ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 29, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BLAIR CALLS GUL ON THE PHONE
British Prime Minister Tony Blair called Prime Minister Abdullah Gul on the phone.
It was reported that Blair talked about the stage reached in Iraqi problem prior to his meeting with the U.S. President George Bush that will take place on January 31, 2003.
Prime Minister Gul reiterated the importance Turkey attributed to the continuation of the U.N. process. Gul also gave information about the results of the ''Regional Initiative Foreign Ministers Meeting'' held in Istanbul on January 23, 2003 in this direction.

SOROS: GOVERNMENT IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK, TURKEY IS ATTRACTIVE FOR INVESTMENT
Famous speculator George Soros said Turkey was a country progressing on the road to European Union (EU) membership and a very attractive country to make investments.
Soros, who is in Davos for the World Economic Forum, pointed out that he was following developments regarding Turkish economy closely.
The government is on the right track, Soros said.
Soros noted that Turkey was fulfilling reforms necessary for EU adjustment which were of utmost important for the country's future.
Those reforms would economically, socially and politically improve Turkey, Soros said.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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YPK DISCUSSES SAVINGS MEASURES
Higher Planning Committee (YPK) which convened on Tuesday and which will also convene on Wednesday will determine macro figures and budget of 2003. Necessary savings measures and new income sources package will be discussed at Tuesday's meeting.
YPK convened under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Gul before the meeting of YPK.

BRSA REMAINS SILENT
The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) announced that management, supervision and partnership rights of Pamukbank, which had earlier been stated to be transferred to its former owners, would be under the auspices of the Agency. A statement of BRSA said that agreement was reached in negotiations with representatives of Cukurova Group and officials of the agency in order to protect rights and interests of account holders of Pamukbank, to solve ownership problem of Yapi ve Kredi Bankasi and to stabilize the financial system. BRSA do not answer questions related to that issue. BRSA only said that final agreement under principles included in a protocol which was signed between BRSA and Cukurova Group would be concluded till January 31.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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CYPRUS DUEL
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal criticized each other at group meetings of their political parties. Addressing his party's group meeting, Baykal said, ''Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas fulfills his duties related to Cyprus issue. On the one side, he tries to reach agreement with Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides and the European Union (EU). On the other side, Denktas defends his thesis against Erdogan.'' Erdogan said, ''we do not develop policy according to personal views. Denktas should have contacted with us directly.''

TREASURY AUCTIONS 392-DAY DISCOUNTED STATE NOTES
Treasury held an auction to sell 392-day discounted state notes denominated in U.S. dollar. The total bid was 938.1 million U.S. dollars in the auction. Treasury sold 799 million U.S. dollars nominal-valued 392-day discounted state notes. The net sale was 746 million U.S. dollars. The composite interest rate of notes became 6.59 percent while the simple interest rate was 6.60 percent. Maturity of these notes is February 26, 2004.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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NATIONAL HONOR FORGOTTEN
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader harshly criticized Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan who said that President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides had failed to find a solution to the Cyprus question. Speaking at the CHP Group meeting, Baykal said, ''the AK Party is not aware of the fact that it was obliged to solve the Cyprus question. The national honor was forgotten. AK Party has been trying to protect our national honor by hosting parties for the high society in Davos. National identity cannot be defended with sis-kebab and models.''

DE SOTO: ''PROCESS SHOULD BE ACCELERATED''
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto met with Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal. During the meetings, De Soto presented optional maps. Following his meetings, De Soto said that he got an encouraging impression from Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, and added that the process in Cyprus should be accelerated.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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IMF RETURNS LETTER OF INTEND
It was revealed that the draft letter of intend was submitted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on January 22, 2003. Earlier, State Minister Ali Babacan for Economy said that works had still been continuing on the letter of intend. The IMF was not satisfied with the draft letter of intend, and returned it to the government.

HISTORICAL WORKS OF ART TO BE TAKEN UNDER PROTECTION
The Ministry of Culture has launched an initiative to protect historical and cultural works in a possible war against Iraq. Under the 1954 Hague Convention for Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, historical and cultural properties will be protected with signs that can be seen from the air and the land.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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IMF WARNS GOVERNMENT
International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials said that Turkish economy would be affected negatively in case of a possible U.S. operation against Iraq. Officials recalled that promises which had been given to Turkey in the Gulf War were not fulfilled and said that Turkey should not have similar troubles related to a possible operation against Iraq. IMF officials stated that compensation which the United States would give to Turkey in the event of a war against Iraq might be insufficient and said that the government should take the guaranty of the U.S. administration to meet loss of Turkish economy in case of a war.

TURKEY OBTAINS USD 12 BILLION FROM TOURISM SECTOR IN 2002
Turkey obtained income of 11 billion 900 million 925 thousand 503 U.S. dollars from tourism sector in 2002. A total of 15,214,514 people including 12,921,982 foreign tourists visited Turkey in the same year. The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced results of ''the number of arriving and departing visitors for fourth quarter of 2002'' survey. Turkey obtained 2 billion 278 million 148 thousand 761 U.S. dollars from tourism sector between October and December 2002. According to the figures, Turkey obtained income of 1 billion 780 million 884 thousand 900 U.S. dollars from foreign visitors and 497 million 263 thousand 861 U.S. dollars from Turkish citizens living abroad.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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GOVERNMENT TO EXCLUDE 600 PROJECTS FROM 2003 PROGRAM
Higher Planning Board (YPK), which convened under the leadership of Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, discussed 2003 year investment program.
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener, who made a statement after the meeting which lasted for two hours and 15 minutes, pointed out that the government decided to take out the nonfeasible projects which lost their priority from the investment programme and to finish the feasible projects as soon as possible.
Sener said that the Board particularly examined the macro economic indicators and then the consolidated budget indicators. Investments, which are important indicator of the budget were taken up as a separate issue, he said.

DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS TO BE GIVEN TO BUSINESSMEN
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) started to take action to provide passport facilities to businessmen. The government will provide green and red passport facilities to businessmen who make Turkey gain foreign currency.
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen for Foreign Trade and Customs pointed out that joint studies were carried out with the Foreign Ministry and related ministries about the passports that are thought to be given to businessmen.