Turkey-press scan

ZAMAN

-----

BAHRİ TANRIKULU WORLD CHAMPION

Turkish taekwandoka Bahri Tanrıkulu, competing in 87 kilograms, defeated his Italian rival Carlo in the Taekwondo World Championship in Bellerup, Denmark, and won gold medal.

CLEAR MESSAGE FROM DAVUTOĞLU TO BOSNIAN LEADERS

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, "do not argue for election concerns, and unite around your national interest. Otherwise, you may be face to face with a worse situation than the Dayton order that punished the Bosnians who were exposed to massacre."

TÜRKİYE

-------

THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT SOLUTION WANT BLOODSHED

Speaking in the central city of Kirsehir, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said his government had launched a process to boost fraternity, however some circles were uneasy about that. Erdoğan said, "those who are fed with insolvability want young people to lose blood and mothers to go on crying."

NEW BUDGET TO BRING TURKEY OUT OF CRISIS

Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek made public the draft budget of 2010. The budget expenditures will be 286 billion Turkish liras (TL), the budget revenues will be 236 billion and the budget deficit will be 50 billion TL. Simsek said, "the budget of 2010 is one that will help our economy come out of the crisis."

YENİ ŞAFAK

----------

INTERPOL IN PURSUIT OF UZAN

Turkey issued a red notice for Cem Uzan about whom an arrest warrant was issued after he sought political asylum in France. Turkey's application to Interpol for a red notice through "diffusion" was accepted.

French Secretary of State for European Affairs Pierrre Lelouche, who is currently in İstanbul, said Cem Uzan was given a "residence permit" for three months and if his petition for asylum was turned down, he would be deported.

GAS PAIN IN BAKU

Azerbaijan administration once again resorted to the natural gas trump against Turkey's efforts to normalise its relations with Armenia.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said they sold natural gas to Turkey to one thirds of the global prices, signaling a rise in gas prices. Ilham Aliyev also threatened to bypass Turkey and sell Azerbaijani gas to markets over Russia and Iran.

HÜRRİYET

--------

LAST MINUTE CALL TO OBAMA

Turkish President Abdullah Gül called U.S. President Barack Obama at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, and asked him to help Turkey in two issues when Turkey was getting prepared for radical changes in its foreign policy. Gül told Obama to urge the Minsk Group to take action and solve the Upper Karabakh dispute, and to support settlement of Cyprus problem.

WE CANNOT STAND BY THOSE WHO ARE CRUEL

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized Israel on Saturday, without naming it. Erdoğan said, "Turkey cannot stand by those who are cruel. When some children open their eyes to a bright future, some open their eyes to a desperate future, pain and phosphorus bombs.

TURKEY TO REQUEST UZAN'S EXRADITION

Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said Turkey would request on Monday the extradition of businessman and politician Cem Uzan, who ran away to France. Ergin said, "there are arrest warrants in absentia for Cem Uzan regarding three files. Sisli Basic Criminal Court demanded Uzan be extradited. We will send our request on Monday."

MİLLİYET

--------

VACCINES FOR 28 MILLION PEOPLE

Health Minister Recep Akdag spoke to the Milliyet daily, and made public the road map to be followed in fighting swine flue. Turkish health teams will inject 40 million doses of vaccines till March. Akdag said they were planning to vaccinate 28 million people, and situation was under control in a school in Ankara where 32 people were infected with swine flu.

NO CONCESSION IN SALARY RISE

Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek announced that the government would raise the salaries of civil servants by 2.5 percent in January, and 2.5 percent in July 2010. Simsek said an average salary would rise to 1.518 Turkish liras (TL) in January and 1.555 TL in July 2010.

SABAH

-----

SEYDİ'S CONVOY

The first step in coming down from mountains. A group of PKK members who will come down from mountains with Seydi Fırat, a former member of the terrorist organization, will surrender to security forces in Habur on Monday.

Seydi Fırat surrendered to security forces with a group of people in 1999 after taking role in the political wing of the terrorist organization PKK and lived in Bekaa and Qandil for many years. Fırat proceeded to north of Iraq on behalf of Peace Assembly and contacted the top members of the organization.

As a first step, 30 people from Makhmour Camp will enter Turkey from Habur border crossing on Monday. Ten people from Qandil who can benefit from "efficient repentance" will also join this group. Then, a group will come from Europe.

Parliamentarians from the Democratic Society Party (DTP) and non-governmental organizations will welcome the group. Diyarbakir Bar Chairman Mehmet Emin Aktar said, "we will ask the prosecutor's office to release these people."

RED NOTICE FOR CEM UZAN

Interpol responded positively to Turkey's application to issue a red notice for Turkish politician and businessman Cem Uzan, who fled to France. Thus, Uzan will be wanted by red notice.

VATAN

-----

NOW, WE ARE "STRANGERS"

Azerbaijan made a harsh retaliation to Turkish-Armenian rapprochement. Turkish flags hung on Turkish Martyrdom in Baku were taken down saying, "foreign flags cannot be hung." Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said, "we will no more sell reasonable natural gas to Turkey." Azerbaijan, who reacted to the protocol signed between Turkey and Armenia, left aside "fraternity" when Azerbaijani flags were not allowed in a World Cup qualifier between Turkey and Armenia. Aliyev also said Ankara was continuously putting obstacles before transporting Shah Deniz-2 natural gas to Europe, and added, "we are seeking another alternative."

GÜL'S INTERPRETATION OF PKK'S COMING DOWN FROM MOUNTAINS

Thirty PKK members in Qandil and Makhmour camp will enter Turkey from Habur border crossing on Monday. Democratic Society Party (DTP) members will be at the border. President Abdullah Gül welcomed the development and said, "good, very good."

RADİKAL

-------

COMING DOWN FROM MOUNTAINS PROCESS CAN SPEED UP

A high-level official spoke to the Radikal daily on condition of anonymity, and said around 70-100 militants would come to Turkey as of Monday and start surrendering to security forces. Groups from not only Iraq but also various European countries are expected to come to Turkey. According to the official, if the process is not sabotaged, "return to home" process can speed up according to what happens to this pioneering group.

"BE ALERT TO THOSE WHO SLANDER"

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan complained about those who slander during the new initiative process. Erdoğan said, "there is no backward step in fight against terrorism. The terrorist organization does not represent our citizens of Kurdish origin, and will never be so. Be aware and alert to those who exploit tears and who carry out a slandering campaign."