ERDOGAN VISITS PAKISTAN ON SECOND STOP OF ASIAN TRIP
In Malaysia on Saturday for the first stop of a two-nation trip to Asia, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with that country’s Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar. Later in the day, Erdogan flew to Islamabad and met with his Pakistani counterpart Zafarullah Han Cemali to discuss a number of issues, including the Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India. Erdogan said that Turkey favored a peaceful solution for the violence-torn border region, adding that any proposed solution must deliver justice to both sides. During the meeting, Erdogan also urged Pakistan to support the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) bid to join the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). /Aksam/

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER ARINC CRITICIZES US’ IRAQ POLICY
Appearing on state TV channel TRT 2 over the weekend, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc criticized the United States’ policy on Iraq. “It is wrong to forcefully impose a political regime on another nation,” said Arinc. “The Iraqi people should be allowed to express their own free will. The US willfully ignores the United Nations regulations and does whatever it wants to in Iraq without taking into consideration the wishes of its people. I hope this mistaken policy will be reversed immediately and a truly democratic regime established in the region as soon as possible.” /Turkiye/

ENERGY OFFICIAL DEFENDS POWER STATION TAKEOVER
Energy Markets Regulatory Authority (EPDK) head Yusuf Gunay yesterday defended the government’s decision last week to take over two power stations, arguing that it was both reached unanimously and constitutionally sound. The two stations, Cukurova and Kepez Electric, had been administered by the controversial Uzan group, which the government contends violated provisions of their 1998 concession agreement on the facilities. /Hurriyet/

ZIYAL VISITS WASHINGTON IN BID TO MEND STRAINED RELATIONS
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal flew over the weekend to Washington in a bid to mend bilateral relations which were strained in the wake of Turkey’s refusal of US troop deployments prior to the Iraq war. During his four-day visit, Ziyal is expected to meet with Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Assistant Secretary of State Marc Grossman, the latter a former US ambassador to Ankara. He will convey a message to the Bush administration that Turkey is ready to cooperate with the US on Iraq’s reconstruction. He will also deliver an address tomorrow on “Perspectives in Turkish Foreign Policy: Looking Forward After Iraq” at the American Enterprise Institute and speak to National Press Club on Wednesday on the subject of “Mending the Rift Between the US and Turkey.” /Star/

US CYPRUS COORDINATOR WESTON TO MEET WITH DENKTAS
Diplomatic initiatives of both the European Union and the United States to resolve the Cyprus issue are picking up speed. Thomas Weston, the US special envoy to Cyprus, is due today to meet with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas in Lefkosa. Weston recently also met with Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos. Following his talks with Denktas, Weston will also meet with representatives from various TRNC political parties and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). /Anatolia News Agency/

EU OFFICIAL BOUTEILLER: “ANKARA SHOULD KEEP UP ITS REFORMS”
Didier Bouteiller, the commissioner for horizontal issues and liaison with multilateral institutions for the European Union’s Economic and Financial Affairs Committee, over the weekend urged Turkey to continue its reforms in order to speed its pace towards EU membership. Remarking that the December 2004 EU summit would be a critical event for Turkey’s membership bid, Bouteiller stated that Ankara’s priority task should be preparing for this date when its membership negotiations are due to be scheduled. “I hope that Turkey’s membership talks will begin in 2005,” said Bouteiller. “However, I must stress that Turkey still has a long way to go.” He also added that the EU was planning to boost its financial aid to Turkey in 2004-2006. /Turkiye/

ITALIAN DEPUTY PM FINI: “A EUROPE WITHOUT TURKEY IS INCONCEIVABLE”
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini, whose nation will take over the EU term presidency in less than two weeks, over the weekend stated that he believed the European Union had certain responsibilities towards Turkey. Stressing that Italy would support Turkey’s EU membership bid, Fini remarked that his country respected Turkey’s calendar and believed that Ankara would do its utmost to fulfill all the necessary criteria on time. “I can’t think of a Europe without Turkey,” added the Italian deputy prime minister, echoing statements by his superior, Silvio Berlusconi. “Turkey will adopt itself to European norms, develop its economy and improve its democracy. During our term presidency, my country will always support Ankara’s efforts towards these goals.” /Cumhuriyet/

BELGIAN PRIME MINISTER VERHOFSTADT: “TURKEY’S FATE IS ITS OWN HANDS”
Speaking to daily Sabah yesterday, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt stated that since the European Union cannot rightfully exclude a country which fulfills all the necessary membership criteria, Turkey’s fate rested in its own hands. “Ankara itself will determine the beginning date of its membership negotiations,” said the Belgian prime minister. “The EU criteria for candidate countries are very clear. Turkey can begin its membership negotiations as soon as it manages to fulfill these. Therefore, the Turkish government should pick up the pace of its work.” He also criticized certain EU circles’ misconception of a monocultural Europe completely dominated by Judeo-Christian values, adding, “Everybody must understand that Europe is not made up of only Christians and Jews.” /Sabah/

MHP LEADER BAHCELI ANNOUNCES OPPOSITION TO SIXTH HARMONIZATION PACKAGE
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli charged yesterday that the sixth European Union harmonization package sent recently to Parliament failed to take into consideration the indivisibility and structure of Turkey’s unitary state. “The harmonization package might hurt the nation because it would make fomenting ethnic and religious discrimination easier,” said Bahceli. “Misleading and ignoring the nation would be the greatest disrespect.” Formerly a top political and government party, the MHP last fall failed to win enough votes to enter Parliament. /Aksam/

1.5 MILLION-PLUS STUDENTS TAKE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM
Yesterday over 1.5 million students across the country took their Student Selection Exams (OSS) in order to gain admission to a university in Turkey or the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Savas Kucukyavuz, the head of exam authority the Student Selection and Placement Center (OSYM), said that the three-hour exam had gone smoothly. /All Papers/

SPECIAL NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC HONORS 100 YEARS OF TURKISH HISTORY
A special issue of National Geographic Turkey on newsstands now honors 100 years of Turkish history with 100 photographs from over the last century. The commemorative magazine supported by Garanti Bank draws from National Geographic’s vast photo archives to enlighten and educate its readers on the breadth and scope of Turkish history. /Anatolia News Agency/

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