GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON DEC 28

HURRIYET

--ERDOGAN REACTS TO ISRAELI ATTACK TO GAZA

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan strongly reacted to Israeli attack on Gaza. "I was thinking of calling Olmert (Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert) in regard to Israeli-Syrian talks, but I decided not to call him (due to Israel's air strikes to Gaza)," he said. Erdogan called U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and told him that efforts should be launched to halt Israeli attack on Gaza.

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--NEW UNITS TO BE ESTABLISHED AIMING TO COMBAT TERRORISM

State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said a draft law which foresaw new regulations in regard to the fight against terrorism would be submitted to the parliament soon. Cicek said new units would be established to continue the fight terrorism and there would be a sounder coordination among units.

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MILLIYET

--SMOKING BAN BROKEN DUE TO ECONOMIC CRISIS

The law on control and prevention of harm caused by tobacco products prohibited smoking in all enclosed areas, with few exceptions. Smoking was banned in almost all enclosed areas such as public buildings including education, health, entertainment, sports, production, business, cultural and social facilities. But restaurants and cafes in shopping malls which earlier implemented  smoking ban effectively have started to break it due to a huge decline in the number of customers visiting malls.

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--ERDOGAN ON ISRAEL'S AIR STRIKES TO GAZA

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he considered that Israel's choosing this way was a blow to peace in regard to Israel's air strikes to Gaza.

 

Erdogan said he was thinking of calling Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert earlier, but now he decided not to call him due to Israeli attack on Gaza. "The attack was also disrespect for us. Turkey is a democratic and secular country and social state of law. We have been exerting great efforts to restore peace," he told reporters.

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SABAH

--TURKISH PREMIER SEVERELY CRITICIZES ISRAELI ATTACK ON GAZA

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan criticized Israel's missile attack on Gaza as "a blow to the peace." "In a time of intensified efforts for peace, I consider Israel's resorting to such a way as a blow to peace and peace efforts. I specifically stress that this should be halted immediately," he said.

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 --TURKISH AIR CARRIER TO OFFER FLAT-BED SEATS IN BUSINESS CLASS

Turkish Airlines (THY) is set to offer its first class customers flat-bed seats over long-distance flights with its three new Boeing 777-300ERs. THY CEO Canan Karlitekin said the planes would add a new value to the company.

 

VATAN

--WE WILL ENTER NEW YEAR WITH SNOWFALL

Cold weather and heavy snowfall will start to affect several regions of Turkey as of Sunday. Meteorology officials said temperatures would decrease 2-4 degrees Celsius in all regions excluding Aegean and Mediterranean regions. There will be snowfalls in most regions of the country on Wednesday when the new year will start.

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--3,000 PEOPLE PROTEST ISRAELI ATTACK IN TAKSIM

Many countries especially Arab countries strongly reacted to Israeli air strikes on Gaza. Just the United States supported Israel by saying that Hamas should end missile attacks. 3,000 people who gathered in Taksim Square in Istanbul chanted slogans against Israel.

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CUMHURIYET

--TURKISH POLITICIANS CONDEMN ISRAELI ATTACK

President Abdullah Gul described Israel's air strikes to Gaza as "irresponsibility". Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan recalled Turkey's contributions to Israeli-Syrian talks and said, "It (Israeli attack) is also a disrespect for us." Deniz Baykal, chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said the attack coincided with the administration change in the United States.

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RADIKAL

--ISRAELI ATTACK ON GAZA IS A BLOW ON PEACE, DISRESPECT TO TURKEY, PREMIER SAYS

Turkish Premier Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday Israel's missile attack on Gaza was a blow on peace and a disrespect for Turkey. "I was considering to call Ehud Olmert about the talks with Syria but I will not call him. Because this (attack) is also a disrespect for us. We are a country which  exerts efforts to help peace prevail," Erdogan said.

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--GOVERNMENT CUTS OFF 9 BLN YTL OF BUDGET FOR IMF DEAL

Government made a another cut public investments in a bid to prepare for a new stand-by deal with the International Monetary Fund. The government cut off 9 billion YTL of the 2009 budget on Friday. The cuts include investments in energy and transportation, as well as revenues from privatization.

 

YENI SAFAK

--TURKISH DEFENSE INDUSTRY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE ON NATIONAL PROGRAM

Undersecretary of Defense Industry Murad Bayar said the defense sector was ahead of a 2011 schedule on a program to meet at least 50 percent of needs of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) completely with national resources, setting the new deadline as 2009. "We are revising our 2011 deadline to meet at least 50 percent of the needs of the TSK with our national resources and put the new target as 2009," Bayar told a defense meeting.