GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON FEB 6

HURRIYET
-- MOTION AGAINST PIRATES
The Turkish government will deploy naval forces against Somali pirates. The government submitted a motion to parliament on the deployment of naval forces for one year. If approved, Turkish naval troops will go to the Gulf of Aden, Somalia's territorial waters and the Arabian Sea. Turkish naval forces will escort merchant ships, and assist ships under attack. Turkish troops will be allowed to use force against the pirates if necessary. Turkish naval troops will not be deployed in ground operations.
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-- "WE SUPPORT PALESTINE, NOT HAMAS"
President Abdullah Gul, who is in Saudi Arabia, said that relations with Israel would contribute to regional peace. "Turkey supports all Palestine, not only Hamas in Palestine. Factionalism is their own business," Gul told a press conference in Riyadh. Meanwhile, Mazlum-Der, a human rights organization, filed a criminal complaint with Ankara's Public Prosecutor's Office against Israel. Mazlum-Der accused Israel of committing genocide in Palestine. The organization requested the arrest of Israeli President Shimon Peres and other government members if they enter Turkey.
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MILLIYET
-- TOUGH DECISION WAITING FOR ERDOGAN
France has blocked the opening of eight chapters in Turkey's EU negotiations. A French newspaper argued that Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan may veto France's application to join the military wing of NATO. Erdogan will have to make a tough decision on France's status in NATO. If Erdogan does not veto France's application in NATO, the newspaper said he may face criticisms in the domestic politics of Turkey.
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-- IMF: TURKISH ECONOMY WILL SHRINK 1.5 PERCENT IN 2009
A report prepared by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that the Turkish economy would shrink 1.5 percent in 2009. The report also said that the Turkish economy would grow 3.5 percent in the year 2010.
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SABAH
-- CHILDREN OF SOLDIERS KILLED IN DUTY EXEMPT FROM MANDATORY MILITARY SERVICE
A draft law making the children of Turkish soldiers, who were killed on duty, exempt from mandatory military service was adopted by the Turkish Parliament on Thursday. The law also makes the brothers of soldiers killed in duty exempt from mandatory military service.
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-- OUR RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL AIM TO FACILITATE PEACE, PRESIDENT GUL
President Abdullah Gul met Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In a press conference held prior to his departure from Riyadh, Gul stressed that Turkey's relations with Israel aim to facilitate peace. "We are asserting great efforts to establish peace in the Middle East," Gul said.

VATAN
-- "ERDOGAN SAVED OUR SOLDIERS"
State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis responded to main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal who asked, "Where were you when U.S. soldiers put sacks over heads of Turkish soldiers in Iraq?" "Mr. Prime Minister (Tayyip Erdogan) spoke to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney on the phone and told him to release our guys immediately. Cheney responded to him: 'Mr. Prime Minister, I assure you that they are quite well.' But our prime minister said, 'I am a man who has been in jail. Do not tell me the situation of a detainee or a prisoner and release those guys immediately.' Mr. Prime Minister saved our soldiers," Bagis said.
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-- UNAKITAN NEEDS TO REST 10 DAYS MORE
Ahsen Unakitan reacted to rumors that her husband,Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan, who suffered from heart problems, also had problems with his brain. "Thank God, he is very well," she said. His doctor Ugur Erdener, who is also the rector of Hacettepe University, confirmed that Unakitan was in good health. "There are no problems with his brain. He needs eight or 10 more days to rest," Erdener said.
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CUMHURIYET
-- WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS CRITICIZE GOVERNMENT
Unions of workers and employers attended the meeting of the Economic and Social Council chaired by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. Workers and employers criticized Erdogan's government. They told Erdogan that the government failed to manage the crisis well.
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-- UNEMPLOYED TEACHERS TO ATTEND RALLY IN ANKARA
Around 200,000 unemployed teachers from all corners of Turkey will attend a rally on Friday organized outside the Ministry of National Education in Ankara. The teachers will protest the educational policies of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
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RADIKAL
-- ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AT AKP FUNCTIONS & SOUNDS OF QURAN AT CHP ACTIVITIES
Things in Turkey are turning upside down. While the photos of Justice and Development Party (AKP) executives drinking alcoholic beverages at various party functions are being published, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) continues to support Koran classes and the opening of new courses on Koran throughout Turkey.
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-- TURKEY JOINS KYOTO PROTOCOL
A draft law foreseeing Turkey's adoption of participation in the Kyoto Protocol has been approved by the Turkish Parliamentary General Assembly. The draft law received 243 votes in favor votes to 3 objections. Six deputies abstained. The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC OR FCCC), an international environmental treaty developed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 3-14, 1992. The treaty is intended to achieve "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system."

YENI SAFAK
-- SAUDI KING EXPRESSES SUPPORT TO ATTITUDE IN DAVOS
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia gave warm messages at President Abdullah Gul's visit to his country. King Abdullah supported Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's attitude in Davos and stood against the Arab League declaration that said non-Arabs should not interfere in Palestine. The Saudi King said he welcomed Turkey's interest in the Middle East and added that Muslim people were close to each other just like organs of the same body.
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-- TURKEY JOINS KYOTO PROTOCOL
The Turkish Parliament has approved a bill to join the Kyoto Protocol. Turkey was among a small number of countries that did not join the protocol which aims to fight global warming.