These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on May 15th, 2008.

- 15 / 05 / 2008 08:35

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

SPECIAL FORCES CHASE VILLAINS

Special Forces teams which were dropped off at the Kato mountain in the southern province of Sirnak with helicopters, are pursuing 200 PKK terrorists that attacked the Aktutun outpost, killing 6 troops. 
    
VAKIFBANK: LOAN WAS GRANTED AFTER ASSURANCE

Vakifbank said that the loan granted to Calik group during the sale of Sabah-ATV media group, was given after taking necessary measures and receiving necessary assurances. 
    
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK TO GIVE 500 MLN USD LOAN TO TURKISH ENTERPRISES

Islamic Development Bank has said that it would extend over 500 million USD credit for small and medium sized enterprises in Turkey, signalling an increasing interest by the Gulf countries to invest in Turkish markets. The credits will be given by the International Islamic Trade Finance Co., which is a sub-company of the bank to boost trade ties between Muslim countries. 
    
QUEEN ELIZABETH II IN BURSA

The northwestern Turkish city of Bursa had one of its historic days on Wednesday, welcoming the British Queen Elizabeth II and her spouse Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip. The royal couple had lunch and watched a fashion show in a historical silk bazaar, visiting silk stores and shopping. They listened to a recital of a sura from the Quran at city's Yesil (Green ) Mosque and the Queen was presented with an English version of the Islam's holy book. 
    
YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)

SHE COVERED HER HEAD, LISTENED QURAN

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom visited Yesil Mosque and Tomb in northwestern province of Bursa. She listened to "Rahman" sura from Quran, and covered her head with a headscarf. A Quran in English was presented to Queen as a gift. Queen Elizabeth II, together with President's wife Hayrunnisa Gul and Foreign Minister's wife Zeynep Babacan, bought a silk fabric at historical Koza Han (Silk Cocoon Market). 
    
PKK HARMS KURDS

Democratic Society Party (DTP) group chairman Ahmet Turk said that PKK's armed struggle harmed Kurdish people. He said, "A peaceful step shall be taken and a political project shall be developed about Kurdish problem."

VATAN (INDEPENDENT)

HE BOWED BEFORE MAN WHO DEFEATED HIS FATHER

British press organs wrote visit of Prince Philip --Duke of Edinburgh and spouse of Queen Elizabeth II-- to Ataturk's Mausoleum, Anitkabir, in Ankara with those headlines. Father of Prince Consort was the commander of Greek 2nd Army Corps which were defeated by Turkish forces under leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Sakarya Battle. 
    
TURK: PKK HARMS KURDS

Democratic Society Party (DTP) group chairman Ahmet Turk targeted PKK terrorist organization for the first time. Turk said, "I obviously and clearly say PKK's armed struggle harms Kurdish people. It strengthens the soldiers. A peaceful step shall be taken for solution, and if necessary we oppose PKK." 
    
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

TURKEY DRAWS UP NEW STRATEGY TO ACCESS TO SOUTHERN IRAQI OIL

After having been left out of a list of countries to explore oil in fields in southern Iraq, Turkey has come up with a new plan to engage with the British Petroleum Company to have access to the oil rich region. The Turkish government has sent an undersecretary from the Energy Ministry and a delegation to Britain, and it considers an agreement with the BP highly likely. 
    
"PKK IS DOING HARM TO KURDISH PEOPLE," OPPOSITION FIGURE SAYS

Ahmet Turk, chairman of DTP parliamentary group, said that the terrorist organization PKK "was doing harm to the Kurdish people." In an interview posted at the web-site of the Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Turk said the DTP would "engage in a struggle" to end the terrorist activities if "the Kurdish identity and language were recognized." "PKK's armed struggle is doing harm to the Kurdish people and it strengthens the hand of the military, who also wants to see a project for the solution of the problem," Turk said. 
    
RADIKAL (LEFT)

"MONITORING" CAUSES TENSION

A controversy came along when a car, which Osman Paksut, vice president of the Turkish Constitutional Court, was suspecting of following him, turned out to be a police car, and the controversy still continues. Interior Minister Besir Atalay said everything was a misunderstanding while Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said, "If Paksut speaks out, the discussion will end at least for those who mean good." 
    
LECTURE ON EARTHQUAKE TO STATE

The Council of State ruled that the administration could not get away by saying that earthquake was inevitable. A citizen in Istanbul filed a lawsuit for an amends of 95 YTL against the Avcilar Municipality after the earthquake in 1999. The administrative court ruled that the earthquake was an inevitable occurrence. The Council of State overruled the decision reasoning that the administration should pursue policies for constructing settlements considering the danger of earthquake and make inspections accordingly.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

QUEEN ELIZABETH LISTENS TO QURAN

Queen Elizabeth visited Yesil Mosque and Tomb before returning to Ankara. At the Yesil Mosque the Queen sat in front of the pulpit. Here, a theology professor from Uludag University in Bursa, Mehmet Emin Ay, recited the Rahman verse --telling about heaven and hell-- , the verse was simultaneously translated for the Queen. 
    
DALI EXHIBITION TO COME TO ISTANBUL FOR 7 MILLION YTL

AKBANK spent 7 million YTL (almost 5.6 million USD) to bring surrealist painter Salvador Dali's paintings to Istanbul. Suzan Sabanci Dincer, chairperson of Akbank's Executive Board used her personal influence for the most expensive art organization of Turkey which will begin on September 19th. 
    
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

BRITISH QUEEN VISITS BURSA

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and her spouse Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip visited the northwestern city of Bursa. The Queen and the Prince Consort toured the historical Koza Han (Silk Cocoon Market). They visited Yesil (Green) Mosque and Tomb, listening to a recital of a sura from Quran. The couple also attended a luncheon and watched Karagoz shadow puppet performance with a group of children. 
    
TURKEY'S MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY SUBMITS CENSURE MOTION AGAINST PREMIER

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) submitted to parliament a censure motion against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan related the sale of private news channel atv and the daily Sabah to Calik group, a Turkish conglomerate. "The Premier has abused his powers by intervening in the sale before and after the auction in order to achieve the desired results," the motion alleged. 
    
SABAH (LIBERAL)

PEOPLE NOT JUDGE ELECT THE GOVERNMENT

British Secretary of Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband, who accompanied Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in her visit to Turkey, held a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan after their meeting in Ankara. Regarding the closure case against ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party, Miliband said that it should be the people, not judges, who would elect the government. 
    
TURK: PKK HARMS KURDS

Democratic Society Party (DTP) group chairman Ahmet Turk said that the acts of PKK terrorist organization harmed Kurdish people. 
    
SUPPORT FROM QUEEN

Addressing President Abdullah Gul at Cankaya Presidential Palace, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom gave a supportive message, and said, his voice --together with Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan-- arising through Alliance of Civilizations was a call for modernization and moderation.