ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on February 17, 2009. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

TURKIYE
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GENERAL STAFF CHIEF TO COMMANDERS: "GET UNITED WITH PUBLIC"
Turkish Armed Forces is getting closer with citizens. General Staff Chief Gen. Ilker Basbug told 113 generals and admirals to build up a "warm relationship with the public". Basbug also told members of the army to pay more attention to the citizens living in Turkey's southeast and to support the maintenance of schools, mosques and health clinics.

TURKEY IS A LEADING COUNTRY IN ITS REGION
U.S. President Barack Obama had phone conversations with President Abdullah Gul and Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During his talks, Obama said that he appreciated Turkey's leadership on regional matters.

ZAMAN
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OBAMA TELEPHONES GUL AND ERGOAN: WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP
U.S. President Barack Obama called President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and said U.S. appreciated Turkey's leadership.
Obama told Erdogan that his leadership had vital importance for the Middle East peace process.

350 MILLION USD BUSINESS DEAL IN VISIT TO TATARSTAN
Turkish companies that attended President Abdullah Gul's visit to Tatarstan signed important deals. The businessmen signed agreements worth of 350 million USD.
Cem Kozlu, the chairman of Turkish-Russian Business Council, said Turkish companies, mainly glass producer Sise Cam and unmanned aerial vehicles manufacturer Global Teknik, signed partnership agreements.

YENI SAFAK
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WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP
U.S. President Barack Obama, who had phone conversations with President Abdullah Gul and Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that USA highly appreciated Turkey's leadership on regional matters. Obama also said that his country desired to carry on with its cooperation with Turkey.

COMMANDER'S REMARKS ARE HIDEOUS
Israeli press described the statements delivered by Israeli Ground Forces Commander Gen. Avi Mizrahi and the country's ministry of foreign affairs regarding Turkey as "hideous". According to the Israeli press, it was not commander Mizrahi's duty to formulate Israel's foreign policy.

VATAN
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OBAMA HAS 40-MINUTE PHONE CONVERSATION WITH GUL
USA's new president Barack Obama had a 40-minute phone conversation with President Abdullah Gul during which the two leaders discussed regional issues. Obama called Gul 28 days after he took over the U.S. presidency. Obama did not use the word "Israel" during the talk, moreover, he said that "Turkey's leadership in the region was of great importance for USA", sources said. The U.S. president also talked to Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the phone yesterday.

1 OUT OF EVERY 4 YOUNGSTERS UNEMPLOYED
Turkey cannot create employment opportunities for its young population who have reached the working age. The rate of unemployment for the young population rose up to 23.9 percent. On the other hand, 524,000 people lost their jobs in the last 3 months of 2008.

CUMHURIYET
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CRISIS DOES NOT SLIGHTLY TOUCH WORKERS
The economic crisis hit Turkey in November 2008 and left more than half a million people jobless. According to the figures of Turkish Board of Statistics (TUIK), the number of unemployed people increased by 645,000 and the rate of unemployment rose up to 12.3 percent in November 2008 compared to the same month of 2007. The total number of the unemployed people reached 2.9 million.

NEW DISCOVERY IN MEDICINE
A team of Turkish scientists, headed by Prof. Tayfun Uzbay from Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA), has discovered that excessive secretion of "agmatine" by brain caused schizophrenia, which is a mental disorder with no treatment and detected in one out of every 100 people. Sources said that the recent discovery of Turkish scientists would open a new road in diagnosis and treatment processes.

RADIKAL
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EULOGY FROM OBAMA TO TURKEY'S REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
U.S. President Barack Obama telephoned President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and discussed the Middle East and Armenia. He said U.S. appreciated Turkey's leadership on regional matters.
Caucasus was the main topic of discussion in Obama's telephone conversation with Gul and Erdogan.
Obama praised rapprochement with Armenia and relayed a message that they would not "hurt" Turkey regarding "genocide".
In his telephone conversation with Erdogan, Obama stated that leadership of Erdogan had vital importance for the Middle East peace process.
Obama said he wanted to work with Turkey in dealing with PKK and on relations with Armenia. Erdogan in his part emphasized importance of impartial and fair stance of the United States.

THERE IS SNOW EVERYWHERE
Cold weather prevails almost every region in the country. The weather is partly cloudy only in southern region and snowy in all other regions. Water level at dams in Istanbul reached 70 percent.

HURRIYET
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FIRST MESSAGE FROM OBAMA TO TURKEY
U.S. President Barack Obama telephoned both President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In his 40-minute telephone conversation with President Gul, Obama said he gave high importance to the leadership assumed by Turkey in the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Afghanistan. Obama also pledged that U.S. support to Turkey's EU bid would grow.
In his telephone conversation with Prime Minister Erdogan, Obama said he would like to state that leadership of Erdogan had vital importance for the Middle East peace process.

TURKEY RANKED 4TH IN WORLD IN UNEMPLOYMENT
Unemployment, which was triggered by the global crisis, has recently turned into the worst period of the past 5 years. Number of unemployed rose by 645,000 and reached 2 million 995 thousand people.
Unemployment rate rose 2.2 points and reached 12.3 percent. 525,000 of those people became unemployed in November 2008.

MILLIYET
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OBAMA CALLS ERDOGAN AND GUL
U.S. President Barack Obama had phone conversations with President Abdullah Gul and Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Obama told Gul that he appreciated Turkey's leadership in the region, a statement from the Presidential Palace said. According to a statement from the Prime Ministry, Obama said during his conversation with Erdogan that Erdogan's leadership was of vital importance for the Middle East peace process.

ARE YOU AWARE OF DANGER?
According to the figures of Turkish Board of Statistics (TUIK), the unemployment rate, which had been 10.1 percent in November 2007, rose up to 12.3 percent in November 2008. The number of unemployed people on record reached 3 million. Worse than that, 1 of every 4 youngsters is unemployed. The number of those who gave up looking for a job rose up to 2 million.

SABAH
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I WILL NOT HAVE QUARREL WITH GERMAN AUTHORITIES
Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said his ministry asked for file on Denizfeneri from Germany for two times, "I will not have quarrel with them."
"German authorities have said on December 6 that they would send the file in a month. We are still waiting. The delay does not stem from us. The file will immediately be sent to prosecutor's office," Sahin said.

SAUDI WARSHIP PROTECTS TURKISH CARGO SHIP
A Saudi Arabian ship protected a Turkish cargo ship from attacks of pirates in Aden Gulf. The Turkish frigate that would be assigned in the region will set sail on Tuesday.

DOUBLE EULOGY TO ANKARA
U.S. President Barack Obama called President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the phone.
Speaking to Gul, Obama said U.S. appreciated both Turkey's leadership in the region and the things made by Turkey in Afghanistan and the Caucasus.
While speaking to Erdogan, Obama said he would like to express that Erdogan's leadership had vital importance for the Middle East peace process.

(AY-DO-MS)