These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on September 18, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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''PAY VISITS TO CHIRAC, SCHROEDER AND BLAIR TOGETHER WITH DERVIS''
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal called the European Union (EU) to set a date for the beginning of accession negotiations with Turkey. EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen told Baykal to pay visits to German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, President Jacques Chirac of France and Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain together with Kemal Dervis. Following his meeting with Verheugen at the World Economic Forum meetings in Austria, Baykal said, ''it is extremely difficult for Turkey to take a schedule for the accession negotiations during the EU's Copenhagen Summit in December. But it is not impossible.''

''I MISS THE SEA''
Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit said, ''I was exposed to harsh opposition and reactions during my illness. It caused grave suffering. I miss the sea. I miss to take a holiday with my wife.'' Referring to the recent political developments, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''former State Minister Kemal Dervis played an important role in division of the DSP.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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SHOCK TO GREEK CYPRIOTS
European Union (EU) will exclude Greek Cypriot side from the 2004 enlargement list. This surprising development is interpreted as, ''the EU does not want to give a trump card to those who oppose the EU prior to the elections.''
Greek Cypriot side was expected to enter in the list of the countries which will be full member of the EU in 2004 during Brussels Summit in October 24-25. However, the EU said it did not want to take a step that would create confusion in Turkey before the elections, and with a surprise decision it excluded Greek Cypriot side from the list.

MR. MESUT SHOULD ALSO JOIN US
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller and Democrat Turkey Party (DTP) leader Mehmet Ali Bayar were in Izmir to introduce their candidates. Ciller stressed that they wanted to make the cooperation, which they made with DTP and Bright Turkey Party (ATP), also with the Motherland Party (ANAP).
Ciller pointed out that central right would come together in DYP.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ERBAKAN'S CANDIDACY REJECTED
Konya Provincial Election Board Chairman Nuri Kaya Isiklar said that they returned the application of Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP), for being an independent deputy from central Konya province. Isiklar noted, ''we unanimously decided to reject Erbakan's application for becoming an independent deputy from Konya. We agreed that he cannot be elected as a deputy.''

PRESIDENT SEZER WARNS POLITICIANS
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said, ''efforts to decrease the electoral threshold aim at postponing the general elections scheduled to be held on November 3, 2002. I am extremely concerned about these efforts.'' Following President Sezer's statement, efforts to call parliament to an extraordinary meeting have slowed down. The Motherland Party (ANAP) said that it would not support initiative of the New Turkey Party (YTP) to decrease the electoral threshold.

These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on September 18, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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PRESIDENT SEZER IN BAKU
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer went to Baku to participate in foundation-laying ceremony of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.
Sezer expressed belief that the momentum gained in construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline would continue with the implementation of projects like Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline and trans Caspian natural gas pipeline.
President Sezer wished Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline to bring prosperity and stability to peoples of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia as well as all Caucasus.

A STEP TAKEN ON THE RIGHT PATH
Turkey welcomed Iraq's decision to admit United Nations (U.N.) weapons inspectors without conditions.
Describing the decision of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as a ''step taken on the right path'', the Foreign Ministry called on Baghdad administration to fulfill its commitments within the framework of the U.N. Security Council.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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FOUNDATION OF BAKU-CEYHAN TO BE LAID
A historical ceremony will take place in Azerbaijani capital Baku later in the day. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, President Haydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan and President Eduard Shevardnadze of Georgia will be in attendance at the foundation-laying ceremony for the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline project.

LIFE-LONG BAN ON ERDOGAN
Verdict of the Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department no: 8 has revealed prohibitory characteristics of the September 12 Constitution. If the Higher Election Board takes a similar decision, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be banned from the politics for the rest of his life.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ERBAKAN'S CANDIDACY REJECTED
Konya Provincial Election Board rejected the independent deputy candidacy of Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP). Konya Provincial Election Board Chairman Nuri Kaya Isiklar who made a statement following the meeting which lasted for almost three hours said that they decided unanimously to reject Erbakan's application for being an independent deputy from central Konya province.

TURKISH EXIMBANK OBTAINS USD 125 MILLION LOAN
Turkish Eximbank, the export credit bank of Turkey, obtained 125 million U.S. dollars of syndicated loan from Euro-syndicated loan market. Eximbank Director General Ahmet Kilicoglu and the representatives of the consortium; ABN Amro, the Bank of Mitsubishi, Hypo Und Vereinsbank, Bayerische Landesbank, Commerzbank, Credit Lyonnais, Natexis Banques and Westdeutsche Landesbank who arranged the loan signed the agreement on one-year loan in Istanbul. A total of 26 banks from Europe, Japan, USA, Gulf countries and Far East countries were included in the loan. Officials said that the amount of loan which was 80 million U.S. dollars increased to 125 million U.S. dollars.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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INITIATIVES FOR DECREASING ELECTORAL THRESHOLD END DUE TO PRESIDENT SEZER'S ATTITUDE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's determined attitude ended the initiatives for decreasing the electoral threshold. President Sezer said that decrease in rate of national electoral threshold might turn into an initiative to postpone elections. New Turkey Party (YTP) which launched those initiatives changed its attitude because of Sezer's statement. President Sezer responded to the questions of reporters, prior to his departure for Baku. Responding a question that said, ''there have been debates on electoral threshold. What do you think about decrease in rate of this threshold? Do you feel concern that this effort might change into an initiative for postponement of elections?'' Sezer said, ''the purpose is to postpone elections. I feel the concern that decrease in threshold might change into an initiative to postpone elections.''

FLOOD DAMAGES CULTIVATED AREAS IN AEGEAN REGION
Flood damaged the cultivated areas in the Aegean region. Flood which occurred due to the heavy rain in the region mostly damaged the products including, grape, cotton, fig and sunflower. Aegean Farmers Association Chairman Hulusi Tanman said that the debts of the producers should be delayed. The farmers who are suffering from the floods in Aegean region want the state to help them. The people who have losses due to the flood expect that Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Husnu Yusuf Gokalp will bring the issue onto the agenda at the meeting of the Council of Ministers.