ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 5, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
18 MINISTERS WELCOME GUL IN SYRIA
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who has started a shuttle diplomacy in the Middle Eastern countries to prevent a possible war against Iraq, was welcomed by 18 ministers in Syria, the first leg of his tour to regional countries. President Bashar Al-Asad of Syria told Prime Minister Gul, ''we made some mistakes in the past. Let's forget them, and focus on the future.''

EROGLU: ''THERE IS NOT ANY DIFFERENCE OF OPINION''
Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said that there was not any difference of opinion between Turkish and TRNC governments about the Cyprus question. He said, ''I feel relieved as a result of assurances I got during my contacts with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. We cannot develop a national policy without Turkey.'' ''If the document presented to the sides by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is signed, we do not have the opportunity to make any changes. In fact, there are some points in the document that should be changed before accepting the document as a ground for negotiations about sovereignty, map and Greek Cypriot people to proceed to northern Cyprus. We do not escape from the negotiation table,'' he said.

NEW IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY AL-DILEYMI ARRIVES IN ANKARA
Iraq increased its diplomatic representation in Ankara to the level of ambassador after an interval of one year. Talip Al-Dileymi, who acted earlier as the deputy undersecretary for cultural affairs at the Iraqi Embassy in Ankara, arrived in Ankara on Friday as the new Iraqi Ambassador to Turkey. As a result, diplomatic relations between Turkey and Iraq which continued at the level of charge d'affaires following the departure of former Iraqi Ambassador Faruk Hicazi from Turkey after events of September 11, 2001, was upgraded again to the level of ambassador.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
TURKISH TANKS IN IRAQ
Turkish soldiers have crossed the border and taken strategical points in Northern Iraq under control. The Turkish Armed Forces which has been getting prepared for a possible military operation against Iraq, moved military concentration in Uludere and Semdinli 40 kilometres inside Northern Iraq to prevent infiltration of terrorists.

ERDOGAN: ''OUR COUNTRY HAS A PRIME MINISTER''
When asked whether or not he would become the prime minister, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, ''our country has a prime minister. In coming days, elections will be held in Siirt. Let's overcome it. Then we will talk.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)
---------------
PRIME MINISTER GUL: ''WE SHOULD FIND A SOLUTION WITHOUT WAR''
Prime Minister Gul paid a visit to Syria under his tour to Middle Eastern countries to find a peaceful solution to the issue of Iraq. He met with President Bashar Al-Asad of Syria. Following the meeting, Prime Minister Gul said, ''we exchanged views on efforts to find a peaceful solution. Syria has the same concerns as Turkey. We will act together. Iraq's natural resources should belong to Iraqi people.''

ERDOGAN: ''WE WANT PEACE IN IRAQ''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that they wanted peace in Iraq, and added, ''resolutions of the United States bind Turkey. However, we have been expending great efforts to find a peaceful solution to the issue of Iraq.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
DON'T OPEN PANDORA'S BOX IN IRAQ
During his visit to Syria, the first leg of his tour of Middle East countries, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul met with President Bashar Al-Asad and Prime Minister Mustafa Miru. Noting that Iraq's integrity should be protected, Gul said, ''Pandora's box should not be opened in Iraq. Otherwise, it may not be closed again.'' Stating that solution without a war was everybody's desire, Gul said, ''Iraq should expend efforts extraordinarily.'' In their meeting, Gul and Asad agreed on the opinion that countries in the region should take initiative. Asad said that attitude of the United States towards Iraq was not coherent and objective, defending that plans about oil incited war. Asad stressed that it should be ''clearly known'' that the large-scale operation that the United States was planning to carry out would distress the countries in the region.

CYPRUS PLAN DEBATED
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Presidential Undersecretary Ergun Olgun and Greek Cypriot administration Chief Prosecutor Alekos Markidis spoke to the newspaper about U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's solution plans and parameters which may be destroyed due to Iraq war. Olgun said, ''solution is based on equality'' while Markidis said, ''good will solves everything''. In Cyprus, Turkish Cypriots complain about ''inequality'' while Greek Cypriots complain about ''waste of time''.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
LOOK AT BRIDGE, SEE ECONOMIC SITUATION
Economic crisis decreased the number of motor vehicles passing from the two bridges in the Istanbul strait by 16.5 percent. The number of motor vehicles passing from these two bridges had risen 9 percent to 129 million in 2000 when compared to 1999. However, this number decreased to 119 million in 2001 and to 109 million in 2002. It is possible to estimate the economic situation by looking at the bridges. As a result of tolls, these bridges became the government's means to close the budget deficit. The traffic in these bridges reduced by 16.5 percent between February 2001 when the economic crisis erupted at the end of 2002. The lower number was 8 million 262 thousand and this happened in January 2002 when workers got a very little rate of increase in their wages and political uncertainty started.

ALSO DAMASCUS FAVORS ''PEACE''
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who seeks peaceful solution to Iraq issue said, ''also Damascus has the same concerns as Turkey about a war. We will work together'' after he wrapped up his contacts in Syria. Gul who will visit Egypt and Jordan today and Saudi Arabia on January 11 will go to the United States through the end of this month. He said, ''we think it beneficial to convey what we saw.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
---------------
SOLUTION TO VETO
After the constitutional amendments and laws on the Financial Zero were vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the government decided to adopt new bills after consulting to the President. According to this, the relevant minister will visit the Presidential Palace to inform the President and get his opinions before the bills are sent to the parliament, preventing possibility of a veto by the President.

NO NEW TAX THIS YEAR
Speaking to reporters in a meeting held in Kizilcahamam, State Minister Ali Babacan for Economy said that any new tax was not among the methods to create source and that there would not be an increase in tax rates. Babacan added that the ''floating currency'' policy would continue. Meanwhile, price of 1 liter unleaded gasoline increased by 3.50 percent, price of 1 liter high-octane gasoline rose by 3.49 percent, price of 1 liter diesel oil increased by 3.53 percent and price of 1 liter fuel oil rose by 6.73 percent.

YAKIS: ''SADDAM SHOULD LEAVE''
Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said that exile of Saddam Hussein might prevent possible war in Iraq. Yakis stressed that some Arab countries could support this.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
--------------------
BLUE STREAM DELAYED, TURKEY TO ASK FOR REDUCTION IN NATURAL GAS PRICE
Russia failed to conclude the Blue Stream project that will carry Russian natural gas to Samsun via Black Sea, in time. So Russia has to give Turkey natural gas with a 8 percent discount in the winter and 4 percent discount in the summer. The Turkish Pipeline Transportation Corp (Botas) is getting prepared to sit at table with the Russian side to have Turkish people consume natural gas cheaply.

ANKARA AND DAMASCUS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR ''SOLUTION WITHOUT WAR''
Ankara and Damascus which attribute importance to Iraq's integrity decided to expend efforts in coordination. Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who got support of Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad for ''solution without war in Iraq'' will visit Jordan and Egypt today under his peace tour of Middle East countries.