GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON MAR 18

These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in the Turkish press on March 18, 2009. Hurriyet Daily News Online does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.


HURRIYET
-- SULUKULE'S NEW RESIDENTS
Sulukule neighborhood in Istanbul, which used to be a Romany quarter and was evacuated for an urban transformation, was later occupied by members and supporters of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). The notary with the Deniz Feneri Association case, the son of a parliamentarian, and Mahmut Hodja (a retired imam of Ismailaga Mosque in Istanbul) are among the new residents.

-- PHANTOM CRASHES, KILLING PILOT
A military plane took off from the Third Main Base in the central province of Konya on Tuesday for a training flight. The F4 (Phantom) jet suffered a breakdown and the two pilots ejected at the last moment. The jet burst into flames after crashing near Ayisigi village. Pilot Murat Turkmen died while his colleague Ugur Aydin survived with minor injuries.

MILLIYET
-- "WE WILL GO IF COURT INVITES," FORMER GENERAL STAFF CHIEFS
Former General Staff Chief retired Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, whose name is allegedly mentioned in some of journalist Mustafa Balbay's notes, said that he would attend court if he was invited by the Turkish judiciary powers (under the Ergenekon probe). "I would not say 'no' if the court invites me either as a witness or a suspect," Ozkok said. Commenting on the remarks about him in Balbay's notes, Former General Staff Chief retired Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said that he was quite sad about such allegations. Buyukanit also said that he would appear before the court if he was asked and he would tell the truth.

-- MILITARY TRAINING PLANE CRASHES: 1 PILOT DEAD
An F-4 military training aircraft crashed near Altinekin town of the central Turkish province of Konya. Lieutenant Murat Turkmen lost his life while Lieutenant Ugur Aydin was wounded.

SABAH
-- PKK TO GIVE ARMS TO USA
Iraq's President Jalal Talabani said he would make a call to the PKK to lay down arms during the International Kurdish Conference that would convene in Arbil in April. "I think the PKK will accept this call of all Kurdish parties. It will be an important step. I hope Turkey would later take measures to persuade them to return from the mountains."

-- ERDOGAN: WE HAVE TAKEN 40 MEASURES
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, while commenting on the measures implemented against the economic crisis, said, "We have taken nearly 40 measures so far and we have already started to put them into practice. We continue to deal with corruption and poverty."

-- MILITARY PLANE CRASHES: ONE DEAD
An F-4 military plane crashed near central Anatolian province of Konya while on a training flight. There were two pilots on board the plane. One of them was killed while the other survived the accident with injuries.

VATAN
-- FROM TALABANI TO PKK: PERIOD OF ARMED STRUGGLE ENDED
President Abdullah Gul met with Iraq's President Jalal Talabani who is currently in Istanbul to attend the 5th World Water Forum. Gul told Talabani that, "We will learn to share happiness if we use our brains, and we will learn to share sorrows if we can not use our brains." In an exclusive interview with broadcaster CNN, Talabani made a call to PKK and said, "The period of armed struggle ended and the period of political struggle started. It is time to start a new life."

-- SALARIES ARE FROM STATE
Some 1,501 companies have so far applied to make use of the "provisional payment to employees by the state" issued to preserve employment in the economic crisis. Among those companies, there are Tofas, Renault, and Ford Otosan. The three automotive giants had to limit manufacturing because of decreasing demand in the markets.

CUMHURIYET
-- TRADE IN RETURN FOR SECURITY
The presidents of Turkey and Iraq, preparing to meet in Baghdad, held a preliminary meeting in Istanbul. President Abdullah Gul told Iraq's President Jalal Talabani that "everything would be easier" if security was ensured, and noted that commercial relations could improve from now on.

-- MILITARY PLANE CRASHES
One of two pilots, First Lieutenant Murat Turkmen, died and another pilot, Flight Lieutenant Ugur Aydin, was injured when an F-4 plane crashed during a training flight in Altinekin town in the central Anatolian province of Konya.

RADIKAL
-- INCREASE IN CAR SALES
After a remarkable decrease in the private consumption tax, there has been a high increase in car sales. Besides a decrease in private consumption tax, automotive companies also make extra discounts. Renault Mais has already reached its target on sales for March since the weekend.

-- KURDS MAKE A CALL TO PKK
President Abdullah Gul held a meeting with Iraq's President Jalal Talabani in Istanbul. Kurdish parties, who will gather at a conference at the end of April or in May, called on the terrorist organization PKK to lay down arms.



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