GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON AUGUST 17

These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in the Turkish press on August 17, 2008. Hurriyet English does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. (UPDATED)

HURRIYET

--THOSE WORDS AGAIN

Turkish President Abdullah Gul warned Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad with the same words he told Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan in 2003 to avoid the war in Iraq.

Gul did not mention Ramadan while warning Ahmadinejad, but recalled Iraq and said, "we don't want our neighbor to get harmed. We don't wish Tehran to become a destroyed city like Baghdad."

--TURKISH DOCTOR A STAR AT YALE

Yale University appointed Turkish doctor, Professor Murat Gunel, as head of a program carried out to find and treat genetic causes of brain development and vascular diseases. 40-year-old neurosurgeon Gunel, who was named as "the second Gazi Yasargil", is also the head of a team researching the gene causing aneurysm.

MILLIYET

--"OUR VALUES ARE DIFFERENT"

In an interview with the British Guardian newspaper before meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Istanbul, President Abdullah Gul has said about the possibility of an American attack on Iran, "I don't want to think about that. Everybody should take a lesson from what happened in Iraq. Diplomatic solutions are always better than hard solutions."

Referring to relations with Iran, Gul said, "our values are different. But having a good relationship helps the stability of the region."

--GOOD NEWS FROM PRIME MINISTER

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that an additional payment of 103 YTL would be made in the lowest salary for civil servants as of August 15. "Also, the lowest salary will be increased by 10 percent while the average salary will be increased by 8.4 percent," he added.

SABAH

--MESSAGE OF BROTHERHOOD

President Abdullah Gul attended a ceremony to commemorate Haji Bektash Wali. He said, "something unpleasant happened in history but no one can divide us." He said Alawite motto "don't hurt, even if you are hurt" should be a guide for everybody.

ARMORED CAR FROM ANKARA TO GEORGIAN LEADER

A Turkish security company based in Ankara covers Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili's official Mercedes car and five escort cars with armor. Cars will also protect Georgian leader from assassination.

VATAN

--PILOT PREVENTS CALAMITY

Pilot of the Turkish Airlines' (THY) Airbus 300 plane which was flying from Istanbul to Nigerian capital city of Lagos with 196 passengers has prevented a calamity in the last minute. Navigation and communication system of the plane was broken when the plane was getting ready to land. Pilot of the plane succeeded in landing at the airport and prevented a calamity.

--LOWEST SALARY INCREASES BY 103 YTL

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the lowest salary for civil servants would be increased by 103 YTL as of August 15. Erdogan said at a news conference on Saturday, "additional amounts will be paid to civil servants ranging in accordance with their salaries. Also, the lowest salary will be increased by 10 percent while the average salary will be increased by 8.4 percent."

CUMHURIYET

--GUL: "A NEW MULTIPOLAR WORLD SHOULD EMERGE"

President Abdullah Gul has said in an interview with the British Guardian newspaper that a new multipolar world should emerge from the wreckage of war in the Caucasus. "The conflict in Georgia showed that the United States could no longer shape global politics on its own, and should begin sharing power with other countries," he said.

--"EARLY WARNING IS IN VAIN"

Professor Mustafa Erdik of the Bogazici University has said that the early warning system can predict an earthquake some 3-10 seconds before its occurrence. "Even if we detect such an earthquake, there is not an authorized institution to warn people," he said.

RADIKAL

--SUSURLUK SECRETS RECORDED IN 19 MISSING TAPES

It was revealed that retired Gen. Veli Kucuk recorded all his conversations with those who were involved in Susurluk case, in 19 tapes. But neither police nor the prosecutor's office searched for the tapes. In fact, the tapes can enlighten numerous incidents both in Turkey and abroad.

--8.4 PERCENT INCREASE IN SALARIES OF CIVIL SERVANTS

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said their policy was equal salary for equal job. "The lowest salary will be increased by 10 percent while the average salary will be increased by 8.4 percent," he said.

YENI SAFAK

--SURPRISE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a favor worth 947 million YTL ($800 million) for civil servants who were focused on collective bargaining. A civil servant who is paid the minimum wage will get 103 YTL of additional payment. Average increase in salaries reached 8 percent.

"AUGUST 17 TAUGHT HOW TO LIVE WITH EARTHQUAKES"

It's been 9 years since the massive earthquake that hit Marmara region on August 17, 1999. Cities have been rebuilt after the earthquake that killed 17,480 people according to official figures. August 17 has been a milestone about how our perceptions changed regarding the earthquakes.

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