TURKIYE
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"DO NOT PLAY GAMES WITH TURKEY," TURKISH PRESIDENT TELLS FRENCH COUNTERPART
Turkish President Abdullah Gul gave clear messages to his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy who visited Ankara on Friday, expressing Turkey's uneasiness over political obstacles on Turkey's European Union accession. "Turkey is one great country. No one shall play games with us," Gul was quoted as telling Sarkozy in a tete-a-tete meeting. Turkey also gave a low profile welcome to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, an opponent of Turkey's EU accession, who arrived in the Turkish capital on Friday for a brief visit as the rotating helm of the G20. He was greeted at the Esenboga Airport by Ankara's Mayor Melih Gokcek and Feridun Sinirlioglu, an undersecretary with the Turkish Foreign Ministry, alone.

TURKISH PREMIER DUE IN GERMANY
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit Germany on February 28 to participate and deliver a speech at the opening of in the CeBIT Fair in Hannover. Erdogan will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and he will also address Germany's Turks.

ZAMAN
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GUL: "EU SHOULD HONOR ITS WORD ON TURKEY'S EU BID"
Turkish President Abdullah Gul on Friday met with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy in the Turkish capital of Ankara. Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting Gul said the EU should honor its word on Turkey's membership. Sarkozy said he disagreed with Gul over Turkey's accession, offering "another solution."

GERMANY GREENLIGHTS TURKS TO VOTE IN TURKEY GENERAL ELECTIONS
German authorities have moved to allow its Turks to cast their votes for Turkey elections at Turkish consulates in Germany, which houses the largest number of Turkish citizens in Europe.

YENI SAFAK
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HISTORY LESSON TO SARKOZY
French President Nicholas Sarkozy was hosted with a low profile in Turkey where he paid a 6-hour visit.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made EU warning to French President Nicholas Sarkozy in the meeting at Prime Ministry.
Erdogan also gave as present a letter of French King Francois I to Suleyman the Magnificent asking help from the Ottoman ruler when he was taken as prisoner by Germans.

10,000 PEOPLE CAME, 4,000 OTHERS ON THE WAY
Turkey carries out successful works to bring its citizens from Libya. It was stated that more than 10,000 people were brought from the crisis region since February 19.
The ships "Iskenderun", "Ankara" and "Samsun" that departed for the region are expected to bring 4,000 people more.
Planes also have been bringing passengers in the "air corridor" formed between Turkey and Libya.

VATAN
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DON'T PLAY GAME WITH US
Six-hour Ankara visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who wanted to close doors of EU to Turkey, was uneasy. From the very beginning, Turkey was not affirmative to visit of Sarkozy to Turkey as the rotating president of G20. Furthermore, it was conveyed to Paris with a diplomatic language that it would be better if he does not come. However, Sarkozy insisted and came.
Gul spoke clearly with Sarkozy. "Turkish public thinks a play is underway in the EU against Turkey. Opposition against us led to disappointment and reaction," he said.
In the tete-a-tete meeting, Sarkozy said, "you saw me responsible as I clearly express my views. But there are others who do not want you in the EU. They do not say it to your face. I think my stance is more valuable."

ALARM FOR DIDEM
Didem Yaman, a lecturer in 18 Mart University in Canakkale, went to New Zealand for a 2-day holiday. Didem Yaman is in the list of missing people in the city of New Zealand which was hit by 6.3 magnitude earthquake that killed 102 people.
Yaman's school friends, relatives and Turkish embassy are looking for her.
Father of Didem, Izzet Yaman said, "telephone of my daughter is ringing but she does not open it."

CUMHURIYET
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HE SPOKE CLEARLY ALSO IN ANKARA
French President Nicolas Sarkozy who came to Turkey as the rotating president of G20, welcomed reluctantly.
President Abdullah Gul, speaking at a meeting with Sarkozy, stated that, "don't play game with us. We are resolved to walk on EU path despite you."
Sarkozy said many leaders opposed to Turkey's membership, noting only he talked explicitly. He said it was many times told Turkey that there would not be partnership.

