ERDOGAN: “EDUCATION SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended a signing ceremony for a “Contribution to Education Protocol” proposing a grant of TL 450 trillion from the Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) to the Education Ministry to fund school construction. Addressing the ceremony, Erdogan said that Turkey needed to work to boost its literacy rate. Stressing that all sectors should contribute to the improvement of education, the prime minister stated that in time the government should withdraw from education and the private sector should become active in the field. He further noted that private schools’ student capacity was currently some 1 million, but that their enrollment was short 600,000 students. “We want to make use of this gap to help bright children from poor families, and our work on this project is continuing,” said Erdogan. /All Papers/
GUL SET TO LEAVE FOR US VISIT
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is set to fly to the United States today for an official visit. Speaking before his departure, Gul said that both Turkish and US officials should make such visits in order to further cooperation between the two countries. Gul said that during his visit he would meet separately with Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell, adding that the timing of his visit was appropriate. “We will discuss a number of issues, including Iraq’s reconstruction, Turkey’s contributions to the Iraq peacekeeping force, and also the Cyprus issue,” he said. Touching on the prospect of sending additional Turkish soldiers to northern Iraq, Gul said that Turkey and the US were unofficially discussing the issue. “The US administration has made no official request for our government to send [additional] Turkish troops into northern Iraq. We’re waiting to get a request,” said the foreign minister. “Later, after the US has said it wants Turkish soldiers to be sent there, then our Parliament will discuss the matter.” He added that the view of the Office of General Staff on any Iraq deployment was also important. /Milliyet/
DENKTAS: “NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN THE GREEK CYPRIOT LEADERSHIP”
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas charged yesterday that nothing had changed in the conduct of the Greek Cypriot leadership. Denktas told reporters that a copy of a letter sent to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan from Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, who recently rejected Denktas' latest proposals of confidence-building measures, had been conveyed to him the same day. Denktas pointed to Papadopoulos’ statements demanding that negotiations over the island be restarted while opposing the confidence-building measures. “We hope the secretary-general won't once again permit such an artificial approach and will take into consideration Papadopoulos' statements,” said Denktas. /Anatolia News Agency/
SYRIAN PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT ANKARA
Syrian Prime Minister Mustafa Miro is set to visit Ankara next week upon the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Miro will be the first Syrian prime minister to visit Turkey in 17 years. Besides Erdogan, the Syrian premier is also scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. /Turkiye/
PEARSON: “THE MATTER OF TURKEY’S SENDING TROOPS TO IRAQ WILL BE MADE CLEAR DURING GUL’S VISIT TO WASHINGTON”
Speaking to reporters yesterday, US Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson said that during their visit to Ankara last week, high-level US military officials had unofficially asked Turkey to contribute to the peacekeeping force in Iraq. The ambassador, whose tenure in Ankara is due to end soon, added that the matter was still under consideration and would be clarified during Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul’s visit to Washington beginning today. /All Papers/
ISRAELI NAVY COMMANDER VISITS TURKEY
Israeli Naval Forces Commander Vice Adm. Yedidia Ya’ari yesterday arrived in Ankara to pay a two-day visit. Welcoming his counterpart with a ceremony at Ankara’s Turkish Naval Headquarters, Adm. Bulent Alpkaya said that he was pleased to host Ya’ari and that during their meetings bilateral relations would be taken up. The Israeli commander is expected to proceed to Golcuk today to visit the Turkish Naval Command. /Turkiye/
TALABANI OPPOSES TURKEY’S SENDING TROOPS TO NORTHERN IRAQ
Speaking to news channel NTV yesterday, Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) leader Jalal Talabani said that he was opposed to Turkey’s sending soldiers to northern Iraq. Asked about the continued threat from the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK, Talabani expressed approval for Ankara’s plans to grant amnesties (through repentance) in order to resolve the issue. /Hurriyet/