HURRIYET

--A TURKISH SOLDIER COSTS $6,000 WHILE A U.S. SOLDIER COSTS $90,000,

 REAGAN

The memoirs of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan have been published.  The 767-page book contains some interesting comments on Turkey. On April 2, 1985, Reagan said that he was visited by the then Turkish Prime Minister Turgut Ozal. "We get along with Ozal better than we do with the Greek Prime Minister," Reagan said. On Aug. 8, Reagan said that he wanted more financial sources for foreign aid. "No one understands the need for more financial sources. A Turkish soldier costs $6,000 per year. If we were to replace this soldier with an American one, we would have to pay $90,000 per year," Reagan also said.

--AVERAGE AGE OF TURKISH CEOS GOES DOWN TO 52

The average age of Turkish chief executive officers has fallen to 52. Turkish CEOs are around 11 years younger than their American counterparts. However, due to the global financial crisis, older business executives are in more demand by corporations than younger ones.

MILLIYET

--ENTRANCE OF REBIYA KADEER TO TURKEY PREVENTED BECAUSE OF HER SPEECH

Entrance of Rebiya Kadeer to Turkey had been prevented due to a note delivered by China to Turkey about speech she made in Yalova in 2006.        

Kadeer, chairperson of World Uighur Congress and Uighur American Association, came to Istanbul in 2006 to attend a meeting of Uighurs in Yalova.

Entrance of Kadeer to Turkey was not considered proper as she was in the "black list" of China.

Kadeer had a heart spasm during the procedures and was later given visa with by special approval from prime ministry upon initiatives from Uighur Turks.

Kadeer traveled to Yalova where she criticized China's implementations on Uighur Turks in a speech. China handed a note to Turkey in which the country expressed its uneasiness. Upon this, Kadeer was refused a visa to avoid disrupting relations with China.

However, upon developments in Urumchi, following the statement of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan that, "Turkey will issue a visa if she applies", Kadeer applied to the U.S. Embassy, and is expected to arrive in Turkey in 10-15 days.

SABAH

--SECOND PEACE BRIDGE

The foundation of the Nabucco Natural Gas Pipeline Project, described as the peace and stability project of the 21st century, will be laid in Ankara on Monday at a ceremony. Five heads of state and government will sign the deal for the agreement that will unite the fate of countries in the axis of the Caspian-Middle East and the EU, in the same line.

--ANTI-SMOKERS AFTER ADDICTS

Some 4,167 people are ready to inspect the enforcement of a smoking ban due to take effect on July 19. Smoking will be forbidden in places like restaurants, cafes and night clubs. A total of 1,571 teams in 81 provinces will be assigned to inspect the ban is being enforced.        

If necessary, voluntary anti-smokers will be used to inspect the ban.

VATAN

--THERE WILL NOT BE AN "OTHER" FOR US, SARIGUL

Mayor of the Sisli district of Istanbul, Mustafa Sarigul, recently resigned from the Democratic Left Party, or DSP. Sarigul and his friends are preparing to establish a new political party in Turkey. Turkey needs new hope and energy, Sarigul stressed. There will not be an "other" for us, Sarigul said.

Women with or without headscarves will be our sisters, Sarigul also said.

--NABUCCO PROJECT WILL BRING TAX REVENUE OF 4.2 BLN EURO, YILDIZ         Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said that the Nabucco project will bring tax revenue of 4.2 billion euro annually. The Nabucco project underlines the importance of Turkey, Yildiz said. Thanks to the Nabucco project, around 5,000 people will be employed for the construction of the natural gas pipeline that will carry natural gas from Caspian and Middle Eastern regions to Europe. An inter-governmental agreement will be signed in Ankara on Monday for the realization of the Nabucco project.

CUMHURIYET

--BACK STEP IN NABUCCO

Turkey has accepted to become a "passive transit country" in the Nabucco project for which an inter-governmental signing ceremony will be held in Ankara on Monday. The Turkish government decided not to purchase 15 percent of the natural gas carried by the Nabucco pipeline. Instead, the Turkish government decided to establish a company called the Caspian Energy Corporation. The company will receive natural gas orders from countries and will negotiate with supplier countries.

--TENSION IN TURKISH-PALESTINIAN RELATIONS

In a recent visit to the Greek Cypriot administration, the President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas had said that he supports "Greek Cypriot" arguments in regard to the island of Cyprus. Such remarks from Abbas created much tension in Turkish-Palestinian relations. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Palestinian Ambassador in Ankara and requested information about the remarks made by Abbas.

RADIKAL

--IMF: TURKEY IS MORE RESISTANT AND FLEXIBLE AGAINST CRISIS

The International Monetary Fund, or IMF, said the global crisis affected Turkey like other countries; however, the Turkish economy was resistant and more flexible against shocks.

IMF executives said there may be an agreement with Turkey prior to the meeting on Sept. 28.

According to the latest information gathered in the IMF analysis, Turkey gained a more flexible structure against economic shocks as a result of the reforms it has fulfilled.

The analysis also said Turkey in Autumn would host one of the world’s most important meetings of the past 60 years in the midst of the global crisis.

--ABUNDANCE OF RAIN DESPITE EXCESSIVE HEAT

There is good news despite the excessive summer heat, with the precipitation rate increasing 20 fold in the past nine months over the same period of last year. Dams in Istanbul are 90 percent full.

Rainfall will continue in July and August.

YENI SAFAK

--SHE WAS HOSTAGED IN HER FIRST SAILING

Captain Aysun Akbay was among the 23 crew members of Horizon 1 that was seized by pirates from Somalia. This was her first time at the helm.        

The family of Akbay, residing in Aegean province of Izmir, said Akbay started to work on the ship just two months ago.

--THY FLIES TO TORONTO

 Turkish Airlines started flights to Toronto, Canada. Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim and several other executives were aboard the first flight.

--TRADE SAMBA WITH SOUTH AMERICA

Zafer Caglayan, state minister for foreign trade, will travel to Brazil and Chile to sign a free trade agreement aimed at boosting exports and commercial cooperation with the South America region.

Caglayan, accompanied by a 120-strong-delegation, will depart Turkey on Sunday evening.