ISTANBUL (AFP) – Turkish intellectuals and politicians called for a fair and transparent ruling yesterday in Istanbul as the third hearing began in a case against three alleged killers of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. “This stain must be cleaned so that a Turkey where opinions are no longer judged, and those who express them are no longer condemned, can exist,” said a statement read to journalists near the Besiktas court. Yesterday’s hearing took place behind doors due to the fact that alleged murderer Ogun Samast is a minor.

GAZIANTEP (AP) – Nine Turks who died in a fire in Germany were buried in Turkey yesterday and officials of both countries called for restraint after speculation that the blaze was a racially motivated attack. Islamic preachers read prayers through loudspeakers as relatives of the victims wailed behind nine coffins draped with red-and-white Turkish flags and strewn with red roses at a cemetery in the southern city of Gaziantep. About 2,000 people attended the burial.

One of Croatia’s leading daily newspapers, Jutarnji List, apologized yesterday for publishing a fake interview with the premier – which was, in fact, an e-mail hoax perpetrated by a 23-year-old man. On Saturday, Jutarnji List ran what it said was an interview with Prime Minister Ivo Sanader under the byline of one of its top editors and commentators, Davor Butkovic. The same evening, the government denied that Sanader had given the interview. On Sunday, a rival daily revealed that a 23-year-old man had pretended to be Sanader in the “interview,” which was conducted by e-mail. (AP)

Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik called yesterday on residents of his Bosnian Serb entity to remain calm if, as expected, Kosovo proclaims independence this weekend. “We feel an anxiety over the issue (but) we have to remain calm,” Dodik said, referring to the likely unilateral declaration of independence by the breakaway Serbian province. “Those who have supported such a unilateral act have to face the fact that it will create a new situation in the region and in the world. We have to see how some will act,” he told journalists. (AFP)