GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON JULY 21

HURRIYET

--JULY 20 PEACE OPERATION PREVENTED GENOCIDE

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Peace Operation in Cyprus prevented Turkish Cypriot people from being exposed to genocide.

"Fate of Turkish Cypriot people crying at the mass graves has changed. Peace operation showed decisiveness and determination of the motherland to protect Turkish Cypriot people forever to the world.

--FIRST EMBASSY OF KOSOVO TO TURKEY

Kosovo that declared its independence last February 17, 2008 decided to inaugurate its first embassy in Turkey. Kosovo expressed its will to Ankara to upgrade the level of bilateral relations.

--GERMANS RELEASED WHEN CIRCLE GOT TIGHT

Three German mountaineers, abducted by the PKK terrorists, were released on Sunday afternoon. The mountaineers, who were kept by the terrorists for 12 days, were reported to be in good condition.

 

MILLIYET

--TIES OF "MURDERER OF JUDGE"

One of the most critical questions on Turkey's agenda is whether there was a connection between the alleged criminal network Ergenekon and the attack on members of the Council of State. It was revealed that Alparslan Aslan, who carried out the attack in which a judge was killed, held a number of telephone conversations with retired Captain Muzaffer Tekin, who was arrested under the Ergenekon probe prior to the attack.

--PKK RELEASES GERMAN CLIMBERS

Three German citizens who were kidnapped by PKK terrorists during a climbing expedition on Mount Agri, have been released after 12 days. The three were kidnapped from the eastern Turkish province of Agri on July 8. They are in good health.

 

SABAH

--PKK RELEASES THREE GERMAN MOUNTAINEERS

PKK had to release the three German mountaineers it had abducted on Mount Agri after 13 days as Turkish security forces tightened the measures.

The three mountaineers, who were kidnapped on July 9th while they were camping at a 3,200-meter altitude on Mount Agri, were released on a hill very close to their camp site yesterday. The terrorists ran away.

Governor of the eastern province of Agri said that the terrorists had no choice but to release the mountaineers as they understood that tight security measures were taken.

--INVESTIGATION TO BE LAUNCHED AGAINST COLONEL

Nuri Okutan, governor of the Black Sea province of Trabzon, said that an investigation would be launched against Colonel Ali Oz, former commander of the Provincial Gendarmerie Forces, and Metin Yildiz, former branch manager of the provincial Intelligence Department, claiming that they acted negligent regarding the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink.

The file of Oz was also sent to the General Command of Gendarmerie for the initiation of disciplinary proceedings.

 

VATAN

--RELEASED AFTER 12 DAYS

PKK released three German mountaineers it abducted from a camp center on Mount Agri on July 8. Governor's Office in the eastern province of Agri said PKK terrorists had had to release the German mountaineers as security forces took under control all routes and passages to Iran from the air and land.

Internet web-pages close to PKK said the German mountaineers were released as a result of the bargaining carried out with the Germans.

--NUCLEAR BARGAINING ACCELERATED IN ANKARA

Saeed Jalili, secretary general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and the country's chief nuclear negotiator, arrived in Ankara on Sunday after attending talks held in Geneva at the weekend.

Jalili had a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan who will leave for the United States on Monday.

 

CUMHURIYET

--CRITICAL WEEK BEGINS

The examination period for the indictment on Operation Ergenekon that was sent to Istanbul High Criminal Court no: 13 will be over on July 28. The court is expected to announce its decision on whether it will accept or reject the indictment this week.

--THEY SWIM BETWEEN TWO CONTINENTS

The 20th Asia-to-Europe International Swimming, Rowing and Sailing Competition, organized annually by the National Olympic Committee of Turkey (TMOK), was held at the Istanbul Strait. 15-year-old Bertug Coskun was ranked the first in the swimming category which is considered the most important section of the competition.

 

RADIKAL

--NEW ROUTE FOR ENERGY: TURKEY-ISRAEL-INDIA

The new route of oil and natural gas was high on agenda during United States National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley's working visit to Ankara last week. During his 8-hour visit, Hadley had a secret meeting with his Indian counterpart M. K. Narayanan. The issue of nuclear cooperation and its Pakistan and Iran dimesions were discussed at the meeting.

--SAME OLD THESIS FOR CYPRUS

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during the ceremonies in the Turkish Cypriot marking the anniversary of the Peace Movement, "we cannot give up Turkish Cypriots' own administration, equal partnership and equal status." Greece, on the other hand, protested the ceremonies and reiterated its same old thesis of "single state, single citizenship".

 

YENI SAFAKÂ

--THEY ARE FREE AFTER 13 DAYS

The three German mountaineers kidnapped by terrorist organization PKK were released. Governor of the eastern province of Agri said that the mountaineers were released due to tight measures taken by security forces. Holger Renne, Martin Georg and Helmut Johann were delivered to officials from the German embassy in Ankara.

--TURKISH FIRM EXPORTS HIGH TECHNOLOGY TO EUROPE

NNT company's products, which were developed using boron chemicals and nanotechnology, enable consumers save fuel. The products are now on sale in Britain.