GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON AUGUST 29

These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in the Turkish press on August 29, 2008. Hurriyet English does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET-- COMPETITION EARNS THE STATE THREE BILLION DOLLARSTurkey witnessed the benefits of competition once more in the tender for "Iddaa" which resulted on Thursday. Thanks to the competition the state will earn three billion USD in a period of ten years. Inteltek, a Cukurova group company, which was the only bidder in the tender which was opened in 2007, had won the tender with an offer of 11.3 percent of the total earnings of "Iddaa", a sports betting game. Inteltek won again in Thursday's tender where three companies competed. But this time due to competition, Inteltek settled for operating "Iddaa" with only 1.4 percent share of the total earnings. Thus the state guaranteed earning 3 billion USD more in ten years. -- EAGLES FLY TO FIRST ROUND IN EUROPE Besiktas dominated the second leg against Bosnia Herzegovina's S.Brijeg with a score of 4-0 at their home, Inonu Stadium, in Istanbul. Besiktas who had won the first leg 2-1, advanced to the first round of UEFA Cup 6-1 on aggregate. MILLIYET-- WARNINGS FROM NEW COMMANDERGen. Ilker Basbug has become the new chief of Turkish General Staff. During the taking over ceremony, Gen. Basbug warned that religious communities were getting strength each day. "A segment of society thinks that religion is given a great weight in an emerging new cultural identity and lifestyle, and this segment is worried about this development," Basbug said as he took command of NATO's second-biggest army. "This concern should be taken seriously. This is compulsory for social peace within the scope of a pluralistic democracy," he said. Referring to relations with the United States, Gen. Basbug said, "our cooperation with U.S. army is on a perfect level. It is one of our most important duties to preserve this cooperation since Turkey-United States relations have gained further importance." -- CIVIL SERVANTS TAKE TO STREETS AFTER GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALThe government has proposed a 7.6 percent increase in salaries of civil servants in the fourth round of the collective bargaining talks with labor unions of civil servants. Turkish Public Workers' Labor Union (Kamu-Sen), which demanded a 10 percent increase, objected to the government's proposal. The labor union will hold a sit-in demonstration in capital Ankara later in the day.
SABAH-- FIRST MESSAGE: NATION STATE CAN NOT BE DISCUSSEDMessages relayed by Gen. Ilker Basbug on secularism, nation state and religious communities made a mark on handover ceremony at the General Staff HQ in Ankara. Gen. Basbug said Turkey's nation state structure could not be discussed. Gen. Basbug also said a segment of the society had concerns over secularism, indicating that this uneasiness should be taken into consideration, "this is an obligation for social tranquility within the scope of pluralist democracy understanding," he noted. -- SEARCHES FOR PEACE IN ISTANBULInitiatives of Turkey for Caucasus: Georgian and Russian foreign ministers will come to Turkey. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan will meet Georgian Foreign Minister Ekarterine Tkeselasvili on August 31st and he will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on September 2nd. Turkey is expected to relay the uneasiness felt over stance of Russia with recognizing independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. -- OSSETIA TRUMP CARD FOR TRNCPresident Abdullah Gul and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat determined a strategy for Cyprus talks that would start on September 3rd: "Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia will be used as trump card".
VATAN--ONE VILLAGE GUARD KILLED IN LAND MINE BLASTA land mine, planted by the terrorist organization in Derecik region of Semdinli town of the southeastern province of Hakkari exploded while a military convoy was passing by. One village guard died and a soldier was injured in the blast.
Separately, a group of PKK terrorists opened fire on a truck in the southeastern province of Hakkari, killing the truck driver and injuring two soldiers and three village guards.
--GULER SABANCI AMONG 100 MOST POWERFUL WOMENList of the most powerful 100 women of the world, which is traditionally determined by Forbes, was announced.
Guler Sabanci, chairperson and executive board director of Sabanci Holding, is the only woman from Turkey in list of Forbes. Sabanci was ranked the 75th.
CUMHURIYET--TOUGH MESSAGES FROM GEN.BASBUGGen. Ilker Basbug who assumed the command of Turkish General Staff on Thursday, listed the basics of the founding philosophy of Turkey as a secular, unitary nation state. Referring to Article 24 of the Constitution, he said Turkish Armed Forces would always be a party about the fundamental values of the Republic.
Basbug wanted authorities to take the worries about "the overwhelming influence of religion in formation of lifestyles," seriously. He said certain congregations were growing with the weakening social state aspect. Basbug said these congregations were trying to direct the economy and shape the socio-political life.
--BESIKTAS DOMINATE IN UEFABesiktas, one of Turkey's representatives in the European soccer arena, defeated Bosnian Siroki Brijeg with a score 4-0. Besiktas had won the first match with two goals against one. Besiktas advanced to the first round, where they will be competing together with Galatasaray and Kayserispor from Turkey. Fenerbahce, Turkey's representatives in the European Champions League, will be competing in Group G with Arsenal from England, Porto from Portugal and Dinamo Kiev from Ukraine.
RADIKAL--GUL'S RESPONSE TO SARGSIANPresident Abdullah Gul said that Turkey was in favor of resolving the problems with its neighbors. "This is our region. We are the children of the same land. Turkish and Armenian peoples have lived in this region together for centuries," he said.
Earlier, President Serzh Sargsian of Armenia invited President Gul to Yerevan to watch the 2010 Word Cup qualifying group match between Turkish and Armenian national soccer teams on September 6, saying that the match would create a significant opportunity to develop the bilateral relations. President Gul said that he extended support for all efforts to safeguard peace in the region.
--GREAT LOSS OF TURKISH POETRYIlhan Berk, one of the leading names of the Turkish poetry, died at the age of 90. Born in 1918, Berk was one of the dominant figures in "the second new generation".
--"NATION-STATE SHOULD BE PRESERVED"The issues of secularism and separatism were high on agenda of the ceremony in which Gen. Ilker Basbug took over the command of Turkish General Staff from Gen. Yasar Buyukanit. While Buyukanit said that the Turkish Armed Forces recently became subject of worthless attacks, Gen. Basbug said, "nation-state should be preserved and everyone should remain loyal to the Constitutional Court's definition of secularism."
YENI SAFAK--CUKUROVA WINS TENDER FOR IDDAAIn the first round of Thursday's tender for "Iddaa", a sports betting game, Dogan Media Group offered 6.1 percent of Iddaa's earnings while Inteltek offered 11.3 percent and Lotus-Ladbrokes offered 10 percent.
After a 30 minute break final offers were collected. Inteltek won the tender with an offer of 1.4 percent. Inteltek had been operating "Iddaa" with a 12 percent share from its earnings.
Iddaa's total earnings in the last 4 years were $6.7 billion. Greek company Intralot holds 45 percent shares of Inteltek while Cukurova holds 55 percent of it.
--A LITTLE POLITICS, A LITTLE MILITARYGen. Ilker Basbug who took over the command of the Turkish General Staff from Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, gave political messages in the beginning of his speech. He later moved on the military issues.

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