ANKARA (A.A) - 18.05.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 18, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ALARM IN ECONOMY
As the uncertainty started to have more negative influences on the economy, State Minister Kemal Dervis gave a briefing to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit for 40 minutes yesterday. Dervis explained Ecevit the repercussions of the political uncertainty on economy. The inflation which decreased to 52 percent in April, increased by 20 points after Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's illness on May 3. Before the meeting, Ecevit issued a message saying that general impression of uncertainty in recent weeks has increased the volatility of financial markets. If this volatility continues for long, it will bring costs for the economy and undermine the achievements of an International Monetary Fund-backed program that has brought inflation down and generated signs of recovery, the statement said.

DEATH SENTENCE NOT TO BE ABOLISHED BEFORE SEVILLA SUMMIT
As the Democratic Left Party (DSP) could not end its search for compromise in the parliament to abolish death sentence, the latter will not probably be abolished before the EU Summit in Sevilla to be held between 20-22 June. After meeting with AK Party and True Path Party (DYP), DSP deputies met with Felicity Party (SP) administrators. DSP prepared a motion foreseeing the abolishment of death sentence for terrorist crimes, but it keeps death sentence in cases of war or imminent threat of war.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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SEZER REJECTS CHADOR
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer went to Iran yesterday for a two-day official visit. Sezer didn't bring his wife to Iran as she had to wear chador in Iran due to sharia laws. Semra Sezer didn't accompany her husband as persons who represent the Turkish Republic should not wear chadors as this will damage the secular and modern image of Turkey. Sezer who met tete-a-tete with Iranian President Khatemi, gave a message supporting the reformist policies in Iran.

SUSHI TIME
Turkey expects the result of the match which the Turkish soccer national team will play with its Japanase counterpart today. If the Turkish national team wins the match, it will have the right to play in the quarter-final. This will be the first time that the Turkish national team will play in the quarter-final.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ECEVIT WARNS BOTH COALITION AND OPPOSITION PARTIES
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit issued a message yesterday saying that the debate on early elections should end and death sentence should not be on the agenda. Ecevit called both the coalition and opposition parties to be careful with their style in their statements in order not to make the citizens uneasy. Noting that the general impression of uncertainty in recent weeks has increased the volatility of financial markets, Ecevit said that there won't be early elections and the issue of death penalty should be solved as soon as possible.

COALITION LEADERS TO MEET
The coalition leaders will meet today to discuss the developments in the market and economy. If the meeting is held in Oran district, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will attend it. If it is held in Prime Ministry, Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan will participate in it. State Minister Kemal Dervis will also attend the meeting.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TERRORISM DISCUSSED IN SEZER'S VISIT TO IRAN
The two-day visit of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to Iran started yesterday. Sezer met with Iranian President Khatemi and they discussed the developments in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the issues of terrorism and commerce. Khatemi who said that Iran supported Turkey's EU membership, said that ''Europe has to know that the membership of Turkey to the EU is more advantageous to EU than Turkey due to latter's distinguished place in its region.''

SPAIN'S EU SUPPORT TO TURKEY
The draft report which Spain will submit to the EU as the EU Term President in Sevilla summit has become definite. The draft welcomes the progress recorded by Turkey for EU membership, telling that its accession perspective has to be deepened in line with the developments to be recorded in the period starting from Sevilla summit until Copenhagen summit. However Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen said that Turkey was not ready to EU.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TURKEY'S EXCITING MORNING
Turkish national team will play World Cup second round match against Japan at 9.30 Turkish local time on Tuesday. Italian referee Pierluigi Collina will officiate the match that will be played at Miyagi Stadium. Turkish national team coach Senol Gunes said that he believed that they would win the match and added that the team was playing better in away games.

ECEVIT: ''WE SHOULD END UNCERTAINTY IN ECONOMY''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit talked about the economy summit which was held on Monday to Radikal. He admitted that the political atmosphere affected the regression in the economic indicators. Ecevit said that the disputes on death penalty and the European Union (EU) reforms were the reasons of political uncertainty. He added that some circles wanted to launch the discussion that whether Ecevit could return to policy or not.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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SUMMIT HELD TO EVALUATE DEVELOPMENTS IN ECONOMY
State Minister Kemal Dervis who issued statements following the meeting which was held to evaluate the recent developments in economy under the leadership of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that uncertainty in economy had several dimensions. He added that uncertainty in economy had political and economic properties. Dervis said that they were very pleased to see Ecevit well. State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy, Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak, Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti, Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) Chairman Engin Akcakoca and Treasury Deputy Undersecretary Hakan Ozyildiz were in attendance at the meeting.

ATAKULE ACTION
Five Greenpeace activists were detained after they suspended themselves from a 127-meter-high Atakule tower in Ankara on Monday, demanding that Turkey immediately close down a waste incinerator. The demonstrators, wearing the environmental group's characteristic orange jumpsuits, unfurled a giant banner that read ban the burn in Turkish and English during the two-hour demonstration from Ankara's highest point. According to Greenpeace, the incineration plant in Izmit burns industrial and medical waste. Tests on ashes produced by the incinerator revealed high levels of heavy metals and
hazardous chemicals, the group said.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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KHATAMI GIVES FOUR WARM MESSAGES TO PRESIDENT SEZER
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer began his visit to Iran which he had to delay previously for some reasons. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami welcomed Sezer. They discussed mainly economy and security issues. Khatami said they approved of Turkey's EU membership as Turkey's powerful and influential existence in the EU would be beneficial to development and growth of all countries in the region including Iran. Khatami stated that he would not permit any formation which is against Turkey to be active in his country.

LEADERS SUMMIT TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY
The leaders summit which State Minister Kemal Dervis brought onto the agenda to relieve the markets and which was approved by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will be held on Tuesday. Ecevit will not attend the summit because of his illness. The meeting time will be determined according to Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli's programme in Gebze. The leaders are expected to discuss issues such as early election, death penalty, and broadcast in Kurdish language.