TURKEY-PRESS SCAN (1)

ANKARA (A.A) - 13.05.2011 - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on May 13, 2011. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET
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VQ-2 PROVIDES INTELLIGENCE TO TURKEY
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Francis J. Ricciardone said that the United States' assistance to Turkey in combating terrorism cost more than 1 million U.S. dollars a day, stating that terrorist organization PKK also knew it. U.S. unit, VQ-2, provides intelligence to Turkey in its fight against PKK. VQ-2's mission is to conduct airborne electronic reconnaissance to obtain information. The symbol of the fleet is bat.

"YOU SHOULD EXPLAIN WHY SOME MINISTERS NOT INCLUDED IN LIST"
The main opposition Republican People's party (CHP) chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu called on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to explain why some ministers were not included in the list of the candidates of Justice and Development (AK) Party. Kilicdaroglu said that Erdogan should announce names of ministers who were not included in the list because they were involved in acts of corruption.
   
MILLIYET
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IT IS SOON TO CALL ASAD TO STEP DOWN
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended famous U.S. broadcast journalist Charlie Rose's TV program on PBS and delivered important statements on foreign policy. Regarding Syrian President Bashar al-Asad, Erdogan said, "He might have been late in implementing reforms, however, it is too soon to call him to step down". Erdogan also emphasized that he did not consider Hamas a terrorist organization. "It is a resistance movement which tries to protect its country under invasion," he said.

THERE SHOULD BE DARK POINTS IF HE REJECTS TO BE ON TV
Speaking at a gathering in central Anatolian province of Konya, Republican People's Party (CHP) chairperson Kemal Kilicdaroglu criticized Prime Minister Erdogan for not attending a TV program with him. "Those who act unfairly against people cannot stand in front of me. Look at the situation in USA, Britain or Japan. Leaders come together and citizens vote after watching them. If someone fears appearing on TV, there should be some dark points behind such attitude. I will drag down the masks," Kilicdaroglu said.

SABAH
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WORLD'S POOREST COUNTRIES SPEND MONEY IN ISTANBUL
Representatives of the world's poorest countries in which most people live on 1 USD a day spent 25 million Turkish liras (TL) in Istanbul. The representatives stayed at 5 star hotels and ate lobster and drank champagne at the Istanbul strait. They had come to Istanbul to attend the Fourth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC-IV).

WE WILL MAKE ISTANBUL MOST ACCESSIBLE CITY IN WORLD, KOTIL SAYS
Director General of Turkey's national air carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) Temel Kotil said Thursday that they would make Istanbul the most accessible city in the world. "We also want to make Ankara the most accessible capital city in the world," Kotil stressed. Meanwhile, THY announced its first quarter figures in 2011. THY's revenues in the first quarter of 2011 increased by 27 percent when compared to the same term last year and reached 2.1 billion Turkish liras (TL).