GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON JULY 26

HURRIYET

-- HERE IS ERGENEKON
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An indictment regarding "Ergenekon" investigation accuses 86 people of being members of an armed terrorist organization. A criminal court in Istanbul accepted on Friday the indictment regarding "Ergenekon" investigation and set the date of the first hearing as October 20, 2008.
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-- WE MUST ESTABLISH DOMESTIC PEACE, ERDOGAN                                  Â
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Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey must establish domestic peace. Speaking to daily Hurriyet newspaper, Erdogan said that a social restoration must take place in Turkey. "We must accept differences as richness and realize social restoration in all segments of the society," Erdogan said.
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MILLIYET

-- YSK: WE ARE READY FOR TWO ELECTIONS IN 2008       Â

The Higher Board of Election (YSK) announced that, in the event the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) gets closed by the Constitutional Court and a decision is taken, early general elections and local elections could take place in November 2008 simultaneously.
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-- "WHAT WE REQUEST IS DEMOCRATIC REACTION," GEN. BUYUKANIT
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In reference to the statement issued by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) that the Turkish nation should react to those who try to hurt the TSK, Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said that "individuals should not react by taking guns in their hands and going out on to the streets. What we request from the Turkish nation is democratic reaction."
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SABAH
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-- BLOOD, CHAOS, MILITARY JUNTA
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A criminal court in Istanbul accepted on Friday the indictment regarding "Ergenekon" investigation and set the date of the first hearing as October 20, 2008. An alleged criminal network that came to be known as "Ergenekon" was revealed after police seized hand grenades, TNT explosives and fuses in a shanty house in Istanbul on June 12, 2007. Several Turkish figures, including retired senior army officers, were detained and sent to prison within the scope of the investigation.

Prosecutors indict 86 people of being a member of an armed terrorist organization, aiding and abetting the terrorist organization, attempting to topple the government by using force, inciting people to armed rebellion against the government, acquiring and hurling explosives, inciting people to use explosives particularly hurling explosives on the Cumhuriyet daily newspaper and staging an armed attack against the Council of State, accessing classified documents regarding state security and recording personal data, provoking military disobedience and inciting people to hatred and enmity.
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-- AKP WILL NOT GET CLOSED, LEHMAN
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One of the biggest investment banks of the world, Lehman Brothers, prepared a report on the Turkish Justice and Development Party (AKP). According to the report, the AKP would not get closed by the Turkish Constitutional Court. If the AKP does get closed, this would cause political uncertainty in Turkey, said the Lehman report.

 

VATAN

-- ERGENEKON HAS NO TIES TO TSK, PROSECUTOR
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A criminal court in Istanbul accepted on Friday the indictment regarding "Ergenekon" investigation and set the date of the first hearing as October 20, 2008. "While some members of Ergenekon wore uniforms in the past, this does not mean that Ergenekon has ties with the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) or the National Intelligence Organization (MIT)," said Prosecutor Zekeriya Oz. "Ergenekon did try to infiltrate into the TSK and held meetings with military school students," Oz added.
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-- 32.3 MILLION TURKS FLY IN 6 MONTHS
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Travelling by airplanes is becoming the choice of more and more people in Turkey. In the first six months of 2008, 32.3 million Turks preferred to travel by airplane. The number of passengers flying increased by 7.1 percent when compared to the first six months of 2007. There were a total of 335,225 flights in the first six months of 2008 in Turkey, up 6.5 percent when compared to the same period last year.

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CUMHURIYET

-- HIGH CRIMINAL COURT NO:13 DECIDED TO HEAR ERGENEKON CASE
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A case was opened against 86 people, including retired Gen. Kucuk, Labor Party (IP) leader Dogu Perincek, and editor in chief of daily Cumhuriyet Ilhan Selcuk on charges of "terror". Life imprisonment and imprisonment terms ranging up to 500 years was asked for Ilhan Selcuk, claimed to be the administrator of the organization. A sporting gun, given as present to him 30 years ago and some books found in Selcuk's house, were also included in the indictment.
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-- FOUR SOLDIERS MARTRYED
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Turkish security forces launched an operation upon the news reports that members of the terrorist organization were trying to infiltrate to Turkey from the borders in north of Iraq. Three soldiers died when land-mine that was planted in Guclukonak town
 of southeastern province of Sirnak exploded. Private Muharrem Samur, who was injured on July 14 after stepping on a land-mine in Semdinli, also died in hospital.
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RADIKAL
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-- ERGENEKON INDICTMENT MADE PUBLIC
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An Istanbul court accepted to hear the 2,455 page indictment, prepared by prosecutor Zekeriya Oz. The first hearing will take place on October 20 and will continue uninterruptedly till the testimonies of the accused are concluded. There are 86 accused in the case. Establishing and administering a terrorist organization, inciting people to armed rebellion, and trying to overthrow the government are among the accusations in the indictment.
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-- LAND MINE EXPLOSION IN SIRNAK: THREE SOLDIERS DIE
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Three soldiers died in land mine explosion in Guclukonak town of southeastern province of Sirnak. The land mine is reported to be planted by terrorist PKK organization. A wide-range operation is underway in the region against PKK.

 

YENI SAFAK

-- I WILL SPEAK AT RIGHT TIME, GEN. BUYUKANIT

Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said that "people ask as to why I do not speak on the Ergenekon investigation. Please think about this topic from a legal perspective. Perhaps I will talk one day but not now. I will speak at the right time."

-- HOPE FOR A SOLUTION IN CYPRUS

The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Mehmet Ali Talat and leader of the Greek Cypriot administration Demetris Christofias met on Friday in the buffer zone. The two leaders made a decision to begin comprehensive negotiations on September 3. The two leaders also decided to establish a 'red line' for direct access. Turkish and Greek Cyriots would vote in referenda on the proposed solution.