GOOD MORNING --TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON FEB 29

HURRIYET

-- WHEN WE CONCLUDE WHAT WE ARE DOING, WE'LL LEAVE REGION  Â

During his visit to Ankara, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates asked Turkey to end the cross-border operation into north of Iraq as soon as possible. All Turkish executives, including President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, and National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, who all had a meeting with Gates, gave the same answer: "We will leave the region when we conclude what we do there. It may last for one day or one year." On the other hand, U.S. President George Bush told a press conference in Washington, D.C that the operation should end as quickly as possible.  Â
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-- TROOPS ENTER ZAP  Â

Turkish troops got the control of all strategic parts of Zap the previous night. Harsh clashes occurred in Kanimasi and Metinan regions and troops killed 37 terrorists. Thus, the number of terrorists killed in the ground operation reached 237.
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-- RAHSAN ECEVIT DONATES FLAT TO GHAZI  Â

Being moved by the news that Turkey is giving martyrs every day, late former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's wife, Rahsan Ecevit, applied to the Mehmetcik (Turkish soldiers) Foundation and donated an apartment to a soldier who lost his hands and eyes in a mine blast 17 years ago. The flat is in Elvankent neighborhood of Ankara. The ghazi is married with three kids.
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MILLIYET Â

-- SENIORITY ALLOWANCE FUND DISCUSSED

The government's plan to transform the seniority allowance to a personal fund created wide reaction. In the new plan the employers will transfer 3 percent of the personnel's wages to a fund. The personnel will receive the sum when they are leaving together with their income return. Turk-Is labour union said it was a reason for general strike. On the other hand, Hak-Is another labour union, sympathized the formula.
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-- TURBAN PROBLEM TURNS INTO A MESS

Inter-University Board member rectors have called on Higher Education Board (YOK) Chairman Professor Yusuf Ziya Ozcan --who had issued a directive to university rectors asking them to allow students with headscarves to universities-- to resign. Rectors also asked President Abdullah Gul to remove Ozcan from his office if he does not resign. Republican People's Party (CHP) and Izmir Bar filed a criminal complaint about Ozcan. For prosecutors to be able to open an investigation about Ozcan, the Ministry of National Education's permission is needed. A committee consisting of Minister of Education Huseyin Celik and three YOK members will make the decision for investigation. Later the Council of State will examine the decision and say the final word on the issue.
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SABAH

-- SOMETIMES SHORTEST DURATION IS ONE YEAR

At first U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and later U.S. President George Bush said Turkey should keep the operation short. Turkey's Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit responded: "the shortest period is sometimes one day, sometimes a year."
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-- INVESTIGATION AGAINST YOK CHAIRMAN

Chief Prosecutor of Ankara launched an investigation against Higher Education Board (YOK) Chairman Prof. Yusuf Ziya Ozcan on charges of his initiatives on headscarf. On the other hand, Inter-Universities Board, speaking about Ozcan, said, "either he should resign or President Abdullah Gul should remove him from office."
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-- CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE HAS NOT BEEN HIT

General Staff said number of the terrorists killed at the end of the 7th day of the ground operation rose to 237. The statement said the allegations that civilian infrastructure was damaged in north of Iraq were not right.

VATAN

-- WHAT IS THIS IF NOT CHAOS?

Disagreement on headscarf grows up. Rectors called on Higher Board of Education (YOK) Chairman Prof. Dr. Yusuf Ziya Ozcan to be removed from office. Justice & Development (AK) Party made a complaint to prosecutor's office about the rectors. On the other hand, Republican People's Party (CHP) filed a criminal complaint against Prof. Dr. Ozcan.
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-- SHORT TIME IS A RELATIVE CONCEPT

Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, while responding to the warning of the United States that the operation should last short, said, "short time is a relative concept. It may last a day or a year. United States has been struggling in Afghanistan for a long time."
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-- PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PUMA AND HUSEYIN CAGLAYAN

Well-known famous sports and casual outfits brand mark Puma appointed international designer, artist and film director Huseyin Caglayan as deputy creative director of Puma. On the other hand, Puma became the main shareholder of the brand "Hussein Chalayan".

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CUMHURIYET

-- CHIEF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE OPENS INQUIRY ON OZCAN

Republican People's Party (CHP) filed a criminal complaint about Prof Yusuf Ziya Ozcan, Chairman of the Higher Board of Education for misconduct and inciting personnel to breaking the law by sending a directive to university rectors asking them to allow turban into universities. CHP acting group chairman Kilicdaroglu accused Ozcan for being the agent of Justice and Development (AK) Party. After the number of criminal complaints reached 4, Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office opened an inquiry on Ozcan.
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-- U.S. PRESIDENT BUSH: TURKEY SHOULD BE QUICK

After U.S. Secretary of Defense Gates, President Bush also called on Turkey to conclude the cross-border operation quickly. Bush said, "there are still Turkish special forces in north of Iraq. Turks should make haste, reach their goal and then leave." On the other hand U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency gave the message that if the operation is prolonged it would destabilise the region. According to U.S. press, Gates wanted to cancel his trip when he heard about the operation but later changed his mind.
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RADIKAL

-- UNIVERSITY AND AK PARTY REACH COMPROMISE ON HEADSCARF: PROSECUTOR ON MISSION

The Justice & Development (AK) Party and rectors called on prosecutors to take action regarding the headscarf issue. The Interuniversity Board (UAK) convened under chairmanship of Mustafa Akaydin with participation of 131 members, and called on the chairman of the Higher Education Board (YOK) Yusuf Ziya Ozcan to resign. Akaydin said Ozcan is forcing rectors to behave against laws, and called on prosecutors to take action. On the other hand, National Defense Minister Huseyin Celik supported Ozcan. "Universities are not the personal properties of rectors," he told. Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat of AK Party said, "the Constitution, laws and universal laws are violated, and young girls are deprived of their right to education. Prosecutors take action against those who commit crimes, and punishment is given under the Turkish Penal Code," he told.
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-- ALSO BUSH TELLS TURKEY TO "LEAVE NORTH OF IRAQ"

Following U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, U.S. President George Bush sent a message to Ankara to end the cross-border operation as quickly as possible. Bush said, "it is in nobody's interest that there be safe haven for people who have the willingness to kill innocent people." Prime Ministry sources said PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Gates did not talk about any date in their meeting. Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said, "short time is sometimes one day and sometimes a year. We have been countering terrorism for 24 years. The United States is in Afghanistan for some time. I told all these issues to him (Gates)."

YENI SAFAK

-- ZAP HAS BEEN SEIZED

Turkish troops totally seized the Zap Valley on the seventh day of Operation Gunes (Sun). Troops continue their operations without interruption despite heavy snowfall, and have taken strategic parts of Zap camp of terrorists under control. Many terrorists were killed in severe clashes in Kanimasi and Metinan. It has been learned that Yucel Halis, with alias "Aliser", and top members of the terrorist organization PKK have been surrounded in Cemco. The number of terrorists killed since beginning of the operation reached 237.
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REASON OF FIRE IN GERMANY IS ARSON ATTACK

It has become definite that the fire that killed nine Turks, including five children, in Ludwigshafen, Germany was "set intentionally." A committee of 50 people that was investigating the fire said the fire did not break out due to a technical reason, and the place where the fire first started was very away from electric cables.