ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 25, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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EARTHQUAKE JOLTS BINGOL
An earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale jolted Kigi township of eastern province of Bingol at 6.28 p.m. on Saturday. Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory Seismology Institute stated that the earthquake was centered on Kigi. The earthquake sent people out to the streets in panic. There were not any immediate reports of casualties or damage in the earthquake. Meanwhile, an earthquake measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale jolted southeastern province of Gaziantep at 4.30 a.m. on Sunday.

IRAQ OFFERS TURKEY USD 40 BILLION OF TRADE
Trade Minister Muhammad Mahdi al-Salih of Iraq said, ''a cooperation agreement like the one signed between Iraq and Russia, should be signed between Turkey and Iraq. In that case, our trade volume can increase up to 40 billion U.S. dollars.'' Salih added, ''if the United States stages a military attack on Iraq, regional countries including Turkey, will be affected negatively. Turkey will suffer a loss of 200 billion U.S. dollars. We have carried out preparatory works against a possible attack of the United States. We will resist against the United States upon God's will.''

UNLU RESIGNS
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit forced State Minister Fikret Unlu who was planning to join the Republican People's Party (CHP) on Monday, to resign earlier. When State Minister Unlu for Sports was informed that Prime Minister Ecevit sent a decree on removal of him from office to the Cankaya Presidential Palace for approval of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, he resigned immediately.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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CULTURE MINISTRY TO PROMOTE TURKISH CULTURE IN INDIANAPOLIS
The Culture Ministry will launch a series of activities to promote Turkish handicraft, cuisine, folk dances and music in Indianapolis, the United States, which is hosting the World Men's Basketball Championship. The Culture Ministry said that ''Traditional Handicrafts Exhibition'' would be opened in a hall which was close to the sports hall in order to promote the Turkish culture. ''Three cooks will be sent to the United States to promote Turkish cuisine. They will cook a number of Turkish meals from soup to traditional dishes from vegetable dishes to deserts, and present these meals to visitors. Also, Youth Folk Dances Group and Music Group will display several performances,'' it said.

''ALLEGATIONS ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ARE NONSENSE''
U.S. retired judge Samuel Weems published his book entitled ''Armenia: Secrets of a Christian Terrorist State'' at the end of his five-year researches. He said that allegations on Armenian genocide were totally nonsense. Meanwhile, Weems has been carrying out preparatory works to establish a Turkish Institute at the Arkansas University.

CELIKEL: ''PRISONS ARE IN BAD CONDITION''
Justice Minister Prof. Dr. Aysel Celikel said, ''except for the F-type, prisons are in bad condition. We have been working on some projects to improve conditions in prisons.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ZIYAL DUE TO UNITED STATES
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal will leave for the United States on Monday. Ziyal will convey Ankara's seven requests prior to a possible military operation against Iraq. These requests are:
1. All kinds of efforts should be expended to find a solution without launching a military operation.
2. Turkey is opposed to foundation of an independent Kurdish state in Northern Iraq. Kurdish groups expending efforts to found a Kurdish state should be warned.
3. The Greek Cypriot side which plans to become a full member of the European Union (EU), has been delaying a solution on Cyprus. The United States should increase its initiatives to find a peaceful solution to the Cyprus question.
4. Qualified industrial zones should be established as soon as possible.
5. FMS debts of 5 billion U.S. dollars should be zeroed.
6. The United States should accelerate sale process of AWACS early warning planes.
7. Mission area of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan should be limited with Kabul.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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UNLU TO JOIN CHP
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit prepared a decree to dismiss State Minister Fikret Unlu whose resignation from the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and from his post came onto agenda after Kemal Dervis joined the Republican People's Party (CHP). However, Unlu stated that he resigned when Prime Minister Ecevit sent the decree to the Cankaya Presidential Palace for approval of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Prime Minister Ecevit withdrew the decree, and accepted Unlu's resignation.

ILLEGALLY OPERATED MINE COLLAPSES, KILLING ONE PERSON
An illegally operated coal mine in Kirat neighborhood in northern province of Zonguldak collapsed, killing a person. 39-year-old Mustafa Acun who was the watchman of the mine was trapped beneath debris while he was trying to discharge the water in the mine. His body was pulled out later. The owner of the mine was detained and investigation is underway.

COOPERATION TO BE SET UP WITH UKRANIAN UNIVERSITY
Deputy National Education Minister Stepko Mihail Selemenovic of Ukraine held a meeting at Istanbul's Dedeman Hotel in order to give information about education system in Ukraine and to further develop cooperation between Turkish and Ukrainian universities. Ukrainian University will start accepting Turkish students this year.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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NATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO BE PREPARED
Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti has been working on a document to assure the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the economic programme would continue following the elections on November 3, 2002. All political parties will be asked to sign the national memorandum document.

REGRET OF DERVIS
Kemal Dervis who joined the Republican People's Party (CHP) after resigning as the state minister for economy, said, ''I should have not said Husamettin Ozkan that I would join their party before thinking carefully. This caused problems.'' Dervis said, ''I made a serious mistake before thinking carefully and comprehending how it develops. I should have not said Mr. Ozkan that I would join their party. This casued problems and annoyed me. If I had said on that day I wanted to think about it, maybe my efforts for creating an alliance among the social democratic parties would be more successful, there would have not been any problem in bringing the left parties together and at least there would have not been any question mark in minds of people. If I had not said Mr.Ozkan that I would join their party in order to immediately remove political uncertainty, we would have recorded progress in a better process. It was a mistake.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TURKISH BUSINESSMEN TO ATTEND TOURISM FAIR IN IRAN
Turkish businessmen from southern province of Antalya, will attend the Tourism Fair in Mashhad, Iran. Nearly 100 hotel kepeers and representatives of travel agencies from Antalya were invited to attend the Tourism Fair to be opened in Mashhad. The Tourism Fair will be opened in Mashhad on August 23, and will remain open for eight days. Turkish businessmen will leave for Iran on August 26. Meanwhile, number of Iranian tourists visiting Turkey increased by 27 percent in the first half of 2002. Number of Iranian tourists increased from 150 thousand in the first six months of 2001 to 191 thousand in the same period this year.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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THREE WORKERS TRAPPED UNDER RUBBLE OF A WALL
Three workers were trapped under debris when a wall collapsed in Gaziosmanpasa district of Istanbul. Kenan Karaca, Muhittin Sansar and Baba Sari were trapped under rubble of the wall which had collapsed during works to enlarge a road in Gaziosmanpasa. They were rescued and rushed to hospital. Hospital officials said that Sansar and Sari were in good health while Karaca was in critical condition.