GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON APR 21

HURRIYET

-- EU THANKS TURKISH CAPTAIN

The European Commission thanked the captain and crew of the Turkish ship Pinar E., which rescued illegal migrants from Africa. Malta and Italy did not accept the migrants, who were forced to stay on the ship for some time. At the end, 143 migrants, including the body of an 18-year-old woman, were handed over to Italy. Asik Tuygun, the captain of Pinar E., and the crew stayed one night in Italy for a check-up. European Commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger thanked the crew of the Turkish cargo ship for their responsible behavior in rescuing the migrants.

-- JUDGE KILLING CASE DIRECTED TO ISTANBUL

The 11th Criminal Court in Ankara decided to merge the case of the attack on Council of State with the Ergenekon case. Earlier, the Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that it was obligatory to combine the two cases. If the 13th Criminal Court in Istanbul, which is hearing the Ergenekon case, finds it appropriate to merge the cases, the file on the judge killing case will be sent to Istanbul.

MILLIYET

-- TWO CASES TO BE MERGED

The 11th Criminal Court in Ankara upheld the ruling of Supreme Court of Appeals that "the case about the attacks on daily Cumhuriyet and the Council of State should be merged with the Ergenekon case." The defendants in the two cases are likely to be tried together in Istanbul.

-- ‘ONE MINUTE’ GRATITUTE TO ERDOGAN

A Palestinian girl named Masri, who was among the 60 children that came to Turkey to attend the April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day celebrations, told Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, "One minute – Palestinian people love you," referring to his outburst against Israeli President Shimon Peres in Davos. Erdogan smiled after a child from Thailand also said "one minute."

SABAH

-- IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT IN ERGENEKON PROBE

The 11th Criminal Court in Ankara decided to merge the case regarding the attack on the Council of State with the ongoing Ergenekon case. The court also decided that the trial would be held in Istanbul.

-- IMPACTS OF RATE CUTS TO BE SEEN IN SEPTEMBER

Professor Ilker Parasiz, a member of the assembly of Turkish Central Bank, said the impacts of monetary policies will be felt in Turkey within three to nine months. "We will feel the effect of the latest decrease in interest rates in September,” he said. “We will begin to see the actual results of decrease in the real sector after this date.”

VATAN

-- IT BEGAN WITH A LETTER

The 11th Criminal Court in Ankara, which convicted five suspects in the Council of State case, abided by the Supreme Court of Appeals decision to overturn the case. Alparslan Arslan, who was given two life sentences, was taken out of the court in Monday's hearing after he said, "I will cut those who judge headscarves." Osman Yildirim, another suspect in the case, wrote a coded letter from prison while the case was under way. In the letter, Yildirim claimed, "The Ergenekon organization's administrators plotted the attack on the Council of State." The court did not find it convincing and sentenced him to life imprisonment. But prosecutors on the Ergenekon case interrogated Yildirim for hours, and later it was decided that the cases would be merged.

-- HABERAL TO UNDERGO ANGIOCARDIOGRAPHY

Mehmet Haberal, the rector of Baskent University who was arrested in the Ergenekon case, will undergo a heart operation Tuesday. Haberal was receiving treatment at Istanbul University's Cardiology Institute. Akif Hamzacebi, a lawmaker from the Republican People's Party, or CHP, and former Energy Minister Zeki Cakan visited Haberal in the hospital. They said Haberal is in a good mood but that his condition is critical.

CUMHURIYET

-- GOOD NEWS FROM AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

An increase of more than 10 percent is expected in agricultural production in 2009, and wheat production will see an especially remarkable increase. A 10 percent of rise in fruit production and 5 percent increase in vegetable production are expected in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Turkey.

-- HABERAL TO UNDERGO ANGIOGRAPHY

Professor Mehmet Haberal, who was arrested under the ongoing Ergenekon probe and has suffered from health problems, will undergo an angiography Tuesday at Istanbul University’s Cardiology Institute.

RADIKAL

-- UBP'S ELECTION VICTORY

Severe unease prevailed in the presidential palace after the National Unity Party, or UBP, won Sunday’s elections in Turkish Cyprus. This stems from the concern that the UBP may take steps to sabotage the solution process that is in progress. The assurances of Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat and his friends is that Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, supports continuing the peace process.

-- COUNCIL OF STATE CASE TO BE COMBINED WITH ERGENEKON

The 11th Criminal Court in Ankara abided by the decision of the Supreme Court of Appeals that the Council of State and Ergenekon cases should be combined. Veli Kucuk, an Ergenekon suspect, requested that his lawyer object to the decision.

-- ILLEGAL MIGRANT TRAGEDY ENDS

Italy accepted all the illegal migrants that were rescued by Turkish cargo ship Pinar E between Italy and Malta. Italy will bring its accusations regarding Malta to the European Union’s attention.

YENI SAFAK

-- TURKEY NOT TO TAKE STEP THAT WILL HURT AZERBAIJAN

Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said Turkey would not do anything in its talks with Armenia that would hurt Azerbaijan. Speaking after the Council of Ministers meeting, Cicek said "Turkey's Upper Karabakh policy is definite and has not changed."

-- NEGOTIATIONS NOT TO STOP

The victory of the National Unity Party, or UBP, which won the elections in northern Cyprus as one party, brought the fate of the Cyprus talks onto the agenda. As comments were made in EU circles that there may be a change in the Turkish party’s stance, UBP leader Dervis Eroglu said, "The continuation of the negotiations is one of the main policies of UBP. We support Turkish Cypriot President Talat."