HURRIYET
-- FOREIGN INVESTORS SCARED
Germany's Der Spiegel magazine, one of the most influential magazines in the world, said that the tension between Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and the Dogan media group has frightened foreign investors. In an article entitled "Sultan and Dogan", the magazine said that Erdogan's attitude damaged Turkey's image as a safe country for investing.
-- TUSIAD ON INCREASING UNEMPLOYMENT
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) chairperson Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag welcomed the government's recent package of economic measures. She added, "If the government had however taken the necessary measures much earlier, the rate of unemployment would have not increased as much as it did. In that case, we could overcome economic crisis more easily. The global crisis was underestimated, and the government failed to take the necessary measures on time."
MILLIYET
-- TURKEY'S IMAGE AS A COUNTRY OF INVESTMENTS GETS HURT, GERMAN MAGAZINE
German magazine Der Spiegel argued that Turkey's image as a country for investment was damaged recently. According to Der Spiegel, the tax penalty issued to Turkey's Dogan Group was a political decision and that confidence in the Turkish state of law diminished. Der Spiegel said that foreign investors in Turkey had been bothered by recent developments in the country.
-- ERDOGAN CRITICIZES BAYKAL
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was in the northwestern province of Edirne on Sunday for a rally of his ruling AKP. Criticizing the main opposition leader Deniz Baykal, Erdogan said that individuals older than 70 years of age should quit politics and retire. "Go ahead and work as a consultant or the head of a foundation. But stop appearing in political activities after the age of 70," Erdogan said referring to Deniz Baykal.
-- WE MAY PERMIT U.S. TO USE TURKISH TERRITORY WHILE WITHDRAWING FROM IRAQ, ERDOGAN
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey might permit the United States to use Turkish territory while withdrawing its troops from Iraq. Erdogan stressed that the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq was a positive development.
SABAH
-- TURKEY MAY SEND ADDITIONAL TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN
National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said Turkey might send additional troops to Afghanistan. He said they did not want Turkish troops to be deployed in war zone, as Turkey could play a role in talks with the Taliban.
-- GUL DUE TO BAGHDAD
Abdullah Gul will be the first Turkish President to visit Baghdad in 33 years on Monday. Gul will meet with Iraq's President Jalal Talabani as well as head of the regional administration in the north of Iraq, Masoud Barzani.
VATAN
-- RASMUSSEN'S FATE IN TURKEY'S HANDS
New secretary-general of NATO will be elected in July. After Canada withdrew its candidate, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former prime minister of Denmark, became the strongest candidate. The United States first backed Rasmussen as the next secretary-general. But when Turkey said that it would veto Rasmussen, who protected Roj TV and played an important role in cartoon crisis with the Islam world, the United States took a step back and said that it was essential to persuade Turkey.
-- REUTERS SAYS CHP LEADER FACES ANOTHER POLL LOSS
Alexandra Hudson of the British news agency Reuters watched the rally of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in the northwestern province of Yalova and commented, "Party loyalists wave flags and cheer but an air of hopelessness prevails as veteran Turkish opposition leader Deniz Baykal, loser of four national elections, addresses his faithful." "Baykal convinces supporters that every election loss for the CHP only makes his mission more crucial. Much of the dejection over the lack of an opposition focuses on Baykal, the 70-year-old former academic who AKP members joke is their 'greatest asset'," Hudson wrote.
CUMHURIYET
-- TUSIAD REBUKES GOVERNMENT ONCE AGAIN
Chairperson of Turkey's Industrialists and Businessmen Association, Arzuhan Yalcindag, said, "The IMF wants autonomous tax audit. The ruling party, which does not accede to that, is using its power and financial audit as a tool for pressure; today, let alone criticize, we are scared to make assessments." Yalcindag stressed that threatening businessmen not to lay off employees was not a solution. "The government did not recognize the crisis on time, and was late to take measures against it," said Yalcindag.
-- SABANCI GROUP WARNS: OUR ENERGY RESTS ON EDGE OF KNIFE
Chair of Sabanci Group's energy venture Selahattin Hakman said Turkey had been too late in undertaking energy investments. "If Turkey's economy starts to enliven a little, energy shortages will emerge. Therefore new investments and the construction of new power plants should not stop," said Hakman.
RADIKAL
-- HISTORIC VISIT
President Abdullah Gul will travel to Baghdad on Monday. Gul will be the first Turkish president to visit Baghdad after a period of 33 years. The terrorist organization PKK tops Gul's agenda in Baghdad. Sources from the president’s office said that Gul might meet with Masoud Barzani.
-- BRITISH COMMENT FOR BATTLES OF TOURISM: FUNNY PRICES
The Sunday Times in a news article said that three-star hotels in Turkish resort town of Marmaris are renting rooms for 8.40 Turkish lira per person per week. Such a price is really funny, the newspaper said.
-- STATE MINISTER CUBUKCU JOINS NICOLE KIDMAN'S CAMPAIGN
State Minister Nimet Cubukcu joined the campaign of movie star Nicole Kidman who calls for "No" to violence against women around the globe.
YENI SAFAK
-- COME TO RUSSIA
Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, invited Turkish businessmen to make more investments in Russia. "If they invest in Russia now, they will win in the future." He said that they had made a similar call in 1990, recalling that ENKA accepted their call and became a great firm.
-- DECISION DAY
The High Criminal Court in Ankara will decide whether to combine the case of the attack on members of the Council of State with the case of Ergenekon organization. Earlier, the Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that it was necessary to combine the two cases.
