ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 4, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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WAR PROTOCOL
Turkey and the United States have taken three significant steps about a possible war in Iraq:
1. Prime Minister Abdullah Gul paid a visit to Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday. Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Gul said that they had reached an agreement with the United States about deployment of 350 war planes and 40 thousand U.S. soldiers in Turkey. 3 thousand 500 U.S. soldier will be charged in modernization of military bases in Turkey.
2. Turkey and Kurdish groups will not enter Mousul and Kirkuk in a possible war. The United States will be responsible for security of Mousul and Kirkuk. If Kurdish groups attempt to claim Mousul and Kirkuk, Turkey will have the right to intervene in the region.
3. Turkish and U.S. delegations have begun holding official consultations about military cooperation in a possible war in Iraq.

FIRST INFLATION FIGURES OF 2003 ANNOUNCED
The States Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced that wholesale prices rose by 5.6 percent and consumer prices increased by 2.6 percent in January of 2003 compared to prices of December of 2002. Annual inflation rate in January was 32.6 percent in wholesale prices and 26.4 percent in consumer prices. In the same period last year, annual inflation rate had been 92 percent in wholesale prices and 73.2 percent in consumer prices.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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TWO SUPPORTS FROM BAYKAL
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul told current developments to Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. Government will seek for authority for the installation of technical equipment on bases tomorrow. Decision for dispatching Turkish soldiers abroad and deployment of U.S. soldiers in Turkey will be taken after Feast of Sacrifice. Baykal said that he would support modernization of bases and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad, but he would be against for the official note which was prepared for the deployment of U.S. soldiers in Turkey.

HANNAY WARNS TURKEY ON CYPRUS
Diplomatic pressures on Turkey increased while the time given for the acceptation of the plan that was presented to sides in Cyprus by the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan was about to come to an end. Britain's Special Representative to Cyprus Lord David Hannay said that if sides could not reach an agreement, Turkey's European Union process would be affected negatively. Hannay who arrived in Turkey on Monday said that he was hopeful that sides would reach an agreement until the end of the month.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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DEADLOCK IN KILLING OF HABLEMITOGLU
Ankara Police Chief Ercument Yilmaz said that their efforts had still been continuing to capture murderers of Dr. Necip Hablemitoglu. ''However, we could not get any concrete evidence so far,'' he said. Noting that 11 out of 48 terrorist actions were solved last year, Yilmaz said that smuggling and organized crimes decreased considerably.

OIL PRICES INCREASE BY 3.5 PERCENT
Oil prices increased between 0.82 percent and 4.33 percent as of February 4, 2003. While price of unleaded oil increased by 3.52 percent, price of diesel oil rose by 3.04 percent.

EXPORTS FROM AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR INCREASE BY 69.5 PERCENT
Exports from automotive sector increased 69.5 percent to 443 million 806 thousand U.S. dollars January of in 2003. In the same period last year, exports from automotive sector had been 261 million 805 thousand U.S. dollars. Exports of by-industry products increased 35.6 percent to 181 million 503 thousand U.S. dollars while exports of automobiles increased to 125 million 291 thousand U.S. dollars. The sector exported its products to 7 free zones and 132 countries and autonomous regions in January of 2003. Germany is ranked first with 71 million 523 thousand U.S. dollars among the countries to which automotive exports were made. Italy, France and Spain followed Germany.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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SUSPECTS OF UMUT CASE TO BE RE-TRIED
After the Supreme Court of Appeals Criminal Department no: 9 decided to annul the punishments given to eight suspects who were captured in the ''Umut'' (Hope) operation, which was launched to find murderers of journalist-writer Ugur Mumcu, and later covered 22 incidents, including assassinations of Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taner Kislali, Prof. Muammer Aksoy and Dr. Bahriye Ucok, re-trial process has started. During the hearing at the Ankara State Security Court (DGM) no: 2, Chief Judge Huseyin Eken said that the court delegation decided to listen to policemen Mehmet Gozutok, Abdurrahim Kosar, Salim Salur and Erdogan Yurdaer, who prepared the official report about assassination of Prof. Dr. Muammer Aksoy on January 31, 1990, as witness. Later, the hearing was adjourned.

ERDOGAN GIVES LESSONS
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that universities had been developing sensitivities in different areas instead of carrying out scientific works. He accused universities, which criticized the government, of narrowing students' point of view.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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THREE OFFICIAL NOTES FOR IRAQ
Government prepared three official notes for Iraq issue: one for Americans who will work in ports and bases, one for deployment of U.S. soldiers in Turkey and using bases and one for dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq. Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that they would seek for authority from Parliament but he did not state any content.

IT IS TIME FOR DECISION NOW
Britain's Special Representative to Cyprus Lord David Hannay who arrived in Turkey on Monday said that insolubility in Cyprus issue would negatively influence Turkey's European Union membership. Noting that it was an important month for Cyprus issue, Hannay said that a long and complicated process passed and it was time for decision now. He also emphasized that there was no time left for important changes in the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's Plan.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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DIFFICULT DECISION
While Turkey's time have been running out about requests of the United States, the government has come to the level of taking critical and difficult decisions. Some circles claimed that the government could not seek authority form the parliament easily. According to the same circles, most of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies are opposed to a possible military operation in Iraq. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul paid a visit to Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and informed him on latest developments about the Iraq issue. During the meeting, Prime Minister Gul said that they would apply to the parliament this week to seek authority. Baykal told Prime Minister Gul that they did not approve deployment of U.S. soldiers in Turkey.

''I AM HUNGRY''
Cengiz Baloglu, a retired gendarmerie noncommissioned officer, came to the Prime Ministry Office at about 3.00 p.m. yesterday. He pressed his handgun against his head and shouted, ''I am hungry. I am unemployed. I cannot endure any more.'' Security forces intervened and rendered him ineffective. He was taken to Security Department for questioning.

TREASURY TO REPAY USD 1.6 BILLION IN EXTERNAL DEBT THIS WEEK
Treasury will repay 1.6 billion U.S. dollars in external debt this week. Treasury will repay the highest external debt of the following week worth of 838.9 million U.S. dollars on February 7, Friday. The Treasury will repay 26 million U.S. dollars on Monday, 697.3 million U.S. dollars on Tuesday, 112 million U.S. dollars on February 5 and 5.7 million U.S. dollars on February 6.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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DENKTAS PRESENTED SINE QUA NONS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas presented ''sine qua nons'' of Turkish Cypriot side in his meeting with Greek Cypriot side leader Glafcos Clerides on Monday. Three basic conditions took place in the document which were ''sovereignty, equality and not diluting Turkey's guarantee''. Greek Cypriot side conveyed that they only came for discussing the map.

JAPAN ANNOUNCED 2003 AS TURKISH YEAR
Japan had announced 2003 as Turkish Year for the promotion of Turkey's culture and history two years ago; however, Turkish government did not show enough interest to this gesture. The government did not make sufficient preparation for the official ceremony which would start in Tokyo, Japan on February 17. The budget for the celebrations which would continue until the end of the year was reserved only a month ago.