GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAR 24

HURRIYET

-- U.S. VICE PRESIDENT DUE IN TURKEY

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney is set to arrive in Turkey on Monday and he is expected to bring up three major issues during his talks in capital Ankara: Turkish troop deployment in Afghanistan, coercions against Iran, and Iraq. Cheney is scheduled to meet Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit. Cheney may also ask Turkey to take a move to reach out to Massoud Barzani.

-- ERDOGAN: AVOID TAKING THE BAIT

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Sunday that "there were circles which sought to create tensions" in Turkey, saying that everyone should avoid "taking the bait." Speaking at an international festival in the Aegean city of Manisa, Erdogan urged the crowd not to believe in "false news." "And in this respect the news media carries a great responsibility," he said.

MILLIYET

-- FORMER AKP FIGURE SIGNALS NEW POLITICAL PARTY

Former State Minister and Deputy Premier Abdullatif Sener gave signals that he could move to found a new political party in three months. "According to my observations, at the time being there is no strong demand for a new political formation at the streets. But there is a growing expectation for tension-free politics," Sener said.

-- TURKISH BANKS TO RECRUIT 20 THOUSAND PERSONNEL

Despite a financial crisis in the world, Turkish banking sector is continuing to open new branch offices and recruitment as banks in Turkey are expected to employ 20,000 new personnel in 2008. According to figures from Turkish Banks Union, the number of bank branches rose 796 to 7,618 in 2007. The number of banks' personnel was up by 15,416 in 2007 over the previous year to reach 158,559.

SABAH

-- DICK CHENEY TO ARRIVE IN TODAY

U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney will arrive in Ankara today. He will stay in capital Ankara for five hours, and then proceed to Istanbul.

-- THREE BRITISH CLUB AFTER HIM

The news reports of British press as: "Abramovich announced; Fatih Terim will lead Chelsea" were shocking in Britain. British press is now after Terim. Terim said, "my phone keeps ringing." It was claimed that three more British clubs want Terim too.

-- BANKS TO EMPLOY 20,000 PEOPLE

Good news for the unemployed people! Banks in Turkey will increase the number of their branches this year against global economic crisis. Banking system --which employed 158,000 people in 2007-- targets to employ 20,000 more people this year.

VATAN

-- HE IS IN TURKEY TODAY FOR IRAN

U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney had a Middle East tour also covering Turkey six years ago in March; and one year after that tour, Iraqi war had started. After six years, again in March, Cheney started a Middle East tour. Final stop is Turkey today. Cheney's agenda is Iran.

-- GANG OF 100 MILLION USD

Konya police captured a gang of 56 people who defrauded banks and companies by using 4,700 different identities. There were two bank personnel and a person from registration office among the captured ones during synchronous operations launched in 12 provinces.

CUMHURIYET

-- PERINCEK'S INTERROGATION CONTINUES

Istanbul University's former rector Prof. Kemal Alemdaroglu --who was taken into custody the same day with our chief columnist Ilhan Selcuk-- was transferred to Istanbul Court House in Besiktas after his procedures in police department were completed yesterday. On the other hand, Workers' Party (IP) chairman Dogu Perincek's lawyer Mehmet Aytekin said that the investigation is pursued jointly by department against organized crime and counter-terrorism department, thus, Perincek is being interrogated by the both departments.

RADIKAL

-- SELCUK ACCUSED OF "BEING INTELLECTUAL LEADER" OF GANG, SAYS FRIEND

Ugur Dundar, journalist and a friend of Ilhan Selcuk who was detained and interrogated in relation with an investigation against an armed gang known as "Ergenekon," said Selcuk was accused of "being the intellectual leader" of the gang. Selcuk was released early Sunday after being interrogated for 4.5 hours.

-- ERDOGAN SHELLS BAYKAL: "YOU ARE THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE DEEP STATE"

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out Sunday at the main opposition leader, Deniz Baykal, who said earlier that "AKP is establishing its own deep state." "If there is a deep state in this country, you (Baykal) would be one to know it best. You are the architecture of the deep state," Erdogan said.

YENI SAFAK

-- OPPOSITION FIGURE IN CHP TO CLAIM LEADERSHIP

Haluk Koc, a candidate for the chairmanship in the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), challenged the current CHP leader, Deniz Baykal. The party is set to elect a new chairman on its congress on April 26th-27th. "There will be a serious political surprise on April 26th," Koc said. "This congress will not only be congress of the CHP but it will be congress on how Turkey will be shaped in the future," he said.

-- SABANCI TO DEAL TOYOTA LEXUS IN 2008

Guler Sabanci, head of the Sabanci Holding, gave signals that they will introduce Toyota's luxury division, Lexus, in Turkish market in 2008. Sabanci said her holding was planning to put on heavy construction equipments on market with Japanese Komatsu and Mitsubihsi, and Lexus cars with Toyota.