Today in Turkish Press

ANKARA (A.A) - 18.05.2011 - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on May 18, 2011. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET
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MARCH 1 WAS A MISTAKE
The book "End of Terrorist Organizations", which was written by retired Gen. Ilker Basbug, former Chief of General Staff, will make a great impression. Here are some important parts of the book; 
Turkey missed the opportunity to marginalize PKK terrorist organization when March 1 motion was rejected at Parliament.
PKK's foundation target was to establish great Kurdistan state. When this game failed, the target became to establish a democratic republic.
Europe saw that PKK would not be successful with weapons and thus did not object the capture of PKK's head Abdullah Ocalan.

I WAS GOING TO FALL 15 METERS BEFORE REACHING THE TOP
French climber Alain Robert, nicknamed "Spider Man" as he climbed more than 100 skyscrapers including Empire States and Eiffel Tower, was paid 20,000 euro and climbed Turkey's and Europe's highest building Sapphire in Istanbul yesterday. Noting that he had a difficulty in climbing in the last 15 meters, Robert said, "I had asked the windows to be cleaned but the gutters were oily. I was not able to step my foot, and I was almost falling down."

MILLIYET
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THEY TALKED ABOUT AL-ASAD IN THE RUNWAY
U.S. Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone, who talked to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in helicopter runway Heliport in Ankara, relayed him views of U.S. President Barack Obama about Syria.
U.S. party asked for the meeting that took place in helicopter runway Heliport in Yenimahalle district in Ankara. It was striking that the meeting coincided prior to statement of Obama on Thursday about the Middle East.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ricciardone said initiatives of Turkey and the prime minister in the region were always important. 
Another issue of the Heliport summit was PKK terrorism. Recent incidents in the Middle East and intelligence support of the United States on PKK were once again assessed.

DERVIS PASHA FEAR
60 million euro additional loan package that will come from IMF is the only hope for Greece which is on the edge of bankruptcy. However Kemal Dervis, who is among the names mentioned for IMF Managing Director, tensed the neighbor. Greek newspapers say, "will we make an explanation to a Turk?"

SABAH
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THERE SHOULD BE A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN SYRIA, ERDOGAN
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Tuesday the U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Francis J. Ricciardone. Erdogan told Ambassador Ricciardone that no one should hurry up in the case of Syria and that there should be a smooth transition in Syria. Ambassador Ricciardone conveyed a message of U.S. President Barack Obama to Erdogan.

VAKIFBANK AIMS TO HAVE 1,000 BRANCHES
Director General of Turkey's Vakifbank, Suleyman Kalkan, said that the bank was working on a five year strategy plan. "We currently have 665 branches. By the end of 2011, we want to have 725 branches. By the year 2015, we want to have 1,000 branches and serve more customers," Kalkan said.

VATAN
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TERRORISM SUMMIT IN HELIPORT
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a meeting with U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Francis Ricciardone for 50 minutes at Yenimahalle Heliport yesterday. Ricciardone brought a message from U.S. President Barack Obama to Erdogan regarding Syria. Ricciardone said, "we have also discussed counter-terrorism."

RECENT PROPHECY
Two journalists (Emre Uslu from Taraf newspaper and Abdulkadir Selvi from Yeni Safak newspaper), who earlier correctly guessed where and when PKK terrorists would stage an attack, warned about the northern provinces of Bolu and Karabuk yesterday. The target can be Bolu part of the highway or Bolu Commando Brigade.

CB GOVERNOR TO BE SURPRISED MORE
Turkish Central Bank's Governor Erdem Basci had said, "I saw it for the first time in my life" when annual inflation rate became four percent both in Turkey and Britain in March. Basci was surprised more yesterday. Because, Turkey's April inflation was 4.26 percent and Britain's 4.5 percent.

CUMHURIYET
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SURPRISE MEETING
The U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Francis J. Ricciardone requested an appointment from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday. Erdogan invited Ricciardone to the Heliport in Yenimahalle district of Ankara prior to his departure for Yozgat province. Erdogan and Ricciardone discussed the issue of Syria and counter-terrorism in a meeting that lasted around 50 minutes.

GENERAL AMNESTY MAY BE THOUGHT, ARINC
Turkish State Minister and Deputy Premier Bulent Arinc said that conditions should be prepared so that terrorist organization PKK lay down arms. "If terror is to end, we may think about a general amnesty," Arinc also said.

RADIKAL
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THREAT OF MINISTER BRINGS SPHINX
Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay told Germany to stop its excavations in Turkey if they do not return the ancient Hattusa sphinx unearthed in Turkey but kept in Berlin for nearly a century.
The sphinx will be in Turkey in November.

HERE IS TURKEY'S DEMOCRACY PERCEPTION
Under "democracy perception in Turkey" survey, only 23 percent of the people say there is full democracy. 55 percent say journalists could not speak freely and 60 percent think there was not an equal treatment in public.
60 percent of people oppose to party based on religion and 50 percent oppose to political party established with its Kurdish identity. 
43 percent of people do not want presidential system and 50 percent do not want to live side by side with homosexuals.

TURKIYE
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LICENSED LIAR
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly reacted to Republican People's Party (CHP) chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu who claimed that Erdogan sent wedding invitation of her daughter to Jordanian King with a special plane.
Erdogan said "you are a licensed liar. Can an invitation be sent with special plane? In which era are you living?"

SPIDER MAN IN ISTANBUL
French climber Alain Robert, known as "Spiderman" for climbing skyscrapers around the world, successfully scaled Europe's tallest building in Istanbul.
Robert completed his climb up the 261-meter Istanbul Sapphire tower in 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Robert said he had difficulty in climbing the last 15 meters.

ZAMAN
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MERKEL MAY OPPOSE DERVIS'S PRESIDENCY OF IMF
After the President of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dominique Strauss-Kahn was arrested on charges of sexual harassment, a debate began on who could be the next IMF president. Among the candidates are Turkey's Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek and former Turkish State Minister Kemal Dervis. In an article published, the Wall Street Journal said that Kemal Dervis could be a strong candidate for IMF presidency if he wanted to become a candidate. However, the Wall Street Journal added, German Chancellor Angela Merkel may oppose Dervis's presidency of the IMF.

SURPRISE MEETING ON TERROR AT HELIPORT
Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a surprise meeting with the U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Francis J. Ricciardone on Tuesday. The meeting was requested by the American side and took place at the Heliport in Yenimahalle district of Ankara. In the meeting that lasted around 50 minutes, the developments in the Middle East and counter-terrorism were discussed.

YENI SAFAK
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SUMMIT IN HELIPORT
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Francis Ricciardone for 50 minutes at Yenimahalle Heliport yesterday. Following the meeting, Ricciardone told reporters, "I conveyed the message of U.S. President Barack Obama. We also discussed the regional terrorism issue." Noting that he would convey the views of Erdogan back to Washington too, Ricciardone said, "the initiatives of Turkey, especially Erdogan, in the region have always been very important for us. We follow them very carefully. That's why I came to meet Erdogan."

IMF TURNS BACK TO DERVIS
After Dominique Strauss-Kahn, head of International Monetary Fund (IMF), was arrested with harassment accusations, it was claimed that Turkey's former state minister Kemal Dervis could be the new chief of IMF.