ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 24, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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YAKIS: ''IF WE REACH A COMPROMISE, THE MOTION COULD BE SUBMITTED''
Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said, ''the Council of Ministers may decide at today's meeting to submit the motion about deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad to the parliament. In that case, the motion could be debated at the parliament on Tuesday. However, negotiations should come to a conclusion first.'' Yakis stressed, ''Turkish markets will be affected negatively in a possible military action. Approval of the U.S. Congress is required for an economic support package to Turkey. This approval can take 6-8 weeks. In order to protect our economy from negative impacts of a possible war, we should put money on our markets. Therefore, a mechanism is needed to put this loan into practice at the very beginning of a military action. Our economy can overcome the first difficulties with this loan. After the U.S. Congress approves the package, this loan will be excluded from the total amount.''

TURKEY AND GREECE SIGN NATURAL GAS PIPELINE AGREEMENT
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler and Greek Minister of Development Apostolos-Athanasios Tsokhatzopoulos signed the agreement on transportation of natural gas from Turkey to Greece. The agreement envisages construction of natural gas pipeline, interconnection of natural gas systems of the two countries and sale of natural gas from Turkey to Greece.

ANNAN: ''IT IS TIME TO TAKE A DECISION''
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan came to Ankara yesterday to hold a series of contacts on the Cyprus question. Holding a press conference at Ankara's Esenboga Airport after his arrival, Annan said that it was time to take a decision for Cyprus. Recalling that Ankara was the first leg of his tour to Turkey, Greece and Cyprus, Annan said that besides the Cyprus question, some other issues would be brought onto agenda during his contacts in Ankara.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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GUARANTEE FOR RETURN
The government plans to include dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad and deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey in a single motion. According to the plan, deployment of foreign soldiers will be restricted in regard to time and place. The government wants to take under guarantee departure of foreign soldiers from Turkey after end of a possible military action against Iraq. Meanwhile, the government did not make any concessions on the issue of weapons to be distributed to Kurdish groups in Northern Iraq. Inventory of these weapons was sent to the General Staff.

CRITICAL DAY IN CYPRUS
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan arrived in Ankara to hold a series of contacts on the Cyprus question. Annan is expected to present the third plan to the Turkish side during his visit to Ankara. This plan includes some issues, which are considered positive by both Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC):
- Karpaz will remain under the TRNC while the Greek Cypriot side will be given territory from Guzelyurt.
- All Greek Cypriots, who will migrate to Northern Cyprus, will use their political rights in the Greek Cypriot side.
- Number of Turkish and Greek soldiers will be limited with 7 thousand 200.
- Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides will be mentioned as ''founder partners''.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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HERE IS THE UNDERSTANDING
Iraq agreement between Turkey and the United States was shaped to a great extent. Two countries reached consensus on seven main items in the memorandum of understanding, but did not agree on two issues. Council of Ministers will hold an extraordinary meeting today and take up the issues in which they reached a consensus. If government decides the current condition is sufficient, motion will be sent to Parliament tomorrow or Thursday.

CLASH THREAT FROM BARZANI
Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Massaud Barzani was uncomfortable with the news on Northern Iraq and Turkish soldiers. Barzani's spokesman Hosyar Zebari said with a threatening manner that if Turkish military intervened in the region, a clash would start. Noting that northern Iraqi people feared from intervention of Turkish soldier, Zebari said, ''I hope such a thing will not happen. We understand the sensitivity of Turkey. But a country's doing such a thing is not normal. We told over and over again that our target is not to form an independent Kurdistan. We proved it.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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BUSH WANTS BATMAN
The United States plans either to widen Incirlik Air Base in southern province of Adana or to establish another base in southeastern province of Batman. The United States has been working on a wide infrastructure plan, which will enable the United States to intervene in other problematic countries in the region by using opportunities of Turkey's geographical position after a possible military action against Iraq.

DECISION DAY FOR SUBMISSION OF MOTION
An important progress has been recorded in negotiations between Turkey and the United States. A compromise has been reached between the sides on armament of Kurdish groups by Turkey and the United States and hand-over of the weapons after a possible military action against Iraq. The Council of Ministers is expected to take a decision about submission of the motion about deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad to the parliament.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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YAKIS: ''REAL PROBLEM IS MILITARY MEMORANDUM''
Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said that the motion about deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad could be submitted to the parliament on Tuesday. He stressed that there was not any deadlock in the negotiations between Turkey and the United States. Yakis noted, ''we are insistent on military and political issues. We want to distribute weapons to Kurdish groups in Northern Iraq and collect these weapons back after a possible military action. Kurdish groups should not be allowed to enter Mousul and Kirkuk. Turkmens should be considered one of fundamental elements of Iraq.''

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS TO CONVENE
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal. Pearson said that they had recorded progress in negotiations between Turkey and the United States. Noting that they had been exchanging views in a positive atmosphere, Pearson said that they had been working hard. During the meeting, Pearson informed the Turkish side on responses of the United States to Turkey's requests. Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers will convene under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. During the, meeting, the progress, which was recorded in the negotiations between Turkey and the United States, and submission of the motion deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad to the parliament will be high on agenda.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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ARM INSPECTORS ARE ESCAPING
The United Nations arm inspectors are leaving Iraq upon determined attitude of the United States. U.N. sent a thousand officials to region for the inspection of Iraq months ago. Today, only 552 of those officials remained in Iraq. A total of 448 inspector consulted U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) Chairman Hans Blix and left Iraq after receiving the answer ''whoever wants can leave''.

ANNAN: DECISION MOMENT FOR CYPRUS
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan came to Ankara to speed up the process in Cyprus. Annan said ''I expect mutual concessions from both leaders. It is now decision moment for Cyprus.'' He added that they were in a critical period for region and Turkey had a central role to exceed those problems.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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ERDOGAN: ''THE UNITED STATES CONSIDER OUR REQUESTS UNACCEPTABLE''
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the United States should give positive responses to requests of Turkey before submission of the motion deployment of foreign soldiers in Turkey and dispatch of Turkish soldiers abroad to the parliament. ''However, the United States told us that it could not accept our requests,'' he said. In an interview with the state-run TV Channel of Azerbaijan, Erdogan said, ''most of members of the Council of Ministers describe the recent developments as unacceptable. We have made some concessions so far. We have clarified our attitude by approving the first motion.''

(UK-GC-AÖ) 24.02.2003