ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 22, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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NOT FAMILY BUT STATE FUNERAL
The funeral of Ankara University's Associate Professor Dr. Necip Hablemitoglu who was killed in an assassination last Wednesday, took place in Kocatepe Mosque of Ankara. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Acting Parliament Speaker Ismail Alptekin, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff General Hilmi Ozkok, State Ministers and Deputy Prime Ministers Ertugrul Yalcýnbayýr and Mehmet Ali Sahin, CHP leader Deniz Baykal, ministers, political party leaders, students, lecturers, citizens, officers and non-commissioned officers attended the ceremony. President Sezer expressed condolences to Sengul Hablemitoglu, the wife of Necip Hablemitoglu.

OZILHAN: ''I DON'T MAKE INVESTMENT IN TURKEY IN THOSE CONDITIONS''
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Executive Board Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan said that there were no developments which improved the investment environment in Turkey and added that he would not make investment in Turkey in those conditions. Stating that making investment had some preconditions, Ozilhan said that demand should increase to make investment.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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INCREASE IN USE OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS
The use of synthetic drugs increased significantly in Istanbul recently. Police seized 7 million synthetic drugs in the last one year. One ecstasy pill is sold for 10-20 million Turkish liras. Particularly young people use ecstasy.

DENKTAS:I HAVE NEW PROPOSAL
TRNC President Rauf Denktas objects to the map in Annan's plan, the presidency system foreseen and immigration of Greek Cypriots to the north. But what will happen if an agreement is not reached until February 28? TRNC President Denktas says ''in that case, I will bring a new proposal to the EU. The proposal is that:EU admitted the Greek Cypriot state, then it can also sign an agreement with the Turkish Cypriot state, too. The agreement can be suspended until Turkey joins the EU.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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THREAT STANDARD
The government gave up the implementation of living standards due to the reactions. However, Finance Ministry will not give up tax implementation according to basis of living standard. Finance Ministry, which determined minimum tax amount which should be paid by different profession groups, will pursue a different strategy. After income tax declaration is given in March 2003, those who declare income under the basis of living standard will be investigated.

UNITED STATES WAITS DECISION OF ANKARA
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson said that he believed that Turkey would take a decision on Iraq issue as soon as possible. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Pearson said that he conveyed the United States' thoughts and the latest information about Iraq issue to Gul at the meeting. Stating that there were shortcomings in the document submitted by Iraq informing about its weapons, Pearson said that there was no evidence on how Iraq lifted some weapon programmes. He added that ''you also saw that Iraq did not present sufficient evidences.'' Pearson said that he also listened to the views of Turkish government on Iraq at the meeting.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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AK PARTY NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION RECTORS
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that he did not take into consideration the statement of Higher Board of University (YOK) and Committee of Rectors and stated, ''there will be radical reforms and radical changes in Turkey. Universities will also benefit from that.'' Gul said, ''we won't let status quo to continue in Turkey, there must be big changes in universities. We will end the injustice in the system of entering university. This will be through legal ways. YOK won't be an institution which will keep the universities under strict control.''

SNOWFALL PARALYZES DAILY LIFE
Snowfall paralyzed daily life and traffic across the country. The snow thickness reached 1 meter and 10 cm in Bitlis province. The roads between Bitlis-Diyarbakir, Tatvan-Van and Bitlis-Mus are closed to traffic. A total of 321 village roads are still closed to traffic.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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U.S. PUTS PRESSURE ON TURKEY FOR BASES
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson told AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Abdullah Gul that ''there is shortcoming in the weapon information document of Iraq, please determine your attitude as soon as possible.'' Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that ''we can bring the issue to the parliament this week.''

YOK TO CHANGE, TOO
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul responded to the rectors of universities:''radical reforms and radical tranformations will take place in Turkey and universities will also benefit from that.'' Noting that the government won't let continuation of the status-quo, Gul said that ''universities should come the top among the institutions which should reject the status-quo. Higher Board of Election (YOK) won't be an institution which interferes with every issue of universities and which try to keep them under control.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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BAYKAL: ''GOVERNMENT SHOULD TELL DEVELOPMENTS ON IRAQ TO PUBLIC OPINION''
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that the government has to immediately tell developments about Iraq to public opinion. ''The government neglects its mission of informing the public opinion,'' told Baykal to reporters. When reporters reminded Baykal the news telling that a delegation from the U.S. would come to Turkey to examine the military bases, Baykal said that ''the government has to rapidly reflect the developments about Iraq to the public opinion. The government talks about transparency, sharing information with the people, consultation, but they don't fulfill the requirements of them.''

STATESMEN ATTEND HABLEMITOGLU'S FUNERAL
The funeral of Ankara University's Associate Professor Dr. Necip Hablemitoglu who was killed in an assassination last Wednesday, took place in Kocatepe Mosque of Ankara. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Acting Parliament Speaker Ismail Alptekin, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff General Hilmi Ozkok, State Ministers and Deputy Prime Ministers Ertugrul Yalcýnbayýr and Mehmet Ali Sahin, CHP leader Deniz Baykal, ministers, political party leaders, students, lecturers, citizens, officers and non-commissioned officers attended the ceremony. President Sezer expressed condolences to Sengul Hablemitoglu, the wife of Necip Hablemitoglu.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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U.S. PUTS PRESSURE ON TURKEY TO GIVE ITS DECISION ABOUT IRAQ
While the probability of an operation against Iraq increases, the U.S. wants Turkey to give its decision about Iraq as soon as possible. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson who met with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, said that ''I am the representative of U.S. President Bush, I am sure Gul will give his response in the shortest time possible.''