GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON JUNE 26

HURRIYET
-- FORMER COUP GENERAL DEFIES TRIAL PROSPECTSÂ
Kenan Evren, leader of the military junta of a 1980 coup in Turkey and a former president of the country, has strongly reacted prospects of his standing trial for taking the rule by force. "Go to referendum and ask the people. If they say 'let him be tried,' then I promise, I will not leave it to the court, but I take my life with my own hands," Evren told daily Hurriyet. The main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, has proposed to amend an article of the Turkish Constitution which prevented the members of 1980 military junta from prosecution.
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-- FORMER HIGH RANKING GENERAL GIVES TESTIMONY IN ERGENEKON PROBE
Ret. General Cevik Bir, former deputy chief of military staff, gave his testimony to prosecutors as part of the Ergenekon investigation in Istanbul. Nuri Gundes, a former high level intelligence officer with the National Intelligence Organization, also gave his testimony to prosecutors. Both Bir and Gundes were said to have been summoned to the prosecutor's office as suspects.
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-- COURT SENTENCES MAN TO LIFE FOR MURDERING ITALIAN ARTIST
A criminal court in Turkey handed down a lifetime prison sentence to a man for the murder of Italian performance artist Pippa Bacca. Bacca was found dead on April 11, 2008 after being raped and murdered by Murat Karatas. Bacca departed from Milan in March 2008 together with fellow artist Silvia Moro on a "Brides on Tour" journey, with both wearing bridal gowns and hitchhiking from Italy through southern Europe and the Middle East, with the intention of meeting up at the end of the tour in Jerusalem.
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MILLIYET
-- RETIRED GEN. CEVIK BIR TESTIFIES UNDER ERGENEKON INVESTIGATION
Retired Gen. Cevik Bir, who played a major role in Feb. 28 process, the 1997 military memorandum in Turkey that led to the stepping down of the coalition government led by Necmettin Erbakan of the outlawed Welfare Party on February 28, 1997, gave a 1-1/2 hour testimony to prosecutors within the scope of Ergenekon investigation -- the query into an illegal network suspected of having plans to overthrow the government. Ergenekon prosecutor Zekeriya Oz told reporters, "I asked questions about a conspiracy plan."
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-- ERDOGAN: "TSK WILL DO WHAT IS NECESSARY"
After the military prosecutor's office said that the "Action Plan to Fight Reactionary Movement" was not prepared at the General Staff headquarters; Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said they would try to find the origin of the plan. Erdogan also said, "I believe that the Turkish Armed Forces will do what is necessary regarding the matter."
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SABAH
-- ERDOGAN: "WE ARE DETERMINED"
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan made some statements in regard to the decision of the military prosecutor's office which said that the action plan to fight reactionary movements was not prepared at the General Staff headquarters. Replying to questions on the matter prior to his departure for Albania, Erdogan said the prosecutor's office, the government, as well as the Turkish Armed Forces will do what was necessary. "We are determined to find the origin of this plan," he said. There was need to investigate whether there was such an effort or not in the Armed Forces, Erdogan said.
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-- 21 KURUS DISCOUNT IN FUEL OIL PRICE
Energy Market Regulation Board of Turkey decided to revise fuel oil prices and initiated a drop in fuel price. The price of 95 octane unleaded fuel was reduced to 3 lira a liter down from 3.21 lira.

VATAN
-- FORMER GENERAL GIVES TESTIMONY IN ERGENEKON PROBE
Cevik Bir, a former high-ranking military general, gave his testimony as a suspect to prosecutors under the Ergenekon probe in Istanbul. Bir is a symbolic figure of what is publicly known in Turkey as "the February 28 decision," when in 1997 military forced the Welfare Party, or RP, coalition government out of office. A document, which was seized under the probe, allegedly implicates Bir in planning a military coup back in 1998.
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-- TURKISH PRESIDENT IN CHINA
President Abdullah Gul began Thursday his official visit to China. Gul was welcomed with full military honors by his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao. Speaking to reporters about his visit, Gul said economic issues will top the agenda of his meetings. "Chinese executives -- be it the head of state, the secretary-general of the Communist Party or provincial governor -- they all act like the CEO of a big company. You need to see China in that way," Gul said.
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-- TURKISH PARLIAMENT'S HONORARY AWARD GOES TO TURKISH HISTORIAN
The parliament has awarded internationally-acclaimed Turkish historian Kemal Karpat an honorary prize for his "outstanding achievements in the international arena and contributions to Turkey's promotion in the world." "The West came to know me and understand me first. My writings have been well-assessed in Turkey only over the last 15-20 years," Karpat said.
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CUMHURIYET
-- OPPOSITION PARTY APPEALS TO TOP COURT OVER MINE CLEARANCE LAW
The main opposition party in Turkey filed a lawsuit at Turkey's top court to cancel a law on de-mining the border between Turkey and Syria. Republican People's Party, or CHP, executives submitted to the Constitutional Court on Thursday their petition, which was signed also by several lawmakers from other opposition parties, the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, Democratic Society Party, or DTP, Democratic Left Party, or DSP, and the Turkey Party, as well as independent deputies.
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-- TOP MILITARY GENERAL TO MEET PRESS CORPS
Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug is set to hold a press conference at the General Staff Headquarters in Ankara on Friday. Basbug is expected to comment on an anti-government plot document allegedly drafted within the General Staff.
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RADIKAL
-- ERDOGAN: "GOVERNMENT, OPPOSITION, TSK WILL COOPERATE"
In regard to the decision made by the military prosecutor's office on the action plan to fight reactionary movement, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said, "we will do what is necessary. I believe that Turkish Armed Forces will do so." Meanwhile, Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug will hold a press conference on Friday.
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-- NEDIM GURSEL ACQUITTED
An Istanbul court has acquitted author Nedim Gursel on charges that he insulted Islam in his book "Allah'in Kizlari" (The Daughters of Allah). Gursel said that Turkey's image was damaged with this case.

YENI SAFAK
-- 21 KURUS DISCOUNT IN FUEL OIL PRICE
Energy Market Regulation Board of Turkey introduced a ceiling price in fuel distribution and dealer sales. According to the decision of the board, fuel oil price is expected to be 3.04 Turkish lira per one liter and diesel fuel price will be 2.49 lira.
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-- CEVIK BIR TESTIFIES
Retired Gen. Cevik Bir, who had a key role in Feb. 28 process, the 1997 military memorandum in Turkey that led to the stepping down of the coalition government led by Necmettin Erbakan of the outlawed Welfare Party, gave his testimony within the scope of the Ergenekon probe. Nuri Gundes, a former high level intelligence officer with the National Intelligence Organization, also gave his testimony to prosecutors.