GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON SEPT 4

These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in the Turkish press on September 41, 2008. Hurriyet English does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET

--ONE VISIT, FIVE MESSAGES

The commander of a garrison in Kocaeli paid a visit "on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces" to retired generals Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolon, who were arrested within the scope of Ergenekon investigation. The visit gave five messages:

1- The visit was made public by a statement posted on the web-site of the General Staff. Thus, it was shown that the new commanders were backing their former brothers-in-arms.

2- The statement said that the visit was paid on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces, and stressed that it covered all members of the Turkish Armed Forces.

3- The Turkish Armed Forces, which did not visit retired general Veli Kucuk, who was earlier arrested, gave the message that it would not back its former members who were involved in gangs.

4- The statement said that Turkish Armed Forces had a full respect and confidence in the judiciary, and drew the attention that the visit was not paid to influence the judiciary.

5- The visit was paid by the highest commander in that region, and thus underlined the importance attributed to the visit. However, a permission was demanded before the visit and the commander went there by a civilian vehicle. These are the indicators of the respect to the civilian authority.

--HISTORIC DECISION

The soccer diplomacy is melting the ice between Turkey and Armenia. President Abdullah Gul made a brave decision and accepted an invitation by Armenian President Serzh Sargsian for a World Cup qualifier between the two countries in Yerevan on Saturday. The decision came after Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Unal Cevikoz's talks in Yerevan. In its statement, the Cankaya Presidential Palace said, "the game is an important opportunity, besides being a sportive event."

--YEREVAN PROGRAM

President Abdullah Gul's visit to Yerevan on Saturday will be limited with five or six hours. After having one-hour tete-a-tete meeting, Gul and Armenian President Serzh Sargsian will go to Hrazdan stadium and watch thegame.

MILLIYET

--PRESIDENT GUL TO GO TO ARMENIA

President Abdullah Gul has decided to go to Armenia to watch the soccer match between Turkish and Armenian national teams in Yerevan on September 6 after assessing Armenian President Serzh Sargsian's invitation for a long time.

The Presidential Office said in a statement that the visit could make contributions to creation of a new friendly atmosphere in the region. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan will accompany President Gul.

--FOUR TERRORISTS KILLED

Terrorists who killed two Turkish troops in Kigi town of the eastern province of Bingol on Tuesday night, were surrounded by security forces in an operation. Four terrorists were killed in a clash with security forces.

SABAH

--HISTORIC VISIT TO YEREVAN

President Abdullah Gul will pay a visit to Armenia to watch the soccer match between Turkish and Armenian national teams in Yerevan on Saturday. President Gul conveyed his message to Armenian President Serzh Sargsian who invited him to watch the game in Yerevan through his special envoy. President Sargsian expressed his pleasure that the parties did not miss such an opportunity. Now, Yerevan will host a Turkish president for the very first time.

--A VISIT TO KANDIRA

Gen. Galip Mendi, commander of the garrison in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, paid a visit to two retired pashas, who were arrested under the Ergenekon probe, in the Kandira Prison. The General Staff said that the visit was paid on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces and expressed its full trust in Turkish judiciary. Retired pashas Hursit Tolon and Sener Eruygur have been in jail for 65 days.

--A SUCCESSFUL BEGINNING

Turkish national basketball team has beaten Ukraine 86-73 in the qualification rounds for the European Basketball Championship in 2009.

VATAN

--WAS ILKER PASHA RIGHT OR WRONG?

Upon orders of Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, the commander of a garrison in Kocaeli visited retired generals Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolon at the Kandira prison. The visit was paid with a special permission on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces, which caused discussions. Gen. Galip Mendi, the commander of the Kocaeli Garrison, had almost one-hour meeting with Eruygur and Tolon. The commander did not talk to retired general Veli Kucuk, who was also in the same prison within the scope of Ergenekon investigation.

In a brief statement, the General Staff stressed that "the visit paid to two retired generals who served the Armed Forces for a long time was made on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces." It said that the Turkish Armed Forces had full respect and confidence in the judiciary today, as it had in the past.

Some circles supported Basbug after the surprising visit, saying that Turkish Armed Forces was late in this visit, whereas some other circles said, "Turkish Armed Forces is now a party to the Ergenekon case" and defined it as an intervention in the judiciary. Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "we assess it as a visit paid with humanitarian purposes."

--INFLATION DOWN, BUT RISE IN ELECTRICITY PRICES ON THE WAY

There is good and bad economic news for the citizens. The Turkish Board of Statistics (TUIK) announced the inflation rates and said that the inflation in consumer and producer prices were down at the same time in August. This was a development that had occurred for the first time in 13 months. Accordingly, the producer prices were down 2.34 percent and consumer prices were down 0.24 percent in August.

However, the Turkish Electricity Trade and Contracting Corp. demanded a 34 percent rise in electricity prices as of October 1. The electricity prices were up twice since the beginning of this year.

CUMHURIYET

--A VISIT ON BEHALF OF TSK

Gen. Galip Mendi, commander of the garrison in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, paid a visit to two retired generals Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolan who are under arrest at Kandira Prison under the Ergenekon probe. The General Staff posted a statement on its web-site saying that the visit was paid on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces. "The Turkish Armed Forces has full respect and trust in Turkish judiciary," the statement added.

--GOOD NEWS FROM CYPRUS

President Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias met under the comprehensive negotiation process. The meeting lasted for about two hours. Later, both Talat and Christofias expressed their willingness for a solution in the island.

--QUARTET SUMMIT IN SYRIA

As the current president of the Arab League, President Bashar al-Asad of Syria will host Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Nikolas Sarkozy of France, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, and Amir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar holding the presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

RADIKAL

--F-TYPE WARNING

Gen. Galip Mendi, commander of the garrison in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, paid a visit to two retired generals, suspects of the Ergenekon probe, in the Kandira Prison. While Gen. Mendi was in the jail for the visit, the General Staff posted a statement on its web-site saying that the visit was paid on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces. "The Turkish Armed Forces has full respect and trust in Turkish judiciary," the statement read.

The Republican People's Party (CHP) welcomed the visit while Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described it as a humanitarian move.

--GUL: "I AM GOING TO YEREVAN"

President Abdullah Gul responded Armenian President Serzh Sargsian's invitation to watch the soccer game between Turkish and Armenian national teams in Yerevan on Saturday in the affirmative. "The visit is seen as an opportunity to create an appropriate ground for removal of obstacles in front of a rapprochement between two peoples sharing a common history," the Presidential Office said in a statement.

--SURPRISING DECREASE IN INFLATION

Inflation rates dropped surprisingly in August. As a result of early discounts in apparel and shoes and decrease in oil prices, consumer prices index (TUFE) declined by 0.24 percent and producer prices index (UFE) reduced by 2.34 percent.

YENI SAFAK

--AND GUL GOES TO YEREVAN

President Abdullah Gul accepted an invitation by the Armenian President Serzh Sargsian. The two leaders will watch a World Cup qualifier between Turkey and Armenia in Yerevan together. Gul replied positively to Sargsian's call to watch the national game together. Thus, Gul will go to Yerevan on Saturday. In a statement, the Cankaya Presidential Palace said, "the game is an important opportunity, besides being a sportive event. We hope this visit would be a good opportunity between the two nations."

--LASTING SOLUTION TO CYPRUS IN NEW YEAR

President Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias met again for a solution in Cyprus. Talat said that negotiations to be launched on September 11th would not last long. "Nobody should try to dominate the other, and guarantor status should be preserved," he also said.