ANKARA (A.A) - 15.06.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 15, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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UNICE:''EU SHOULD GIVE A DATE TO TURKEY TO START MEMBERSHIP TALKS''
European Industrialists Association (UNICE) called on the EU to give a date to Turkey to start membership negotiations at the Sevilla Summit that will take place on June 21. UNICE, in a progress report, showed progress to the EU membership all candidate countries including Turkey. The report also drew attention to Turkey's administrative reforms, fight against corruption and direct capital investments. Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan also stated that the EU should take into consideration Turkey's efforts to fulfill the EU criteria.

IVECO:''WE WOULD MAKE INVESTMENTS IN TURKEY UNDER ANY CONDITION''
Iveco Turkey Director Franco Ragazzi has said that financially strong companies would continue their investments under any condition and stressed that Turkey was indispensable for them. Ragazzi said that during the economic crisis in Turkey, they continued investments in Turkey and he believed that they would get the results of these investments in the future.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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SEZER PROPOSES FORMULA TO RESOLVE ISSUE OF DEATH SENTENCE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer asked Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi to help the political parties to reconcile regarding the abolition of death penalty. He said that Parliament could pass protocol no.6 of the European Convention of Human Rights as a law and turn death sentence to life imprisonment.

AKCAKOCA:''TURKS HAVE 65 BILLION USD ONLY IN SWISS BANKS''
Banking Higher Council Chairman Engin Akcakoca has said that Turkish people had 65 billion USD only in Swiss banks. He also said that Turks were keeping another 15 billion USD under the mattress. ''The foreign currency of Turkish people that is kept in Swiss banks is more than three times of the credit Turkey recently received from the IMF and World Bank.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SEA WOLF 2002 MILITARY EXERCISE CONTINUES
Chief of General Staff and all high commanders are participating in the Sea Wolf 2002 military exercise that started on June 6. The exercise will continue until June 17. The high success of the soldiers in shootings pleased commanders while impressing foreign observers.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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DERVIS'S CONTRADICTIONS
State Minister Kemal Dervis who stated that early elections would not hurt the economy during discussions of an early election, negatively affected markets with his statements. First he said the ''economic balances were stable'' and then said ''he cannot say that everything is going well.'' Recently, when businessmen asked him to make statements to motivate markets, he said ''I cannot say something that doesn't exist.''

TURKEY STAYING BEHIND EU CALENDER
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer who had a meeting with Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi stressed that Turkey should pass Copenhagen criteria as soon as possible to guarantee its EU membership. He asked Izgi to speed up activities in Parliament to achieve this result. State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said Turkey expected the EU to give Turkey a more clear perspective regarding its EU membership.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TREASURY'S DEBT BURDEN INCREASES 9.2 QUADRILLION TL MORE
The debt burden of Treasury increased 9.2 quadrillion Turkish lira (TL) more from May 4 to June 14. The political uncertainty which started after Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit was hospitalized a month 11 days ago led to 18 point increase in the interest rates. Foreign exchange rates also rose 14 percent. The interest rates were expected to decrease from 53 to 50 percent but they increased to 71 percent in nearly one and a half month. This brought 4.5 quadrillion TL debt burden to Treasury.

SEZER MEETS WITH IZGI FOR EU
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer who brought together the leaders of the political parties for the compromise on the way to the European Union (EU) met with Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi. Presidential Foreign Affairs Chief Advisor Tacan Ildem said that they discussed the steps which should be taken under the adjustment to the EU. Ildem stated that Sezer and Izgi debated legal regulations which should be done for the Copenhagen criteria.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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YILMAZ:''EU SHOULD ENCOURAGE TURKEY''
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said, ''we expect the European Union (EU) to put forward a clearer perspective about Turkey during next week's summit meeting in Sevilla, Spain.'' In an interview with a magazine published in Brussels for Turkish people living abroad, Yilmaz said, ''we target at EU's taking a decision during its summit meeting in Copenhagen in December to start full membership negotiations with Turkey. However, we have some serious concerns whether or not we can reach this target till December. Our concerns stem partially from Turkey, and partially from foreign factors.''

WORLD TALKS ABOUT US
Turkish National team's success in the World Cup was covered by the foreign press. German newspapers used headlines which say, ''We felt glad with you'' and ''Thanks a lot Turkey''. French newspapers said in the headlines that Turkey was in paradise. Greek press said, ''Hasan Sas shines like a sun in the field.'' Turkey reached last 16 in the World Cup finals after beating China 3-0 on Thursday.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SEZER WANTS DEATH PENALTY TO BE LIFTED BEFORE PARLIAMENT RECESS
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer wanted the death penalty to be lifted before Parliament recess. Sezer stressed on the initiatives to be exerted in order to fulfil legal arrangements necessary to meet Copenhagen political criteria as soon as possible during his meeting with Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi. The abolition of capital punishment was brought onto the agenda during the meeting. The president stressed on the necessity that parliamentary works had to be accelerated in order to make the initiatives aiming at abolishing of death sentence from our system in compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights No:6 Protocol annex.