Turkey-press scan on June 11

ZAMAN

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ERDOĞAN: "IF WE HAD SAID YES, WE WOULD HAVE DENIED OURSELVES"

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey voted "no" to UN Security Council's sanctions against Iran, because Turkey, Iran and Brazil signed nuclear swap deal. "If we had said 'yes' to sanctions, we would have denied ourselves. It would have been a dishonor. We did not want to participate in such a dishonor because history will not forgive us," Erdoğan told the inauguration of Turkish-Arab Cooperation Forum in İstanbul.

TURKISH OLYMPICS END WITH GREAT CEREMONY

Turkish Language Olympics ended with a great ceremony attended by prominent names from politics, sports and media. Children from 120 countries from France to Indonesia and from Albania to Mozambique participated in the 8th Turkish Language Olympics. The main purpose of the Olympics is to promote the Turkish language around the world.

YENİ ŞAFAK

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HISTORY WOULD HAVE NOT FORGIVEN US IF WE HAD SAID YES

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that during the talks in the United Nations Security Council they had backed the deal signed in Tehran. Erdoğan said, "we would have denied ourselves if we hadn't said no. History and next generations would have not forgiven us if we had been involved in such a mistake."

WE RESCUED LEBANON

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu explained reasons for one-hour delay in the critical voting in the United Nations. Davutoğlu said, "yes or no vote could lead to collapse of government in Lebanon. We have made Lebanon give "abstained" vote following a three-hour telephone traffic."

NATO BASE IN İZMİR TO BE CLOSED

NATO, planning to reduce its command structure to two headquarters, will close its air command in Aegean province of İzmir. Fate of the headquarter will become definite at the NATO meeting. Turkey does not oppose to the decision in principle.

TÜRKİYE

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IF WE HAD SAID YES, HISTORY WOULD HAVE NOT FORGIVEN US

Premier Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who addressed the Turkish-Arab Cooperation Forum, said Turkey stood behind its signature for peace during the voting in the United Nations.

"If we have said 'no', this would have been a dishonest behaviour. History would not have forgiven us. Future generations would have not forgiven us," said Erdoğan.

Erdoğan said, "nothing can be achieved with arms, embargoes or exclusion. The world has experienced it, and paid heavy costs in the past. We are still paying heavy costs in Iraq."

SIKORSKY CRASHES: 3 KILLED

A Sikorsky helicopter belonging to the Gendarmerie General Command crashed in the Gokdere Sehitler Plateau in Tunceli around 10:45am. Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Levent Tabak, Pilot First Lieutenant Murat Saraç and Technician Staff Sergeant Kamil Tuna were killed in the accident.

HÜRRİYET

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TURKS CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT ARABS

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech in the inauguration of Turkish-Arab Cooperation Forum in İstanbul on Thursday. Erdoğan said there was a deep-rooted relationship between Turks and Arabs, and Turks could not live without Arabs. In regard to some criticisms saying that Turkey changed its axis and drifted away from the West, Erdoğan said it was an ill-intentioned propaganda.

SIKORSKY CRASHES IN CENTRAL ANATOLIA, THREE SOLDIERS DEAD

A military helicopter crashed in the Black Sea province of Tokat killing Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Levent Tabak, Pilot Lieutenant Murat Saraç and Technician Staff Sergeant Kamil Tuna on board. Sikorsky military helicopter which took off from Giresun at 9.50 a.m. crashed Gokdere Plateau region at around 10.45 a.m. The cause of the crash is not known.

MİLLİYET

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TURKEY'S NEW TARGET IS MIDDLE EAST UNION

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan relayed the toughest message to the European Union (EU) in his 7-year power. Erdoğan said, "we are testing them, they are not aware of it."

Erdoğan said, "within EU there are some who want to hinder Turkey and open Turkey's membership to discussion. In fact, we are aware of their secret agenda, however, despite this, we continue to fulfill the requirements of the EU regulations. It is a test. EU is not aware that it is under a test. We will see whether it is sincere or not."

To the United States, Erdoğan said, "we have signed Tehran agreement because our target is to solve everything on the table. We have seen examples of it. We are still paying costs in Afghanistan and Iraq. Millions of people died. Who are the perpetrators? Shall we remain silent? Those who turned this geography into such a region should pay the price before the history."

FROM SİNOP TO SUDAN, FROM STRAIT TO ADEN

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu addressed the Turkish-Arabic Forum in İstanbul where representatives of 22 countries attended.

Davutoğlu said Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon would be announced as countries of free trade zone and a visa-free zone.

Davutoğlu said, "From Kars (Turkey) to Morocco and Mauritania, from Sinop (Turkey) to Sudan, from İstanbul Strait to Gülf of Aden, Turkish and Arab geographies own the most strategic belt of the world. We want to turn it into a security and economic integration belt. The foreign policy which we carry out under the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in fact targets to turn this whole basin into a single basin."

SABAH

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NO AXIS SHIFT, JUST HELD OUR HEAD HIGH

Commenting on Turkey's against vote on the UN Sanctions Package against Iran, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, "If we had not said no to the sanctions package, we would have denied our signature under the Tehran agreement, and the history would have never forgiven us."

"Those who are talking about an axis shift are ill-willed propaganda tools. Western countries are making investments in the Arab countries and it's perfectly normal, but when it comes to Turkey's investments dirty hands get in the way," said Erdoğan.

"Turkey is not intending to show off in the region. We believe unlawfulness and piracy are harming the region. It is time to exert efforts for peace," said Erdoğan.

TURKEY INSISTS ON APOLOGY FROM ISRAEL

Turkey's Ambassador in Washington D.C., Namik Tan told New York Times that Israel should apologise for the murders and pay indemnity.

VATAN

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TURK CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT ARAB

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at a summit in İstanbul attended by foreign ministers of 17 countries. Erdoğan told participants of Turkish-Arab Forum that Turks could not live without Arabs. Erdoğan said, "we share the same geography and also share a common history, culture and civilization." Erdoğan said some who claimed that Turkey drifted away from the West were making ill-intentioned propaganda.

IS THAT MIDDLE EAST UNION?

A new alliance has been formed among Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria under the name of "High-Level Quadruple Council". These four countries will form a free trade zone and a visa-free zone. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said he hoped that it would also cover other regional countries in time. Davutoğlu said that the zone of free movement of goods and persons should not be considered an alternative to European Union. He said Turkey was resolute on its bid for EU membership.

RADİKAL

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A TRADITION ENDS

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan refused request of U.S. President Barak Obama to say "yes" prior to voting on Iran in the United Nations. Thus, for the first time, the tradition in Turkey-U.S. relations to fulfill the "demands made in the highest rank" was violated.

Erdoğan and Obama talked for 45 minutes ahead of the voting in the UN. Obama demanded vote from Turkey in favor of the sanctions. However, Erdoğan said its voting "yes" would not reconcile with the stance of his government when the signatures made in Iran were evident.

According to diplomatic sources, Turkey's response constituted a landmark in bilateral relations.

HELICOPTER DISASTER

A Sikorsky helicopter crashed in Black Sea province of Tokat because of a technical failure. Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Levent Tabak, Pilot Lieutenant Murat Saraç and Technician Staff Sergeant Kamil Tuna died on board.