SEZER VISITS AZERBAIJAN
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will be in Azerbaijan starting today for a two-day official visit as the guest of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev. During meetings between the presidents, political and economic areas related to mutual ties and recent developments are expected to be discussed. /Cumhuriyet/

GUL: "NATO RADAR TO WATCH SYRIAN BORDER"
Responding to opposition Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) Deputy Zuheyir Amber's question motion on the Iskenderun Kesiktepe radar position, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul stated that the construction was being done under a NATO agreement, the installation of the radar electronic system was continuing and that building operations were being conducted by Eryap AS and the electronic system by Italy's Markoni Systems. "The radar will show activity in Iskenderun-Hatay and be run by the Turkish Air Forces Command, and has been obtained and established through NATO common funds," said Gul. "The radar, which will be used to strengthen Turkey's security, hasn't gone into operation yet. Sufficient security and technical personnel is being planned for when it goes into operation." /Star/

CICEK: "ANTI-TERROR LAW WILL BE REVISED AND BROUGHT TO PARLIAMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE"
Speaking after yesterday's Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that the new anti-terror law would be revised and brought to Parliament as soon as possible. Cicek said that Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu and Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker, who visited Diyarbakir due to the recent incidents there, had briefed the ministers on the issue. "Citizens of the province didn't support the terrorists, and we appreciate that," said Cicek. He stressed that terrorism was against the constitutional order, adding that this should be understood. "Our government will determinedly continue to fight terrorism as it did before," added Cicek. /Turkiye/

AGAR: "TERROR SHOULD BE EVALUATED FROM A SOCIOECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE"
Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday received Turkish Doctors' Union Deputy Chairman Metin Bakkalci and an accompanying delegation. Speaking afterwards, Agar commented on the recently rise in terror incidents, adding that the terror issue should be evaluated from a broad socioeconomic perspective. "All problems can be solved within democracy," said Agar. "There is no solution except democracy." He added that it was important to make Turkey a country where people wouldn't be threatened by terrorists. /Turkiye/

ISTANBUL GOVERNOR MEETS WITH POLICE CHIEF TO MARK ANNIVERSARY
Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler yesterday received Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah to mark the 161st anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish Police Force. Commenting on recent incidents in Diyarbakir and the bombing of a bus, Guler said that these attacks against civilians and innocents wouldn't be successful. Saying that the Turkish police were striving to protect the security of the nation and stop games being played on Turkey, Guler added, "In their efforts, the police have never deviated from the principles of the rule of law." For his part, Cerrah said that plainclothes police would soon be present on buses to prevent any more such attacks. /Turkiye/

HELSINKI OPTIMISTIC ON CYPRUS ISSUE
Turkish-European Union relations, which have been in a lull during Austria's EU term presidency, are expected to revive during the presidency of Finland set to begin this July. In a period when many experts foresee a crisis between Ankara and Brussels, Finland's stance on this sensitive issue is promising. Finland is among the countries supporting Turkey and one of the rare states opposing some countries' recent efforts to add political criteria to Ankara's negotiation chapters. /Cumhuriyet/

ANOTHER OBSTACLE FROM GREEK CYPRIOTS
Greek Cypriots are again holding Turkish-European Union relations hostage. When Greek Cypriots opposed an office which the EU was planning to open in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a settlement couldn't be reached. The EU Commission had decided to open an "EU Contact Office" to coordinate the 139 million euros in aid extended last month and to facilitate communications with Turkish Cypriots. But a settlement wasn't reached at mutual meetings. The issue will be debated at the EU Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER) on Thursday. /Hurriyet/

IN BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA, TOBB HEAD COMMENTS ON CONTROVERSY OVER CB APPOINTMENT
Speaking to reporters yesterday in Bosnia Herzegovina, Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) head Rifat Hisarciklioglu commented on the controversy over the appointment of the new Central Bank governor, saying that during his recent visit to the US, International Monetary Fund Deputy Managing Director Anne Krueger had asked about the matter. "They didn't ask about cuts in the value-added taxes (VAT) or the expectations of the tourism sector," said Hisarciklioglu. Later, a Turkey-Bosnia Herzegovina Joint Action Plan was signed by Hisarciklioglu and his Bosnian counterpart. /Milliyet/

MARCH INFLATION FIGURES RELEASED
The Turkish Institute of Statistics (TUIK) yesterday released inflation figures for March. Last month's increase in the consumer price index (CPI) was 0.27%, while the producer price index (PPI) rose 0.25%, pushing the yearly CPI to 8.16% and PPI to 4.21%. /Sabah/