ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 7, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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GENERAL YALMAN VISITS THIRD FRONT
Land Forces Commander Aytac Yalman paid a secret visit to Jordan in which a third front will be opened in a possible U.S.-led military operation against Iraq. The United States will open the first front in Kuwait in such a war. If Turkey gives permission, a second front will be opened in the north. Jordan will become the third front against southwest of Iraq.

GUL TELLS RAMADAN: ''THINK OF YOUR PEOPLE''
During the secret meeting held at National Intelligence Agency's (MIT) Marmara Mansion, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul told Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan, ''please, think of your people.'' He stressed, ''we have been expending all kinds of efforts to prevent a possible war. We have been holding high-level contacts. As regional countries, we assure protection of Iraq's borders. Iraq should abide by resolutions of the United Nations.'' Prime Minister Gul asked Ramadan to convey his words to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

TURKEY ALLOWS UNITED STATES
The Prime Ministry motion allowing deployment of U.S. technical and military personnel in Turkey for three months for modernization of bases and ports, was approved by the parliament. A group of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies cast their votes against the motion. Meanwhile, nine MPs abstained.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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FIRST SPLIT IN OPINION OF AK PARTY
During the session of Parliamentary General Assembly in which the Prime Ministry motion allowing deployment of U.S. technical and military personnel in Turkey for three months for modernization of bases and ports was approved, at least 44 Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies cast their votes against the motion. Meanwhile, a deputy of AK Party plans to resign from his party.

THREE OBSTACLES REMAIN
Three obstacles remained in front of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to become the prime minister. If the Higher Electoral Board (YSK) approves his nomination, and if the elections to be held in southeastern province of Siirt on March 9, is not postponed due to possible U.S-led military operation against Iraq, and if he is elected in the elections, Erdogan will become the prime minister.

NATO IN SILENCE PROCESS
NATO Secretary General George Robertson said that he had put forward some proposals about defense of Turkey in a possible military operation against Iraq. The proposals of Robertson are envisaged to be approved with ''silence procedure''. According to the procedure, if any of 19 allied countries does not object to the proposals till the beginning of next week, the proposals will come into force. Noting that he had put forward some deliberate proposals about defense of Turkey, the only ally of NATO neighboring Iraq, in a possible military operation against Iraq, Robertson said that all allied countries had been in consensus about defense of Turkey.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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''I RECEIVED A DOCUMENT FROM HIGH-RANKING MILITARY OFFICIALS''
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul briefed Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies about recent developments on the Iraq issue. When AK Party deputies told Prime Minister Gul, ''the AK Party will undertake responsibility of such a decision. We cannot explain it to our people,'' Prime Minister Gul said, ''I received documents from high-ranking military officials about their proposals and views on the Iraq issue.'' Prime Minister Gul gave the message that responsibility would not be put on the government.

FIRST STEP FOR PRIME MINISTRY
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) nominated its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the elections to be held in southeastern province of Siirt on March 9, 2003. AK Party Deputy Chairman Necati Cetinkaya submitted documents about candidacy of Erdogan to the Higher Electoral Board (YSK).

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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200 THOUSAND SOLDIERS TO IRAQ
Although U.N. Security Council permanent members France, China and Russia and regional countries oppose to it and although all these countries say there should be a second U.N. resolution, the United States is determined to attack on Iraq. Pentagon is expected to increase the number of its soldiers to 150 thousand by February 15 while this number is expected to reach 200 thousand in March. It has almost become definite that the United States which will use military bases in Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will proceed effectively from the southern and northern fronts. U.S. special forces who are already in Iraq will start invasion from the land, later there will be intense bombardment within 48 hours.

U.N. INVITATION TO ANKARA AND ATHENS
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan sent a message to both Ankara and Athens and asked them to contribute to completion of Cyprus question's parts about security as soon as possible. Meanwhile, TRNC President Rauf Denktas welcomed Annan's initiative and said ''it seems that the Secretary General saw the difficulties of the plan.''

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TAYLOR TO MEET WITH PRIME MINISTER GUL AND STATE MINISTER BABACAN
U.S. Deputy Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs John Taylor is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and State Minister Ali Babacan. During the meetings, Turkey's losses in any possible U.S.-led military operation against Iraq will be taken up.

''WE CONSIDER IT AN INVOLVEMENT IN WAR''
Iraqi Ambassador to Turkey Talip Abid Saleh held a press conference and said, ''we consider it an involvement in war if Turkey extends any support to the United States. Involvement in war is nothing but a crime and sin.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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AUTHORITY OK
The parliament approved a government motion which allows modernization of bases and ports in Turkey by the United States with 308 votes against 193. There were 9 abstaining votes. The Republican Party (CHP) voted against the motion and it is supposed that also some 40 Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies voted against the motion. Second motion on deployment of foreign soldiers on Turkish territories and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad is expected to be submitted to the parliament after the religious holiday.

KURDISH GROUPS GIVE PROMISE
In a meeting held in Ankara on future of Northern Iraq yesterday, Iraqi opposition groups reached a compromise on protection of Iraq's territorial integrity. Northern Iraqi groups also gave the promise that ''an independent Kurdish state would not be founded''.

DENKTAS: ''CLERIDES BLUFFED''
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides bluffed in order to put him in a difficult situation in talks. Clerides said, ''I sign Annan's plan without any revision.''

''NO TO WAR'' DEMONSTRATION IN TAKSIM
Anti-war demonstrations in Turkey and in the world are held increasingly. Yesterday, a group of Greenpeace activists unfurled an anti-war banner on the Ataturk Culture Center in Taksim, Istanbul by hanging themselves down with ropes. Demonstration lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes. Eight of them were detained.

AND, ERDOGAN NOMINATED OFFICIALLY
AK Party applied to the Higher Electoral Board and nominated its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan for by-election in Siirt on March 9.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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AK PARTY: ''WAR DOESN'T POSTPONE ELECTIONS, ERDOGAN TO BECOME PREMIER''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) applied to the Higher Electoral Board yesterday and nominated him for by-election in Siirt on March 9. AK Party deputy leader Necati Cetinkaya said that any possible war could not be a cause for postponement of elections, and ''world's misunderstanding would be removed'' when Erdogan won a seat in parliament.

SEZER: ''IRAQ POLICY IS IN LINE WITH NSC''
While the AK Party government decided to stand by the United States in any possible Iraq war, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer extended support to this policy. Presidential Foreign Affairs Chief Adviser Tacan Ildem said the motion that had been submitted by the government to the parliament was in line with the frame that had been drawn at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting. Ildem said that the President still believed there should be second U.N. Security Council resolution for an operation against Iraq, which did not constitute a contradiction with the government's attitude. Ildem stressed that Turkey had to take necessary measures to protect its interests if any U.S.-led war against Iraq started.