GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON JUNE 7

HURRIYET
-- OPPOSITION LEADER ADVISE AKP TO FORM NEW PARTY
Leader of the nationalist MHP Devlet Bahceli said the ruling AKP should form a new political party without waiting for the outcome of a closure case. "They should found a new party and all its members should move to the new one except for those 39 figures who face political ban. The new party should form a new government with a new prime minister and work for a normalization process in the country," Bahceli said.
"If the high court rules not to close the AKP then it would unite with the new one. I am proposing this as a normalization project for the country," he said. Â

-- TURKEY TO CHALLENGE PORTUGAL IN EURO 2008 GAME Â
Turkish national football team is set to play with Portugal on Saturday its first game in Group A in the 13th European Football Championship. The game will kick-off at 09:45 Turkish local time in Geneva, Switzerland. Herbert Fandel of Germany will be the referee of the game.
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MILLIYET
-- QUESTIONS LEADING DECISION ABOUT HEADSCARF
The Constitutional Court delegation has discussed several questions as making the decision to invalidate the amendment lifting the ban on headscarf at universities. Discussions lasted for seven hours. Some members of the delegation asked what would happen if a political party reached the majority at the parliament which was enough to amend the constitution on its own, and made amendments which were contrary of the foundation philosophy of the state.
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-- NEW INVESTIGATION INTO KILLING OF DINK
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched a new investigation into last year's killing of journalist Hrant Dink of Armenian descent. Two inspectors were sent to the northern province of Trabzon. Colonel Ali Oz, then provincial commander of the gendarmerie forces, may stand trial on charges of negligence.
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SABAH
-- PARLIAMENT'S DUTY
The ruling AKP has said that the Constitutional Court, which invalidated the amendment lifting the ban on headscarf at universities, intervened in the authority of the legislation. The central executive board of the AK Party convened yesterday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.
 "The decision is a direct interference with parliament's authority. It is a violation of the rule on the separation of powers," deputy  chairman Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat said after the meeting.
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-- TURKS ON STAGE AGAINST PORTUGAL
Turkey will take on Portugal in the 13th European Football Championship finals. The match will be played in Geneva, Switzerland and it will begin at 21.45 Turkish local time. Fandel of Germany will be the referee of the match.

 

VATAN

-- NO EARLY ELECTIONS

The ruling AKP's executive councilÂconvened on Friday to set out a road map after Turkey's highest court ruling to annul a constitutional amendment which allowed headscarf in universities. Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat, AKP's deputy chairman, said "early elections were not on our agenda." Firat also said party’s executive council would decide whether to make a defensive argument in the closure case.

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-- GUL SAYS THERE IS NO CONFLICT BETWEEN ISLAM AND SECULARISM

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said that there was no conflict between Islam and secularism in Turkey. "Turkey is engaged in accession negotiations with the European Union. No one should worry about the future of our country, which is undergoing a modernization process by maintaining its traditions. Any conflict between the Islamic culture and secularism is out of question," Gul told a Japanese television.

 

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CUMHURIYET

-- STATE OF EMERGENCY IN AKP

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cancelled all his programs and convened the central executive board of his ruling AKP after the Constitutional Court made a decision to invalidate the amendment lifting the ban on headscarf at universities.

"The decision is a direct interference with parliament's authority. It is a violation of the rule on the separation of powers," deputy chairman Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat said after the meeting.

AKP decided to hold contacts with the other political parties having seats at the parliament and call on them to take action.

Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan is expected to hold a news conference later in the day.

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-- RISE OF TURKS

African region has been included in the purview of Ahmet Bozer, president and chief operating officer of the Coca Cola's Eurasia Group. On the other hand, another Turkish citizen, Muhtar Kent, will induct into office as new CEO of the Coca Cola as of July 1st.

 

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RADIKAL

-- U.S. SAYS HEADSCARF IS A DOMESTIC PROBLEM OF TURKEY

The U.S. Department of State said the decision of Turkey's top court regarding headscarf was a domestic matter of Turkey. Chase Beamer, a spokesman of the department, said that whether or not to wear a headscarf was the personal preference of women, when commenting on the recent decision of the top court annulling the constitutional amendment which allowed headscarf in universities. In related news, Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Turkey rapporteur with the European Parliament, said Turkey needed a new constitution which would place basic freedoms at its core. "The ruling once again showed that Turkey needs to modernize," she said.

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-- FORMER PARLIAMENT SPEAKER LASHES OUT AT HIGH COURT RULING ON HEADSCARF

Bulent Arinc, former parliament speaker, issued a strong reaction to a ruling of Turkey's highest court which annulled a constitutional amendment that allowed headscarf in universities. "The Constitutional Court cancelled the legislative authority of the parliament, and it abused its rights and powers, which are given to it by the constitution," Arinc told reporters. "The court has implied that the sovereignty no more rested with the people but with the judges," he said.

 

 

YENI SAFAK

-- THEY COMMIT CRIME

Jurists have commented that the Constitutional Court which invalidated two articles of the constitution by ignoring the Article 148 of the Constitution which reads, "Constitutional amendments shall be examined and verified only with regard to their form", intervened in the legislative power of the parliament. Ahmet Gundel, former prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals, said that the decision was totally political while Prof. Dr.Yavuz Atar said that the Constitutional Court overstepped its authority.

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-- COME ON TURKEY

Turkish national football team will play against Portugal in its first game in Group A in the 13th European Football Championship. The game will kick-off at 9.45 p.m. Turkish local time in Geneva, Switzerland.