ERDOGAN MEETS WITH OZKOK, DISCUSSES POSSIBLE TROOP DEPLOYMENT IN IRAQ
Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok yesterday met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Prime Ministry. During their meeting, Ozkok and Erdogan discussed the prospect of Turkish troop deployment in Iraq as part of the international stabilization force there. Ozkok gave the premier the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) position on the issue and reportedly told him that if a decision is made in favor of deployment, Turkish forces would be ready to move in 45 days. News sources reported that the TSK was opposed to a formula under which Turkish troops could be deployed in Iraq upon an invitation from the Iraqi Governing Council, as this body presently lacks any international recognition. In addition, Ozkok reportedly conveyed his concerns over the seventh European Union harmonization package and its proposed changes to the structure of the National Security Council (NSC). /All Papers/

PARLIAMENT APPROVES CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PACKAGE, REPENTANCE DRAFT LAW
Parliament approved a two-article constitutional amendment package yesterday lowering the age of eligibility to stand in parliamentary elections from 30 to 25 and also allowing the sale of former state-owned forestland. Three hundred and sixty-eight deputies voted in favor of the package, one vote more than the number required to pass the amendments without going to a public referendum. However, under the Constitution the president has the power to send the package back to Parliament for review or to resort to referendum, either for the amendments separately or for the package as a whole. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer seems likely to approve the article lowering the eligible age for parliamentarians but to call for a referendum on the former forestland measure, an issue which has caused a great deal of public controversy. In a separate action, Parliament also approved a repentance draft law designed to encourage militants of the terrorist group PKK/KADEK to lay down their arms. The repentance law is considered to be an initial step in joint Turkish-US action against the terrorist group, which is still believed to have an estimated 5,000 trained fighters in and around Turkey, especially in northern Iraq. The US reportedly assured Ankara during Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul’s visit to Washington last week that it would eradicate the terrorist group from the region. The issue was also taken up earlier this month in meetings between top Turkish military officials with US Gen. James Jones, the supreme commander of allied forces in Europe, and Gen. John Abizaid, the new head of US Central Command, when the two visited Ankara. /All Papers/

GROSSMAN: “TURKISH FORCES CANNOT BE DEPLOYED IN NORTHERN IRAQ”
If Turkey decides to send troops to Iraq as part of the stabilization force there, its forces cannot be deployed in the north of the country, as that could lead to undesirable complications, said US Deputy Secretary of State Marc Grossman yesterday. In an interview with CNN Turk’s Mehmet Ali Birand, Grossman urged Ankara to make up its mind on the possible troop deployment as soon as possible, saying that the coalition forces were in need of military support. Grossman, a former US ambassador to Turkey, also reiterated the US’ pledge to eradicate the terrorist group PKK/KADEK from northern Iraq. /Milliyet/

SYRIAN PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH ERDOGAN, GUL, SEZER
Syrian Prime Minister Mustafa Miro accompanied by five of his Cabinet ministers yesterday arrived in Ankara to pay an official upon the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During the Syrian delegation’s meeting with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and others, including Energy Minister Hilmi Guler, subjects up for discussion were bilateral relations, the situation in Iraq, the Middle East peace process and cooperation in the fight against the terrorist group PKK/KADEK. Then Miro met with Erdogan and was received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Speaking to a state dinner given in Miro’s honor, Erdogan said that good bilateral relations would not serve only both countries’ interests but indeed that of all the states in the region. For his part, Miro stated that Syria placed great importance on its friendship with Turkey and was determined to strengthen bilateral ties. /All Papers/

INDEPENDENT DEPUTY JOINS AKP
In a surprise development, independent Sanliurfa Deputy Sabahattin Cevheri yesterday joined the ranks of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). With his action, the AKP’s majority in Parliament grew to 366, while the number of independents fell to three. /Turkiye/

CULTURE AND TOURISM MINISTER MUMCU TRAVELS TO JAPAN
Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu yesterday flew to Tokyo, Japan to pay a six-day visit to the country. Mumcu is set to attend the opening of an exhibit of Turkish antiquities at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, including works from the Hittite, Byzantine and Ottoman eras. Over 200 pieces on loan from 14 Turkish museums will be on display at the museum through the end of October. /Turkiye/

BLUE STREAM GAS PURCHASES TO RESUME ON FRIDAY
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler announced yesterday that the purchase of Russian natural gas through the Blue Stream Pipeline would resume on Friday as envisaged in the existing contracts between the two countries. The resumption marks the end of a contract dispute between Turkey and Russia which has left the pipeline idle since April. /Anatolia News Agency/