GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAY 27

HURRIYET

--PRESIDENT INTERVENES

President Abdullah Gul, whom Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chairman Devlet Bahceli called on to take initiatives to ease tension between the government and jurisdiction, took the first step.

Releasing a statement, Gul said he was closely following the developments that had intensified recently, and his meetings would continue. Gul met Supreme Court of Appeals chief judge Hasan Gerceker for 40 minutes.

--FINNISH BADGE TO TURKISH CONDUCTOR

General Music Director of Borusan philharmonic orchestra and conductor Gurer Aykal will be decorated with the state medal of Finland at a ceremony on May 29 in Ankara.

MILLIYET

--"TRIAL SHOULD END AS SOON AS POSSIBLE"

On his return from Lebanon, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) put them into a quite difficult position. "We want the trial to end as soon as possible. Turkey should not be harmed in this process. On the other hand, elections will be held in March 2009."

--STATEMENT COMES FROM CANKAYA THIS TIME

President Abdullah Gul has taken action in an effort to ease the tension between the government and the judiciary. A statement issued by the Cankaya Presidential Palace said, "It is the duty of all responsible people and institutions to pay attention to rules of good manners and ethics."

--CEYLAN: ONE OF THE BEST OF THE WORLD

Movie world has admired Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan who won the "Best Director Award" with his film "Three Monkeys" at the 61st Cannes Film Festival. Afmet Rifat Sungar, one of the actors of the movie, said, "following the award ceremony, Sean Penn and Natalie Portman told us that they liked our film very much."

SABAH

--A GESTURE, A VETO

Chief of Greek General Staff Gen. Dimitrios Grapsas, who paid a visit to Turkey upon an invitation from his Turkish counterpart Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, was welcomed at a military ceremony. The military band played traditional Greek music "syrtaki".

While political analysts regarded the visit as a new step in the Turkey-Greece rapprochement, a separate development took place at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A group from Greece, who wanted to revive a three thousand year old legend, constructed a wooden ship identical to the one mentioned in it and had wanted to follow its route passing through the Bosporus straits. Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused their demand for security reasons.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs perceived the initiative as an attempt to realize the pontic dreams, which was the real reason of their refusal. The group from Greece, who asked for permission one year ago, wanted to sail the ship to Georgia. When their request was refused, they reapplied two months ago. However, Ankara has not yet responded.

--"THE INCIDENTS CAUSED US $25 BILLION," PREMIER

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to reporters on the plane during his return from Lebanon: "We were going to attract around $25 billion of foreign investments. Because of the incidents, delays have begun. We told foreign investors that continuity was paramount in state affairs and we invited them; because if we lose them they will go to other countries. We want to dissolution case to be concluded as soon as possible."

VATAN

--SOUTHEAST PACKAGE TO BE MADE PUBLIC TODAY

During his visit to the southeastern province of Diyarbakir, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will make public his projects which have priority. The projects are described as "the second biggest development move of the Republican history".

Nine ministers as well as many bureaucrats will attend the visit.

--THE ADDRESS IS ERDOGAN

President Abdullah Gul released a written statement and said he was closely following political and legal discussions that had intensified recently within the country and called on the parties to act in line with the customs and traditions, and methods.

By saying, "In my regular meetings with the representatives of the constitutional institutions in the recent months..." Gul referred to his regular meetings with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Cankaya Palace on Thursdays.

CUMHURIYET

--"GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE THE STEP"

President Abdullah Gul received Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Judge Hasan Gerceker in an effort to ease the current tension in Turkey.

During the meeting, Gerceker expressed his uneasiness over the recent developments in the country. "It is not the judiciary that created this tension," he said. President Gul said that the discussions should not reach dimensions that could harm national interests, economic and political stability.

--OUR PROUD

Prominent Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the "Best Director Award" with his film "Three Monkeys" at the 61st Cannes Film Festival.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Ceylan said, "I am honored with this award. I dedicate it to my beautiful country Turkey." He described Turkey as a lonely and beautiful country. Leading names of Turkish cinema expressed great pleasure with his success.

RADIKAL

--"GRAVE SINS" FROM DIRECTORATE OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS

Those who accessed to the web-site of the Directorate of Religious Affairs have been bewildered with an article about sexual life and bans. According to the article, flirtation is a sin as gravest as adultery. The article also says that women's involvement in working life is inconvenient since men and women should not stay alone. According to the article, women traveling alone and wearing perfume is also unfavorable.

--SUCCESS OF "THREE MONKEYS"

Prominent actor Sean Penn, who led the award jury at the 61st Cannes Film Festival, has kept his promise and taken into consideration films by directors who cared about the world. Accordingly, Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the "Best Director Award" with his film "Three Monkeys". Ceylan dedicated his award to his lonely and beautiful country Turkey.

YENI SAFAK

--CANKAYA STATEMENT

President Abdullah Gul made warning for stability against the political statements released by Supreme Court of Appeals and Council of State consecutively that "escalated tension".

President Gul wanted the parties to refrain from acts targeting hard-won stability.

--CASE OPENED, $25 BILLION MISSED

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said foreigners were amazed against the closure case, saying that, "$25 billion foreign capital would have flowed to Turkey if those incidents had not happened."

"Turkey can not be an iron curtain country from now on," Erdogan said.