TURKIYE

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EUROPE SHOULD STOP EXPLOITING AND KEEP ITS PROMISES

Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected allegations that Turkey decelerated on the EU path and gave a message to the the EU ambassadors: "It is very wrong for certain EU countries to make Turkey's accession to the EU a tool for exploitation. Reforms are continuing. We are expecting the EU to keep its promises."

TURKISH ARMED FORCES VOW TO FIGHT WITH TERRORISM UNTIL ALL WEAPONS ARE LAID DOWN

Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug said all hopes of terrorists and their supporters should be eradicated. He said the final solution for this problem was for terrorists to lay down their weapons.

Gen. Basbug pointed out that terrorism did not only threat innocent people but also democracy, freedoms and human rights and said "Therefore, the main principal of this struggle should be a human oriented process. Military power alone is not enough. This struggle should address the minds and hearts of the people. There is no room for errors."

ZAMAN

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TURKEY IS ONE SINGLE HEART AGAINST SCENARIOS THAT ARE OUT OF DEMOCRACY, PM ERDOGAN

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted a luncheon in honor of ambassadors of EU member countries in Ankara on Monday. Speaking at the luncheon, Erdogan said that there is no tension or clash between the institutions of Turkey. Referring to an 'action plan' against his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, Erdogan said that Turkey has become one single heart against scenarios that are not democratic and legal. "We will continue to make reforms without cutting speed. Promises made to Turkey (by the EU) must be kept," Erdogan also said.

ELEVEN PEOPLE INJURED IN KIRKUK BLAST BROUGHT TO TURKEY

Eleven people who were wounded in a blast in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk were brought to Turkey on Monday. Eleven people who were injured in the blast in south of Kirkuk on Saturday came to Turkey by a military plane under an instruction by President Abdullah Gul.

The injured were taken under treatment at Ankara and Diskapi hospitals in capital Ankara. At least 70 people were killed and more than 200 others were injured when a truck laden with explosives blew off as worshippers left a Shiite mosque in Taza, 20 kilometers south of Kirkuk on Saturday.

YENI SAFAK

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NIGHTMARE IN FOCA

A forest fire that broke out near a gendarmery training command between Bagarasi and Kozbeyli villages of Aegean town of Foca reached summer houses in a short time after it began. 500 houses were evacuated, but the fire, spreading due to strong winds, became the nightmare of citizens spending their holiday in the area.

ZEYNEP CONQUERED USA WITH HER TEST

Zeynep Ilgaz Pala has become the hope of U.S. parents with the "home test set" she manufactured in a company she set up in the United States. Pala won "rising star" award granted to people who take giant economic steps. The device Pala's company is manufacturing can test whether or not a person is using drugs from his/her hair at home, and without applying to any institution. Pala's test set is the only home device of its type in the United States.

ANTENNA OF STATE IN DARK HANDS

Fatih Karaca, the former chairman of the Turkish Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK), asked Turkey to immediately pass a regulation that would arrange radio and television broadcasts. Karaca said, "some circles prevent a frequency tender. Public sources are being used free of charge."

VATAN

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LIEUTENANT COLONEL SENTENCED TO 42 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FALSE REPORT

Lieutenant colonel doctor Habil Tunc, working at the Gulhane Military Medical Academy, was sentenced to 41 years and 8 months in prison for giving false medical disability reports for men to pave their way off military service in return for bribe.

The First Army Command Military Court also decided to expel Tunc from the army, and seized the bribe he got. A warrant of arrest has been issued for Tunc, who was being tried in his absence because he can run away due to the sentence.

DIFFERENT SIGNATURE RAISES DOUBTS

The signature that navy colonel Dursun Cicek put under his testimony at the military prosecutor's office last week and his 21 other signatures found on documents seized by Ergenekon case prosecutors were made public on Monday. The signature on the reactionary movement document and the signatures Cicek put under several documents like credit card, passport and gun license were similar to each other in "shape." However, it can be seen that the colonel's signature on his testimony was totally different.

Forensic medical experts, who examined the signatures and the reports prepared by gendarmery and police criminology laboratories, spoke to daily VATAN: "The criminology reports indicate that the photocopied version of the document was investigated, not the genuine one. It is difficult to make a definite assessment about whether the signature is genuine or not from the photocopied version. However, the colonel has changed his signature, and this raises doubts on him."

"NO CONFLICT AMONG US"

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan informed the ambassadors of European Union (EU) member states about the "reactionary movement document." Erdogan said, "a tension has not occurred in Turkey because of this document. A discussion has not begun, there is no conflict among institutions. On the contrary, Turkey has got the opportunity to show that it is a single body against illegal and undemocratic scenarios with this document."

