GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAY 3

HURRIYET

-- TURKISH WARPLANES HIT TERRORIST BASES ON MOUNT QANDIL

Turkish warplanes bombed positions of the terrorist PKK organization on Mount Qandil, some 100 km inside the north of Iraq. The operation lasted for about three hours and 43 targets and many shelters were hit, including a communication post.

-- TURKEY'S BANKING AUTHORITY VETOES ABN AMBRO HAND OVER TO EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP

Turkey's banking regulatory authority has rejected an appeal by a European banking partnership to hand over ABN Ambro's six branches in Turkey due to security reasons. Belgian Fortis, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Spanish Banco Santander have bought ABN Ambro for 71 billion euro. The regulatory authority rejected the appeal after it was informed by Turkey's intelligence agency that Barclays, a partner of the RBS, had acted as an intermediary in a number of transactions of the terrorist organization PKK/KONGRA-GEL in Europe.

MILLIYET

-- INFLATION OUT OF CONTROL

Turkish Board of Statistics (TUIK) announced that consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.68 percent, and producer price index (PPI) climbed 4.5 percent in April, 2008. As of April, 12-month inflation was 9.66 percent in CPI, and 14.56 percent in PPI.

-- MAY 2 STATEMENTS

Turkish authorities made statements regarding the incidents that occurred between the police and demonstrators on May 1 Workers' Day. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the state did what was required, but some undesired incidents took place. Zafer Uskul from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) said that the use of excessive force cannot be justified under any circumstances. A comprehensive investigation must be launched."

SABAH

-- QANDIL MESSAGE

A Turkish delegation had held a meeting with authorities from the regional administration in the north of Iraq in Baghdad the previous day. The Turkish delegation headed by Turkish Prime Ministry's Chief Adviser Prof. Dr. Ahmet Davutoglu met the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and prime minister of the administration in north of Iraq Nechirvan Barzani. Turkish warplanes launched air strikes against PKK camps in the northern Iraqi area of Qandil the same night.

-- INFLATION SOARS TO DOUBLE-DIGITS

Turkey's consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.68 percent, and the producer price index (PPI) climbed 4.5 percent in April, 2008; recording 12-month inflation at 9.66 percent in CPI, and 14.56 percent in PPI.

VATAN

-- ENGLISH-LANGUAGE WEEKLY SEVERLY CRITICIZES TURKEY'S MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER

International weekly, The Economist, published an article on Deniz Baykal, chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), in its May 3 edition, using the phrase, "the said irrelevance of Turkey's main opposition leader." The weekly said there were "loud calls for his retirement as Mr. Baykal was re-elected as CHP leader for a tenth time at his party congress." The weekly also called him CHP's "teflon leader," saying that the party's "xenophobia has also led to calls for this nominally leftists party to be booted out of the Socialist International."

-- INFLATION RATE IN TURKEY EXCEEDS YEAR-END TARGET IN JUST FOUR MONTHS

Turkey's inflation rate for April proved above expectations to stand at some 1.68 percent for consumer prices and 4.5 percent for producer prices. The latest figures raised the annual inflation rate to 9.66 percent, exceeding country's year-end target, which is 9.3 percent.


CUMHURIYET

-- TURKISH JETS HIT 43 TARGETS ON MOUNT QANDIL

Turkish General Staff said that Turkish jets hit 43 terrorist targets on Mount Qandil in an air operation. A large number of terrorists were killed in the operation, the General Staff said in a statement. Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug said it was a successful operation and terrorist organization was in a great panic.

-- TROIKA MEETING TO TAKE PLACE IN ANKARA

Turkey-EU Troika Foreign Ministers meeting will take place in Ankara on May 6. Turkish foreign minister and chief negotiator for the EU talks, Ali Babacan will host the meeting. Dimitrij Rupel, foreign minister of Slovenia, the EU rotating president, French Secretary of State for European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn and European Council executives are expected to participate in the meeting.


RADIKAL

-- TUSIAD ON MAY DAY

Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) criticized the violence that occurred on May 1 Workers' Day. TUSIAD said May 1 should have been held in a festive atmosphere, but it turned into a scene depicting the use of excessive force. "It became a great failure in the 130-year Turkish democracy tradition," the association said.

-- ISTANBUL HOSTS ARTWORKS OF JOAN MIRO

Istanbul hosts artworks of painter, sculptor and ceramicist Joan Miro. The Spanish artist Miro's collection including paintings and sculptures will be on display at the Pera Museum in Istanbul as of Saturday. The exhibition will remain open till August 31.

YENI SAFAK

-- TURKISH WARPLANES SHELL TERRORIST POSITIONS ON MOUNT QANDIL

Turkish F-16 fighter jets raided late Thursday targets of the terrorist organization PKK on Mount Qandil in Iraq's north. Warplanes shelled main terrorist positions and other targets in Kalatukan and Kurtek. The operation lasted about three hours. The Turkish military described the operation as "comprehensive and efficient." The regional administration in Iraq's north said there were no civilian casualties.

-- TURKISH PRESIDENT SAYS TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP WILL BOOST EU'S PEACE MAKING ROLE IN THE WORLD

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Turkey's accession to the European Union would help the Union become a global player. "I believe an enlarged EU, which also includes Turkey, will strengthen its position in the world as an important actor for peace, prosperity, stability and harmony," said President Gul who delivered a speech in the 15th Summit of Presidents of Central European States, in Macedonia.