HURRIYET
--HEAD OF TURKEY'S MEDIA WATCHDOG IS BANNED BY GERMANY
A foreigners’ office in Germany has banned the head of Turkey’s media watchdog, Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK), Zahid Akman from entering the country in 2007 for five years following claims he committed a financial crime.
The German foreigners’ Office of Main-Taunus district in Frankfurt banned Akman in May, 2007; a restriction that would remain in place until 2012.
--TURKEY NEVER ASKS FOR VISA FACILITATION
Vural Oger, German parliamentarian of the Turkish origin at the European Parliament submitted a motion with notice to the European Commission, revealing a fact that Turkey has never asked for an easing of visa procedures. Olli Rehn, EU commissioner for enlargement, said they did not receive any declaration of intention from the Turkish government for negotiations on the visa facilitation agreement.
--ERDOGAN DISCUSSES PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO ARMENIA WITH ALIYEV
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan expressed his support to President Abdullah Gul's visit to Yerevan, Armenia when he replied to questions of reporters. Erdogan said he also discussed it with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Azerbaijan. Erdogan said that he thought President Abdullah Gul's decision to travel to Armenia on the occasion of a soccer game between the national teams of the two countries was a positive development. "They (the two presidents) would of course have a talk at half time and after the game," Erdogan said.
MILLIYET
--TURKISH GOV'T ATTEMPTS TO EFFECT DENIZ FENERI CASE
German prosecutors have claimed the Turkish government attempted to lift the detention of the suspects in the Deniz Feneri case, which was considered Germany's biggest charity corruption. The suspects were claimed to have strong ties with Turkey' ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Islamist view, National View, in indictment prepared by German prosecutors. The Turkish government has claimed to attempt to effect the investigation politically.
--TURKISH SNIPERS TO PROTECT GUL
Extraordinary measures will be taken in and around the stadium for safety of President Abdullah Gul, who is set to pay a visit to Armenia to watch the football match between Turkish and Armenian national teams on Saturday. A 50-member team including bomb disposal experts and bodyguards has already left for Armenia. Also, eight Turkish snipers will be deployed at the stadium. A bullet-proof vehicle was also sent from Turkey.
--"EUROPE IS GRATEFUL TO TURKEY"
President Nikolas Sarkozy of France expressed Europe's gratitude to Turkey for mediating indirect talks between Israel and Syria. Sarkozy was in attendance at the quartet summit in the Syrian capital city of Damascus together with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and Amir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar. Sarkozy said that the process should result in direct talks. Meanwhile, Syrian President al-Assad said that they conveyed a six-article package of principles and proposals to Israel through Turkey.
--SUPPORT FROM EUROPE TO SECULAR TURKS
A group of European intellectuals called on the European Union (EU) to support secularism in Turkey. In a statement posted on a web site called "open democracy", the group said that the EU could strengthen secularism on seven points: modernization, socialization, women, anti-discrimination, competition, trans-European politics and the democratic core.
SABAH
--"TURKS DID A GREAT JOB"
President Nikolas Sarkozy of France eulogized Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's initiatives for peace between Syria and Israel.
A quartet summit was held in the Syrian capital city of Damascus with the participation of President Sarkozy, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and Amir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar. During the summit, Sarkozy said that Turks did a great job. He extended France's support to Turkey's mediating indirect talks between Syria and Israel, adding that Europe was grateful to Turkey.
--HISTORIC MATCH IN DISTANT NEIGHBOR
President Abdullah Gul will watch the football match between Turkish and Armenian national teams in Yerevan on Saturday after holding a tete-a-tete meeting with President Serzh Sargsian of Armenia over a luncheon at the Presidential Palace. Gul and Sargsian will discuss the establishment of a joint commission of historians and the Upper Karabakh issue.
Armenian journalist Ara Kocunyan will accompany President Gul during his visit.
VATAN
--ANOTHER SURPRISING INITIATIVE FROM GEN. BASBUG
Gen. Ilker Basbug paid his first visit as the chief of General Staff to the southeastern province of Diyarbakir. Gen. Basbug and security force commanders held talks with Diyarbakir Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu and representatives of nongovernmental organizations. Gen. Basbug said during his meeting with representatives of NGOs in Diyarbakir that the terrorist organization had been approaching breaking point and people should put forth a great determination against the terrorist organization.
--ERDOGAN TO MAKE FINAL DECISION ON THIRD BRIDGE
Turkey’s Transportation Minister said that they had completed works about the project of a new bridge over the Istanbul Strait. "The number of routes was reduced from six to four.
Detailed works were conducted about those four routes. Their advantages and disadvantages were assessed, and a report was sent to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan for a final decision," Yildirim said.
CUMHURIYET
--GUL'S CONTROVERSIAL VISIT
President Abdullah Gul will go to Yerevan, Armenia on Saturday to watch the World Cup qualifying match between Turkish and Armenian national teams upon invitation of President Serzh Sargsian of Armenia. A 30-member team will leave for Armenia before Gul to protect the president during the five-hour visit.
Meanwhile, it was claimed that Varujan Garbisian who masterminded Armenian terrorist organization ASALA's bomb attack on the Orly Airport in Paris in 1983 in which eight people were killed, would watch the football match in the protocol section of the stadium. Both the Presidential Palace and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the allegations.
EAST, FIRST VISIT PLACE
Gen. Ilker Basbug has paid his first visit to eastern part of Turkey after inducting into office as the new chief of the General Staff. He visited the provinces of Malatya and Diyarbakir. During the visit, Gen. Basbug met members of the non-governmental organizations and listened to their views about Turkey's fight against terrorism.
RADIKAL
--"SO-CALLED" PROVOCATION
Turkey has been abuzz with claims that Varujan Garbisian, the mastermind of 1983's gory attack on the Orly Airport in Paris in which eight people were killed, would watch the football match between Turkish and Armenian national teams in the protocol section of the stadium.
The claims turned out to be baseless.
--U.S. AND EU WELCOME GUL'S VISIT ARMENIAThe U.S. Department of State expressed its wish that the historic meeting between President Abdullah Gul and President Serzh Sargsian of Armenia prior to Saturday's football match in Yerevan would normalize the relations between the two neighboring countries.
Meanwhile, the Presidency of the Council of the European Union also welcomed President Gul's decision to pay a visit to Armenia.
YENI SAFAK
--BOLD STEP FROM GUL
World media and several countries showed a great interest in President Abdullah Gul's visit to Yerevan to watch a World Cup qualifier to be played between the national teams of Turkey and Armenia on Saturday.
British Guardian newspaper said Armenia could establish relationship with other countries only by means of Turkey. Experts said this visit would make Turkey a more influential country in the region. The United States welcomed the visit the Turkish president will pay to Armenia. Mark Toner, the spokesman for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, said the United States was appreciating the courage of the two presidents to take steps in order to foster regional peace and prosperity.
