ANKARA (A.A) - 20.04.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on April 20, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
DOORS OF PARLIAMENT CLOSED FOR ERDOGAN
The reasoned verdict of the Constitutional Court about Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan was issued in the Offical Gazette yesterday. The verdict put an end to political life of Erdogan. According to the verdict, Erdogan cannot be elected deputy, and cannot become founder member of a political party.

WOLFENSOHN: ''TURKEY OVERCAME THE WORST''
World Bank President James Wolfensohn said that Turkey took extraordinarily good steps to improve its economy, adding that ''Turkey overcame the worst.'' Speaking in the annual spring term meetings of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, Wolfensohn evaluated the recent economic situation in Turkey. ''Turkey took extraordinarily good steps to improve its economy, State Minister Kemal Dervis was able to persuade international institutions. In the last one week, IMF and World Bank approved to release over 2,3 billion dollars of loan to Turkey. I suppose Turkey overcome the worst,'' he said.

UNITED STATES TO TAKE ACTION FOR TURKISH TOURISM
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit quoted U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chairman Thomas Donohue as saying that they had prepared some projects to make important contributions to develop Turkish tourism. Donohue who has been in Turkey for the last two days, proceeded to Ankara yesterday after wrapping up his contacts in Istanbul. He was received by Prime Minister Ecevit. State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan, U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Robert Pearson and Union of Turkish Chambers and Commodity Exchanges Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu were also in attendance at the meeting. Holding a press conference after the meeting, Prime Minister Ecevit said that concrete steps had been taken to further improve commercial and economic relations between Turkey and the United States.

ISRAEL ALLOWS RED CRESCENT TO SEND AID TO PALESTINE
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''we applied to the Israeli authorities to make necessary facilities for us to send humanitarian aid through the Red Crescent. Israeli authorities have responded our wish in the affirmative. Directorate General of Red Crescent has already completed preparatory works to send humanitarian aid to Palestine. The aid will be sent to Palestine in coming days.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
SHAME
Northern province of Samsun became scene of an unbelievable tradegy. Parents of 24 children aged between 3 and 17 who have been diagnosed as leukemia, could not afford medical bill, and the state did not help them. Nine of these children lost their lives.

ARMENIAN STUDIES TO BE DISCUSSED
Armenian Studies Turkey Congress organized by Institute for Armenian Studies will be held in Ankara between April 20 and 21, 2002. Nearly 100 presentations will be made at the congress on the issues of history of Armenian question, Armenian question in international relations, Armenian terrorism, Armenian culture and Armenia. A total of 122 people including academicians, retired ambassadors, writers and journalists will be in attendance at the congress in which Archives Director General Yusuf Sarinay will give information about the state archives. The congress aims at bringing scientists together to enable them share their views.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
---------------
SEZER: ''FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IS THE FIGHT OF CIVILIZATION''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer addressed students at the Concordia University in Estonia, the last leg of his tour to the Baltic States. Stressing that the fight against terrorism was the fight of civilization, President Sezer said that double-standards should not be given place in the fight against terrorism. President Sezer met with Prime Minister Siim Kallas of Estonia, and attended opening of Turkey-Estonia Business Coulcil meeting. After wrapping up his contacts in Estonia, President Sezer returned to Turkey late on Friday.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
PKK'S ''NAME'' TRICK
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit stressed that change of PKK's name as ''KADEK'' was a trick. Ecevit said, ''PKK has not yet given up its separatist desire. I suppose that also our European friends knew this.'' Noting that PKK spread such news to distract especially the European Union countries, Ecevit said that Turkey would soon overcome the problems it faced in pre-accession process.

''TURKEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IF SUPPORT CONTINUES''
World Bank President James Wolfensohn said that Turkey had extraordinarily taken good steps in recovery of its economy, adding, ''the worst one was overcome.'' Noting that there was a need for continuation of government's full support to the programme, Wolfensohn said that Turkey had the chance to succeed if it continued to do what it had done so far.

3 HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Ankara State Security Court (DGM) no:1 sentenced three Hezbollah terrorists Mehmet Emin Alpsoy, Mustafa Gurluer and Seyhmus Alpsoy to death yesterday. The court also sentenced 29 other suspects to imprisonment terms from 3 years up to 15 years.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
ECEVIT: ''PKK'S CHANGING ITS NAME IS A TRICK''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that terrorist organization PKK's changing its name was a trick, stressing that the PKK did not give up its separatist aims. He said, ''I think our European friendship certainly know this.''

SEZER: ''TURKEY IS READY TO SUPPORT ESTONIA'S MEMBERSHIP TO NATO''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer paid a visit to Estonia, the last leg of his tour to the Baltic States. During the meeting between President Sezer and President Arnod Ruutel of Estonia, both countries' European Union (EU) full membership process and Estonia's NATO membership process were taken up. President Sezer said that both Turkey and Estonia targeted to become full members of the EU. President Sezer added that Turkey was ready to support Estonia's membership to NATO. President Sezer also attended opening of Turkey-Estonia Business Council meeting. After wrapping up his contacts in Estonia, President Sezer returned to Turkey.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
---------------
''CYPRUS IS THE CASE OF ISLAM''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas attended the Fifth Eurasia Islam Congress held in the TRNC. Addressing representatives of the Islamic countries, Denktas said that Cyprus was a case of the Islam world.

AID FROM RED CRESCENT TO PALESTINE
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit announced that Israel positively responded the request for sending humanitarian aid to Palestinians. The aid organization Kizilay (Red Crescent) will send four truck-load of foodstuffs to Palestine tomorrow. These trucks will carry flour, sugar, rice, vegetal oil, generators, flashlights, tents, blankets, mattresses, medicine and medical equipment.

PREMIER'S WIFE CLOSES SHOPPING CENTER
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's wife Rahsan Ecevit bought new clothes for her husband from the Yeni Konak shopping center in Ankara yesterday morning. While Rahsan Ecevit was shopping for nearly half an hour, bodyguards did not allow anybody to enter the shopping center. Officials at the shopping center said Rahsan Ecevit purchased shirts to the Prime Minister.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
--------------------
FIFTH EURASIA ISLAM CONGRESS SUPPORTS TRNC
The Fifth Eurasia Islam Congress in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) ended. A final statement was released at the end of the congress. In the final statement, it was stressed that embargoes imposed on the TRNC should be lifted. Also, the Fifth Eurasia Islam Congress condemned all kinds of terrorist activities.