NSC TO CONVENE TOMORROW TO DISCUSS TURKEY’S EU BID
The National Security Council (NSC) is set to convene tomorrow to discuss a number of issues, including Turkey’s European Union membership bid. The council will also discuss the seventh EU harmonization package which the government is preparing in the wake of the successful passage last week of package six. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that the National Program would also be the agenda of the NSC meeting. In related news, the Cabinet is expected to hold an extraordinary meeting today to discuss Cyprus and the government’s National Program. /Aksam/
ERDOGAN: “OUR GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION”
Prime Minister AND Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said that his government was determined to fight against corruption. Speaking at the AKP’s parliamentary group meeting, Erdogan said, “Whoever has been involved in corruption must give an accounting.” Pointing to recent government reforms, Erdogan said that Turkey’s accomplishments were astounding the whole world. Stressing that the nation was resolved to make progress on its road to European Union membership, the prime minister stated that certain matters needed to be addressed, namely harmonization and carrying out the reforms. “We have put through many reforms under the harmonization process, and we continue to do so,” stated Erdogan. “However, that’s not enough. We should prove that we can also implement them. Then we will have done our part, and the final decision will belong to the EU.” /All Papers/
ERDOGAN URGES MINISTERS TO TALK LESS AND WORK HARDER
Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday urged the AKP’s government ministers to talk less and work harder. “Ministers speaking outside their areas of expertise only cause problems for our government,” said Erdogan, in an apparent reference to State Minister Kursat Tuzmen’s recent unwelcome prediction that Turkey might soon face an economic crisis. “Unfortunately, I see that some ministers are failing to heed my words. Let’s talk less and work harder.” The premier added that mission of the government ministers was not to address every issue, but to work harder in the service of the nation. /Aksam/
TURKEY OPENS PORTS, MILITARY BASES TO THE US FOR IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION
In another significant step in efforts to mend relations with the US which were strained in the wake of Ankara’s refusal of US troop deployments for the Iraq war, the Cabinet this week decided to open all of Turkey’s airports, ports and bases to the use of the US for Iraq’s reconstruction. US Secretary of State Colin Powell had conveyed a request to this end from the Bush administration to Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul at the World Economic Forum in Amman last week. The same request had also been conveyed to Foreign Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal during his recent visit to Washington. The Cabinet set one year as the duration of this decision and stated that it was made with the aim of contributing to Iraq’s reconstruction in compliance with United Nations resolutions. /Hurriyet/
COUNCIL OF EUROPE’S PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY APPROVES TWO CYPRUS REPORTS CRITICIZING TURKEY
The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly yesterday approved two Cyprus reports prepared by Swiss rapporteur Dick Marty and Finnish rapporteur Jaakso Laakso, both of whom criticized Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for allegedly failing to contribute to the Cyprus peace process. Marty’s report entitled “Rights and fundamental freedoms of Greek Cypriots and Maronites living in the northern part of Cyprus” alleges that “Turkey established violations of the human rights of the Greek Cypriot and Maronite [a minority Christian] communities living in the TRNC.” It also argues that the TRNC should “cease all humiliation of the Greek and Maronite communities and put an end to the dispossessions affecting members of these communities.” Meanwhile, Laakso’s report entitled “Colonisation by Turkish settlers of the occupied part of Cyprus” supports “the idea of the creation of a Fund which would ensure the financing of possible voluntary returns of the Turkish settlers to Turkey.” He also urges Turkey to “use its influence on the Turkish Cypriot administration with a view to stopping the process of colonization and consequently to review their migration legislation and policies.” The Turkish delegation to the Council of Europe objected strongly to these reports, charging that they both distorted the facts and ignored all recent positive developments on the island. In addition, TRNC President Rauf Denktas called Laakso’s report biased and reflective only of the views of the Greek Cypriots. He harshly criticized the rapporteur for conducting an unscientific study, failing to pay even a single visit to the TRNC, and gathering all of his data from the Greek Cypriots alone. /Cumhuriyet/
GUL: “I BELIEVE THE CYPRUS ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED BY THE END OF THIS SUMMER”
The Cyprus issue will be resolved by the end of this summer, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul predicted confidently yesterday. Gul said that negotiations over the island would begin again soon and that Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas had no intention of avoiding talking with the Greek administration towards a resolution. Touching on the Aegean dispute, the foreign minister also said that Turkish and Greek officials would also meet soon to resolve that issue. /Milliyet/
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE LARSON: “TURKEY HAS A GREAT POTENTIAL IN THE MIDDLE EAST”
Speaking to reporters during the recently concluded World Economic Forum extraordinary annual meeting in Amman, Jordan, US Deputy Secretary of State for the Economy and Trade Alan Larson said that Turkey has a great commercial potential in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq, and urged the nation to make the best use of this. Praising Ankara’s recent structural reforms, Larson pointed to the importance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program being carried out in Turkey. “Turkey should follow the program closely,” he added. /Turkiye/
AKP PROPOSES BOOSTING STAFF OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE TENFOLD
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) yesterday presented a motion to Parliament’s Planning and Budget Commision to increase staffing levels at the Religious Affairs Directorate by nearly tenfold. Under the motion, the staff ranks would grow from 1,600 to 15,000. /Milliyet/
ERDOGAN TO VISIT PORTUGAL NEXT WEEK
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to pay an official visit to Portugal on next Tuesday and Wednesday, July 1-2. After meeting in Lisbon with his Portuguese counterpart as well as the Parliament speaker, Erdogan will attend a seminar of the Turkish-Portuguese Business Council. /Turkiye/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION