OIC PARLIAMENTARIANS UNION RECOGNIZES TRNC AS "CYPRIOT TURKISH STATE"
The Organization for the Islamic Conference Parliamentarians Union, meeting in Istanbul, yesterday decided unanimously to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern as the "Cypriot Turkish State." Reading out the final declaration, Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc praised the result as "very successful." Commenting on the decision, which wasn't in the final declaration, Arinc said that the final declaration was very comprehensive and included almost all issues. The declaration stated that reforms in member states would be supported, adding that this reform process would promote freedom and welfare in the Islamic world. /Milliyet/

BANGLADESHI PM ZIA VISITS ANKARA
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. After the meeting, Erdogan told a joint press conference that the level of commerce between Bangladesh and Turkey should be brought up. Erdogan also said that Turkey always gratefully remembers Bangladesh's material and spiritual support during the War of Independence. Zia said that she had had a very open and useful meeting with Premier Erdogan, adding that they had discussed cooperation opportunities on bilateral and international issues. At the press conference, Zia also stated that there were discussions on ending the Turkish Cypriots' isolation and that she was confident that there would be a solution to the problem. /Turkiye/

GUL MEETS WITH POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with his Polish counterpart Stefan Meller in Ankara. During their talks, the two top diplomats discussed bilateral relations. At a press conference, afterwards, citing the Polish Parliament's decision last year on the so-called Armenian genocide, Gul conveyed Turkey's concern over the matter. Stressing that the issue should be taken up by historians, not politicians, Gul said the move could encourage Armenians. Turkey has offered to Armenia to investigate the matter, but has so far gotten no reply, added Gul. For his part, Meller stated that his government's support for Turkey's European Union membership bid would continue. /Turkiye/

SAHIN: "OUR GOVERNMENT IS SENSITIVE TO PROPER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF SECULARISM"
The government yesterday defended its personnel policies and reiterated that it was committed to protecting secularism, one day after President Ahmet Necdet Sezer made unusually blunt comments saying that Turkey's secular regime was under threat from Islamic fundamentalists. "I and our government are as sensitive as our president to the proper implementation of the principle of secularism and its protection," said Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin. Sezer had told a gathering of military officers on Wednesday, "Religious fundamentalism has reached alarming proportions. Turkey's only guarantee against this threat is its secular order." /Turkish Daily News/

PARLIAMENT PASSES SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM PACKAGE
Following debates this week, a Social Security reform package was approved by Parliament yesterday. The reform, which aims to cut Turkey's large social security deficit through more efficient management and raising the retirement age, will bring Turkey's three separate social security bodies under one roof, namely the new Social Security Authority (SGK). /Turkiye/

ANKARA HOSTS NUCLEAR ENERGY SUMMIT
Following the government's decision this week to build a nuclear energy power plant in Sinop, a meeting chaired by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler was held yesterday in Ankara. Representatives from 14 Turkish leading firms and government officials, including State Minister Ali Babacan and Treasury Undersecretary Ibrahim Canakci, discussed the matter and explored ways for investment in the plant. After the gathering, Guler told reporters that the firms would submit their appraisals within one month and that he expectsa model financed by both the government and the private sector. /Sabah/

GREENS' ROTH: "TURKEY'S SITUATION CONCERNS US"
Claudia Roth, head of German opposition Greens Party, yesterday held contacts at Turkey's Parliament. She first visited Parliament Human Rights Commission head Mehmet Elkatmis and said, "We are quite worried about the current tense atmosphere in Turkey following these developments" in the nation's southeast. The Greens Party leader also raised her concern that Turkey's reform process has seemingly entered a stagnant period. Roth was received by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and also met with Parliament European Union Harmonization Commission head Yasar Yakis. /Star/

DANISH AMBASSADOR HOPPE: "THE PKK IS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION"
Christian Hoppe, Danish ambassador to Ankara, yesterday stated that the PKK is a terrorist organization and expressed his country's continued support to Turkey in its fight against terrorism. During his visit to Parliament's European Union Harmonization Commission, Hoppe also touched on the PPK-linked Roj-TV issue, and said, "The Danish government cannot intervene in an issue which is part of legal proceedings." /Cumhuriyet/

WORLD BANK, TURKEY SIGN CREDIT AGREEMENT
A credit agreement was signed yesterday between Turkey and the World Bank for Southeastern European Energy Community Program. A joint statement from the Treasury Undersecretariat and the WB said that a pact of 125 million euros to support the third stage of the Southeastern European Energy Community Program had been signed between Turkey and the WB. WB Turkey Director Andrew Vorkink said that the Bank aimed to boost the efficiency and capacity of energy transmission systems and to improve the access of electricity consumers and producers to the market. /Aksam/

BABACAN: "EVERYONE SHOULD CONSIDER EXCHANGE RATE RISK WHILE DOING BUSINESS"
Addressing a joint meeting of the Mersin Chamber of Industry and Mersin Chamber of Commerce yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that Turkey was in a new economic atmosphere, adding that everyone should consider the exchange rate risk while doing business. Saying that there was seasonal unemployment in Turkey and that the needs of the business world weren't in line with the skills of the unemployed, he added, "Therefore, we'll focus on vocational education." Babacan added that he didn't agree with arguments that the YTL is overvalued. /Sabah/