ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 1st, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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SECULARISM PRAISE FROM FRANCE TO ARMY
France is taking over the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU) as of July 1st. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that Turkish army played an important role in democracy and undertook a great role in separating the government affairs from the mosque and religion. "This should not be forgotten," Kouchner also said.
Speaking to European journalists, the French minister said that the closure case against the Justice & Development (AK) Party might have reflections on Europe, however defined it as "a domestic problem of Turkey." "Erdogan is a wise politician, he will (definitely) find a solution to this problem," he said.
Kouchner also said that the EU would open negotiations with Turkey on two or three chapters during the presidency of his country. "I cannot see any other country than Turkey that can be a better bridge among civilizations."

GROWTH SURPRISE: 6.6 P.C.
Turkey, which grew 4.5 percent in the first quarter of 2007, made a surprise by growing 6.6 percent in the same period of 2008. The agriculture industry shrank 6.9 percent last year, however it grew 5.6 percent this year. Health and social services grew 11.8 percent. 4.4 percent of the surprise growth was due to growth in manufacturing industry, trade and transportation.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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SIX CRITICAL MONTHS WITH FRANCE IN EU
It looks like France, which took over the rotating presidency of the European Union, will maintain a "wait & see" policy regarding Turkey.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that the closure case filed against AK Party was a domestic issue of Turkey.
"If we took a stance before the decision is announced, we would create a drama," the minister said.

SURPRISING GROWTH IN FIRST QUARTER
Although a serious decline was expected in the growth rate due to the global crisis, Turkey`s Board of Statistics (TUIK) announced that the growth rate in the first quarter reached 6.6 percent thanks to the consumption and investment expenditures.
Such a surprising figure exceeded the market estimations by 35-40 percent. The expected growth rate was around 4 percent.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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PRICE HIKE IN OIL PUSHES PEOPLE TO MASS TRANSPORTATION
The number of passengers using mass transportation in Istanbul has increased by 10 percent in the first three months of 2008. This increase was due to a 20 percent hike in the price of oil in a single year.

PRIME MINISTER SAYS "STAY" BUT HE IS COMING TO FENERBAHCE
The coach of the Spanish national football team Luis Aragones said he would be coming to Fenerbahce as their new coach despite a request from Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero to remain as the coach of the Spanish squad. Aragones stressed that it was "too late" for him to stay with the Spanish team.

VATAN (INDEPENDENT)
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VOTERS SEEKING A PARTY
The Justice & Development (AK) Party and the Republican People`s Party (CHP) lost some of their votes when compared with the support they got in the previous general elections in July 2007. Indecisive voters reached a record percentage of 30.2 percent. A&G, the only survey company which said that AK Party would win more than 47 percent of votes before July 22nd elections last year, carried out a new survey on what would happen if an election was held today.
According to the survey, AK Party would win around 30.3 percent of votes. When the indecisive votes are distributed among the parties, this percentage reaches 43.4. The annulment of headscarf amendment raised AK Party`s votes by 3.7 points.
If AK Party is closed, the new party will join the first upcoming elections. It will lose some votes but it will again be the first party.
Voters are seeking a new party. This can be understood from the fact that those who got their support back from the AK Party did not start supporting CHP. CHP lost 4.6 percent of votes in the last two months.
The AK Party supporters have got closer to the EU, which is reacting to the closure case. The support to EU membership is up to 52.4 percent.

UNINVITED GUEST RETURNS HOME
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, accused of sodomy and sheltered at Turkey`s Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, left the embassy building. Before he left, Ibrahim said, "I am leaving on my own will. Malaysian government gave assurances to me." The Malaysian government accused Turkey of "intervening in domestic affairs of Malaysia". Then Turkey`s Ambassador to Malaysia Barlas Ozener said, "we did not invite him but he came."

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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RUSSIA LETS ATATURK BOULEVARD FOR RENT
Within the framework of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov`s talks in Ankara, a protocol for renting of a part of Ankara`s Ataturk Boulevard to the Ankara Municipality will be signed.
The part of the boulevard is located in front of the former office of the commercial attache of the Russian Embassy and it has been closed to traffic for almost a year. The municipality will pay an annual rental charge of 80,000 USD for the 50-meter road.

IBRAHIM LEAVES TURKISH EMBASSY
Malaysia`s main opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who took refuge in the Turkish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur claiming that his life was in danger, left the embassy yesterday as the Malaysian government assured him that he would be safe. Ibrahim, accused of sodomy, left the embassy building together with his wife.

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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FIRST QUARTER SURPRISE
Turkish economy grew 6.6 percent in the first quarter of 2008. However, economists state that all other statistics indicated a shrinkage in Turkish consumer demand.

PRICE HIKE FOR NATURAL GAS AFTER ELECTRICITY
After a hike of 21 percent in the price of electricity, the Turkish government is preparing a price hike for natural gas in July. If the price hike for natural gas takes place, the price of natural gas utilized by residences would go up by 9 percent and businesses by 11 percent.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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NO CONCESSION FROM STABILITY
Addressing the nation, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he would never allow those who desire to darken Turkey`s future or dream of an unstable atmosphere again. Erdogan also said that nothing could stop the Turkish nation on its way to improvement and development.

HAMIT IN BEST FOOTBALLERS LIST
Turkish footballer Hamit Altintop, who was selected one of the "best 11 players" by a Eurosport poll, was honored again. This time, Union of European Football Federations (UEFA) included the footballer in its "Best Star Turns" list thanks to his successful performance in the Euro 2008.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE BUSINESSES TO
MANUFACTURE WEAPONS FOR TURKISH ARMED FORCES
41 percent of all weapons utilized by the Turkish Armed Forces are being manufactured in Turkey. The Undersecretariat of Defense Industries made a decision to open up to small and medium scale businesses for the manufacture of weapons in Turkey. Thus, more than 50 percent of all weapons used by the Turkish Armed Forces would be manufactured by the small and medium scale businesses in Turkey by the year 2011.

RUSSIA BECOMES TURKEY`S NUMBER ONE TRADE PARTNER
Turkey`s trade with Russia continues to grow every day. Turkey`s trade volume with Russia reached 12.7 billion USD in the first four months of 2008. Russia has become Turkey`s number one trade partner. Turkey`s trade volume with Russia in 2008 is expected to reach 38 billion USD. The trade volume between Turkey and Russia was 28 billion USD in 2007.

YENI SAFAK (CONSERVATIVE)
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FIRST PREMIER IN MINE PIT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit a mine pit in northern city of Zonguldak, and see the labor conditions himself. Erdogan will visit the mine pit in which 163 miners lost their lives in 1992 due to a mine gas explosion. Erdogan will be the first prime minister who will go into a mine pit.

TURKEY GROWS 6.6 P.C.
Turkey grew 6.6 percent in the first quarter of 2008 despite global crisis, pessimism in markets and anti-democratic interventions. The biggest growth was seen in health and social services with a 11.8 percent. The agriculture sector, which shrank 6.9 percent in the first quarter of 2007, started to grow in 2008. The growth in agriculture, hunting and forestry was 5.6 percent in the first quarter of 2008.

PLANS OF SABANCI ASSASSINATION IN ANKARA NOW
Belgium handed over DHKP-C files to Turkish authorities. These files will decipher the secret sides of businessman Ozdemir Sabanci`s assassination. The files include clues about how Fehriye Erdal and her friends staged the assassination.

(DO-SOL-BRC-MS)