Today in Turkish Press

ANKARA (A.A) - 07.06.2011 - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on June 7, 2011. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET
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MHP IN DIYARBAKIR AFTER 16 YEARS
It was the first time that the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) held a rally in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir for 16 years. Addressing the people in Diyarbakir, MHP chairman Devlet Bahceli said, "No citizen of this country is second-class. We have believed in this. No member of the Turkish nation is the 'other' of this country. We have never made any concessions on this. We did not want anyone to feel like a foreigner in his/her country. You are us and we are you."

"I DON'T FEEL SORRY"
Prosecutors questioned retired military chief Kenan Evren, who led the coup in 1980 and then became president, in an investigation into the 1980 military coup in Turkey. The interrogation lasted for two and a half hours. Evren said, "There was bloodshed and turmoil in the country. We had to seize power. I don't feel sorry."

MILLIYET
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12 QUESTIONS TO EVREN ABOUT SEPTEMBER 12 COUP
The prosecutor in charge of the investigation on September 12 military coup questioned former Turkish President Kenan Evren at a military officers' club in capital Ankara. Evren was asked 12 questions, mainly about the period prior to the military coup. When asked whether he regretted his decision, Evren said, "I do not regret what I did. If I were authorized under similar circumstances, I would do the exact same thing. At the time, 20-30 people died in Turkey every day. Actually, we did not want to seize the control of the country, however, the parliament was dysfunctional and we had to do it".

I AM NOT INSISTENT ON PRESIDENCY
Commenting on presidential system during a TV program the other night, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "This issue has a certain place in my heart, however, I am not insistent. I want it to be discussed". When the host of the program Mehmet Ali Birand closed the broadcast saying "Erdogan had a heartfelt desire for presidency", the prime minister objected to Birand's remarks.

SABAH
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1 MILLION TURKS GIVE UP SMOKING CIGARETTES WHILE 20,000 SHOP OWNERS GIVE UP SELLING CIGARETTES
One million Turks called the Turkish Health Ministry's special hotline "171" in order to give up smoking cigarettes between October 2010 and March 2011. During the same period, 20,000 shop owners in Turkey gave up selling cigarettes. According to the Turkish Ministry of Health, cigarette consumption per person in Turkey in 2000 was 1,646 cigarettes. However, this figure dropped to 1,286 in 2010.

SOUTH-EAST ECONOMY NOT AFFECTED BY UPRISINGS
The "Arab Spring" has not negatively affected the industrialists of south-eastern Anatolia. The Sixth Neighboring Countries Fair received great interest including from Syria. Turkish companies signed contracts with the companies of neighboring countries worth around 250 million USD.
VATAN
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MHP IN DIYARBAKIR AFTER 16 YEARS
The opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) held a rally in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir on Monday for the first time after 16 years. Bahceli gave important messages in his public address in the province. Bahceli said, "You are us and we are you. Each of you is a member of Turkish nation. You mean everything to us." Bahceli said that unemployment and poverty were the most important problems in the country. 

KENAN EVREN QUESTIONED
Ankara chief prosecutor Huseyin Gorusen questioned retired military chief Kenan Evren, who led the coup in 1980 and then became president, in an investigation into the 1980 military coup in Turkey. The questioning lasted for two and a half hours. Evren said they seized the power in accordance with the 35th article of Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) military code. 

CUMHURIYET
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CHANGE IN CABINET PRIOR TO ELECTIONS
Turkish government is removing state ministries from the cabinet. According to a new decree that will go into effect prior to the June 12 elections, the cabinet would be formed of the prime minister, three deputy prime ministers and 21 ministers. New ministries of "Economy", "Trade", "EU", "Youth and Sports", and "Family and Social Policies" will be established.

OTOKAR SIGNS EXPORT CONTRACT WORTH 63.2 MILLION USD
Turkey's Otokar Automotive and Defense Industry Company has signed an export contract worth 63.2 million USD. In a statement released on Monday, Otokar said that they signed an export agreement concerning 6x6 armored vehicles, their spare parts and training of appropriate personnel. Otokar said that the order will be delivered in 2012. Otokar is a Koc Holding company.
           
RADIKAL
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GOODBYE TO NUCLEAR IN 2071
As Turkey discusses its three yet-to-be-built nuclear power plants, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz announced the date the plants will be closed down. "We will close them in 2071, on the 1000th anniversary of the Battle of Malazgirt," the minister said. Turkey, which has completed the tender process for Akkuyu nuclear power plant, continues negotiations with Japanese companies for the plant in Sinop. Until today, only Germany and Switzerland announced the dates to bid farewell to nuclear power plants. Turkey has been the first country who made public such decision without even opening its plants.

AK PARTY'S ADS LIKED, CHP'S ADS CATCHY
As there are only days left to elections, political parties in Turkey have speeded up their publicity campaigns. Surveys reveal that citizens liked advertisements prepared by Justice and Development (AK) Party the most. On the other hand, Republican People's Party's (CHP) ads are catchy and remembered easily, the survey said.
TURKIYE
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PRIME MINISTER IN CANKIRI
Speaking at his party's rally in central Anatolian province of Cankiri, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the foreign policy followed by Turkey improved the country's respectability. "Turkey is not a country that bows in front of others anymore. A country should stand firmly, this is the stance our nation deserves. We are the grandchildren of a civilization which had ruled three continents".

12 QUESTIONS ABOUT SEPTEMBER 12
As part of the investigation on September 12 coup, General Staff Chief of the time Kenan Evren has been questioned at his residence in Ankara. During the interrogation that lasted almost 2.5 hours, Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor of Ankara Huseyin Gorusen asked Evren 12 questions.

ZAMAN
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FIRST TURKISH INTELLIGENCE SATELLITE TO BE SENT TO SPACE FROM CHINA
Turkey's first intelligence satellite will be sent to space from China. Turkey signed a contract with China on the satellite and the contract is worth 20 million USD. The Gokturk-2 satellite will be sent to space in December 2011.

500,000 FOREIGN PATIENTS CHOOSE TURKEY FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT
Foreign patients who had chosen Turkey for medical treatment in 2005 was around 126,000. By the end of 2010, 500,000 people chose Turkey for treatment. Turkey earned three billion USD from health tourism in the past five years.

YENI SAFAK
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GENDARMERIE COMMANDER REASSIGNED
The gendarmerie commander in the northeastern province of Artvin has been reassigned to a new post at the Gendarmerie Command in the wake of protestors' attack on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's election convoy in the town. Artvin Gendarmerie Commander Col. Mehmet Nasif was transferred to serve in the Gendarmerie Command as of Monday, Artvin Governor Mustafa Yemlihalioglu said.

AUTOMOTIVE SALES HIT RECORD HIGH
The automotive sector grew by 56.26 percent in the first five months of 2011 compared to the same period of last year. A total of 339,650 cars and light commercial vehicles have been sold between January and May 2011.