ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on May 18th, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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ATTACK ON TURKISH EMBASSY
Turkish embassy in Baghdad was attacked with machine guns yesterday morning. Ergun Kilicarslan, one of the security officers of the embassy, was wounded. Turkey`s special envoy to Iraq Murat Ozcelik was in Baghdad during the attack.
Ozcelik`s presence in the city brought up a question: "Was the attack waged by the circles who felt uneasy due to Turkey`s getting closer with the regional administration in the north of Iraq?"
CANNES` STAR: HATICE ASLAN
Hatice Aslan, leading actress of Nuri Bilge Ceylan`s movie "The Three Monkeys" that competes at the Cannes Film Festival, attracts the attention of the media. According to the media, Aslan is a strong candidate for the "best actress" award with her extraordinary acting talent.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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IS TURKEY READY FOR SMOKING BAN?
According to a survey conducted by A&G research company for Milliyet, the citizens are not so ready for the smoking ban.
As 87 percent of the people think that the ban is positive, 2 of the 10 heavy smokers say they would quit smoking.
36.4 percent of people say it was very hard to implement smoking ban in Turkey.
SIX TERRORISTS KILLED
Six PKK terrorists were killed in a clash that erupted between security forces and a group of terrorists who abduced a villager in eastern province of Van. As three terrorists were injured, PKK terrorists killed the villager.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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ATTACK TO EMBASSY
An armed group opened fire against the special team protecting Turkish embassy in Iraq. Ergun Kilicarslan, a police who was injured in the leg, was brought to GATA military hospital.
VERY CLOSE TO THE AWARD
Critics liked Nuri Bilge Ceylan`s "Three Monkeys" the most in Cannes Film Festival. Hatice Aslan, the actress of the film, attracted attention in the gala.

VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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A SMOKING INSPECTOR TO EVERY BUILDING
The smoking ban will begin tonight. According to the ban, names and telephone numbers of certain individuals chosen by the management of a building or a workplace will be written on the "No Smoking" signs to be put in such places. The ban will be inspected by those "inspectors".
FORMER AMBASSADOR HIGLIGHTS THREE IMPORTANT ISSUES
Mark Parris, who was the U.S. ambassador in Ankara between 1997-2000, wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal.
In his article, Parris addressed the Turkish jurisdiction saying it should respect the decision made by the public. Parris also wrote that U.S. President George Bush should not remain silent about the closure case filed against Justice and Development (AK) Party.
Addressing Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well, the former ambassador said Erdogan could not keep his promise and could not be eveybody`s prime minister.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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ATTENTION: DRY SUMMER IS ON THE WAY!
This summer will be "hard" for Turkish cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. The occupancy rate of the dams in Istanbul, which was 48.54 percent in May 2007, dropped to 41.47 percent. The water problem of Istanbul, which will experience a much hotter summer than last year, has reached a critical level.
In capital Ankara, there is a huge gap between the capacity and the occupancy rate of the dams. Izmir Mayor Aziz Kocaoglu also told that the summer would be difficult for his city and called on the citizens to continue to use the water carefully.
ATTACK ON TURKISH EMBASSY: 1 POLICE OFFICER WOUNDED
A group of unidentified people waged an attack against the security officers who are responsible to protect the Turkish embassy in Baghdad. One of the police officers Ergun Kilicarslan was injured in the leg during the attack.
Releasing a statement after the incident, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the attack.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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SPECIAL UNIT IN CITIES AGAINST TERRORISM
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) establishes a center to give training for air operations, backed by land forces, in settlement areas.
The pilots and special forces will be trained to launch pinpoint operations against terrorists in regions where the civilians are densely populated.
OZBILGIN COMMEMORATED
Mustafa Yucel Ozbilgin, who was killed during the attack on Council of State, was commemorated on the second anniversary of his death.

THY STARTS FLIGHTS TO ALEPPO
Turkish Airlines (THY) has started flights to Aleppo on Saturday. Aleppo is the second flight point of THY in Syria after Damascus.
The first flight from Istanbul to Syrian city of Aleppo took place by an Airbus A320-200 type plane.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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PARRIS: TURKEY DRAGGED INTO A CRISIS
Mark Parris, former U.S. Ambassador to Ankara, said in case of a decision to close Justice & Development (AK) Party, the United States would lose together with Turkey. He said the United States should not remain as a spectator to this.
In his article to The Wall Street Journal, Parris said Turkey was dragged into a crisis, and warned that there would be polarization, foreign capital would withdraw, economy would slow down, EU process would stop, and Turkey`s image would be slower if the AK Party was closed.
LAST DAY IN SMOKING BAN
The smokers will be banned to smoke in close areas starting as of May 19th. The fine will be 62 YTL.
The smokers from now on will only be able to smoke in open areas, in balconies and in stairs.
The managers who fail to implement the ban will have to pay 5,000 YTL as fine.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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FRENCH POLITICIAN ON "TURKEY PROPOSAL"
Frederic Lefebvre, spokesman of France`s Union for Popular Movement (UMP), showed bigness of Turkey as reason for the party`s strict opposition against Turkey.
UMP started an initiative to put a condition to hold referendum for Turkey`s EU membership.
Speaking to Zaman newspaper on "Turkey Proposal", the French politician said Turkey`s membership would disorganize balances of Europe and would make France a smaller country.
RAID ON PKK SHELTER: 6 KILLED
Security forces launched an operation in Baskale town of eastern province of Van and killed six terrorists. Three other terrorists who were injured, fled.
Operations underway in the region.

YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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ERDOGAN CRITICIZES BAYKAL`S REFUSAL TO ATTEND DINNER
Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed Republican People`s Party chairperson Deniz Baykal for "being intransigent". Commenting on Baykal`s not attending the dinner hosted by President Abdullah Gul in honor of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Erdogan asked, "How can they be the followers of a culture of compromise?".
PARRIS: USA`S VOICE IS STILL WEAK
The former U.S. ambassador in Ankara Mark Parris said that the Bush administration did not take a clear stance concerning the closure case filed against AK Party. "Turkey will not be only one that will lose," Parris said.

(DO-AY)