ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on November 23, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN CRITICIZES EUROPE
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan told European Parliament officials that ''all of us ask me the situation of banned DEP deputy Leyla Zana who is in prison. But none of you asked me how it was to be in prison.'' EP officials asked Turkey to release Leyla Zana. Erdogan said that ''European Court of Human Rights repealed the decision about Zana in respect of procedure. This means her re-trial. The judiciary is independent in Turkey, but we will make a legal arrangement.''

ERDOGAN RESPONDS TO FISCHER HARSHLY
AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in the plane when returning to Turkey from his visit to European countries that ''I acted a bit tough in my meeting with German Foreign Minister Joshka Fischer.'' According to Erdogan, Fischer told him behind the close doors that ''even if Cyprus question is not solved, a date will be given to the Greek Cypriot side.'' Erdogan responded to that saying ''if the Greek Cypriot side becomes a member of the EU before the latter gives a date to Turkey for accession talks, this will be the end of the story.'' When Fischer asked Erdogan what would Turkey do in such a case, Erdogan said that ''why should I tell you that, we will do what is necessary in such a case.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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SEZER SAYS EU LEADERS ARE NOT SINCERE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer who met with European leaders in Prague, the Czech republic where the NATO Summit was held, said that Europeans don't act in a sincere way. Sezer who met with five European leaders said that ''the leaders tell me in tete-a-tete meetings that there is no difficulty for Turkey's EU membership, but they add that other states oppose Turkey's membership. When I met with leaders of those states, they tell me this time that they don't oppose Turkey's membership, but others do!''

TOP COURT REVERSES PAMUKBANK SEIZURE
Council of State stopped the execution of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) decision to seize Pamukbank, once owned by the powerful Cukurova Group, and it also halted a process to sell the bank to private investors.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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EARLY ELECTIONS PREVENTED ANOTHER ECONOMIC CRISIS
Former State Minister Kemal Dervis who is in charge of economy said that the decision to hold early elections was a correct decision, adding that ''if the elections were not held, we would have another economic crisis after six months.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TRANSFER OF PAMUKBANK TO SDIF STOPPED
Council of State Administrative Cases Department General Assembly on Friday stopped the execution of the decision of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) to transfer Pamukbank to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF). The Council of State General Assembly annulled the decision of Council of State Chamber No. 10 in this respect. Council of State Administrative Cases Department General Assembly unanimously annulled the decision of Chamber 10 and stopped the execution of the decision of BRSA.

PRESIDENT SEZER REACTS TO EUROPEAN LEADERS
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer who criticized the European Union (EU), said, ''attitude of the European Union (EU) about the Cyprus question is contradictory. I do not think that heads of state and government of member countries to the EU are acting sincerely.'' President Sezer who was in Czech Republic to attend the summit meeting of heads of state and government of NATO members, held a press conference. Sezer stated that Cyprus and European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) issues had no relation with Turkey's EU membership. President Sezer said, ''the EU members have an expectation about the Cyprus question. However, we cannot meet this expectation in a short period of time. The direct party to the Cyprus question is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).''

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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RULING AND OPPOSITION PARTIES SHOW TURKEY'S DETERMINATION TO EU
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. Erdogan and Baykal discussed the delicate issues of foreign policy of Turkey at the meeting. The two leaders said that they had the similar views on Turkey's European Union (EU) membership. Stating that six of the seven EU countries which he visited supported to give a negotiation date to Turkey at Copenhagen Summit, Erdogan said that he would visit the other countries this week. Baykal said, ''we, as the government and opposition, demand a date to be given to Turkey at the EU summit.''

YAKIS TO GO TO UNITED STATES
Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis will leave on Saturday for the United States to talk with the Turkish Republic of Norhtern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas who earlier said that the United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's plan could not form a negotiation basis. Yakis who accompanied Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visits to the EU countries decided to go to the United States on Friday.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GUL TO READ OUT 58TH GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul will read out the 58th government programme at the Parliamentary General Assembly on Saturday. Discussions on the program will take place on November 26 and the voting of confidence will be held on November 28. The government programme mostly focuses on the economic issues. The details of the five-year economic policies of the government is included in the programme.

PRIME MINISTER GUL SAYS THEIR PRIORITY IS ECONOMY
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that as the government, their priority is economy and they are focusing on this subject. Gul responded to the questions in CNN International. When asked whether he will resign in a necessary situation, Gul said that Turkey has deficiencies in democratical aspect and recalled that Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not join the elections, adding that they will repair this and continue their path. He said that in case of a contrary situation, he will not resign. Upon a question about government's first action, Gul said that they will be reformist and in favor of change, adding that they will make many reforms and structural changes in economy and they will also have studies on crisis management.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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STATE MINISTER BABACAN SAYS IMF OFFICIALS WILL PROBABLY COME TO TURKEY IN BEGINNING OF DECEMBER
State Minister Ali Babacan said that International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation would probably came to Turkey in the beginning of December, a few days before the Feast of Ramadan, and start their contacts. Prior to his departure for Indian capital New Delhi to attend meeting of economy ministers of G-20 countries, Babacan told reporters that he would have an opportunity to meet with economy ministers of the mentioned countries. Babacan said that IMF officials would also attend the meeting and he could hold contacts with them if necessary. Prevention of economic crises and rapid solutions to these crises were on the agenda of the meeting, Babacan noted.