ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 8, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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WE WILL HOLD ALEWITE SUMMIT
State Minister in charge of religious affairs Prof. Mehmet Aydýn said that ''we must come together with Alewites and discuss the comments of Alewites about Islam.'' ''We don't know sufficiently the religious ideas among the Alewites. As information is updated regularly, we must also update our religious information. EU will ease that process,'' he said.

MISS TURKEY IS WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL
Miss Turkey Azra Akin took the 2002 Miss World crown at Saturday's contest held among 92 contestants, which was moved to Britain from Nigeria. She beat Miss Colombia Natalia Peralta and Miss Peru Marina Mora Montero, in second and third place respectively, to receive the title at the competition.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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GREEK CYPRIOTS' FEAR
U.N. Secretary General will present the new form of the Cyprus plan to the sides in Cyprus on Tuesday at the latest. Greek Cypriots' biggest fear is TRNC President Rauf Denktas's accepting it. Greek Cypriots think that if Denktas says 'yes' to the plan, while Greek Cypriot leader Clerides says 'no' then the membership of the Greek Cypriot side to the EU will be in danger. TRNC President Denktas who returned back to the island said ''I am not hopeful.''

UMRANIYE PERVENT CAPTURED FINALLY
Yaman Ozcelik was finally captured in Istanbul yesterday. He was wanted for 16 months for raping children in Umraniye district of Istanbul. Ozcelik who is married with two children confessed the police that he could not prevent himself from doing that.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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MR. KASIMPASA TO GO TO U.S.
The paper says AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who grew up in Kasýmpasa district of Istanbul, will meet with U.S. President George W. Bush in White House. AK Party leader Erdogan will be welcomed in high protocol in the U.S. Bush will welcome Erdogan in White House like he hosts the prime minister of Turkey. The U.S. attributes great importance to the 24-hour visit of AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Washington D.C. and it will host Erdogan as the leader of Turkey.

IF NOT COPENHAGEN, THEN THESSALONIKI
The government which is concerned about the possibility of EU's not giving a date to Turkey in Copenhagen summit on December 12, focused on the Thessaloniki summit that will be held in June 2003. The government has determined the EU target as ''adopting the laws in one month, implementing them in six months and getting negotiation date in 2003.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ERDOGAN-RASMUSSEN TO MEET ON MONDAY
AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with Prime Minister of EU Term President Denmark Rasmussen on Monday. EU foreign ministers will have their last meeting before Copenhagen summit on Monday and Tuesday. AK Party government is uneasy about the proposal of French and German leaders about EU's giving a date to Turkey for 2005 to start accession talks.

DENKTAS SAYS TURKISH CYPRIOTS WON'T PAY PRICE
TRNC President Rauf Denktas said on Thursday that ''our initiative to set up a partnership state has been left aside, we won't pay the price that is wanted from us.'' Speaking to people who came to Gecitkale airport to welcome Denktas in TRNC, Denktas said that he would meet with U.N. special envoy for Cyprus Alvaro De Soto on Sunday and he would explain the views of the Turkish side to him again.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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GUL:DEFINITE DATE TO SOLVE CYPRUS PROBLEM
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said a solution to Cyprus problem would be far easier if the EU next week gave Turkey a date to start membership talks. ''We hope EU leaders will make the right decision at Copenhagen. A definite date for talks will ease many problems. The date Turkey will be given will make it far easier to solve problems in the region and in EU-Turkish relations,'' Gul said.

COLD WEATHER AT THE DOOR
It snowed in northwestern Edirne province for the first time this season. Meteorology officials said that the temperatures will drow by 8-10 degrees as of today. The Highways Directorate warned drivers who will return to their homes due to the end of the Ramadan holiday today:''There is fog and snow on Bolu mountain, abide by the rules.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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FIRST DATE, THEN CYPRUS
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that a date that will be given to Turkey at Copenhagen summit will ease the solution of Cyprus problem. Prime Minister Gul who had a meeting with TRNC President Rauf Denktas and AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Ataturk Airport upon Denktas's return from the U.S. said after seeing off Denktas that ''we also foresee a solution in Cyprus, but this solution must be mutually satifying. Cyprus can join the EU within the scope of a new partnership agreement. The date Turkey will be given will make it far easier to solve problems in the region and in EU-Turkish relations.''

DATE FOR DATE IS PUTTING TURKEY OFF
Addressing the La Libre Belgique newspaper, AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that ''if the EU gives a date for date in Copenhagen summit, this means putting Turkey off with an excuse again.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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NEGATIVE SIGNALS OF EU ABOUT TURKEY WEAKEN HOPE OF SOLUTION IN CYPRUS
The solution process of the Cyprus problem seems to be stopped by the negative signals coming from the EU about Turkey's EU mmebership process. The Greek Cypriot press which published the response of TRNC President Rauf Denktas to the U.N. plan said that the views of both sides are 180 degree opposite to each other. Denktas who returned from the U.S. said he was not optimistic after reading the Greek Cypriot response to the U.N. proposals.