ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 26, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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RED-LINE TO MUSUL-KERKUK
Turkey brought onto agenda a historical formula to prevent Musul and Kerkuk from being under the control of the British and Kurds: Red line before Lausanne. Accordingly, ''red lines'' will be set around two cities as before the Lausanne Treaty. Neither Turkish nor other countries' soldiers can enter the region except a limited number of U.S. soldiers. Turkey brought this proposal onto agenda in order to prevent infiltration of Britain which will join a possible operation on Iraq in these two cities and also to prevent rich oil beds in these cities from being under control of Kurdish groups. According to this proposal evaluated by the parties, Turkish Armed Forces will not go beyond the red line drawn under the Lausanne Treaty and enter Musul and Kerkuk even if it enters Northern Iraq.

SEZER: ''WE WILL COME OUT OF THIS A LOSER''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer warned that Turkey would come out of a possible U.S. operation on Iraq a loser. Sezer added, ''we are in an effort to reduce our losses.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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FOUR SPECIAL REQUESTS
The United States which has offered 5 billion U.S. dollars to Turkey for a possible military operation against Iraq, has four requests:
1. logistic support
2. specialized troops
3. support for infiltration
4. guiding guards
The United States requested Turkey to allow it to use the railway network from southern Mersin province to Iraqi capital Baghdad. If Turkey responds the request in the affirmative, personnel, ammunition and armored vehicles will be transferred to Musul and Baghdad via Mersin and Nusaybin. The United States wants to use Silopi and Sirnak regions as its headquarters.

GUL MEETS WITH AKSU, UCCAN, ATASAGUN AND ONAL
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has been monitoring all developments in the assassination of Associate Prof. Dr. Necip Hablemitoglu. He met with Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Fikret Uccan, National Intelligence Agency (MIT) Undersecretary Senkal Atasagun and Security Director General Kemal Onal. The meeting focused on latest developments in the assassination.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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UNITED STATES ASKS FOR SPECIAL LAW FOR SOLDIERS
The United States proposed that 80 thousand soldiers it planned to deploy in Turkey should be subject to its own laws. Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, who was angry at this proposal, informed Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal about the proposal. Baykal, who informed his party about his meeting with Gul, said that he opposed to the proposal. If the proposal is accepted, U.S. soldiers cannot be tried in Turkish courts in case they commit crimes in Turkey's territory.

5 PERCENT RISE TO CIVIL SERVANTS
Council of Ministers increased salaries of civil servants and the retired by 5 percent for the first quarter of 2003. The Council of Ministers increased the lowest salary by 13.7 percent while the salary of a general director was increased by 6.5 percent. Thus, the lowest salary becomes 424 million Turkish liras (TL).

WAR ASSISTANCE IS 20 BILLION USD
The United States clarified the assistance it would extend to Ankara if Turkey contributed to a possible operation on Iraq. The bill which was presented under the title ''confidence building package'' covers 20 billion U.S. dollars of economic facilities. The United States is waiting for a response to its demands within four days in return for the assistance proposal.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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WAR BRIBE
The United States expects Turkey to give a response to its requests till the end of the month. The United States has offered Turkey a short-term package of 5 billion U.S. dollars in order to meet losses of Turkey in a possible military operation against Iraq. A long-term second package worth of 15-20 billion U.S. dollars was also brought onto agenda. The United States wants to deploy its troops in Silopi and Sirnak without any time limitation. Meanwhile, the United States plans to transfer its troops to Northern Iraq via Turkey.

CHP: ''WE WANT PEACE''
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal conveyed his reservations to Prime Minister Abdullah Gul about a possible military operation of the United States against Iraq. He did not responded Prime Minister Gul's request for CHP's support to decision of the government in the affirmative. Baykal stressed that they wanted peace.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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PREPARATIONS FOR FULL SUPPORT TO UNITED STATES
Ankara will give a positive response to Washington's demand for ''full support till the very end'' except ''battling shoulder-to-shoulder.'' Turkey's ensuring control in Northern Iraq is among conditions of ''full but passive'' support. ''Full cooperation till the very end'' demand of the United States was discussed at the Council of Ministers, parliament, Foreign Ministry and General Staff meetings. The idea of ''passive but full support'', that is ensuring ''settlement and passage possibility to forces that will go to Iraq from air and land'' was brought forward.

ONE MONTH FOR ERDOGAN
The Higher Election Board (YSK) set the schedule for elections to be held in southeastern Siirt province. The deadline for nomination of candidate deputies is January 23, 2003. If his political ban is lifted till this date, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan can join the elections to be held in Siirt on February 9, 2003.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL CONVENES
The Economic and Social Council formed by Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and representatives of eight non-governmental organizations in order to solve economic and social problems of Turkey, convened yesterday. During the three-hour meeting, Prime Minister Gul listened to views of non-governmental organizations about the government's programme and the urgent action plan.

MINIMUM WAGE TO BE DETERMINED TODAY
The Minimum Wage Fixing Commission will hold its fifth meeting today on the new minimum wage to be valid as of January 1, 2003. During the meeting, new minimum wage is expected to be determined and announced to the public opinion. The current gross minimum wage is 250 million 875 thousand TL while the net wage is 184 million 251 thousand 937. The Minimum Wage Fixing Commission is comprised of five workers, five employers and five representatives of the government.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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BARZANI DOES NOT ACCEPT ''SINE QUA NON'' OF TURKEY
Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) Representative to Ankara Safeen Dizayee said that they would not welcome Turkey's intervention in Northern Iraq due to terrorist organization PKK or any other reason. Dizayee said that they would not accept ''red lines'' of Turkey which were defined as Turkey's ''sine qua non'' for Iraqi issue.