ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 2, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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WHITE HOUSE TO OPEN ITS DOORS FOR ERDOGAN
U.S. President George W. Bush is getting prepared to host Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House. Erdogan is expected to leave for the United States to meet with President Bush in December.

WORLD ENERGY GIANTS DUE IN ISTANBUL
Turkey Energy forum will be held at Istanbul's Ciragan Palace between December 11 and 13, 2002. A number of foreign guests will attend the three-day forum to be organized in cooperation among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK).

GUL: ''WE ARE WORKING TO COMPLETE PACKAGE PRIOR TO COPENHAGEN SUMMIT''
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''we have been working to complete new package of the European Union (EU) adjustment laws prior to Copenhagen Summit on December 12.'' Gul said, ''a delegation formed by State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir, Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu and Justice Minister Cemil Cicek has been working to give the package its final shape. We want to submit the package to the parliament as soon as possible. As a you know, commissions have not been fully formed at the parliament yet. We have also been holding contacts with the opposition party. We aim at taking concrete steps prior to Copenhagen Summit.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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ERDOGAN WARNS
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan got information from his aides on the tension about the Islamic-style headscarf. He warned members of the AK Party saying, ''we should not let people to drag the AK Party into such arguments. Finding solution to economic difficulties of our people should be on top of our agenda. People expect us to solve their problems. We should be careful about sensitivities of our people.''

43 PERCENT OF PEOPLE SUFFERS FROM POVERTY
According to a survey carried out by the State Institute of Statistics (DIE), 43 percent of people in Turkey has been suffering from poverty. 15 percent of the population has been living below the poverty line while 12 percent of people could not nourish enough.

TREASURY TO AUCTION 169-DAY BONDS
Treasury will sell 169-day bonds in an auction on Monday. The bonds will be issued on December 3, 2002 and repaid on May 25, 2003. Meanwhile, Treasury will repay 306.6 trillion TL in domestic debt this week. Treasury's domestic debt repayment in December amounts to 10 quadrillion 251.4 trillion TL.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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A PROMISE WAS NOT GIVEN FOR HEADSCARF ISSUE
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Adviser Omer Celik said that people should obey the rules of state in public. AK Party Adana Deputy Celik stated that they promised that everybody will benefit equally from basic rights and freedoms, adding that public issue and public places should be separated from each other.

72 CRITICAL HOURS
The future of Turkey's European Union (EU) membership, Cyprus and Iraq will be determined in the contacts which will be held in Ankara in three days. The officials from the United States and Britain will meet with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The most striking stop in contacts traffic will be General Staff Headquarters. Meanwhile, French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will meet in Berlin and their compulsory agenda item will be Turkey's membership to EU.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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MARCH FOR PEACE
The United States' possible operation against Iraq was protested with various actions on all sides of Turkey. A total of 172 non-governmental organizations supported the demonstration titled ''We don't want war in Iraq'' which was organized by the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Union (DISK), Turkish Labor Unions (Turk-Is), the Confederation of Public Workers Trade Unions (KESK), Turkish Union of Chambers of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB), Greenpeace and Istanbul Social Forum Initiative.

SUPPORT FROM WASHINGTON TO ANNAN
Washington administration gave full support one more time to Cyprus Plan of United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan. The United States State Department's Special Coordinator to Cyprus Thomas Weston said that the plan is ''perfect and flawless''. He added that it is the best and broadest report that U.N. has presented until now.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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DENKTAS: ''I AM READY''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) leader Rauf Denktas said in his letter to United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan that he is ready for negotiation. Denktas said that he received the second letter of Annan and he will give a response as soon as possible. Annan requested Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides to convey their objections and suggestions about the plan in his second letter.

CAKICI IS IN NO HURRY
Capital punishment was lifted on August 9 but the government was late to take action for Cakici. Cakici who was extradited from France with the condition of not being tried with capital punishment will be taken to the court with the accusation of two murders. However, the necessary report was prepared in the end of August. According to former Justice Minister Aysel Celikel, it is not certain whether the report reached France or not. If the report was sent to France and France will respond rapidly, Cakici will be re-tried for the murders.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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NO MORE AMNESTIES
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said, ''neither the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) nor the Ministry of Justice plans to declare a new amnesty. The 57th government approved the 43rd amnesty of the history of Republic. No one should expect us to do the same thing. Instead, we will accelerate the progress of the justice. Also, we plan to make important changes in our legal system. Duties of the State Security Courts (DGMs) will be handed over to high criminal courts.''

BRITISH FIRMS'S CORRUPTION WITH TL
The Sunday Times, one of the leading newspaper in Britain, claimed that some firms were paying Christmas bonuses to their staff in Turkish lira (TL), one of the worlds most devalued currencies as an ingenious but legal tax avoidance ruse.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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NEW GOVERNMENT TO MEET WITH IMF TODAY
The government of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) will hold its first contact with International Monetary Fund (IMF) today. During contacts of the IMF delegation headed by IMF European I Department Director Michael Deppler, the government's requests for revision in the economic programme will be brought onto agenda. Deppler and IMF Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen will hold a series of contacts in Ankara between December 2 and 3, 2002. They are scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener and State Minister Ali Babacan.