CUMHURIYET

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CONTROVERSY OVER DOCUMENT GETS AWAY FROM QUESTIONING ITS ORIGINS

General Staff Military Prosecutor's Office announced that they got the impression that the document was not written at any unit of the General Staff. The General Staff confirmed this announcement. The Gendarmerie and the police made statements suggesting that the autograph samples of Colonel Dursun Cicek resembled the signature on the said document.

However, the pro-government media is trying to draw the attention away from the question of where the original document is. While the first discussion on the issue focused on where the document was prepared and if it was authentic, recently discussions concentrated on the autograph on the photocopy. Even if the autograph is genuine, it could have been glued before photocopying or copy pasted in the computer environment.

TERRIFYING FLAMES IN FOCA

The fire which broke out in a scrubland in Foca, spread shortly with the effect of the wind. Utmost efforts were exerted to protect the summer houses. 500 summer houses were evacuated as precaution. Due to the wind which constantly blew from different directions, it was not before evening that the fire was contained.

RADIKAL

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JOYFUL GALATASARAY

Turkey's soccer giants Galatasaray signed a contract with soccer star Gokhan Zan on Monday. Zan played for Besiktas soccer club as a defender for the last four seasons. Besiktas were the champions of Turkcell Super League in 2008-2009 season.

GOVERNMENT'S INCOME FROM TAXES OF 50 PROVINCES DROPS IN 2009

Turkish government's income from taxes paid in 50 provinces has dropped significantly in 2009 when compared to the same term last year. Among the provinces where the government's income from taxes has declined are Kocaeli, Istanbul, Izmir and Bursa. The decline in tax income took place due to the global financial crisis, said government officials.

HURRIYET

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KAZAKH OPPONENT FOR GALATASARAY

Galatasaray soccer team of Turkey, who started to get prepared for 2009-2010 football season on Monday, matched with Togol team of Kazakhstan in the second qualifying round of UEFA European League. Also, Galatasaray signed Gokhan Zan, a player of their city rivals Besiktas, for two years.

PRAYER AND CARNATION FOR NAZIM HIKMET

Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan visited the grave of world-famous Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet in Moscow, prayed for him and laid carnations on his grave. Toptan said he was sincerely supporting the decisions the government had taken recently regarding Nazim Hikmet.

GIANT FIRE IN YENI FOCA DISTRICT

A forest fire broke out in Yeni Foca district of Foca resort town of the Aegean province of Izmir around noon on Monday. The fire spread under strong winds, and the smoke could even be seen from nearby towns of Aliaga and Menemen. The fire threatened holiday sites, and 200 houses were evacuated.

MILLIYET

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GUL UNDERSCORES FREEDOM OF PRESS

President Abdullah Gul who attended the anniversary of the Photo Reporters' Association in Ankara emphasized the importance of the freedom of press. Gul said the free press made countries more transparent and helped democracy take root. "If the free press is missing in a country, there are many other things that are lacking. If the truth and wrongdoing in a country are not freely covered, than there will be a big tendency in that country towards the wrong things," said Gul.

ERDOGAN: WE DID NOT LOSE OUR EU ENTHUSIASM

Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the constant discussion over the status of Turkey in the EU was not in line with the pacta sunt servanda principle. Erdogan who got together with ambassadors of EU countries said there has not been the slightest decline in Turkey's enthusiasm or momentum towards the EU goal. However the attitude of certain EU countries paved the way for an erosion in the enthusiasm for EU in the society.

SABAH

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ERDOGAN SENDS 3 MESSAGES TO EU

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted a luncheon in honor of ambassadors of EU member countries in Ankara on Monday. Erdogan told the ambassadors that a debate on Turkish democracy did not begin after a military document was found that listed a plan to do away with the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party. "Turkey has become a single heart against scenarios that are out of democracy," Erdogan said. "Using Turkey's EU membership issue in domestic politics will benefit no one," Erdogan also said.

STRUGGLE UNTIL PKK DISSOLVES COMPLETELY, GEN. BASBUG

In a speech delivered at the "Silk Road-2009 General/Admiral Seminar" in Istanbul on Monday, the Chief of Turkish General Staff, Gen. Ilker Basbug, said that Turkey will continue to struggle against terrorist PKK until it gets dissolved completely. "Terror has become a threat not only for the international community but also for NATO which is celebrating its 60th anniversary," Gen. Basbug stressed.

AA