ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 21, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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RUSSIAN ROULETTE
If the constitutional amendment which was vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is passed from the parliament and if a referendum is held on the subject, a Russian roulette will begin between Sezer and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. If public opinion says 'yes' for Erdogan in the referendum, it will be bad for Sezer and if public opinion says 'no' for Erdogan in the referendum, Sezer will have great advantage.

URGENT MESSAGE AT AIRPORT
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson gave a message to Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan who was at Ankara's Esenboga Airport to go to Istanbul. Pearson went to the airport to have a meeting with Erdogan. Pearson quoted U.S. President George Bush as saying that there was no time left for a possible military operation and noted that Turkey should reach a decision and give a response to their demands.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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PRESIDENT SEZER:''I DON'T APPROVE BANS''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's decision which vetoed the constitutional amendments that would pave AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan the way of membership in the parliament is a warning in principle rather than legal analyses. Sezer in fact is not against amendment of Article 76 of the Constitution. The message of Sezer in his vetoing the law is that ''Turkey should not get use to making legal amendments due to subjective circumstances.'' Sources say that Sezer may not use his authority of referendum as he does not want political tension.

YOK FIGHTS WITH GOVERNMENT
Higher Board of University (YOK) Chairman Kemal Guruz announced the statement they prepared by getting the signatures of 77 university rectors. The statement harshly criticized the Emergency Action Plan of the government and stressed that Turkish Republic won't turn into a molla regime.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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DEMOCRACY ALLIANCE
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar did not support President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's returning back the law about amendment to some articles of the Constitution of Republic of Turkey to be debated by the parliament once again. Baykal said that ''we must give our decision by looking at the objective reality. Everybody whose political ideas have been restricted have to benefit from this constitutional amendment.'' ''The thing that matters here is to know if the regulation is general and objective. Certainly there will be persons who will benefit from this amendment and those who won't benefit from this amendment,'' he noted. Agar said that the amendments in Articles 67, 76 and 78 of the Constitutiton were not peculiar to one person or persons.

PEACE IN MOSCOW
Tension which has been continuing between Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Koc Group is ending. Erdogan, who will go to Russia on December 23 and 24, will attend opening of Ramstore shop of Koc Group in Moscow.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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EUROPE:ASSASSINATION IS NEGATIVE IMAGE FOR TURKEY
The assassination of Associate Professor Dr. Necip Hablemitoglu which took place after EU Summit in Copenhagen is a negative development for the image of Turkey abroad. A high ranking EU diplomat said that the assailants of the assassination should be searched in Turkey, not abroad.

ANNAN PLAN TO BE DISCUSSED
TRNC parliament found negotiable the plan prepared by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and which aims to solve the Cyprus problem. The parliament decided to found a parliamentary council which will be composed of one representative each from all parties represented in the parliament for discussion of Annan plan.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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RECTORS REBEL AGAINST AK PARTY
Higher Board of University (YOK) Chairman Kemal Guruz and rectors issued a statement and said that they would not implement Emergency Action Plan of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party). The statement said that universities were against fundamentalist movements till the end, adding that they warned the public opinion to be careful on the issue. Guruz said in the statement that ''Turkey is the only country where Islam is experienced in the best way.'' Guruz stressed that Turkey would not turn into a molla regime.

SNOWY WEATHER MAKE ITSELF FELT FOR TWO MORE DAYS
Snowy weather will make itself felt across the country for two more days. Heavy snowfall which began in Istanbul at 4.00 a.m. on Friday paralyzed daily life and traffic there and schools were closed for a day. The traffic in highways of Turkey is also restricted. About 7000 village roads are closed across the country. A total of 338 village roads are closed in East Anatolian region, 58 village roads are closed in northern region and 97 village roads are closed in Central Anatolian region. Meteorology officials said that rainy weather will leave the country on Monday.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GUL:WE WILL GIVE PRIORITY TO LOCAL ADMINISTRATIONS
Addressing the ceremony held upon the opening of the subway between Yenibosna district of Istanbul and Ataturk Airport, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that ''the government attributes special importance to local administrations. The law on local administrations will be submitted to the parliament soon. We are determined to undertake reforms and we will implement them. These reforms will be in administrative, economic and democratic fields.''

TRNC EXTENDS SUPPORT TO DENKTAS
The parliament in TRNC which had a ten-hour meeting said at the end of the meeting that it supports TRNC President Rauf Denktas. The TRNC Parliament also noted that the plan of Annan is negotiable.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ECHR ASKS AK PARTY FOR DEFENSE
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found admissible three of the five applications of AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan who was earlier convicted in Turkey for reading a poem in Siirt province. An interesting situation came out with the decision of ECHR as both the defendant and the plaintiff have been the AK Party, because the AK Party government is in a position of defending the ban on Erdogan.