ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 31, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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COPENHAGEN OK, HERR YILMAZ
''Chat in the corridor'' with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer played an important role in Deputy Prime Minister's statement that the European Union (EU) would set a date to begin full membership negotiations with Turkey. The German minister told Yilmaz, ''fur Copenhagen alles OK, Herr Yilmaz'' which meant everything was on the right track for Copenhagen and signaled that a positive decision would be taken regarding Turkey at the summit.

ISTANBUL PHONED DURING THEATRE HOSTAGE TAKING
A Russian diplomat in Ankara announced that the list of the telephone numbers that the Chechens phoned during the theatre siege in Moscow were notified to the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). It was claimed that a telephone number in Istanbul was also called during the siege.

COUNTER ATTACK FROM TAYYIP
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that if President Ahmet Necdet Sezer appointed a person who was not chosen by his party as the prime minister, the prime minister could not get the ''vote of confidence.'' Erdogan said, ''the appointment authority belongs to the president, but the political party which gets the majority of the votes should choose the prime minister. AK Party's boards will nominate the prime minister.''
LET IT BE OUR VICTORY NIGHT
Fenerbahce soccer club of Turkey will host Greek Panathinaikos. Besiktas will take on Alaves of Spain in an away match while Denizlispor will play with Sparta Prague in Czech Republic.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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AK PARTY'S FORMULA
The formula of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) about the prime minister started to become clear when there is a few time left to the elections. The Board of Founders will nominate the candidate prime minister immediately after November 3.

AND FRIENDSHIP ON THE FIELD
Two important teams of the two countries which are trying to re-build bridges between them will give their first examination this evening. Fenerbahce and Panathinaikos will play for friendship of their peoples.
REPORT IN FAVOUR OF ERDOGAN
The Constitutional Court will debate the lawsuit filed requesting precautionary measure to be imposed on leadership authorities of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday. The rapporteur defended the view that there was no need to put precautionary measure on Erdogan's authorities in his report.

THREE STATE PROPOSAL IN CYPRUS
United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan will present his express solution plan to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides before December 1. According to the plan, there will be three separate states in Cyprus. The third state which will shelter equal number of deputies from the other two states will represent the island in the European Union (EU).

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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VIOLINS CRIED FOR IGOR
There was an absent in the first ceremony of the Borusan Istanbul Philarmonic Orchestra in this season in Lutfi Kirdar Congress Hall in Istanbul on October 29 Republic Day. This absent person was the first violinist Igor Morev. Russian violinist Morev and his wife Ekaterina were among the hostages in Chechens' theatre siege in Moscow. Morev died in the operation staged on the theatre. His wife, who was the second violinist in the orchestra, luckily survived. The orchestra commemorated Morev in the Republic Ball.

PUTIN'S TURKEY VISIT IN DANGER
Russian Ambassador to Turkey Alexander Lebedev announced that they proved connection of Chechens with Turkey. Lebedev said that they demanded Ankara ''to close Chechen associations functioning in Turkey'' in a note they gave to Ankara. Lebedev told the A.A that ''they had evidence'' that the Chechen terrorists who took hostages in Moscow had phone conversations with some people in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and that they conveyed this information to Ankara. Lebedev also noted that there were not suitable conditions for the visit that Russian President Vladimir Putin was planning to pay to Turkey in 2003.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FROM BUSH TO SEZER
U.S. President George Bush, in his message sent to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on October 29 Republic Day, said that he would extend all the efforts for Turkey's European Union (EU) accession. Bush said that they would continue to support Turkey's efforts to achieve Ataturk's progressive and free democracy, rule of law and regional peace understanding.

SCHOOLS CLOSED DUE TO ELECTIONS
The National Education Ministry decided to close state and private elementary and secondary schools on November 4 due to November 3 general elections. A circular issued by National Education Minister Necdet Tekin said that a majority of teachers would be on duty during the elections.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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OVERTIME WORK FOR DECREE
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit worked overtime during the four-day holiday due to the Republic Day in order to prepare decree on additional rise in salaries of the people who retired from Social Security Agency (SSK) and Social Security Agency for the Self-Employed (Bag-Kur) before the elections.

WINTER STARTS FROM EAST
Eastern Anatolia Region was under the influence of cold and rainy weather. The first snow of the year fell to Erzurum the previous night. Snow thickness reached four centimeters in Sarikamis township of Kars. Meteorology officials announced that they expected snowfall in Erzurum, Kars and Ardahan for the following three days. No precipitation is expected on election day.

MOSCOW-ANKARA LINE GETTING TENSER
Russia presses on Ankara to close some foundations and Chechen representations. The Foreign Ministry says, ''your accusations are unjust.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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OZKOK PASHA TO VISIT UNITED STATES
Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok will leave for the United States on November 3. Ozkok applied to the Foreign Ministry related with his visit during which Iraqi issue will come onto the agenda and requested two diplomats to accompany him. This was the first time that a commander requested an official from the Foreign Ministry to accompany him during his important contacts.

POLITICIANS SUPPORT SEZER
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''it was very good that the president clearly put forth his attitude about the prime minister's appointment'' when discussions continue about the words of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer that ''he will appoint the prime minister.'' True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said that the president was authorized to designate the prime minister while Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said, ''there is nothing to be bewildered about the words of Sezer.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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KILIC: ''LIMITATIONS IN FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION CONTINUE''
Constitutional Court Deputy Chairman Hasim Kilic said that limitations in freedom of expression which almost reached the stage of torture continued. Kilic gave serious messages about freedom of thought in the seminar on ''penal justice and human rights implementations in Turkey and the United States.'' Requesting that all obstacles before thoughts and views which did not include terror or violence, which did not incite others to commit crimes, which were not turned into action, should be lifted, Kilic stressed that Turkish judicial organs, including the Constitutional Court, were unwilling to implement international conventions on human rights.

MARITIME FAIR OPENED FOR SEVENTH TIME
The Seventh International Exposhipping Maritime Fair was opened in CNR International Fair Center in Istanbul. More than 125 companies from many countries including Greece, Canada, the United States, Romania, China, Kuwait and Italy are participating in the fair. Ship construction and by-industry, electronics and electronics, port services and environment protection systems are exhibited in the fair. The fair will remain open till November 3.