GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAR 13

HURRIYET
-- CYPRUS CALL FROM TURKISH AND GREEK BUSINESSMEN
The business world of Turkey, Greece, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the Greek Cypriot administration released a joint declaration in Lefkosa and extended their full support for the solution process in Cyprus. Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) chairperson Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag said that if a solution was settled in Cyprus, the economy of the island would develop. She stressed that it was out of question for Turkey to retreat from its rights on the island during the EU negotiation process.
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-- EMPHASIZE ON FREEDOM OF PRESS IN EP REPORT
The European Parliament approved the Turkey Report by 528 votes to 52. The report said, "In a democratic and pluralist society, freedom of expression can't be provided either by banning internet sites frequently or putting pressure or filing lawsuit against critical press."
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MILLIYET
-- EP REPORT APPROVED
The European Parliament (EP) approved the Turkey report prepared by Dutch MP Ria Oomen-Ruijten with 528 votes. Oomen-Ruijten, the architect of the report that shares concerns on press freedom in Turkey and reaffirms that there is pressure in this area, underlined after the voting that there was not full freedom of speech and press in Turkey.
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-- CIMBOM GET HALFWAY THROUGH UEFA CUP QUARTER FINALS: 1-1
Galatasaray soccer team of Turkey drew with Hamburg SV of Germany 1-1 in the UEFA Cup Round of 16 first leg, taking an advantageous score. Midfielder Ayhan Akman scored goal of Galatasaray. The second leg will be played in Istanbul on March 19.
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SABAH
-- OBAMA'S PKK PLAN
The United States has made a plan which includes a number of political initiatives in order to make the terrorist organization PKK lay down arms. The plan was one of the issues on the agenda of a number of U.S. diplomats who visited Turkey ahead of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent trip to Ankara. The diplomats discussed the plan with politicians of Kurdish descent, including Esat Canan, Serafettin Elci and Orhan Miroglu, asking if a general amnesty might be successful. Turkey's state-run broadcaster TRT-6 in Kurdish was also on the agenda of the U.S. diplomats.
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-- IMF EASES TERMS ON STAND-BY DEAL
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has come up with more flexible terms for a possible stand-by deal with Turkey. The IMF's change in thinking was largely due to a decisive attitude by the Turkish government. The Fund offered a new set of terms and said it was ready to resume talks.
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-- TURKEY'S BIGGEST LOTTERY PRIZE GOES TO TWO
Two people won Turkey's biggest lottery prize, sharing nearly 50 million Turkish liras (30 million USD). The two lucky winners will each receive 28.4 million TL from the Super Loto draw for correctly guessing six numbers from 54. The winners are from Istanbul and the northwestern province of Bursa.

VATAN
-- ONE STEP CLOSER TO KADIKOY 1-1
Galatasaray soccer team of Turkey, who played against Hamburg team of Germany in UEFA Cup Round of 16 first leg, are returning with an advantageous score. Galatasaray resisted their rivals with 10 players after Emre Asik was sent off. In the second leg, Emre will not play. Galatasaray, who are having a problem in their defense as Servet Cetin and Emre Gungor were injured and Meira was transferred to Zenit, are expected to include young players in the starting eleven in the next match.
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-- 50 MLN DIVIDED IN TWO
The major prize in Super Loto, which had accumulated for weeks, finally found its owners last night. Citizens spent a record breaking 8 million TL in lottery in eight hours yesterday. The lucky ones were two people who played the lottery from Nilufer district of the northwestern province of Bursa and Beylikduzu district of Istanbul. They each won 24,908,000 TL. A total of 65.5 million TL of prize were distributed in the lottery.
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CUMHURIYET
-- GALATASARAY PROMISING FOR UEFA QUARTER FINALS
Galatasaray soccer team drew 1-1 with Germany's Hamburg in an away game in the first leg of round of 16 UEFA Cup. The result gave the Turkish team an advantage for the second leg in Istanbul next Thursday. Ayhan Akman scored Galatasaray's goal in 32nd minute before Hamburg equalized early in the second half. Galatasaray's Emre Asik was sent off in the 53rd minute.
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-- NUMBER OF THY PASSENGERS UP
The number of passengers of the Turkish Airlines (THY) grew 9 percent in January-February period, reaching as high as 3.1 million. The figure was 2.9 million in the same period last year.
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RADIKAL
-- HAMBURG 1 GALATASARAY 1
Galatasaray soccer team of Turkey drew with Hamburg SV of Germany 1-1 in the UEFA Cup match and thus got an advantage. Ayhan Akman scored the goal of Cimbom (Galatasaray) in the first half. Defender Emre Asik was shown red card so Galatasaray had to play the second half with 10 footballers. The second leg will be played on March 19 in Istanbul.
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-- RAPPROACHEMENT WITH IMF
State Minister Mehmet Simsek said "International Monetary Fund (IMF) showed flexibility on Tax Administration on which we could not agree." The IMF later made new loan proposals to Turkey. The IMF waits for an invitation from Turkey to meet again.

YENI SAFAK
-- STEP BACK FROM IMF
Following the statements of State Minister Mehmet Simsek, who said, "The IMF is showing flexibility", the IMF made a statement and said, "we conveyed new proposals to Turkey. We are ready for discussions."

-- TWO MINUTES TO TOWER
The Netherlands, which denied the probability of a vortex (as a cause of Turkish Airlines plane crash in Amsterdam), made a surprising decision and increased the elapse time between the landing of two aircraft from 2 to 4 minutes.