ANKARA
The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
All Turkish dailies covered Fenerbahce President Aziz Yildirim's statement in a press conference on recent UEFA sanctions banning the team from European competitions for the next two years. Daily Milliyet headlined "I will not give in", saying Yildirim directed harsh criticism towards the European football regulation body.
Daily Zaman quoted Yildirim as saying "This case [regarding Fenerbahce ban] is one of the most unfortunate and troubling for UEFA. If you isolate individuals from organizations, all of UEFA's rules are invalidated, and UEFA cracks."
"UEFA will crack" was Daily Vatan’s headline, which quoted Yildirm: "I will never turn Fenerbahce over, nor will I ever give in. They can't take me down."
Daily Sabah noted that Yildirim attended the conference as the executive board chairman, as indicated in a tabletop sign, rather than the club's head.
Earlier this week, an Istanbul court suspended Yildirim as Fenerbahce president as it decides whether to dismiss him on an ex-president's claim that Yildirim was unfit to serve by law since he was convicted of match-fixing charges.
Most Turkish dailies covered the Turkish government's move to amend part of military code that served as pretext for past juntas.
Daily Star described the initiative as "one of the biggest steps towards demilitarization in Turkish democratic history." The daily said critical segments in Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) Internal Service Act would be amended to keep the army out of politics and instead put the emphasis on its mission to protect the nation from threats abroad.
Daily Aksam headlined "Junta loses ground," referring to some parts of the Act used to justify past military coups. Daily Zaman said Article 35, which says "TSK is responsible for protecting the Turkish land and the Republic of Turkey as defined in the constitution,” was shown as a pretext for the military interventions in 1960, 1980 and 1997.
Some Turkish dailies also covered the phone call between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Daily Aksam published "Let's take concrete steps", saying the leaders discussed the necessity for tangible progress in Syrian crisis, drawing attention in particular to a long-planned conference in Geneva.
Daily Yeni Safak said diplomatic exchanges intensified between Ankara and Moscow after Russia began using the military air base in the city of Baf in Greek Cypriot administration as an addition to its current base in Port of Limassol on the island.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
