GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAY 5

HURRIYET

--ERDOGAN: "RULING AKP IS THE PARTY OF AVERAGE TURK"

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Justice and Development Party (AKP) was not a party just for religiously observant people, it was the party of the average Turk. Erdogan spoke to Newsweek's Owen Matthews in Ankara.

Asked whether Islam and modernity could coexist, Erdogan said, "Turkey has achieved what people said could never be achieved --a balance between Islam, democracy, secularism and modernity. (Our government) demonstrates that a religious person can protect the idea of secularism. In the West the AKP is always portrayed as being "rooted in religion." This is not true. The AKP is not a party just for religiously observant people --we are the party of the average Turk.

We are absolutely against ethnic nationalism, regional nationalism and religious chauvinism. Turkey, with its democracy, is a source of inspiration to the rest of the Islamic world."

--GUL: CIVILIANS WERE NOT HURT

President Abdullah Gul said that the recent air operation conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces at the Qandil Mountain only targeted the terrorists.

"We only targeted the terrorists. Civilians in the region were not hurt," Gul said. "Every one has seen that the Turkish Armed Forces can continue the fight against terror in the most difficult conditions. Our determination to fight against terrorists will continue," Gul noted.

MILLIYET

--"A NEW PAGE HAS BEEN OPENED"

Former Turkish MP Hasim Hasimi, who held talks with the authorities of the northern part of Iraq, has said, "Turkey's 'red line' policy has changed. This new policy does not mean recognizing an independent Kurdish state. According to my point of view, this policy is about acknowledging the federal system. The two peoples have already been living together for centuries. We need to develop such a more unified structure between Turkey and northern Iraq."

--A NEW ERA IN MILITARY SERVICE

The Turkish Armed Forces has decided not to designate reserve officers as commandos.

SABAH

--CRAZY LIONS

Galatasaray soccer club defeated Sivasspor 5-3 in a game played in Sivas. Galatasaray's Arda scored three goals while other Galatasaray goals came from Ayhan and Hakan Sukur. Galatasaray will play Genclerbirligi OFTAS next weekend and they need only one more point to clinch this year's championship.

--SECOND LIEUTENANTS NO LONGER WILL BE COMMANDOES

A new term begins in the Turkish Armed Forces. Reserve officers will no longer serve as commandoes. Also, as of the end of 2009, privates will not have to serve as commandoes

VATAN

--MEMBERS OF SECT TRY TO LYNCH VATAN REPORTERS

Members of the Ismailaga religious sect have attacked three reporters of Vatan daily for taking photographs of their buildings. A group of 18 people wearing Islamic-style clothes tried to attack the reporters. All three journalists were injured. Adherents of the sect were detained by gendarmerie forces, but later released by the court on duty.

--WHAT WILL ERDOGAN DO IF THE RULING AKP IS CLOSED DOWN?

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a dinner with journalists that if the Constitutional Court decided to close down his Justice and Development Party (AKP), a new political party would be formed.

In case of the closure, early elections would be held and Erdogan would run in the elections as an independent candidate. "If I cannot run in the elections, I would lead a non-governmental organization or form a new one," he said.

CUMHURIYET

--PKK LOSING QANDIL

Terrorist organization PKK is losing Qandil Mountain after back to back operations conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces in the past three months. The PKK has lost at least two "senior leaders" in the operations conducted in the Qandil Mountain region. Turkish security forces arrested four terrorists in south-eastern province of Hakkari's Semdinli town on Sunday.

--ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR WOMEN VICTIM OF VIOLENCE

Turkish State Minister Nimet Cubukcu said that there were 55 cases of physical and psychological violent incidents against women in the months of January and February in Turkey. According to a women's NGO, one out of every four women in Turkey is a victim of violence.

RADIKAL

MINISTRY DEFENDS GENERAL WHO SENT 33 PEOPLE TO FIRING SQUAD

The Ministry of National Defense has backed its decision to name a compound of military barracks after Gen. Mustafa Muglali who sent 33 people to the firing squad in the eastern city of Van in 1943.

The ministry said, "60 years have passed since the event and the deceased general already served his punishment. Gen. Muglali was first sentenced to death penalty in 1949. Later his punishment was commuted to 20 years in jail. He died before the definite court verdict."

--NO SHORTAGE OF MONEY

Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz said that there was no shortage of money in Turkey. "Turkish banks do not have a liquidity problem. We withdraw money from markets. We do not insist on price stability at any cost," he said.

YENI SAFAK

--PKK SHOULD RENOUNCE VIOLENCE

After Turkish Armed Forces hit camps of the PKK terrorist organization in Qandil, Massoud Barzani, head of the local administration in northern Iraq, warned the terrorist organization to renounce violence.

--PROFESSIONAL MILITARY SERVICE BEGINS

Reserve officers will not be designated as commandos as of 2008 and privates as of 2009. After 2010, commando brigades will consist of only officers, non-commissioned officers and senior sergeants.