ANKARA (A.A) - 04.07.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 4, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BAHCELI DEFENDS ECEVIT
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, who defended Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who was criticized because of his health problems, pointed out that, ''I don't find it ethical to bring onto agenda the people, who served this country, with a mocking style in the recent period of their life.''
Responding to the questions of reportes, Bahceli said, ''the prime minister did not have any difficulty during the leaders' summit which lasted for nearly 2,5 hours.''

TOBB TO MEET PRESIDENT SEZER
Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), which warned the government for the political uncertainty and the instability in the markets caused by the uncertainty, is expected to meet President Ahmet Necdet Sezer today.
TOBB Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said they wanted to convey the statements of TOBB about the government and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.
Hisarciklioglu said, ''we requested an appointment, and they accepted. We will meet the President on Thursday. We will convey our concerns about uncertainty and the markets.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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''UNCERTAINTY IS THE MOST SERIOUS BURDEN''
State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy said that continuation of recent uncertainty in Turkey would be the most serious burden for the economy. There are two reasons creating this uncertainty: 1- Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's health condition 2- Difference of opinion among coalition partners on the issue of the European Union (EU) full membership. Dervis does not want to talk about Prime Minister Ecevit's health. He expresses his concerns about difference of opinion about the EU membership. He says that beginning of full membership negotiations with the EU would affect economy negatively.

GREENPEACE HOLDS PROTEST AT ISTANBUL STRAIT WITH A DINOSAUR
Members of the environmental organization Greenpeace held a protest at the Istanbul Strait with a seven meter long model dinosaur which represented big oil companies. Greenpeace Energy Campaign representative Melda Keskin said that Greenpeace was asking world's countries to quit using fossil based fuels such as oil and coal, and start using renewable energy resources. She stressed that fossil based fuels were constituting threat to world climate, environment and to the straits. After the press conference, Greenpeace members opened a banner on the ship that said ''Dinosaur oil industry is destroying the world.''

COALITION PARTNERS TO DISCUSS ECONOMY
Leaders of three political parties forming the coalition government will convene under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to take up the latest developments in economy. State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP); State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP); State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan from the Democratic Left Party (DSP); State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy; Finance Minister Sumer Oral; Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) Chairman Engin Akcakoca; Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti; Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak; State Planning Organization (DPT) Undersecretary Akin Izmirlioglu and Finance Ministry Undersecretary Ertan Dikmen will attend the meeting.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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YILMAZ: ''IF BAHCELI RESISTS, GOVERNMENT WILL FACE DIFFICULTIES''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, who also acts as leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), said, ''we will suspend the issue of abolishment of death penalty for two months. We will work to convene parliament on September 1, and abolish death penalty. When death penalty is abolished Stat Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), cannot endure the pressures any longer. However, if he continues to resist, it will be inevitable to form a new government to hold early elections in spring of 2003.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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''B'' PLAN OF YILMAZ FOR EU
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz conveyed the ''B'' plan to the members of his party to remove the bottleneck in front of the European Union (EU) membership.
Yilmaz said they would cool down the arguments on issues which are point of disagreement till September.
Yilmaz said they would look for a new government in case the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) continues to resist on disagreement.

GEN. BUYUKANIT: EVEN A LETTER CAN NOT BE CHANGED IN ESDP
Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said Ankara Text was the last point reached in European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) issue.
Responding to the questions of reporters about ESDP, Gen. Buyukanit said the Ankara Text which was adopted by Turkey, the U.S. and Britain regarding the ESDP was the last stage that was reached.
Buyukanit said that no step can be taken back from this text, adding that even one letter can't be changed.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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ECONOMY ON TENDERHOOKS
Tension in financial markets which escalated with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's health and difference of opinion on the European Union (EU) full membership process, turned into panic yesterday. When a television channel claimed, ''State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy said that foreign debt could be delayed partially'', price of one U.S. dollars climbed to 1 million 625 thousand U.S. dollars. The Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) National-100 Index decreased 336.22 points to 8,798.75. And interest rates rose to 78 percent.

WHOLESALE PRICES INCREASE BY 1.2 PERCENT
The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced the rise in wholesale prices in June of 2002 as 1.2 percent and in consumer prices as 0.6 percent when compared to previous month. DIE said that the annual inflation in wholesale prices index (WPI) was 46.8 percent and in consumer prices index (CPI) was 42.6 percent in June. In first six months of 2002, the inflation in WPI was recorded as 12.5 percent and inflation in CPI became 12.0 percent. According to 12-month averages as of June, the annual inflation was calculated as 71.5 percent in wholesale prices and 60.1 percent in consumer prices. Meanwhile, price increase in the private sector of manufacturing industry which is called core inflation rate became 2.8 percent in June.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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WE ARE LOCKED ON ECEVIT'S DISEASE
Turkey has focused on the health condition of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit both with its economy and policy.
Markets are shaken once again when statement of State Minister for Economy Kemal Dervis, ''only elections can overcome uncertainty'' is added to the speculations pertaining to the illness of Premier Ecevit.

ECONOMY SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE TODAY
''Economy Summit'' will convene in Prime Ministry Building at 14.00 local time on Thursday under the leadership of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.
Ecevit, who responded to the questions of reporters that were asked to him through Prime Ministry Press Spokesman Cem Avci, said the summit would take place at 14.00 local time on Thursday and that he would chair the summit.
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, who also acts as the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, who also acts as the Motherland Party (ANAP), State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan, State Minister for Economy Kemal Dervis, Finance Minister Sumer Oral, State Planning Institute Undersecretary Akin Izmirlioglu, Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak, Finance Ministry Undersecretary Ertan Dikmen, Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti, and Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) Chairman Engin Akcakoca will participate in the meeting.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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GUNES: WE ALWAYS DO THE BEST
Coach of the National Team Senol Gunes said Turkish people could do the best if support and time is given to him.
Pointing out that they proved this in sportive area, Gunes said the success they obtained in the World Cup, which the National Team attended after 48 years, was not a chance, but the result of a planned and programmed working.
Gunes said he could not forget the welcoming ceremony held for the national team in their return, noting that Turkey needed this unity and integrity.

KUTAN: IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TOPPLE GOVERNMENT IN THE PARLIAMENT
Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan said the government could only be removed from office in the Parliament, but that it was not possible to succeed in this at the moment.
Kutan, who responded to the questions of reporters, pointed out that illness of the Prime Minister caused lack of productivity.
When asked, ''the Prime Minister said the opposition could remove him from office if they want. In a sense, he challenged. How do you evaluate this,'' Kutan said, ''they have 350 bloc votes in the parliament. They could only be removed from office in the parliament. However, it does not seem possible to remove him from office at the moment.''