ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on May 3rd, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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TURKISH WARPLANES HIT TERRORIST BASES ON MOUNT QANDIL
Turkish warplanes bombed positions of the terrorist PKK organization on Mount Qandil, some 100 km inside the north of Iraq. The operation lasted for about three hours and 43 targets and many shelters were hit, including a communication post.

TURKEY`S BANKING AUTHORITY VETOES ABN AMBRO HAND OVER TO EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP
Turkey`s banking regulatory authority has rejected an appeal by a European banking partnership to hand over ABN Ambro`s six branches in Turkey due to security reasons. Belgian Fortis, Royal Bank Of Scotland (RBS) and Spanish Banco Santander have bought ABN Ambro for 71 billion euro. The regulatory authority rejected the appeal after it was informed by Turkey`s intelligence agency that Barclays, a partner of the RBS, had acted as an intermediary in a number of transactions of the terrorist organization PKK/KONGRA-GEL in Europe.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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INFLATION OUT OF CONTROL
Turkish Board of Statistics (TUIK) announced that consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.68 percent, and producer price index (PPI) climbed 4.5 percent in April, 2008. 12-month inflation as of April was 9.66 percent in CPI, and 14.56 percent in PPI.

MAY 2ND STATEMENTS
Turkish authorities made statements after some incidents that occurred between the police and demonstrators on May 1st Workers` Day. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the state did what was required, but some undesired incidents took place. Zafer Uskul from the ruling Justice & Development (AK) party said that use of excessive force cannot be justified at any case. A comprehensive investigation must be launched."

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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QANDIL MESSAGE
Turkish delegation had a meeting with authorities from the regional administration in the north of Iraq in Baghdad the previous day. Turkish delegation headed by Turkish Prime Ministry`s Chief Adviser Prof. Dr. Ahmet Davutoglu met the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister of the administration in north of Iraq Nechirvan Barzani. Turkish warplanes launched air strikes against the PKK camps in the northern Iraqi area of Qandil the same night.

INFLATION SOARS TO DOUBLE-DIGIT
Consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.68 percent, and producer price index (PPI) climbed 4.5 percent in April, 2008. 12-month inflation became 9.66 percent in CPI, and 14.56 percent in PPI.

VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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ENGLISH-LANGUAGE WEEKLY SEVERLY CRITICIZES TURKEY`S MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER
International weekly, The Economist, published an article on Deniz Baykal, chairman of the Republican People`s Party (CHP), in May 3rd edition, using the phrase, "the said irrelevance of Turkey`s main opposition leader." The weekly said there were "loud calls for his retirement Mr. Baykal was re-elected as CHP leader for a tenth time at his party congress." The weekly also called him CHP`s "teflon leader," saying that the party`s "xenophobia has also led to calls for this nominally leftists party to be booted out of the Socialist International."

INFLATION RATE IN TURKEY EXCEEDS YEAR-END TARGET IN JUST FOUR MONTHS
Turkey`s inflation rate for April proved above expectations to stand at some 1.68 percent for consumer prices and 4.5 percent for producer prices. The latest figures soared the annual inflation rate to 9.66 percent, exceeding country`s year-end target, which is 9.3 percent.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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TURKISH JETS HIT 43 TARGETS ON MOUNT QANDIL
Turkish General Staff said that Turkish jets hit 43 terrorist targets on Mount Qandil in an air operation. A large number of terrorists were killed in the operation, the General Staff said in a statement. Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug said it was a successful operation and terrorist organization was in a great panic.

TROIKA MEETING TO TAKE PLACE IN ANKARA
Turkey-EU Troika Foreign Ministers meeting will take place in Ankara on May 6th. Turkish Foreign Minister & Chief Negotiator for the EU talks Ali Babacan will host the meeting. Dimitrij Rupel, foreign minister of Slovenia, the EU rotating president, French Secretary of State for European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn and European Council executives are expected to participate in the meeting.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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TUSIAD ON MAY 1ST
Turkish Industrialists` and Businessmen`s Association (TUSIAD) criticized violence that took place on May 1st Workers` Day. TUSIAD said May 1st should have been held in a festival atmosphere, but it turned into use of excessive force. "It became a great failure in 130-year Turkish democracy tradition," the association said.

ISTANBUL HOSTS ARTWORKS OF JOAN MIRO
Istanbul hosts artworks of painter, sculptor and ceramicist Joan Miro. The Spanish artist Miro`s collection including paintings and sculptures will be on display at Pera Museum in Istanbul as of Saturday. The exhibition will remain open till August 31st.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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BABACAN: TURKEY HAS NO REPLACEMENT IN THE REGION
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said no country could be an alternative to Turkey in its region, adding that for Iraq, Turkey was gate which opens to the world. Babacan said Turkey was the safest country for energy routes. "No one can be an alternative to us in Iraq." The foreign minister also said Turkey considered the development of relations with Iraq as a new step to isolate the terrorist PKK.

RICE: WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN TURKEY
U.S. State Secretary Condoleezza Rice said on Friday that the United States had confidence in Turkey and Israel, while commenting on the talks held between Israel and Syria with Turkey`s mediation efforts. Rice replied to questions of reporters aboard the plane heading towards London to meet with members of the Quartet as well as the representatives of Russia, EU and U.N., to discuss Middle east progress after Annapolis summit. Asked whether she supported Turkey`s mediation between Syria and Israel, Rice said U.S. has confidence in Turkey and Israel but it was obvious that they did not have much confidence in Syria.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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F-16 JETS HIT HEART OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
Turkish Armed Forces struck a major blow on terrorist camps in the north of Iraq on Thursday. 30 F-16 jets who took off from the southeastern province of Diyarbakir bombed PKK camps on Mount Qandil for two hours.

`EXCESSIVE FORCE` INVESTIGATION
The police`s breaking up the groups of people who tried to enter Taksim square on May 1st caused discussion that the police used excessive force. Interior Ministry launched an investigation in regard to incidents that took place in Istanbul on May Day. The ministry will send an inspector to the city.

YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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TURKISH WARPLANES SHELL TERRORIST POSITIONS ON MOUNT QANDIL
Turkish F-16 fighter jets raided late Thursday targets of the terrorist organization PKK on Mount Qandil in Iraq`s north. Warplane shelled main terrorist positions and other targets in Kalatukan and Kurtek. The operation lasted about three hours. The Turkish military described the operation as "comprehensive and efficient." The regional administration in Iraq`s north said there were no civilian casualties.

TURKISH PRESIDENT SAYS TURKEY`S MEMBERSHIP WILL BOOST EU`S PEACE MAKING ROLE IN THE WORLD
Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Turkey`s accession to the European Union would help the Union become a global player. "I believe an enlarged EU, which also includes Turkey, will strengthen its position in the world as an important actor for peace, prosperity, stability and harmony," said President Gul who delivered a speech in the 15th Summit of Presidents of Central European States, in Macedonia.

(YMB-EÖ)