GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON JULY 9

HURRIYET

--PRESIDENT GUL APPROVES MILITARY COURT LAW

President Abdullah Gul approved a law that will allow the trial of military personnel by civilian courts in peacetime rather than in military courts. However, Gul asked the government to make new amendments to allay concerns regarding discipline and legal assurances during military service. "Mr. President has stated that it would be appropriate to make necessary amendments urgently," Gul's office said in a statement. Turkish Parliament passed the legislation late June.

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--INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FALLS BY 17.4 PCT

Industrial production in Turkey fell by 17.4 percent in May, 2009. Such percentage fall was cause for hope for most economists. According to the Turkish Board of Statistics, or TUIK, industrial production in Turkey fell the most in February 2009 at 23.8 percent.

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--TURKISH CYPRIOTS RECEIVE ONLY 38.5 MILLION EURO FROM EU

The European Commission, or EC, had allocated a financial assistance of $259 million for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, or TRNC, in 2004, the year when 65 percent of Turkish Cypriots voted "yes" for peace and solution based on the Annan Plan. Due to obstacles created by the Greek Cypriots, the TRNC has so far only received 38.5 million euro of assistance from the EC. At least 130 million euro from the EC was to be used for infrastructure projects in the TRNC.

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--NOW IS TIME TO ENCOURAGE PRODUCTION, HISARCIKLIOGLU

The chairman of Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, or TOBB, Rifat Hisarciklioglu, said that now is the time to encourage production rather than investments in Turkey. Encouraging investments is crucial in the long run. However, for today, we must encourage production, Hisarciklioglu said.

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MILLIYET

--BILL GATES EXCITEMENT IN BATMAN

Ihsan Ramazan Tunc, an entrepreneur conducting business both in Istanbul and the southeastern province of Batman, opened a computer class to guide Batman’s youth. He looked for instructors in many cities, however, nobody wanted to come to Batman. Then, Tunc sent e-mails to Bill Gates via 15 different e-mail addresses. Two weeks later, Microsoft Turkey contacted him. Tunc, who was surprised by the call, said, "They sent two instructors. We have trained 400 people for free so far."

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SOMALI PIRATES ABOARD TURKISH SHIP AGAIN

A Turkish-flagged cargo ship, "Horizon 1", was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. The ship has 23 crew members on board.

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ONE MORE WORKER KILLED IN TUZLA

Fire broke out in a tanker at Celik Trans Shipyard in the Tuzla Shipyard Zone in Istanbul. Bayram Kutuk died after he was trapped by flames and smoke, while two other workers were slightly injured.

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SABAH

--PRESIDENT GUL APPROVES CRITICAL LAW

President Abdullah Gul approved a law that allows the trial of military personnel by civilian courts in peacetime, rather than military courts. Gul also asked the government to make amendments to allay concerns regarding discipline and legal assurances during military service. Gul's office said that it was an amendment that complied with agreements in place with the EU.

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--ERDOGAN: "THIS VIOLENCE MUST BE ENDED"

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey will ask the U.N. Security Council to discuss ways to end the violence in Urumchi --the capital of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. "We will put the events happening in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region onto the agenda of the United Nations' Security Council," Erdogan told a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, in Istanbul. Erdogan said the violence must end and the necessary measures should be taken within the scope of human rights.

 

VATAN

--ERDOGAN CALLS ON CHINA TO 'STOP VIOLENCE'

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey was following the incidents in Xinjiang with concern and regret. He said, "We consider our Uighur brothers and sisters as a bridge between Turkey and China, with which we have a good cooperation. Turkey expects the incidents, which have reached a violent level, to end."

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--DTP EXECUTIVES HAVE 7 DEMANDS FROM GUL

The executives of Democratic Society Party, or DTP, who are waiting for an appointment from the Cankaya Presidential Palace, have some demands: President Abdullah Gul shall make "arbitration," unconditional general pardon shall be declared, ethnical origin shall not be emphasized in the Constitution, education in the mother tongue shall be initiated, Kurdology institutes shall be opened in universities, obstacles before Kurdish broadcasts shall be lifted, and the names of villages shall be returned.

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CUMHURIYET

--PIRATES HIJACK TURKISH SHIP

Pirates hijacked a Turkish cargo ship en route from Saudi Arabia to Jordan in the Gulf of Aden. Five pirates hijacked a Turkish cargo ship with 23 crewmen on board. Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim said that two Turkish frigates "Gediz" and "Gaziantep" were in pursuit of the hijacked ship.

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--ONE WORKER KILLED IN FIRE IN TUZLA SHIPYARDS ZONE

One worker died in the fire which broke out in Tuzla Shipyards Zone in Istanbul. Worker Bayram Kutuk died when fire broke out in fuel tank of a ship, "Noussa", at Celik Trans Shipyard. The number of fatal accidents in shipyards this year rose to 9.

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RADIKAL

--BUSINESSES MAY TAKE TO STREETS TO PROTEST NEW RESTRICTIONS ON SMOKING

New restrictions on smoking will take effect in Turkey as of July 19.

 

Sources say that thousands of business owners may take to streets to protest the new restrictions on smoking. Chairman of Federation of Turkish Coffee House Owners, Murat Agaoglu, said that they are receiving protest calls from all corners of Turkey on the new restrictions on smokers. "We are trying to calm down business owners. One day, 20-30,000 people may take to the streets in every province of Turkey to protest the new regulations that prohibit smoking in indoor public spaces," Agaoglu stressed.

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--WE ARE FOLLOWING INCIDENTS IN XINJIANG WITH REGRET AND CONCERN, PM

 ERDOGAN

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said that his government was following the incidents taking place in Xinjiang, China, with pain and concern. We expect to see an urgent end to the incidents in Xinjiang, Erdogan stressed.

 

YENI SAFAK

--PIRATES HIJACK TURKISH SHIP

Somali pirates hijacked the Turkish-flagged ship, "Horizon-1", which was carrying cargo from Saudi Arabia to Jordan. The three pirates who took the control of the ship that was carrying 33,000 metric tons of sulphur have not yet demanded a ransom.

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--126TH DEATH IN TUZLA

Dock worker, Huseyin Ibir, died in the Celik Shipyard in the Tuzla Shipyards Zone which has been high on the agenda due to work-related accidents. The number of workers that have died due to accidents in Tuzla Shipyards Zone reached 126 with this latest death.

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--CIVILIAN JURISDICTION FOR SOLDIERS

President Abdullah Gul approved the law that allows the trial of military personnel by civilian courts rather than military courts during peace time.