ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on April 17th, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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"ORDERED" STATEMENT CAUSES DEBATES IN ANKARA
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Luis Maria De Puig, said that a Turkish parliamentary delegation requested from PACE to issue a statement against political party closures. Head of a Turkish parliamentary delegation, Mehmet Cavusoglu, said that he met with the PACE president twice but made no requests for a PACE statement against party closures. "PACE`s decision to issue a statement against party closures was made before my arrival in Strasbourg," Cavusoglu said.

STUDENTS MUST RECEIVE THERAPY
After a rising trend in violence at Turkish university campuses, Chairman of the Turkish Higher Board of Education (YOK), Prof. Dr. Yusuf Ziya Ozcan, said that the YOK is preparing a package of measures to prevent violence at university campuses. "We need to meet student representatives and hold conversations with the families of students. We need to provide therapy to students".

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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IS COMMUNIQUE OF EUROPE ORDERED BY AK PARTY?
A communique written by the PACE as a reaction to the prohibition case filed against Justice and Development (AK) Party created a crisis. PACE President Luis Maria De Puig said the communique was written upon the request of AK Party. Members of the Turkish PACE delegation from Republican People`s Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) showed reaction to the situation.

ERDOGAN`S SECRET VACATION
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who returned from Qatar went on a two-day vacation with his family. First there were rumors that he went to a thermal resort in the Sakarilica village in central Anatolia city of Eskisehir. Later another rumor spread claiming that he was in Aegean city of Denizli. But none of the rumors were confirmed.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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OIL EXPLORATION SHOCK IN IRAQ
The list of 35 companies, which will explore oil in Iraq, was announced. The list includes even Korea, but not Turkey. The decision, which reached Turkey on Monday, alerted Ankara. Turkish foreign and energy ministries took action when TPAO (Turkish Petroleum Corporation) and its sub company did not take place in the list despite they had applied. Iraq gave permission even to Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia, but not to Turkey to explore oil on its lands.

TSK HIT NORTH OF IRAQ AFTER 19 DAYS
General Staff said that Turkish Armed Forces hit a group of PKK terrorists, who were trying to sneak into Turkey, in Avashin-Basyan region by F-16 and F-4 planes. Separately, one PKK terrorist was killed in Kupeli region of southeastern province of Sirnak.

FIRST DEBATE OF 301 WAS TENSE
Proposal to amend Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code was adopted at parliament`s EU adjustment committee. However, MHP parliamentarians, who were against the proposal, left the meeting room.

VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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HE INVITED LEADERS TO LUNCH
President Abdullah Gul sent a letter to Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, Prime Minister and Justice & Development (AK) Party chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Republican People`s Party (CHP) chairman Deniz Baykal, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chairman Devlet Bahceli, Democratic Society Party (DTP) group chairman Ahmet Turk, Democratic Left Party (DSP) chairman Zeki Sezer, Grand Unity Party (BBP) chairman Muhsin Yazicioglu, and Freedom & Solidarity Party (ODP) chairman Ufuk Uras. Gul said in the letter that he would like to invite them to a lunch at the Presidential the Palace on April 23rd and be happy to host them.

YSK STILL NOT FINDS 5 MILLION MISSING VOTERS
Higher Board of Election chairman, Muammer Aydin, said that there were 600,000 voters who did not have identity numbers as well as three million others whose addresses were not found. Aydin said, "including these people, we do not have the registration of a total of 5 million voters. We are looking for them. Such number of voters certainly affects the result of elections. If we find the missing voters, 48 million people will cast vote in upcoming local elections."

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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FREEDOM MAKE-UP
The ruling AK Party made additions to a draft package of constitutional amendments that would include making the closure of political parties more difficult. The AK Party included rights of children, equality between women and men, and public administration in its list of amendments.

WE HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HOPELESS
Most balances in the Turkish economy have been hurt due to ongoing global economic crisis. On one hand, Turkish consumers have lost confidence in the Turkish economy in 2008, on the other hand, foreign investments in Turkey almost came to a complete halt in 2008. Direct foreign investments in Turkey in January-February 2008 dropped by 80.4 percent when compared to the same period in 2007 and was worth only 1.6 billion USD.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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AK PARTY KEEPING PACKAGE AGAINST PROHIBITION CASE LARGE
The cabinet is expected to discuss the bills and amendments to the constitution including those making prohibition of political parties harder. The cabinet discussed those proposals shaped by the authorized bodies of AK Party in the last two weeks.
An AK Party source said a short list would be formed. The list will include election of Turkey MPs, children`s and women`s rights, the formation of a political ethics committee, and assigning of ombudsman.

RICE AND WHEAT PROBLEM
Chairman of the Union of Turkish Chambers of Agriculture, Semsi Bayraktar, said they were expecting a greater wheat harvest than the last year. He said stockpilers were going to face the consequences of their malice. Chairman of the Turkish Grain Board, Ismail Kemaloglu, said they got authorization to import 100 tons of rice. He said the markets would be disciplined as there were stocks that would last for six months.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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F-16s BOMB AGAIN
Turkish soldiers continue to hit terrorists in the north of Iraq. A group of PKK terrorists, who were trying to sneak into Turkey, were neutralized in Avashin-Basyan region by F-16 and F-4 planes.

HE INVITED LEADERS TO PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
President Abdullah Gul invited Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well as leaders of political parties, which are represented at Turkish parliament, to a lunch at the Presidential Palace on April 23rd. Presidency press center said that the lunch would not have an agenda.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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REAL ESTATE SALES TO FOREIGNERS STOP
After the Turkish Constitutional Court rendered a decision to ban real estate property sales to companies established by foreigners in Turkey, real estate sales to foreigners have virtually come to an end. On one hand, Turkish construction companies are deeply concerned with the court`s decision, on the other hand, sales contracts, worth 1.5 billion euros, with foreigners in Turkey may get cancelled due to the court`s decision.

TURKISH BANKS LOVE MAKING PROFITS
While major banks in the United States and Europe are expressing record amounts of losses, Turkish banks continue to make great profits. While the profits of Turkish banks were 2.2 billion new Turkish liras in February 2007, profits rose to 2.3 billion new Turkish liras in February 2008.

YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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MEDIA COULD NOT FIND PREMIER
After his return from Qatar the Prime Minister went to rest somewhere unknown. Reporters who found out in the morning that he was not in Ankara, could not learn his whereabouts from the Prime Ministry all day long.

THERE IS NO RICE SHORTAGE
Paddy producers said the soaring rice prices were the opportunists` doing and their silos were full. Owner of a paddy factory in Edirne said 33 percent of the paddy production in Turkey was done in Ipsala and said this year`s harvest would be good.
(GC-SOL-OZG-MS)