GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON AUGUST 19

These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in the Turkish press on August 19, 2008. Hurriyet English does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET

-- BEST RESPONSE TO COWARDS

PKK terrorists exploded a bomb next to a private course in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir's city-center eight months ago, killing seven people and wounding 65, including students preparing for the university exam. Although students went through a severe trauma, their resolution, psychological support and efforts exerted by their teachers brought success. A total of 1,113 course students passed the exam and earned the right to study in several fields, including medicine, engineering, dental surgery, and business administration at university.

-- FLIGHT TOLERANCE FOR ARMENIA

It was revealed that Turkey made a significant offer of good-will to Armenia during the conflict between Russia and Georgia. Ankara relaxed the flight quota to enable Georgians to leave the country via air and facilitate humanitarian assistance.


MILLIYET

-- GOVERNMENT'S EU MOVE

The government will shape up the draft of National Program, which it has prepared according to views of the opposition and non-governmental organizations under its EU membership bid. The 400-page draft, which was discussed in Monday's Council of Ministers meeting, is comprised of four parts.

-- LAND MINE TERROR AGAIN

PKK terrorists exploded a remote-control land mine while a military vehicle was passing by in Cizre town of the southeastern province of Sirnak. Non-commissioned officer Muslum Firat was killed and eight soldiers were wounded in the attack which occurred near Kizilsu village at 7:00 a.m. Monday. After the attack, soldiers launched a helicopter operation in the region. Also one soldier was injured after he stepped on a landmine which had been planted by terrorists in the southeastern province of Siirt.


SABAH

-- FROM COMA TO MEDICAL FACULTY

Gorkem Emre Oz, 18, who was injured in a bomb attack in front of "Final", a private course in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir on Jan. 3, was receiving treatment at the intensive care unit for the past month month. Oz, suffered from a broken leg and also underwent surgery for injuries received in the attack, and he also underwent another one month of treatment at home. Oz, who lost his best friend in the attack, did not give up, and took university exam. Oz passed the exam and will study at Dokuz Eylul University Medical Faculty.

-- TURKEY'S AFRICAN APPROACH

A total of 50 of 53 African countries participated in the African Union Summit which is being held for the first time in Turkey. With the directives of President Abdullah Gul, the traffic was not interrupted in Istanbul, and the leaders were ferried to summit building by boat. Making cooperation with Africa in eight areas is high on the agenda. Also, Gul received delegations from 26 countries on Monday.

VATAN

-- SIRNAK: ONE SOLDIER KILLED, 8 INJURED

Terrorists exploded a land mine planted on the road near Kizlisu village of Cizre town of the southeastern province of Sirnak while a military vehicle was passing by on Monday. Non-commissioned officer Muslum Firat was killed in the blast. Eight soldiers were wounded in the attack and taken to hospital. Also one soldier, who stepped on a land mine in the southeastern province of Siirt, was injured.

-- AL-BASHIR CRISIS

The arrival of Sudanese leader Al-Bashir, who was asked to be arrested on charges of genocide, in Istanbul to attend the Turkey-Africa Summit puzzled the entire world. Fifty African leaders were invited to the Turkey-Africa Summit which will officially begin at Ciragan Palace on Tuesday. The summit is hosted by President Abdullah Gul. The most discussed name is Al-Bashir who is being held responsible for the massacre of 35,000 people in Darfur.


CUMHURIYET

-- PROPOSAL FOR CIVILIAN SHIP FOR ASSISTANCE

Options have become clearer at talks with U.S. officials regarding assistance to Georgia. Turkish officials said that there would be no issues with the tonnage of the U.S. civilian fleet to stream to Black Sea from the Turkish straits if the assistance would be made by civilian ships, as restrictions in the Montreux Treaty covers only warships.

-- GENOCIDE CRIMINAL AL-BASHIR IN TURKEY

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir arrived in Istanbul for the Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit. The red carpet was rolled out for al-Bashir. Al-Bashir, who was blamed for committing genocide against ethnic groups in Sudan, had paid a formal visit to Turkey in January. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him last month but Al-Bashir can easily come to Turkey.


RADIKAL

-- TERROR COULD NOT STOP HIM

Gorkem Emre Oz, the survivor of a deadly terrorist attack carried out near a private course in Diyarbakir that killed six youths preparing for the university entrance exam, later sat the university exam on crutches and succeeded in entering the faculty of medicine at Izmir's Dokuz Eylul University.

-- NEW MEDAL LOOMS IN BEIJING

Turkish boxer Yakup Kilic defeated his Algerian opponent in the men's 57 kg and guaranteed a bronze medal in Beijing Olympics. Kilic will meet Ukraine’s world silver medal winning boxer on Friday to qualify for the final.

YENI SAFAK

-- BRONZE OKEY, NOW IT IS TIME FOR GOLD

Turkish boxer Yakup Kilic in the men's 57 kg defeated his Algerian opponent Abdulkadir Chadi 13-6 at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Kilic reached the semi-finals. Kilic guaranteed the bronze medal. He will fight Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko on Friday for the final.

-- HE DID NOT COLLAPSE

Gorkem Emre Oz, who was severely injured in a bomb attack in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir that also killed seven people, sat the university exam on crutches. He won a place at Dokuz Eylul University Medical Faculty.

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