GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON JUNE 18

HURRIYET

--PROSECUTOR SAYS NO NEED TO PROBE TURKISH PRESIDENT OVER FORMER RULING PARTY FRAUD

A chief prosecutor in Ankara said that "there was no need to launch a probe" into Turkish President Abdullah Gul over an alleged involvement in a financial fraud in the defunct Welfare Party (RP).

"In line with the present constitutional system, it is ruled that there is no need for prosecution due to the legal impossibility without debating the evidence and elements of the accusations," the chief prosecutor said.

Gul was among former RP officials who were charged in what is publicly known as "the missing trillion case", in which RP leader and former premier Necmettin Erbakan was convicted of fraud for falsifying party records to hide RP's cash that were ordered to be seized after his party was disbanded in 1998.

--"I WILL TALK ABOUT TURKEY WITH SARKOZY," ISRAELI PRESIDENT SAYS

In an exclusive interview with Hurriyet, Israeli President Shimon Peres said that he would talk about Turkey with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy, who is set to pay a visit to Israel next week. Peres said he fully supported Turkey's membership to the European Union. Peres will give Sarkozy this message: "If you are not helping Turkey, you are not helping Iran."

MILLIYET

--RULING AKP NOT TO TAKE BACKWARD STEP

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) preserved its stance on several issues such as the headscarf, schools for the education of Islamic clerics and Koran courses in its defense that the party submitted to the Constitutional Court.

The AKP gave a message that the party would continue its struggle for lifting headscarf ban at universities. The party stressed in its defense that its political symbol was "a lightbulb not a headscarf".

--TWO MORE CHAPTERS OPENED TO NEGOTIATIONS

The EU opened negotiations with Turkey on "company law" and "intellectual property law" at the 5th Intergovernmental Conference which took place between Turkey and the EU in Luxembourg. The number of chapters opened became eight.

SABAH

--"CASE WILL BE FINALIZED IN JULY"

Chief prosecutor will make verbal explanation on the case filed against Turkey's ruling AKP on July 1.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the case could be finalized in the second half of July. Erdogan shared his views with his high level party officials.

--"I MAY SIGN FOR FENER", ARAGONES

Sabah asked Spain's coach Luis Aragones about claims that he had agreed on terms with Turkey's Fenerbahce team. Aragones said, "Of course I’ll sign for a team who has Alex de Souza and Roberto Carlos in their squad."

Fenerbahce officials are also interested in Frank Rijkaard of Holland, Vanderlei Luxemburgo of Brazil and Victor Fernandez of Spain.

--6 MLN EUROS FOR SERVET

English club Newcastle United wants Turkish defender Servet Cetin, who continued to play desipte serious injuries in Euro 2008 matches. Newcastle is willing to pay six million euros to Galatasaray for Servet. The English club also wants to sign Turkish midfielder Arda Turan, Servet's teammate.

VATAN

--ARSENAL WANTS ARDA

English soccer giant Arsenal's coach Arsene Wenger said that Turkey's national soccer player Arda Turan "is a fantastic player. I have been fascinated by Arda."

Arda has attracted global attention with his style and goals at the Euro 2008. Arda currently plays for Turkey's Galatasaray team. English Newcastle United wanted to add Arda to their squad sometime ago.

--GREAT BONUS FOR NATIONAL SOCCER PLAYERS

After having won their last two matches in Group (A) of the Euro 2008 and qualified for quarter finals, members of Turkey's national soccer team will each receive a bonus of 300,000 YTL (approx. $242,000). Turkey will take on Croatia in a quarter finals game on Friday. The game will kick off at 9:45 p.m. (GMT 1845).

CUMHURIYET

--"IT'S YOUR OWN PROBLEM"

EU's rotating president Slovenia's Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said the case against ruling AKP was Turkey's internal problem and that it would not have an impact on relations between Turkey and the EU.

Rupel said EU hoped Turkish parties would seek solutions in line with democratic secularism and principles of the law.

--STANDARD & POOR'S: "TURKEY'S RATING WILL NOT GO DOWN"

An analyst with the international rating agency Standard & Poor's said that the closure of ruling AKP, alone, would not affect Turkey's credit rating.

Turkey analyst Farouk Soussa said the important thing was how investors would react to that. He said, according to scenarios, the possibility of lowering Turkey's rating was not high.

RADIKAL

--ERDOGAN: "SECULARISM IS POSSIBLE ONLY WITH DEMOCRACY"

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who delivered a speech at his party's group meeting gave examples by using football terminology.

Erdogan said, "Ninety minutes is not enough for success. There is need for a struggle till the last breath." Erdogan said concepts like the republic, secularism and state of law were the main principles of democracy. The republic and secularism could exist only with democracy, he stated.

--TWO MORE CHAPTERS OPENED TO TALKS

The EU opened two more chapters "company law" and "intellectual property law" of the 35 chapters in the membership talks with Turkey. The number of chapters that were opened to negotiations has reached eight.

YENI SAFAK

--EUROPE TALKS ABOUT THEM

Turkey's qualifying to the quarter-finals in Euro 2008 topped the agenda in several countries. Some news reports said Britain's football club Arsenal was interested in midfielder Arda Turan.

--WE DID NOT GET OFF THE TRAIN

A news report which said four deputies of the ruling AKP decided to resign was denied. The news story claimed that Ulku Gokalp Guney, Vahit Erdem, Yasar Eryilmaz and Feyzi Isbasaran decided to resign from the party.

Eryilmaz said, "I will go on my way with my party. I spoke to my friends (mentioned in the news story) and they don't have any notion of resigning."