ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 25, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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NATIONAL COMPROMISE TOURS
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and commanders had a tour of ''national compromise'' regarding the issue of Turkey's moving troops to Northern Iraq. They visited two party leaders yesterday. The view that ''Turkey should not enter Northern Iraq now'' prevails among officials.

ONE BILLION DOLLARS FOR TURKEY
President George W. Bush is expected to ask U.S. Congress for 74.7 billion U.S. dollars to pay for the war with Iraq and for strengthening counter-terrorism efforts. Bush also thinks to send one billion U.S. dollars of foreign aid to Turkey.

ANKARA: WE DON'T HAVE ANY SECRET INTENTION
The Council of Ministers which convened under the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday gave a clear message to the U.S. regarding Northern Iraq. In return to the words of U.S. President Bush who said that Turkey should not enter Northern Iraq, the council of ministers said that ''we don't have any secret intention there.'' Justice Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said after the cabinet meeting that the policy of Turkey about Iraq was clear and it depended on three main principles: ''Turkey wants territorial integrity of Iraq, Turkey thinks that the resources of Iraq belong to all Iraqi people and that the Iraqi people are composed of Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens. All of them are friends of Turkey.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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U.S. APOLOGIZES FROM VILLAGERS
The U.S. team which went to southeastern Sanlýurfa province to take out the two Tomahawk missiles from the place they fell apologized from villagers. The missiles which were probably launched from USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier misfired and landed in an unpopulated area of Sanlýurfa province on Sunday. The Turkish airspace was temporarily closed to missiles due to the incident. NATO and U.S. European Allies Forces Commander Gen. Jones called Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and expressed sorrow over the incident.

WAR MEASURES IN ECONOMY
''All payments except defense, wage and debt payments will be postponed. The non-interest surplus is increased to 7.5 percent and debt payments are taken under guarantee.'' The government announced a seven-article package of measures in order to prevent an economic crisis during the Iraqi war. Government Spokesman and Justice Minister Cicek said after the cabinet meeting ''we take necessary measures to meet the expenses that can come out due to war. We will block non-interest expenditure allowances by certain amount and we will save approximately 4 quadrillion liras.'' Therefore the non-interest surplus which was targeted as 6.5 percent in the budget is increased to 7.5 percent.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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OZKOK: ''WE ARE NOT IN A HURRY''
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and the commanders visited two parties yesterday. The delegation firstly went to AK Party to congratulate Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan whose government got vote of confidence in the parliament last Sunday. Ozkok and the commanders later visited CHP headquarters. They said that the Turkish Forces didn't think of transferring troops to Northern Iraq soon.

BUSH'S LAST LETTER TO ERDOGAN
U.S. President George W. Bush sent a letter to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ten days ago saying that he gave up the idea of opening the Northern Front. Bush said in his letter that Turkish soldiers should not enter Northern Iraq because ''if they enter, a clash with peshmergas will start. People start to migrate, and they can also go to other countries. The operation will be negatively affected.''

UNAKITAN: ''ONLY WAY IS FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE''
Finance Minister Kemal Unakýtan told the paper that Turkey would pay the price of fluctuations in markets in 2004. The only way to overcome the problems was to implement financial discipline. ''Nobody should expect AK Party government to pursue populist policies. The repercussion of the Iraqi war to the 2003 budget will certainly negatively affect us. The war will at least bring burdens such us refugee flow, and increasing of military expenditures. Yet our budget is flexible and we can meet 1-2 quadrillion liras in a budget of 145 quadrillion liras.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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''NORTHERN IRAQ WARNING'' TO TURKEY
Following the U.S. and Germany; Britain and the EU also warned Turkey not to enter Northern Iraq. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday that intervention in Northern Iraq was unacceptable. European Commission stressed that entrance of Turkish soldiers in Northern Iraq would negatively affect Turkey's EU membership process.

TAXES TO CAUSE MISERY
The bill which regulates the tax system and which changes obligations about taxation was submitted to Parliament Speaker's Office. The government which earlier said it would not get additional taxes, plans to increase income tax rates by 5 percent.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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MOTION CAN BE SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT
Military officials visited government and opposition parties and gave a briefing to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan about Iraq yesterday. A government official said that ''if we reach an agreement with the U.S., a new motion can be in question.'' Here is the summary of the briefing given to Erdogan: ''we discuss concrete principles with the U.S. It is not necessary to enter Northern Iraq now. A peace keeping force in Iraq can come to agenda.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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OZKOK: ''WE'LL ENTER WHEN NECESSARY''
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said that the Turkish Armed Forces had plans and preparations. ''When necessary, Turkey will send soldiers to Northern Iraq,'' Ozkok said.

KHALILZAD'S LAST PROPOSAL
The crisis over the issue of Turkish troops' moving to Northern Iraq could not be overcome despite yesterday's contacts. Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. President Bush's special envoy for Iraq came to Turkey following the statements of Bush who said there was no need for Turkish soldiers to enter Northern Iraq. Khalilzad said after his contacts in Foreign Ministry that no agreement was reached between Turkey and the U.S. about entrance of Turkish soldiers to Northern Iraq. Khalilzad conveyed the words of U.S. President Bush who said that ''Turkish soldiers can enter Northern Iraq in coordination with the U.S.'' but no agreement has been reached about armament of Kurdish groups and the number of Turkish soldiers.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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NO AGREEMENT IN NORTHERN IRAQ
No agreement was reached in the negotiations carried out between Turkey and the U.S. regarding Northern Iraq yet. U.S. President's special envoy for Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad who came to Turkey to overcome the crisis, said that ''no agreement has been reached yet. We'll continue the talks.'' Following yesterday's cabinet meeting, Government Spokesman and Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that Turkey would give itself the decision of moving troops to Northern Iraq.

(ÖS-AÖ) 25.03.2003