ANKARA (A.A) - 10.08.2002 - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 10, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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DERVIS' RESIGNATION ON AGENDA FOR DAYS
The resignation of State Minister Kemal Dervis has been turned into a funny story. Dervis, whose resignation was on the agenda for days, had an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday and said after the meeting that he wouldn't resign. Television channels announced yesterday before Ecevit-Dervis meeting that the latter would resign. However a surprising statement came from Dervis after the meeting saying that he had a very beneficial meeting with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and he would not resign.

LIGHTNING KILLS SIX PERSONS
A total of six persons died because of lightning in Alacam, Kavak towns of northern Samsun province and in Duragan town of northern Sinop province. A total of 25 animals perished in Duragan town.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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DERVIS:'' I COULDN'T TELL ECEVIT THAT I RESIGN''
When Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit told State Minister Kemal Dervis that ''think about your decision to resign once again,'' Dervis told his friends that ''he is a friend of me for 30 years, I couldn't resign at that moment.'' Dervis told Ecevit in their meeting yesterday that the left parties could be out of the parliament in the early elections due to division in the left, and requested Ecevit to be the uniting leader among the leftist parties. Ecevit didn't accept that.

''HEAD SCARF IS NOT MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM''
AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that if his party comes to power, they would not cause any tension due to the problem of head scarf, as this is not their number one issue. Erdogan adde that ''I didn't say that I changed, I have only said that I made progress. For instance my ideas about EU and IMF have changed.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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IMF REPRESENTATIVE BREKK:''POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY INCREASED TURKEY'S RESISTANCE TO SHOCKS''
IMF Turkey representative Odd Per Brekk has said that Turkey passed the test of political uncertainty and early election process. ''The Turkish economy is now more resitant to shocks. The economic program would continue even if there is a U.S. operation against Iraq. Brekk said that Dervis played an important role in maintaining the coordination between the IMF and the Turkish government and helped the program reach its goals.

GERMAN COUPLE HAS BEEN SPENDING THEIR VACATIONS IN ISTANBUL'S KALYON HOTEL FOR 35 YEARS, IN THE SAME ROOM
German couple, Anna Marie-Hans Pleines got married 35 years ago and came to Istanbul to spend their honeymoon. They liked the view from Kalyon Hotel and decided to stay here. They were given room no. 119. The couple, who fell in love with the city, started coming to Istanbul every summer and staying in the same room. The owner of the hotel, Yilmaz tecmen made a nice gesture this summer and presented the German couple a symbolic golden key of room no 119.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ECEVIT SAYS ELECTIONS MAKE EVERYBODY FEEL REGRET
Referring to the problems of early elections, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that there is nobody who wants early elections other than one or two parties. ''All parties try to overcome their deficiences by searching for election alliances. Circles who shouted almost everyday that they wanted elections now fell regret about their decision,'' Ecevit commented.

DERVIS SEEMS RESOLVED TO RESIGN
The meeting of State Minister Kemal Dervis with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday caused excitement among public opinion. Dervis gave up his idea of resigning from his post after the meeting as Ecevit told him to reconsider his resignation once again. Dervis had in fact his letter of resignation in his pocket, yet he stillseems resolved to resign from his post.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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STATE MINISTER UNLU DENIES THAT HE WOULD JOIN YTP
State Minister Fikret Unlu who denied that he would join the New Turkey Party (YTP) stated that he was faitful to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. ''I have no contacts with any party,'' Unlu said. Commenting on his daughter, Oya Unlu who is the assistant of Kemal Dervis, who will be a candidate deputy from the YTP, Unlu said ''Me and my daughter are different people. Everybody has their own preferences.''.

YASED ASKS SUPPORT FROM AMBASSADORS OF EU COUNTRIES
Foreign Capital Association (YASED) sent a letter to the ambassadors of EU countries asking support for Turkey's EU membership. YASED Secretary General Drç Abdurrahman Ariman stated that the Turkish Parliament passed the EU adjustment bill which includes a number of very important reforms which would remove the obstacles in front of Turkey's EU membership. ''We know that these reforms don't necessarily mean that Turkey's all problems have been resolved but the EU supporters gained strength with these reforms and they need to be supported,'' Ariman said. Ariman asked the EU ambassadors to contact with their governments and ask their governments' support to help Turkey become a full EU member.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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AID CAMPAIGN TO AFGHAN CHILDREN
Turkish Red Crescent's chairman Ertan Gonen who said that they would continue to work in line with the reports prepared by the delegation sent to Afghanistan one and a half months ago, said ''babies die due to unhealty conditions and lack of food in the region. Afghan children wait for help. We started an aid campaign particularly for newly born babies there.''

TURKBANK LIQUIDATED
Turk Ticaret Bankasi Inc. (Turkbank), the first national private bank of Turkey, will be liquidated. The general assembly of Turkbank decided yesterday to liquidate the bank. The biggest share of Turkbank, equal to 84.5 percent, is owned by Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF).

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ECEVIT:''MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE REGRETTING THE DECISION OF HOLDING EARLY ELECTIONS''
Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who assessed different alliance scenerios said that more and more people are regretting the decision to hold early elections. Stating that it's too late to cancel the elections, Ecevit said that parties which are not ready for elections are seeking for alliance with other parties. ''At this point, it has become obvious that the early election decision was wrong and the DSP earlier stated that early elections would be unnecessary and would have unwanted results,'' Ecevit said.

KIZILAY STARTS CAMPAIGN TO HELP AFGHAN CHILDREN
Turkish Red Crescent is starting a campaign to help Afghan children who are facing a difficult time due to wars and earthquakes.
Red Crescent Chairman Ertan Gonen held a press conference with Afghan Red Crescent Chairman Alhaj Qrabib Izidyar and his delegation.
Gonen indicated that poor nutrition and lack of education were the biggest problems of children in this country. The Afghan babies and children will be provided food, clothing and stationary. The campaign which will continue across Turkey will last for one month and later the aid will be sent to the Afghan Red Crescent under the supervision of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).