SEZER APPROVES MERGER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM MINISTRIES
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday signed into law the merger of Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministries. The merger legislation, containing legal arrangements regarding the ministries’ unification as well as a reorganization plan, was easily passed by Parliament earlier this month. /Cumhuriyet/

NEW ZEALAND GOVERNOR-GENERAL VISITS TURKEY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday met with New Zealand Governor-General Sylvia Cartwright, who is currently paying an official visit to Turkey. Cartwright said that despite the great geographic distance between Turkey and New Zealand, a tragic meeting in Gallipoli 88 years ago had since led to the forging of close and unique ties between them. She stated that her country wanted to further its relationship with Turkey. Cartwright, the official representative of Queen Elizabeth on the island nation, then met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Deputy Parliament Speaker Ismail Alptekin. /Aksam/

US CONGRESSMAN WEXLER MEETS TURKISH OFFICIALS
Congressman Robert Wexler, a member of the US House of Representative and co-chair of the US Congress’ Turkish Friendship Group, yesterday met with Turkish officials in Ankara. He began his contacts by visiting Parliament Foreign Affairs Commission Chairman Mehmet Dulger along with opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul Deputy Onur Oymen. After the meeting, Wexler told reporters that he had had very fruitful and comprehensive talks with the parliamentarians, adding that he strongly supports the further development of Turkish-US relations. “We discussed the recent state of bilateral relations and what we can do to make them better,” he said. For his part, Dulger said that he had conveyed Turkey’s desire for a democratically conducted reconstruction process in Iraq. He added that they had exchanged views on the role of Turkish businessmen during the physical reconstruction process. Speaking to reporters, Oymen said that Wexler had asked what kind of message Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul would carry during his visit to Syria today and whether Turkey was shifting its foreign policy direction. He replied, “I told Wexler that Turkey has always had contacts with its neighbors and so this visit was nothing out of the ordinary.” I also, said Oymen, reminded Wexler that during a tense period in Turkish-Syrian relations – due to Damascus’ support for the PKK terrorist group – the US secretary of state visited more than Syria 20 times but Ankara not once. He added that he had told Wexler that Turkey wants to see signs at the Iraqi frontier stating “Welcome to Iraq” rather than “Welcome to Kurdistan,” which currently greets visitors to northern Iraq. Wexler was then received by Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. /All Papers/

IPUK REPRESENTATIVE SALIH: “TURKEY IS A GOOD MODEL FOR IRAQ”
Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) high-level representative Behram Salih arrived in Ankara yesterday to hold a series of contacts with Turkish officials. “During Iraq’s reconstruction period, we need the help of our friends, especially Turkey, which is a secular and democratic country,” said Salih. “The secular, democratic structure of your nation is a very good model for us.” Stressing that Turkmen were also part of the Iraqi nation, Salih said, “Iraq’s ethnic Turkmen, like the Kurds, have for many years been crushed under the wheels of Saddam’s regime. They have a right to sit at the table during negotiations [on Iraq’s future].” /Turkiye/

GUL TO VISIT DAMASCUS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is set to fly to Damascus, Syria today to discuss recent developments in northern Iraq with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa. Gul is also expected to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during his visit, which had originally been scheduled for earlier this month. Gul said yesterday that Turkey would cooperate with Syria and Iran in order to ensure stability in the region. /Aksam/

CABINET DISCUSSES TURKEY’S EU BID
Turkey’s European Union membership bid was discussed at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that the government would present the sixth EU harmonization package to Parliament next month. The new 10-article harmonization package proposes legislative revisions to the Anti-Terrorism Law, the Election Law, and the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) Law. “Turkey’s joining the EU is one of our most important goals,” said Cicek. “The AKP government will do whatever is needed to prevent any delay in the nation’s EU membership bid.” Cicek said that at yesterday’s four-hour meeting, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had briefed the Cabinet on Turkey’s EU accession to help further the discussion. Cicek said that the government had come to the end of an action plan and is set to release a report on the results next month, adding that Parliament’s General Assembly and the public would soon be briefed about pertinent developments. /Aksam/

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS REPORT ON TURKEY TODAY
The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission is set to begin today to debate its annual report on Turkey as prepared by Dutch EP Deputy and Christian Democratic Group member Arie Oostlander, and then will summit it to the full EP. Oostlander is well known for his anti-Turkish views, which are evident in the report. For instance, he claims that Turkey’s Kemalist philosophy constitutes an obstacle to Turkey’s European Union membership. Kemalism represents the views of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern republican Turkey. The report also asserts that drastic changes are needed in Turkey’s state structure. Turkey’s Permanent Representative to the EU Ambassador Oguz Demiralp has called the report biased and inaccurate. /Aksam/

VERHEUGEN: “TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION TALKS MAY BEGIN IN 2005”
Speaking to the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission yesterday, EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen said that Turkey’s EU accession talks could begin in 2005 should the country meet the necessary political requirements. Verheugen stated that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government was taking needed EU accession reforms seriously, but that role of the military in Turkey should be reconsidered and regulated. “Turkey’s EU accession is both economically and geostrategically appealing for the Union,” added Verheugen. “But this process isn’t without its difficulties.” Today the commission is due to begin debating a report on Turkey’s EU accession progress. /Hurriyet/

DENKTAS: “FOR 40 YEARS, FOREIGN INTERFERENCE HAS BLOCKED RESOLUTION ON CYPRUS”
Foreign interference has blocked any resolution on Cyprus for the last 40 years, said Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday. “If the parties had been left alone, they would have been able to solve all their problems by now,” stated Denktas. Asked about a proposal for special courts to resolve land ownership disputes between Turkish and Greek Cypriots, Denktas said that everything depended on mutual exchanges and compensation for losses and that if difficulties arose, he might consult foreign intermediaries. In order to solve traffic problem on the borders, added Denktas, less than a week after the TRNC opened up its border gates with its southern neighbor, bilateral meetings with the Greek Cypriots were necessary. /Aksam/

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION