GOOD MORNING - TURKEY PRESS SCAN FOR NOV. 1, 2009

HURRIYET

-- ISTANBUL MEMORIES

The Wise Men, who are struggling for global peace, had a quiet meeting in Istanbul together with their grandchildren ahead of a conference on climate change to be held in Copenhagen on Dec. 7.

Wise Men and their grandchildren got together for a family photo and picnicked in the yard of the British consulate-general. They called on world leaders to conclude talks to protect the world from looming big dangers.

South African bishop Desmond Tutu, head of the group, said he would probably not see the worst impacts of climate change but he said he was worried about his child.

-- OZAL AND DEMIREL CONVENE

An era has gone and another has begun in center-right when Democrat Party and Anavatan (Motherland) Party, or ANAP, have united. The long-awaited integration of the two political parties has finally occurred. At the merger, former DYP leader Suleyman Demirel and ANAP leader Turgut Ozal have come together on a giant screen at the joint party congress.

MILLIYET

-- VACCINATION BEGINS TOMORROW

Turkey will meet the "swine flu" vaccine tomorrow. Firstly, nearly 350,000 health personnel as well as prospective hajjis will be vaccinated. Then students will be vaccinated at the end of November.

-- NO EARLY ELECTIONS

Speaking at the inauguration of the new terminal building of Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that there would not be early elections. He added that elections might take place 2-3 months earlier, if necessary.

SABAH

-- EITHER CHANGE OR END

Massoud Barzani, head of the regional administration in the north of Iraq, gave the first ultimatum to the PKK: if they (the PKK) do not change, Kurdish people will make a pressure and get rid of them. Barzani said that he did not adopt the line of PKK. He added: "The PKK should not deteriorate our relations with Turkey. I am ready to make every type of contribution to fight against the PKK."

-- WE CANNOT CARRY THIS BURDEN ANY MORE

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed nation and said people suffered very much from terrorism. He said: "Turkey cannot carry this burden any more. Turkey cannot pursue its journey to the future with this loss of blood."

VATAN

-- CALL OF ‘SAVE THE WORLD’ FROM ISTANBUL

The Elders Group, comprised of Nobel Peace Prize-winning statesmen and civil society leaders, arrived in Istanbul with their grandchildren. They called on world leaders to take action against global warming.

-- ALLIES FOREVER

U.S. President Barack Obama released a statement on the 86th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey. He said: "More than 50 years ago, the United States and Turkey began a partnership based on shared values and mutual respect. Our alliance is enduring."

CUMHURIYET

-- ‘WHY DID WE SIGN PROTOCOLS IF WE ARE NOT GOING TO IMPLEMENT THEM?’

Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian said the international community expects protocols that were signed by Turkey and Armenia to be ratified as soon as possible. Nalbandian also said the border should be opened.

He said the Upper Karabakh issue had no link with the protocols. "Why did we sign the protocols if we are not going to ratify and implement them?" he said.

"If one of the sides will delay and create some obstacles in the way of ratification and implementation, I think it could bear all the responsibility for the negative consequences," he said.

-- ‘TURKEY MAKES MISTAKE ABOUT IRAN’

Istanbul-born Henri Barkey, a professor of political science, said Turkey was right to have zero problems with its neighbors but it was too difficult. Barkey said Turkey makes a mistake about relations with Iran. He said the regime in Iran would not exist five years later.

-- NO INCREASE IN GAS PRICES THIS YEAR

Energy Minister Taner Yildiz denied reports that a natural gas price increase was on the way. He said the natural gas price would not be raised until the beginning of next year.

RADIKAL

-- BARZANI'S SUPPORT: PKK EITHER CHANGES OR BE CRUSHED

Massoud Barzani, head of the regional administration in the north of Iraq, said that if PKK terrorist organization does not change, then it would be crushed under the pressure of people.

Nechirvan Barzani, who is an administrator of the regional administration in the north of Iraq, also said threats against Turkey are unacceptable.

-- FIRST VACCINATION TOMORROW

Efforts continue to take measures against the swine flu. Vaccinations against the H1N1 virus will begin in Istanbul tomorrow. After health personnel, children will be vaccinated.

TURKIYE

-- ERDOGAN: ELECTIONS TO BE HELD ON TIME

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan denied claims that he discussed early elections with main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. Erdogan said the elections would take place on time. He added that people who discussed early elections were harming the country.

-- SNOW IN EAST, FLOOD IN WEST PARALYZE DAILY LIFE

Hundreds of houses and business places were inundated by floodwaters in Istanbul,the northern province of Trabzon, the southeastern province of Sanliurfa, the northwestern province of Tekirdag, the western province of Afyonkarahisar, the northern province of Giresun, the northwestern province of Kocaeli and the eastern province of Bingol. People who were trapped in floodwaters were rescued by construction machines. The first snow of the year was seen in the eastern province of Erzurum. The İzmir-Erzurum plane of SunExpress Airlines could not land in Erzurum due to snow.

ZAMAN

-- ‘TURKEY CANNOT WALK INTO FUTURE WITH THIS BLOOD LOSS’

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his government would not take steps backward on the democratic initiative. Describing the process as a "love, peace and fraternity project,” Erdogan, in his address to the nation, asked for support from artists, academics and non-governmental organizations.

"We have nothing to talk about to those who consider terrorism legal. Turkey can no longer carry this burden. Turkey cannot walk into the future with this loss of blood," he said.

-- TURKEY UNDER RAIN AND SNOWFALL

Turkey had seen summer for a long time during the fall, but chilly weather came to the country with precipitation at the weekend.

People suffered from heavy rainfall in the western part of the country. Some houses were flooded in Kocaeli, while some roads were closed in Istanbul due to big puddles. In the east, people in Erzurum saw the second snowfall this year.

YENI SAFAK

-- NO EARLY ELECTIONS

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan denied rumors about a snap general election that were circulated after his chat with main opposition leader Deniz Baykal at the Republic Day reception.

Erdogan said, "Elections will be held on the scheduled date."

Erdogan also said that "early election talk" would harm Turkey. He said such talk has caused a negative effect on the stock market over the past two days.

"Why would I share such a thing with the main opposition (Republican People's Party)?" he said. "All these reports are lies."

-- ‘LET'S GET RID OF THESE VIRUSES’

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu asked for support from Massoud Barzani, head of the regional administration in the north of Iraq, to root out the terrorist organization PKK from Mount Qandil. Barzani praised the Turkish government's "democratic initiative" and pledged to eradicate the PKK.

"The PKK has two options. Either they will change themselves or the Kurdish people will eliminate them," Barzani said.

Davutoglu said the Turkish government was determined to continue its democratic initiative. "But we have to get rid of these viruses," he said.