 of the Constitution regulating the amendment of the Constitution, participation in elections and referendums and decided to take up all the other articles, the amendment of which were in question. The commission will re-meet following the Feast of Sacrifice and take up the amendments.