ANKARA (A.A) - 08.04.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on April 8, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY LAUNCHES A NEW PEACE INITIATIVE FOR CYPRUS
Turkey is getting prepared to launch a new initiative in peace process in Cyprus. Turkish side will announce its opinions about future of the island on Friday. The announcement will be based on the concept of ''new partnership'' instead of ''confederation''.

U-2 PLANES FLY FROM CYPRUS
After Turkey did not allow use of Incirlik Base in southern province of Adana, U.S. U-2 planes have begun to benefit from the British base in Cyprus.

PALESTINE: ''TURKEY SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION''
Palestinian officials who met with deputies of the Felicity Party (SP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP) said, ''we have been in serious conditions. Turkey should take immediate action to put an end to acts of violence.'' Palestinian Minister Ziyad Ebu Ziyad for Jerusalem said that Turkey had close relations with both regional countries, and western countries. He noted, ''Israel attributed great importance to its relations with Turkey. We hope that Turkish people and government would follow a pressing policy.''

''A.A IS NOT A PUBLIC INSTITUTION, IT IS A CORPORATION''
Speaking at a reseption hosted in Istanbul's Ceylan Intercontinental Hotel to mark the 82nd anniversary of foundation of Anadolu Agency (A.A), A.A Head of Executive Board and General Director Mehmet Guler said, ''we are voice, eye and ear of Turkey.'' Guler said that the A.A was transmitting news items to four cell-phone companies, news portals of 37 web-sites and to four companies that convey stock exchange data in Turkey. The A.A was not a public institution, Guler stated and noted that many people in Turkey did not know that A.A was a corporation.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TWO IMAMS OF AL-QAEDA CAPTURED IN BURSA
In an operation launched in northwestern province of Bursa, two people who are members of the Union of Imams providing logistic support to Al-Qaeda network, were captured. These two people were arrested by the court on duty.

CHEMICAL ATTACK WARNING
The Directorate General of Security sent confidential decrees to governor's offices, and warned officials against possible chemical attacks of the Al-Qaeda network on the U.S. targets.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH PEOPLE EXPECT MUCH FROM EUROPE
The survey carried out by the European Union (EU) in 13 candidate countries, including Turkey, put forth very intresting results. Turkish people believe that things would not be so good in the following five years and consider the EU as a solution. Turkish citizens, who joined the EU enlargement survey, are neither happy with their past nor hopeful about future. 56 percent of the Turks think that things got worse in the last five years. 54 percent of the people think that it will be worse this year while 41 percent think that it will be worse in the following five years. According to the survey results, the most important hope of Turkish people is EU membership.

JUSTICE MINISTER TURK: ''YES, 5 THOUSAND PEOPLE WILL BE RELEASED''
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk confirmed that 3-5 thousand more people would be released under the decision of the Constitutional Court. Turk said that the law which would result in new releases from prison was ''the re-arrangement of the provisions cancelled by the Constitutional Court not an amnesty law.'' Turk said, ''according to the decision of the Constitutional Court, the ten-year reduction in punishment will be calculated from the imprisonment term that will be served by the convict not from the imprisonment term given to the convict. Around 3-5 thousand people will benefit from this.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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WEAPONS OF PKK FROM IRAN
The terrorist organization PKK, which took 50 machine guns, 30 RGP-7 rocket launchers, 300 Russian-made kalashnikov rifles and 100 boxes of hand grenades from Iran in January, is planning to deliver a new party of guns this month. Iranian administration, which does not accept that terrorist Cemil Bayik is not in its territory, continue to support the terrorist organization. According to the report prepared by intelligence units, 800 PKK terrorists are taking shelter in 7 camps in Iran and Iranian secret service SAVAMA is providing training and weapon support to the terrorists. It is also said that Iran has approved all activities of PKK on condition that the terrorist organization take permission beforehand.

ONE MINUTE DARKNESS FOR LIGHT FOR ARAFAT
Thousands of people who joined the demonstration of Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) in Sisli Abide-i Hurriyet Square of Istanbul protested the Israeli occupation of Palestine. In the demonstration backed by the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Union (DISK) and the Confederation of Public Employees Union (KESK), it was announced that one-minute darkness protest would be started in Turkey as of April 9 in order to share the darkness of Palestine and Yasser Arafat.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ECEVIT TELLS YSK: ''ELECTIONS WILL NOT BE HELD THIS YEAR''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit told Higher Election Board (YSK), ''since elections will not be held this year, we did not allocate any fund to the YSK from this year's budget. We will allocate money to YSK in 2003.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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THEY WILL NOT ASK WHERE YOU HAVE FOUND
Officials will not ask ''where you have found'' for the money of banks and other companies which are named as capital. Officials will not search for the source of the money which comes from abroad within six months and which cannot be seen in registrations. They will not launch a tax examination related with that money. According to a new renewal in tax system, declaration will be given for interest incomes, including deposit interests and repo. Thus, all rentier incomes will be subject to income tax. All deduction rates will be reduced to one. Tax return for workers and civil servants will be cancelled.

QUAKE SURVIVORS EXEMPTED FROM TAX
According to the notification of the Finance Ministry issued in Official Gazette, the survivors of devastating Marmara earthquake would be exempted from tax and duties; and their default interests, fund fees and punishments, fee for contribution to education and income tax would be erased.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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''I HOPE ARAFAT BE MANDELA OF PALESTINE''
Israeli Ambassador David Sultan in Ankara responded to questions of Nuriye Akman and Eyup Can. Sultan made the ''longest interview of his professional life'' with Zaman. Asked ''if what the Jewish people were doing to Palestinians was the reflection of the violence they had passed in the passed,'' Sultan said that such a comparison could not be made. Making a comment on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, Sultan said, ''I hope Arafat be Mandela of Palestine. But, he cannot achieve this. This situation is unfortunately tragic for us and the Palestinians.''

ISMAIL CEM HAS INTENSIVE PHONE DIPLOMACY
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem requested that an international meeting be organized in which Palestinian and Israeli sides would come together during his phone conversations with his U.S., Israeli, Qatari, Egyptian and Greek counterparts. Cem held talks with U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jasim, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmet Maher and Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou regarding the Middle East problem. Turkey once more requested the organization of an international meeting in which the sides would come together.