These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on April 3, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY DROPS DOWN TO SYRIA'S ECONOMIC CATEGORY
Turkey dropped from the category ''high middle income'' category to ''low middle income'' countries, World Bank recently announced. In 2001, Turkey's gross national product decreased by 9.4 percent and and the annual national income per capita increased to 2,160 USD. Countries whose national income per capita is between 756 USD and 2,995 USD are categorized as low middle income countries. In 2000, Turkey's national income per capita was 2,995 USD and therefore it was in the category of high middle income countries. Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Bulgaria are also countries with low middle income countries.

ECEVIT SAYS TURKEY WOULD CONTINUE TANK MODERNIZATION PROJECT WITH ISRAEL
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit stressed that Turkey would not cancel the M-60 tank modernization project with Israel. Responding to the criticism of opposition parties which want Turkey to cancel the project with Israel, Ecevit said ''We'll reassess our relations with Israel, but the tank modernization agreement has already been signed and it's an issue of the past.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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COUNCIL OF MINISTERS PAYS NO ATTENTION TO COURT DECISION
The Council of Ministers decided to allow Eurogold (Normandy) to continue its activities in Bergama township of Izmir although the court had earlier ruled to stop this company's activities as of April 4. Health Minister Osman Durmus made a surprising statement, ''there is not any factor hazardous to human health in extracting gold with cyanide.''

''ZIONIST'' ROW AT PARLIAMENT
The parliament discussed Middle East yesterday after information given by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission Chairman Kamran Inan from the Motherland Party (ANAP) stressed that the Middle East problem would be solved through peaceful ways and negotiations. A row started at the parliament when Inan said, ''killing innocent people with a bomb wrapped up on body should also be condemned. Policy should not be made upon bloodshed.'' Deputies of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Felicity Party (SP) protested Inan by saying, ''do you think the children killed in Palestine were not human? What a pity for you, the zionist!''

ISRAEL WITHDRAWS FROM MILITARY OPERATION IN KONYA
Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan and mayors from SP in Konya requested for withdrawal of Israel from the military operation ''Anatolian Eagle'' of the Turkish Air Forces in Konya due to its policies toward Palestine. The Air Forces Commandership said that there would not be any change in the operation program and that there would be three separate operations between April 22-May 6, June 3-16, and October 14-25, and Israel would participate in all. However, Israel announced that it would not join the first phase. Israel also denied withdrawal from the operation because of reactions.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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RENOVATION AT PRESIDENTIAL PALACE TOO DEAR
After having to explain how he paid for his four-storey house, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is now facing a furniture crisis. The part of the Presidential Palace which Sezer is using as residence was also renovated from the budget of the Presidential Palace. Sezer has been so far known for restraining expenses but now the imported furniture for the Presidential Palace stirred up debates for a second time.
After his election as the president, the Sezers had changed the furniture of the Presidential Palace and decorated their bedroom and study rooms with furniture imported from Italy and Germany.
Upholstery, armatures and wall paints were also renewed after the Sezers moved to the Presidential Palace.
All the drapes in the Palace including bathroom curtains were changed at a price of 150 billion USD. The bedroom furniture cost 20,000 USD while a breakfast set cost 5,500 USD.

CEM CALLS ON U.S. TO CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE EFFORTS IN MIDDLE EAST
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem has asked the United States to take action to stop a 'joint suicide' of Israelis and Palestinians. Cem said the United States should stay at equal distance to both nations and try to bring a solution to the conflict, when he spoke at Parliament on Tuesday. Cem said Turkey always had acted with a sense of justice and never refrained from stating the facts for fear of upsetting one of the sides and therefore gained the trust of both sides.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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IRAN:''PKK IS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION''
Iranian Ambassador in Ankara, Lavasani said that Iran defined the PKK and Iranian People's Fighters Party as terrorist organizations. He also indicated that neither Turkey nor Iran contacted him about the return of PKK terrorist Cemil Bayik to Turkey. ''But I can assure you that both Iran and Turkey will seriously follow on that issue. Iran is ready to take some practical steps,'' he said.

ANKARA WARNS IRAQ
State Minister Tunca Toskay who was in Iraq conveyed the Turkish government's message to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein telling him how to prevent certain negative developments in this country. ''We told him that this is a very critical situation,'' Toskay said at a press conference on Tuesday. Toskay indicated that the terrorist organization PKK's strategy change was not raised during his contacts with Iraqi officials. He also added that Turkey wants to increase commercial activity with Iraq.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ECEVIT WARNS ISRAEL
The political agenda of Ankara was Israel's occupation in Palestinian land at the Parliament on Tuesday. All political parties wanted Israel to withdraw immediately from Palestinian lands. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''we can review the relations with Israel.'' Ecevit stated that M-60 tanks modernization agreement with Israel would not be cancelled and added, ''however, we can review the relations with Israel.'' All parties called on Israel to withdraw from Palestinian territories.

IRAN: PKK IS TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
Iranian Ambassador to Turkey Mohammad Hossein Lavasani has said that their attitude not to consider PKK as a terrorist organization in past wasn't accurate. He stated that they were ready to take more steps on that issue. Lavasani said that his country had not defined PKK as a terrorist organization in past and added that this attitude was not accurate. Lavasani met with Turkey-Iran Joint Economic Council (JEC) Cochairman State Minister Mehmet Kececiler and they assessed the relations between the two countries.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ANNULMENT FROM AKCAN TO NATURAL DISASTER DECREE
Housing and Public Works Minister Abdulkadir Akcan who withdrew the natural disaster decree which increased the share of the municipalities that suffered from the quake and floods said that the ministers who did not sign the decree should find a solution to that issue. Akcan who came to Bursa to hold contacts visited Governor Ali Fuat Guven in his office. Akcan said, ''the ministers of Motherland Party (ANAP) did not sign the decree. That's why I withdrew the decree as the minister who prepared the decree.''

M-60 PAIN
National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu has said that the organ which would take a decision whether the tank modernization agreement with Israel would be cancelled or not was Defense Industry Executive Committee headed by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. Cakmakoglu responded to the questions on M-60 tank modernization project of reporters at National Movement Party (MHP) group meeting. Ecevit stated, ''it is out of question to annul M-60 tank modernization agreement which was made with Israel.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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OPPOSITION INSISTS ON CANCELLATION OF AUCTION
Felicity Party (SP), Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and True Path Party (DYP) called on the government to cancel the M-60 tanks' modernization auction awarded to Israel in order to protest attacks against Palestine. National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu explained the process of signing of this contract and said that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Chief of General Staff General Huseyin Kivrikoglu had the responsibility.

PEOPLE LIVING IN PREFABRICATED HUTS ARE NOT EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
It was revealed that only 2,559 of the 42 thousand people living in prefabricated huts are earthquake victims. People living in these huts do not pay rent but the state has so far paid 16 trillion Turkish liras to the owners of the fields as rent money.