GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAY 23

HURRIYET
-- CELEBRITIES IN ANTALYA
Worldwide famous artists such as Richard Gere, Mariah Carey, Tom Jones, Sharon Stone, Seal and Monica Bellucci came to the southern Turkish province of Antalya to attend the inauguration of the five-star Mardan Palace Hotel constructed by Russian businessman Telman Ismailov of Azerbaijani descent. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay will also be in attendance at the inauguration of the hotel which cost about $1.4 billion.
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-- TURKISH-MADE FORDS SENT TO USA
For the first time in history, Ford Transit Connect vehicles were shipped to the United States, heartland of the world's automotive industry, after being manufactured in Golcuk town of Turkey. John Flaming, executive vice-president of the Ford Motor Company, said that this export was the triumph of the Turkish automotive sector.
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MILLIYET
-- TURKEY MAKES FIRST VAN EXPORT TO U.S.
Turkish motor vehicles manufacturer Ford-Otosan shipped its first award-winning vans to the United States on Friday. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan attended a ceremony held for the first export of Ford Transit Connect van to the north-American markets. The Ford Transit Connect has been chosen the best commercial van of the year.
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-- HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES IN ANTALYA
Famous names from Hollywood are set to attend the opening of a five-star hotel in Antalya which has been constructed by Russian businessman Telman Ismailov. Richard Gere, Monica Bellucci, Sharon Stone, Tom Jones and Mariah Carey will attend the ceremony. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazabayev is also expected to be present for the event.
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SABAH
-- IT'S SHOPPING TIME
Non-governmental organizations launched a new initiative in an effort to decrease impacts of the economic crisis to minimum and called on Turkish consumers to go shopping now. Union of Turkish Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said that they could turn crisis into opportunity through conscious consumption.
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-- FOUR PKK TERRORISTS KILLED IN CLASHES
Four PKK terrorists were killed in clashes with security forces in Lice town of the southeastern province of Diyarbakir. It was claimed that the terrorists were involved in the armed attack in which nine troops were killed.

VATAN
-- PREMIER MEETS BUSINESS LEADERS
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan met on Friday with a number leading figures of the Turkish business world over a lunch in Istanbul. Five cabinet members participated in the meeting including Deputy Premier Ali Babacan, State Minister Zafer Caglayan, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek and Labor Minister Omer Dincer. Businesspeople Mustafa Koc, Guler Sabanci, M. Ali Yalcindag, Hamdi Akin and Rifat Hisarciklioglu were also present in the meeting.
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-- LUXURY HOTEL OPENING TO HOST CELEBRITIES
A luxurious hotel is set to open on Saturday with a major ceremony to be attended by world-famous celebrities from Hollywood and music world. Mariah Carey, Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, Tom Jones and Seal will attend the opening ceremony of the $1.4 billion Mardan Palace which is constructed by Russian businessman Telman Ismailov in Antalya.
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CUMHURIYET
-- HISTORIC DAY IN EXPORTS
The Ford Transit Connect vans manufactured in the Turkish motor vehicles manufacturer Ford-Otosan's factories in Golcuk were sent to the United States. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said at the ceremony held for the first export of Ford Transit Connect van to the north-American markets that the export was a sign of that economic crisis was temporary.
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-- MAALOUF EULOGIZES ATATURK IN HIS LATEST BOOK
Amin Maalouf, a Lebanese novelist who has lived in Paris since 1975, eulogized Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in his new book. He said that Turkey constituted a role model for the whole Islam world.
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RADIKAL
-- "WE DON'T QUIT EU PATH," TURKISH MINISTER SAYS
Turkey's chief negotiator for the European Union membership talks urged opposition parties to act in concert in order to make EU-inspired reforms, saying that there was need to revive enthusiasm for EU membership. "Our biggest goal is to complete the talks. Our priority is the constitutional amendments. There are obstacles both inside and outside. But we do not quit on our path to the EU," Egemen Bagis told daily RADIKAL.
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-- UN CHEIF URGES CYPRIOT LEADERS TO SPEED UP PEACE TALKS
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Turkish and Greek Cypriots to speed up full-fledged negotiations aimed at comprehensive settlement of Cyprus problem. "My overall assessment is that, while the parties have made steady progress, I see a need for an increase in the pace of the talks as the sides start to address issues more holistically," Ban said in a report. "They also acknowledge that the status quo is unacceptable and that the process cannot be open-ended," he said.

YENI SAFAK
-- TURKEY, BRAZIL SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT ON ENERGY
Turkish President Abdullah Gul and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed an agreement on Friday to cooperate in energy and oil exploration. According to the agreement, Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and Brazil's PetroBras will make 1 billion USD joint investment to explore oil in the Black Sea.
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-- DREAM COMES TRUE
A fifty year-old dream came true on Friday as the first export of a Turkish-manufactured commercial vehicle was made to the United States. Turkey's car manufacturer Ford-Otosan shipped its first group of Ford Transit Connect vans to the north American market with a ceremony participated by Turkish Premier Tayyip Erdogan. "Today, Turkey exports its first motor vehicles to the American continent. I would like to congratulate Ford-Otosan on this great achievement," Erdogan said.