NSC CONVENES
The National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer convened yesterday at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. A statement issued by the NSC Secretariat General following the five-and-a-half-hour gathering said that the top leaders focused on public order and security in the country, and recent developments in Iraq, as well as necessary arrangements and measures to follow naval traffic in the Mediterranean, and new projects to develop maritime service in the country. The statement emphasized Ankara's resolution to take all measures needed to fight terrorism. /Milliyet/

PM ERDOGAN TO ATTEND D-8
Turkey will be represented by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the summit of the Southeastern Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) set to gather in Thessalonica, Greece next Thursday. During the ceremonies, Greece will hand over the SEECP term presidency to Croatia. In related news, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Azerbaijan on May 5 and will hold contacts and tour the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan natural gas pipeline. Premier Erdogan will also visit Indonesia on May 12-14 and participate in the fifth summit meeting of the D-8, an organization of developing countries meant to promote cooperation. /Cumhuriyet/

GUL: "IRAQ SHOULD BE PLEASED WITH THE MEASURES WE TOOK AGAINST THE TERRORIST PKK"
Speaking to reporters yesterday in Edirne, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul commented on a note from Iraq claiming that Ankara was conducting "hot pursuit" in northern Iraq, saying that Turkey is taking measures against the terrorist PKK since the group generally steps up its attacks in the spring. "Ankara always takes measures in the spring," he said. "These measures aim to prevent the group infiltrating Turkey. Iraq should be pleased with this. We'll continue to take such measures until Iraq establishes its own security forces and controls its borders. " Later, Gul travelled to Sofia to attend a two-day unofficial NATO foreign ministers meeting. There he met with Turkish-origin Bulgarian government ministers at a luncheon. Bulgarian State Minister Emel Ethem, Environment Minister Cevdet Cakirov, and Agricultural Minister Nihat Kabil attended the luncheon, where Turkish-Bulgarian relations were discussed. Later, Gul met with his counterparts at dinner, where Iran's nuclear program was discussed. Gul is due today to meet with Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis to discuss stagnation in Turkish-Greek relations. /Sabah/

BAYKAL: "NEW ANTI-TERROR LAW WOULD ALLOW OCALAN TO BE FREED AFTER TWO YEARS"
Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday charged that the new anti-terror bill currently under debate in Parliament could allow jailed head of the terrorist PKK Abdullah Ocalan to be freed two years after its enactment. Stressing that his party had examined the law in detail with legal experts, Baykal said Article 6 should be revised. But Justice Minister Cemil Cicek dismissed Baykal's claims, saying that no government of the Republic of Turkey, and no deputy in Parliament, could approve of setting Ocalan free. He stated that such claims would hurt the morale of the security forces. "Baykal is almost accusing us of treason. Such statements are exactly what the terrorist group wants," said the justice minister. /Turkiye/

US AMBASSADOR WILSON: "CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS WOULDN'T BE WISE"
US Ambassador to Ankara Ross Wilson said yesterday that his country gives great support to Turkey's fight against the terrorist PKK and is cooperating with Ankara in a range of areas towards this end. Wilson said that during her contacts in Ankara this week, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sought policies to fight the PKK presence in northern Iraq in line with tripartite agreements. Asked about possible cross-border operations by Turkey, Wilson said, "We think that cross-border operations wouldn't be wise," adding, "But we support the measures taken by the Turkish authorities in order to strengthen their border, and to prevent the infiltration of terrorists. We believe that the PKK terrorists must find no place for refuge. We're determined to do something with Turkey and Iraq as soon as the (Iraqi) government is established." /Star/

LITHUANIA CALLS FOR "INSIGHT" ON SO-CALLED GENOCIDE
Lithuania President Valdas Adamkus, currently visiting Yerevan, Armenia, said yesterday that a Turkey which wants to enter the European Union should act more "insightfully" about the so-called Armenian genocide. Adamkus said that if his country's relations with Turkey suffer due to Ankara's current stance, they would call on Turkey, an EU candidate country, to observe the principle of "mutual respect." /Cumhuriyet/

BARZANI: "THE TSK DIDN'T VIOLATE THE BORDER"
Commenting yesterday on a note from Iraq to Turkey claiming that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) was conducting "hot pursuit" in northern Iraq, Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani said that the TSK had not crossed the Turkish-Iraqi border. Saying that Iraq was responsible for protecting northern Iraq, Barzani added that it would do its best for this. /Milliyet/

BABACAN ADDRESSES TURKISH-GERMAN COOPERATION COUNCIL
Speaking at the 12th meeting of the Turkish-German Cooperation Council yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan yesterday called for German businessmen to invest in Turkey. "The technology and marketing of German companies and the quality of Turkish companies will complete each other," he said. Stressing that Germany supported Turkey's European Union membership bid, Babacan added that German businessmen would benefit from Turkey's sound economy. /Aksam/

ISTANBUL HOSTS WORLD BUSINESSWOMEN'S SUMMIT
A two-day World Businesswomen's Summit began yesterday in Istanbul. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's wife Emine Erdogan hosted the summit. Syrian first lady Esma Assad, Afghan first lady Ziniat Karzai, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) first lady Oya Talat, Lebanon Parliament speaker's wife Randa Berri, and Bosnia Herzegovina prime minister's wife Niado Terzic attended the summit. Speaking at the meeting, Erdogan said that that there were socioeconomic and cultural obstacles to education, especially for girls. Addressing the gathering, Assad said that everybody should strive for peace and security in the Middle East. For her part, Talat commented on the isolation of the TRNC, saying that no country should be isolated. /Aksam/

WRESTLER YERLIKAYA TAKES EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Turkish wrestler Hamza Yerlikaya yesterday won the gold medal in 96 kilos during the European Championships being held in Moscow, Russia. Yerlikaya, who has been Olympics, world, and European Champion two, three and eight times respectively, defeated a Ukrainian rival in the finals 2-0. In addition, Mahmut Altay scored a bronze medal in 74 kilos. /Turkiye/