GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN CICEK: “TURKISH TROOPS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN IN NORTHERN IRAQ”
Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that Turkish troops would not withdraw from northern Iraq and continue to remain there. Cicek briefed reporters on recent developments in the region. “Iraq is still unstable and a land of baseless accusations, lies, and provocations and only way to end this chaos is cooperation and constant dialogue between allied countries,” Cicek said. “There is still an authority vacuum in Iraq.” Cicek said that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had briefed ministers on detention of 11 Turkish soldiers by US forces last Friday. “All top US officials we were able to speak over the weekend told us that detention of Turkish soldiers were unacceptable and not appropriate,” government spokesman added. “This incident justifies Turkey’s concerns regarding northern Iraq.” Cicek further stated that Turkish troops would continue to remain in northern Iraq no matter what and would not withdraw since Turkey’s concerns are still valid. Cicek added that Gul’s visit to the US was not canceled due to detention crisis. In related news, US Vice President Dick Cheney yesterday called Erdogan and said that he was sorry due to detention of Turkish soldiers by US forces and would do his best to make the incident obvious. /Aksam/

OZKOK: “DETENTION OF TURKISH SOLDIERS BY US FORCES IS THE WORST CRISIS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES”
Robert Pearson, US ambassador to Turkey yesterday visited Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok to discuss a number of issues, including detention of Turkish soldiers by US forces last Friday. During their talks, Ozkok said that detention of 11 Turkish soldiers was the worst crisis between Turkey and the US and that the US administration had much to repair Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) honour. Ozkok recalled that a 100-member US force surrounded special bureu team in Sulaymaniyah and attempted to enter the bureu by force. “Unfortunately, this incident created the biggest crisis of confidence between the two countries,” said Ozkok, adding that he did not believe that it was a policy of the US. For his part, Pearson said that he was pleased with return of Turkish soldiers to Sulaymaniyah. “We will always continue to be allies with Turkey,” he added. /Aksam/

US ARRESTS OF TURKISH TROOPS IN NORTHERN IRAQ CAUSE FRUSTRATION IN NATO
The US must immediately apologize to both Turkey and all other NATO allies for detaining 11 Turkish special forces officers over the weekend in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaimaniya, said a NATO source yesterday. Characterizing the incident as unacceptable, the same source stated that the US arrests dealt a tremendous blow on the respectability on the Alliance, adding that for the first time in NATO’s history the soldiers of an ally arrested those of another ally. /Cumhuriyet/

BOUCHER: “THE DETAINED TURKISH SPECIAL FORCES MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN DISTURBING ACTIVITIES”
Turkish special forces who were detained by US troops over the weekend in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaimaniya might have been involved in disturbing activities, US State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher told a daily press briefing yesterday, adding that the US military was acting on reports about possible illicit activities. Boucher said the US had information that raised serious concerns about the activities of these forces in northern Iraq, but he declined to provide details on what the information was. Asked whether Washington shared this information with Ankara, Boucher said, “We have discussed these matters with the Turkish side and that the US and Turkish military and civilian officials will be undertaking a joint investigation to look into all the facts of the matter.” /Cumhuriyet/

TURKISH-US RELATIONS LIKELY TO FACE DEEPER CRISIS ON NORTHERN IRAQ FOLLOWING FRIDAY’S ARRESTS
Turkish-US relations are likely to face a deeper crisis on the northern Iraq issue, as the detention of 11 Turkish special forces officers by US troops over the weekend in the northern Iraqi city of Sulaimaniya suggested a further damaged to the already tattered alliance between Turkey and the US. Ankara and Washington had tense relations since last March when the Turkish Parliament rejected a US request to use the country as a springboard for a northern front against Saddam Hussein. Certain US officials have been openly voicing concerns about Turkish forces in northern Iraq and their activities and relations with the native Turkmen population there. Turkey has been sending troops to northern Iraq since 1991’s Gulf War to track down militants of the terrorist group PKK/KADEK and to monitor possible Kurdish ambitions for an independent state. Ankara had earlier warned the US that the formation of an independent Kurdish state would be a casus belli for Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/

INTERIOR MINISTER AKSU VISITS BAKU
Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu yesterday flew to Baku for a two-day official visit. Aksu is scheduled to meet with Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev and Interior Minister Ramil Usubov to discuss relations between the two countries. /Anatolia News Agency/

FINANCE MINISTER UNAKITAN TO ATTEND PRIVATIZATION MEETINGS IN THE US
Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan is set to visit the US today in order to attend some meetings concerning privatization. During these meetings, Unakitan would brief participants on Turkey’s privatization process. /Aksam/

IMF DELEGATION CHAIRED BY MOGHADAM ARRIVES IN TURKEY
International Monetary Fund Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam accompanied by a delegation yesterday arrived in Turkey. The delegation chaired by Moghadam is expected to meet first with Turkish Exporters Association (TIM) Chairman Oguz Satici today. During the meeting, Satici is expected to present a letter to the delegation which says that the program should be revised according to Turkey’s conditions. Later, the delegation is expected to meet with officials from the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD). /Milliyet/

BLACK HAWK, SUPER COBRA HELICOPTERS MODERNIZED BY ASELSAN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TURKEY
ASELSAN, a Turkish military electronics industrial company, has modernized Black Hawk and Super Cobra helicopters for the first time in Turkey by using completely domestic technology. The modernized helicopters are expected to be dispatched to the Turkish Armed Forces soon. /Turkiye/

FIRES CLAIM 100 HECTARES OF FORESTED AREA
Fires broke out in Bodrum and Marmaris towns of western province of Mugla which are among the most important tourism centers of Turkey. A total of 100 hectares of forested area were burnt down to ashes in the fires. Two villages were evacuated in Marmaris town due to the fire. /Anatolia News Agency/

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