ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 12, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
GREEN PASSPORT TO THOSE WHO PAY TAXES REGULARLY
Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said that they were planning to give green passport to businessmen who pay taxes regularly and who are known in international field. Unakitan stated that he would take this issue as proposal to the parliament after he discussed it with Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu. Unakitan said, ''there are many successful businessmen who pay their taxes regularly in Turkey. They go abroad frequently. We are planning to give green passports to those businessmen. We can put some criteria regarding that issue.''

TUZMEN DISCUSSES POVERTY WITH TAYLOR
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen and U.S. Treasury Undersecretary John Taylor came to together to bargain on some economic issues at the weekend. State Minister Ali Babacan and Finance Ministry Kemal Unakitan also attended the meeting. Tuzmen talked about truck drivers who lost their jobs before a possible war in the region and asked Taylor ''do you know what poverty is?'' at the meeting.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
------------------
PRIME MINISTER GUL: ''WE HAVE SAID EVERYTHING''
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said, ''we said we will do our best. Everybody does those proposals. Arab countries did. The United States openly announced this to the world.''
Gul said, ''nobody wants war. The actual target should be to prevent war. Our approach is to provide disarmament regarded with Iraq to prevent war. This should be done in transparency and sincerity in a way to satisfy the public opinion. It should be revealed that neighbouring countries are not threat for each other. Installing security and stability should be the fundamental target. All of the efforts of Ankara are to this end.''

EXPORTS INCREASES BY 41.1 PERCENT IN JANUARY
Exports from Turkey increased 41.1 percent to 3.4 billion U.S. dollars in January 2003.
Exports from industry sector rose 43 percent to 3.2 billion U.S. dollars in January 2003 when compared to same period last year.
According to figures of Exporters' Associations, export of agricultural products increased 31.1 percent to 251 million U.S. dollars in the same month. Exports from Turkey to Germany amounted to 577 million U.S. dollars and exports from Turkey to the United States amounted to 328 million U.S. dollars in January 2003.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
---------------
GOVERNMENT SUSPENDS MOST IMPORTANT STEP REGARDED WITH IRAQI OPERATION
Demand to send soldiers to Iraq and to give permission to the U.S. soldiers for passage will not be brought onto the agenda of the parliament on February 18. Government suspended the most important step regarding the Iraqi operation. The reason is that, ''signals for the report of the weapons inspectors on February 14 are positive. Why should be call for a parliamentary decision on February 18 if there are positive developments. Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said they had not set a date.

THEY RETURNED FROM KABUL WITH GOOD MEMORIES
Gen. Hilmi Akin Zorlu undertook the command of International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) for 8,5 months and administred 5,000 soldiers from 22 countries. Gen. Zorlu and Turkish soldiers were seen off from Afghanistan with interesting memories and presents after their mandate expired. Emotional moments were experienced in seen off ceremony.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
-----------------
ANKARA DISCUSSES DEVELOPMENTS ON VETO OF PROTECTION PLAN FOR TURKEY IN NATO
Military and Foreign Ministry officials discuss developments on veto of protection plan for Turkey at NATO Council in the event of a war in the region. Diplomatic and military sources said that Turkey did not need an ''urgent'' protection at that moment and stated that but Turkey wanted a defense to see attitude of allies in case of a war against Iraq. Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that the real target of crisis in NATO was not Turkey but diplomacy struggle and stated that NATO should fulfil its assignments.

WEATHER DURING FEAST OF SACRIFICE
Snowy weather will leave most regions of Turkey on the last days of feast of sacrifice. Meteorology officials said that there would not be snowfall in northern and internal regions of Turkey on Wednesday and added that however rainfall would be influential in eastern regions as of third day of feast of sacrifice.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
--------------
ANNAN TO COME TO ANKARA WITH THIRD PLAN
There will be a busy diplomacy traffic on Cyprus issue after Feast of Sacrifice. United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan will come to Ankara with the third plan on February 24. Annan will proceed from Ankara to Athens. He will go to Cyprus after Athens. Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto is expected to present the third plan to the sides. Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis and Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou discussed Cyprus issue on the phone on Monday. Yakis and Papandreou reached agreement on guarantor states' taking up security issues.

''HUMAN SHIELD'' GROUP TO GO TO IRAQ
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Board of Founders member Fatma Unsal Bostan joined ''human shield'' group to protest a possible U.S. operation against Iraq. The group which names itself as ''human shield'' in a possible military operation against Iraq left Ankara for Iraq on Tuesday. A total of 40 foreign people who came to Ankara on Monday evening to get visa from Iraqi Embassy and 26 Turkish people left Ankara for Cilvegozu border gate. Speaking to reporters, Bostan said that they launched a civilian initiative against illicit war in Turkish public opinion and the world. Bostan noted, ''AK Party wants peace till the very end and I'm also in favor of peace till the very end.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
---------------
GUL: NOW IT IS THE TURN OF NATO
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, speaking after NATO did not want to help Turkey, pointed out that, ''we have protected them during cold war period. Now that it is their turn. Our army is already very strong. There is not a need for those.''

YALCINBAYIR: WE ARE STILL HOPEFUL FOR PEACEFUL SOLUTION
Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir said war could still be prevented, stating that, ''there will be some surprising meetings in the coming days. Prime Minister Abdullah Gul may meet with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein directly.''
Stating that Turkey continued an active peace policy and that it could make some surprising meetings in the coming days, Yalcinbayir said, ''all those are efforts to serve peace. There can be direct talks if necessary.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
--------------------
ERDOGAN: WAR WILL NOT EFFECT ELECTIONS IN SIIRT
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said postponement of elections in Siirt province was out of question because of Iraqi war.
When asked whether or not he has concerns that the elections in Siirt province would be postponed, Erdogan said, ''not holding the elections is out of question under current conditions.'' Erdogan said the election timetable was carried out as it was envisaged.
When a journalist asked if the possible war in Iraq would affect the elections, Erdogan said it would not.

CARICATURE EXHIBITION BECOMES THE FIRST ACTIVITY OF TURKEY YEAR
19th Aydin Dogan International Caricature Contest Exhibition, which is the first activity of 2003 Turkish Year in Japan, opened in Tokyo's Shoto Art Museum on Tuesday.
Turkish Ambassador in Tokyo Solmaz Unaydin and Shibuya Mayor Motoi Ogura attended opening of the exhibition.
Unaydin who delivered a speech at opening of the exhibition said that many activities including exhibitions, concerts and conferences would be held in Japan to promote Turkey and stated that thus relations between the two countries would be further improved.