TURKIYE

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TRNC 25 YEARS OLD

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is isolated from the world with heavy sanctions, will celebrate its 25th foundation anniversary today. TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat released a message like a response to the world, and said, "when a people and its government are ignored, this does not make them disappear."


FLOOD OF LOVE TO GUL

President Abdullah Gul, who went to Azerbaijan for Energy Summit, was welcomed with Turkish and Azerbaijani flags. Speaking at the summit, Gul showed the way of peace in Caucasus. He said that cooperation in energy area brought permanent stability to the region.


ZAMAN

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ERDOGAN: RELATIONS TO DEVELOP IN OBAMA PERIOD

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the strategic targets of Turkey and the U.S. were the same, but sometimes there could be several misunderstandings stemmed from informatics difficulties like in Iraq War. Erdogan said that the relations between Turkey and the U.S. --especially about cooperation against PKK terrorist organization-- would further develop in Obama period.


PRICE OF OIL DROPS 53 PERCENT IN U.S., 18 PERCENT IN TURKEY

Barrel price of oil dropped to 55 percent. After this drop, the oil price in the U.S. decreased 53 percent in the last three months. The decrease in Turkey remained on 18 percent.


YENI SAFAK

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FAREWELL TO LAST HERO

The last veteran of War of Independence Sekip Birgol was laid to rest in Karacaahmet Cemetery after a state ceremony in Selimiye Barracks. Relatives of Birgol, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, State Minister Hayati Yazici, Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug and other civilian officials attended the ceremony.


STANDARD BLACKMAIL

Standard & Poor's changed Turkey's outlook from stable to negative. The institution wanted Turkey to reach an agreement with IMF to find external loan.


VATAN

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ERDOGAN'S POLLYANNA

Economists, behind the scenes, speak of the rosy picture drawn by the State Minister for economy Mehmet Simsek as the cause of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks that underestimated the global financial crisis.

"Thank God, we firmly stand on our feet... Crisis went off on a tangent to us... We weathered the crisis thanks to TOKI (Housing Development Administration of Turkey)... I will not let IMF throttle us."

These statements made by Erdogan have surprised economists and businessmen. Economists at the backstage of Ankara bureaucracy say there are two reasons for Erdogan's calm stance. First, none of the bureaucrats or ministers can not tell him the actual situation and they fear because the "boss may get mad." Second is the rosy picture drawn by Mehmet Simsek, State Minister for economy.


STANDARD & POOR'S DOWNGRADES TURKEY'S RATING

International credit rating agency Standard & Poor's revised Turkey's credit rating outlook to negative from stable due to difficulties in external financing.


CUMHURIYET

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MILD TO IRAN, HARSH TO EU

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that those, who were against Iran's producing nuclear weapons, should not have nuclear weapons too. Erdogan also said that the EU continuously brought obstacles (before Turkey), and said, "if it is not going to happen, then say it."


FAREWELL TO THE LAST VETERAN

The funeral of retired Colonel Mustafa Sekip Birgol (105), the last veteran of the War of Independence, was carried to Karacaahmet Cemetery after a prayer at Selimiye Mosque and a military ceremony at First Army Command in Istanbul yesterday. Citizens escorted the funeral of Birgol with applause and carnations.


RADIKAL

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BANKERS AND BUSINNESMEN: INTERVENTION IN CRISIS SHOULD NOT BE LATE

Bankers and real sector demand urgent measures against the crisis just like economists. Dominating argument is that the government should support banks, and banks should give a hand to real sector.


ARMENIA MESSAGES

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent a message to U.S. president-elect Barack Obama to stop congress resolution on Armenian allegations.

"It is not fair to make a judgement about a country upon cheap political lobbying," he said.

HURRIYET

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TURKISH DIPLOMATS HOLD SECRET TALKS

Neslihan, a Turkish ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia late October, is anchored at the port of Eyl, where the most of the hijacked vessels are kept by the armed pirates and white people are not allowed. Pirates are expected to bring here another Turkish vessel "Karagol" which was hijacked three days ago.

A group of Turkish diplomats has arrived in the region via Djibouti and they are now holding secret talks, officials said.


MILITARY TO BE ABLE TO GET ANY ARM WITHOUT TENDER

In a midnight operation in the parliament, the government has met first part of demands made by Turkish military after the deadly attack on an outpost in Aktutun, Hakkari. Some of the important defence industry procurements and tenders, especially for the construction of outpost buildings, to be made by the Turkish Armed Forces, were kept out of the public procurement law.


MILLIYET

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FAREWELL TO 'LAST VETERAN'

Retired Colonel Mustafa Sekip Birgol, the last veteran of the War of Independence, was laid to rest with a state ceremony in Istanbul yesterday. The funeral was brought to the cemetery with carriage, and thousands of people escorted the cortege by applauding.


NUCLEAR WEAPON CRITICISM TO THE U.S.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave a message to the United States in Washington where he delivered a speech at Brookings Institute. Erdogan said that those, who were against Iran's producing nuclear weapons, should not have nuclear weapons too.


SABAH

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COUNTRY GRATEFUL TO YOU

Thousands of people participated in the funeral ceremony of retired Colonel Mustafa Sekip Birgol, the last veteran of the War of Independence, in Istanbul. High-level state officials, relatives of Birgol and thousands of citizens attended the state ceremony.


WHAT A RATING

Credit rating institution Standard & Poor's changed Turkey's outlook from stable to negative. The institution considers Iceland, which is about to go bankrupt, sounder than Turkey. The rating of the U.S. which is on the threshold of crisis is still the highest.

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