ANKARA (A.A) - 29.05.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on May 29, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ECEVIT: ''I AM ILL, BUT I CANNOT LEAVE''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit accepted for the first time yesterday that he had a neurological illness but said, ''my retirement will cost too much for Turkey.'' Ecevit noted, ''they want to take me under firm control for some time. Neurology is a sensitive issue. A person who is well today can face a serious condition an hour later. I may have to deprive myself of some foreign official visits.'' Ecevit stated, ''retirement can come to people in my condition at any time. But, it will not be easy to take the retirement step. I see it necessary for me to be in the office because I think that it will cost too much to interrupt the reforms.''

CHINESE BOMB FROM BAHCELI
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli made statements from China yesterday which hit the agenda of Turkey, particularly capital punishment given to Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization. Bahceli, who evaluated the third anniversary of the formation of the government from China, where he is paying an official visit, said, ''nothing will happen before terrorism is ended'' and gave five messages. Here are the messages: ''Ocalan's file should be sent to the parliament irrespective of what the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will be. Ocalan should not be kept under special conditions in Imrali island, he should be imprisoned in an F type prison immediately. European Union (EU) should include terrorist organization KADEK in its list of terrorist networks. The heads and militants of the terrorist organization PKK should surrender to the state unconditionally. Heads of the terrorist organization should announce that they obey the Constitution.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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THAT BRAVE STEP COMES FROM SOLDIER
The soldier took the step that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit expected from Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli. A high-level commander proposed a formula which would keep Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization, in life imprisonment without execution of his death penalty. A high-level commander of the army which fights against terrorism put forth a proposal to solve capital punishment ''in order to open the path of the European Union (EU).'' The formula, which is defined as ''his personal idea'' by the commander, proposes non-execution of Ocalan, but enables his life imprisonment by a provision to be included in the Constitution. That is, there will not be any amnesty for Ocalan. The commander reminded a similar formula put to practice for Nazi criminal Rudolf Hess and added, ''capital punishment should be abolished but amnesty should also be lifted. If a campaign for freedom to Ocalan is launched in coming days, you cannot explain to people.''

SUPREME COURT DOES NOT PARDON
Constitutional Court annulled the amnesty law by agreeing with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer who said that the law on conditional release and suspension of punishments was ''a mass special amnesty.'' However, the court did not stop the implementation. That is, it shed a green light to releases from prison till the reasoned verdict is issued in the Official Gazette. Jurists, commenting on the decision, think that the annulment will not be valid for former cases while Professor Kaboglu thinks differently: ''Those who have been released from prison so far should be called back.'' Meanwhile, Sadi Ozpolat, a member of the terrorist DHKP-C organization, was released from prison recently.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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RECENT SOLUTION FROM MILITARY TO APO PROBLEM: LET HIM ROT IN CELL
A general, who has the authority of speaking on behalf of the Armed Forces, said, ''we are against abolishment of death penalty with respect to the fight which we carried out against the PKK for years.'' Yet he added, ''if the capital punishment will be lifted, then ways of amnesty should be closed.''
The authorized General said, ''let's say death penalty abolished. How can we explain our public conscience if a campaign is launched after 4-5 years to release Ocalan.''
The General said a plan was presented to the summit of the state to prevent such kind of campaigns.
''It should be stated in laws and the Constitution as a provision that Ocalan will not be pardoned till his death,'' the General said.

THE BEST REFEREE OF ASIA TO CONDUCT TURKEY-BRAZIL MATCH
South Korean citizen Kim Young-joo, the referee of Turkey-Brazil match, said he would be in an effort not to make mistake, ''if I make a mistake in this match, this will always be told to me throughout my life.''
Kim Young-joo was elected as the best referee of Asia last year.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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REACTION FROM BUYUKANIT TO SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said the European countries could not comprehend September 11 terrorist attacks rightly, stressing that they were paving ways for new September 11 attacks due to wrong policies.
Pointing out that NATO also insistently did not respond to the sensitivity of Turkey toward terrorism, Buyukanit said, ''although some European countries banned the activities of the terrorist PKK/KADEK organization, they continue to expend support to this organization in this or that way. Buyukanit said Turkey was pushed toward isolation regarding terrorism.''

OCALAN DECISION TO BE GIVEN IN AUTUMN
The European Court of Human Rights will take its decision about Abdullah Ocalan, the head of terrorist organization, in fall of 2002.
The ECHR Spokesman Roderick Liddell said that a decision was not expected to be taken in summer. The ECHR had listened to views of Ocalan and Turkish government in a hearing held on November 21, 2000.

SEZER: I AM PERSONALLY AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, speaking about the statements of State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli regarding the European Union (EU), said, ''the meeting pertaining to the EU will take place on June 7. This is approved. I can not say the results before the meeting takes places. However, personally I favor abolishment of death penalty.''

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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CILLER BLINKS TO EU
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said, ''if the file of Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization, comes to the parliament immediately, we will support it. If there is a need for a choice between 'European Union (EU) or the destiny of Ocalan', EU should be preferred.''

YILMAZ: ''WE ARE AT A SEPARATION OF PATH''
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz criticized Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and said, ''none of the political parties has the right to obstruct European Union (EU) membership. Days when the paths will definitely be separated are near.''

SEZER: ''I AM AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said, ''I am in favor of abolition of capital punishment.'' Sezer responded to questions of reporters following the NATO-Russia Council meeting. When he was reminded about the statements of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, Sezer said, ''the summit meeting on European Union (EU) will be held on June 7. It is approved. I cannot say anything about the result before holding the meeting.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ECEVIT: I WON'T LEAVE MY POST
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who appeared in public after two weeks said that Turkey was experiencing a very sensitive period and added that he would not retire. Ecevit said, ''there is no early election. The government will continue to its work till the end. He went on to say, ''we, as coalition partners, do not approve early elections. I have some pleasing leisure interests. I would like to have more time to deal with them. However, if we destroy the stability of the coalition government, we will face with extremely serious problems. I cannot take such a responsibility.''

COURT CANCELS AGAIN
Constitutional Court annulled one article of the Law on Conditional Release from Prison and Suspension of Punishments no:4758. However, the Constitutional Court rejected the request to stop putting into practice the law by deciding to continue to release the prisoners. The annulled article envisaged ten-year reduction from the total imprisonment terms which the prisoners have to serve in accordance with provisions of execution.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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CRUSADERS' OCCUPATION OF ISTANBUL TO BE DEBATED IN TURKEY
Culture Ministry which prepares to celebrate the 550th anniversary of conquest of Istanbul with a very big organization in 2003 plans to hold an international congress in 2004 due to the 800th anniversary of the Crusaders' occupation of Istanbul. Culture Ministry, which took information about an event in Istanbul which will be held by some European institutions and scientists due to the 800th anniversary of the Crusaders' occupation of Istanbul, decided to hold another congress which will be organized by the participation of Turkish and foreign scientists in Istanbul.