HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ECHR REJECTS ERBAKAN'S REQUEST FOR APPEAL
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Grand Chamber rejected request of directors of banned Welfare Party (RP) for appeal. In its reasoned verdict the court recalled that the ECHR had previously held that some compromise between the requirements of defending democratic society and individual rights was inherent in the Convention system. It said, ''the Court considered that a political party might campaign for a change in the law or the legal and constitutional structures of the State on two conditions: firstly, the means used to that end must be legal and democratic in every respect; secondly, the change proposed must itself be compatible with fundamental democratic principles.''

NATO FAILS TO CONVENE
NATO Council has failed to take a decision to assist Turkey, one of its allies, for four days. Yesterday's extraordinary meeting was postponed for three times. Later, the meeting was cancelled. Turkey applied to NATO for assistance in a possible U.S.-led military operation against Iraq. France, Germany and Belgium have blocked the assistance. Some circles described the crisis in NATO as a signal of collapse.

FRUITLESS VISIT
Contacts of Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis and State Minister Ali Babacan for Treasury, who are currently in the United States to ask for economic assistance, did not yield any results. U.S. administration did not shed green light to Yakis and Babacan, who wanted to increase the economic support up to 14-20 billion U.S. dollars. Earlier, the United States proposed to send an economic support of 5 billion U.S. dollars to Turkey. Yakis said that they would try to hold a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush.

''WE DO NOT INTEND TO ATTACK ON TURKEY''
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said that they did intend to attack on Turkey. He said that they did not have any long-range missiles.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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WAR BARGAINING IN UNITED STATES
While the United States has been putting pressure for approval of the motion about deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey, the Turkish side has been insisting on a written memorandum about economic assistance. Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis and State Minister Ali Babacan for Economy started their contacts in the United States by meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. When asked whether or not the motion about deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey would be brought onto parliamentary agenda, Yakis implied that approval of the motion could be delayed and said, ''we are not dealing with dates. We have concentrated on preparing the appropriate atmosphere and taking correct decisions.''

TURKISH PROFESSOR TO FIND CRETANS WHO WERE MASSACRED BY NAZIS
During the World War II, 62 leading people in Crete were massacred by the Nazis. Greek authorities asked famous criminal anthropologist Prof. Dr. Mehmet Iscan to assist them to identify the bodies. Crete Forensic Medicine Agency Chairman Prof. Dr. Manolis Mihalodimitrakis came to Istanbul and met with Prof. Dr. Iscan at the Istanbul University. Prof. Dr. Iscan will go to Crete in coming days and carry out works to identify skeletons, which were found in a mass grave in the island.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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TURKEY TO REPAY USD 34 BILLION IN EXTERNAL DEBT
Turkey will repay a total of 34 billion U.S. dollars in external debt this year. According to a survey carried out by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO), Turkey repays 1 thousand 78 U.S. dollars interest debt in a second and about 4 million U.S. dollars in an hour.

TENSION ESCALATES IN SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA
Tension has been escalating in Southeastern Anatolia again prior to a possible U.S.-led military operation against Iraq. Demonstrations were held in Diyarbakir, Cizre and Nusaybin in favor of terrorist organization PKK-KADEK. Meanwhile, security forces found out that a group of 500 armed terrorists had taken shelter in Cudi and Gabar Mountains in the region. The terrorist organization plans to stage an action on February 15, the anniversary of Abdullah Ocalan's capture in Kenya.

PKK-KADEK THREATENS
The terrorist organization PKK-KADEK claimed that the time, which was given to Turkey till February 15, was about to come to an end and that their unilateral cease-fire could be cancelled. PKK-KADEK calls on people in Southeastern Anatolia to attend actions in favor of Abdullah Ocalan.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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DEMOCRACY LESSON
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Grand Chamber announced its verdict about the application, which was made by Necmettin Erbakan, Sevket Kazan and Ahmet Tekdal, the directors of the banned RP, on May 22, 1998. The ECHR ruled that Turkey did not violate Article 11 of the European Convention of Human Rights about right to freedom of peaceful assembly and rejected RP directors' request for appeal. In its written verdict, the ECHR said that the RP aimed at founding a regime on the basis of Sharia religious law.

TURKEY PREPARES AN ECONOMIC PACKAGE FOR TRNC
Turkey has been preparing an economic package in order to give the message that it was determined to assist the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The package includes liberalization of trade between Turkey and the TRNC and Turkey's support to the TRNC in fields of agriculture, transportation and tourism.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TURKEY TO WORK FOR IMF
Turkey will repay a big sum of money to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as of 2004 for the loans it obtained in the past. According to statistics, Turkey repaid 1 billion 127 million 880 thousand U.S. dollars to the IMF in 2001 and 6 billion 391 million 320 thousand U.S. dollars in 2002 under repayment of a total of 28.3 billion U.S. dollars of loan. Turkey will repay 1 billion 591 million 70 thousand U.S. dollars in 2003 and 8 billion 241 million 220 thousand U.S. dollars in 2004 to the IMF. Highest repayment will be made in 2005 with 8 billion 968 million 570 thousand U.S. dollars. In 2006, Turkey will repay 2 billion 318 million 420 thousand U.S. dollars to the IMF.

ACTIVITIES IN INCIRLIK BASE CONTINUE UNDER TERRITORIAL RAINS
Under permission of the parliament, necessary renovation, development and construction works have been continuing at military bases and ports. All flights have been called off at Incirlik Air Base near Yuregir town of southern province of Adana since Wednesday morning. Working machines have started operating in the base even under territorial rains. Last week, the parliament allowed deployment of U.S. technical and military personnel in Turkey for three months for renovation, development and construction of bases and ports.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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IRAQ: ''WE DON'T ATTACK ON TURKEY''
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz who is in Rome, Italy spoke to Italian Corriere della Sera newspaper: ''we don't think of attacking on Turkey''. Aziz said he couldn't understand why the United States was making plans for defense of Turkey because they did not have any intention to attack on Turkey. ''We actually don't have long-range missiles,'' Aziz said and accused U.S. President George W. Bush of acting like Adolf Hitler.

U.N. DECLARES AZIZ'S STATEMENT TO BE UNTRUE
U.N reports declare the statement of Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz to be untrue. Although Aziz said they did not have any long-range missiles, U.N. missile experts' reports say that some missiles in Iraq exceed the 150-kilometer range limit of the United Nations.

GUL: ''WE WILL CLARIFY OUR ATTITUDE''
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that only one motion would be prepared for stationing of U.S. soldiers in Turkish territories and dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Northern Iraq. Gul said, ''in coming days, we will come together again with our relevant institutions and organizations and we will take a clear position.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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YAKIS: ''WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT''
Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis had a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington. When asked whether or not the motion about deployment of U.S. soldiers in Turkey would be submitted to the parliament on February 18, Yakis said, ''we don't focus on the date. We are working on adoption of decision. To this end, we are cooperating with the United States. We expect approval of the decision independently from the date.'' Noting that a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush was possible and officials were trying to arrange a meeting, Yakis said that negotiations on a U.S. aid package to Turkey were under way. Yakis said, ''we want to take a sound decision. We don't want Turkey to have an accident.'' Stressing that they gave priority to peace, Yakis said that if a compromise couldn't be reached in the NATO about defense of Turkey, Turkey could sign bilateral agreements on its defense.