CLINTON TO BE IN TURKEY IN MARCH
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will pay her postponed visit to Turkey in March.
CNN Turk said Clinton will come to Turkey in the second week of March. Clinton was earlier planned to visit Turkey in February but her visit was postponed because of the developments in the Middle East.

RADIKAL
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FOR TURKS VISA-FREE EU DELAYED
Turkey's hope to win visa-free entrance for its nationals to the European Union countries saw a backlash as an EU council of justice and interior ministers have refused to authorize European Commission to negotiate visa exemption for Turks. Turkey had reacted by declaring that it would not sign a readmission agreement with the EU, seen in Europe as a major step ward off illegal immigration. "Our European friends need to realize that we are not a country of second class citizens. Turkey will not sign or implement the Readmission Agreement unless the council authorizes the Commission for negotiations aimed at visa exemption," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Twitter.

TURKEY TO CUT TAX RATE ON ELECTRIC CARS
Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said the government is set to reduce private consumption tax to as low as 3 percent for on electric cars under 85 kilowatt of power. Private consumption tax for electric cars with 85-120 kilowatt and over 120 kilowatt power will be 7 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

HURRIYET
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FRENCH PRESIDENT RECEIVES RELUCTANT WELCOME IN TURKEY
Turkey gave a low profile welcome to French President Nicolas Sarkozy as he arrived in Ankara on Friday with sources close to the Turkish president saying that Turkey had been reluctant to host Sarkozy, a fierce opponent of Turkey's European Union accession. "We have conveyed our concern [over Sarkozy's insistence to visit Turkey] in an appropriate diplomatic fashion yet he showed up anyway. We did accept his visit due to our respect for the French people," one source has said. Appearing in a joint press meeting with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, Sarkozy said he supported Turkey's EU negotiations process but added that he had made no commitments over a full-fledged Turkish accession. Gul in response said, "our expectation is that EU honored its promises made under pacta sund servanda."

TURKEY CONTINUING LIBYA EVACUATION
Four C-130 and C-160 Hercules cargo planes with the Turkish Air Forces arrived early on Friday morning, bringing back more Turkish nationals in as part of an evacuation effort from Libya. The military cargo planes that took off from Tripoli landed at the Dalaman Airport. The number of Turkish nationals evacuated from Libya so far has reached 11 thousand.

MILLIYET
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DON'T PLAY GAME WITH US
The atmosphere which tensed after insistence of French President Nicholas Sarkozy to pay a visit to Turkey as the rotating president of G-20 and to keep time of his visit limited was reflected on the talks.
President Abdullah Gul said, "Don't come if you come under those conditions. A formal visit in the future will be more beneficial." However, when Sarkozy insisted, Ankara reluctantly said yes to the visit.
In the tete-a-tete meetings, referring to the EU, President Gul said, "membership talks started unanimously. Signatures were put but later there was a very big disappointment. Turkey is a big state, you can not play with it."
Separately, President Gul, referring to Sarkozy himself, said "we will walk on this path despite you."
Sarkozy, on his part said, "I am talking honestly. French people and Germany do not want."

TURKS HAD TO STAY IN TUNISIAN BORDER
Turkish citizens who went to Tunisian border to escape from Libya had serious difficulties.
Libyan authorities did not give permission to 250 Turkish workers for passage.

SABAH
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ANKARA WELCOMED AND SAW OFF SARKOZY WITH A LOW PROFILE
No minister welcomed French President Nicholas Sarkozy who came to Ankara on Friday as the rotating president of G-20.
Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek welcomed Sarkozy.
President Abdullah Gul who hosted lunch in the honor of Sarkozy, said European Union should keep its promise for EU membership.
Sarkozy again gave the message that another way could be found.

YOU ARE A MIRACLE NATION
Canadian businessman George Suchomel who was evacuated with Turkey's Orhangazi ferryboat had an interview with journalist Savas Ay and explained him what he experienced.
Suchomel said, "I could not reach Canadian Embassy for days. My Turkish friends offered help to me. You are a miracle nation."

AA