SEZER TO TRAVEL TO MIDEAST
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer tomorrow will travel to the Middle East to pay a highest-level official visit to the region. Sezer's first stop will be Israel, where he will meet with his Israeli counterpart, Moshe Katsav, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu. The president is also set to visit the Holocaust Museum, constructed in memory of the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis during World War II. In addition, Sezer will have talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and a number of Palestinian officials, not including governing Hamas members. /Turkish Daily News/

ERDOGAN VISITS SIRNAK, MARDIN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended his Justice and Development Party (AKP) provincial meetings in the southeastern Anatolian provinces of Sirnak and Mardin. The premier stated that the AKP was against ethnic, regional and religious nationalism. Stressing that the government was resolved to continue with efforts to advance the country, Erdogan said that since they came to power Turkey's economic figures had improved. Commenting on recent rumors of plots against him, Erdogan said he was ready to stand up to all difficulties on the road to serving the nation. /Turkiye/

HISTORIC SELIMIYE BARRACKS OPENED TO PUBLIC FOR 1ST TIME
As part of celebrations marking the 125th anniversary of the birth of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, the Headquarters of the 1st Army Commandership's Selimiye Barracks on the Bosphorus coast in Istanbul yesterday for the first time in its history were opened to the public, including a number of distinguished guests from the business and art worlds. The barracks were constructed in 1806 and served as headquarters to the military as well as a hospital during the Crimean War. A British medical team including Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, cared for Turkish soldiers at the barracks in 1854-56. /Turkiye/

US DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR CROUCH VISITS TURKEY
J.D. Crouch, deputy to US National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, yesterday paid a one-day working visit to Ankara. Crouch met with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ali Tuygan and National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Yigit Alpogan and discussed Iraq's security, Turkish-US relations and the Iranian nuclear dispute. After meeting with Tuygan, Crouch told a press conference that US President George W. Bush made a very important decision last week and put a very sincere proposal on the table to the Iranian leadership. Stressing that the incentive package offered would benefit Iranians, Crouch expressed hope for a positive response from Tehran. He said once the proposal is accepted, then all the relevant sides could sit at the negotiating table and bring diplomatic solutions to the problem. /Star/

TRNC'S TALAT READY TO MEET WITH PAPADOPOULOS NEXT MONTH
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat said on Sunday that he and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos will probably meet next month to discuss the issue of missing persons. Talat, in an interview with Greek Cypriot daily Filelefteros, said he's ready to meet with Papadopoulos anytime to discuss ways to revive talks aimed at reaching a settlement on the island but also expressed his unease with Papadopoulos' reluctance to do so to date. /The New Anatolian/

GREEK ANALYSTS: "NO SOLUTION WILL BE FOUND AT THE HAGUE"
Some prominent Greek international law and foreign policy experts don't favor Athens going to The Hague to solve its problems with Ankara. According to these analysts, Greece can't take to The Hague just one issue (the continental shelf) which suits it. If it tried this, it would face the risk of paying historical compensation on many issues, they say. "The Hague can't be an instrument for the solution of bilateral problems," said Professor Alexis Iraklidis of Pantion University's History and Political Science Department. According to Iraklidis, the only instrument can be dialogue. /Cumhuriyet/

IN DENIZLI, MUMCU CRITICIZES GOVT
Speaking at a meeting of his party in Denizli at the weekend, opposition Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) Party leader Erkan Mumcu criticized the policies of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, claming that Erdogan would try to be elected as president to escape his responsibilities. "But the nation will chase you," he added. /Sabah/

SOLDIER KILLED IN SIRNAK LAID TO REST
A soldier who was killed by the terrorist PKK last week was laid to rest in Ordu. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler, Ordu Governor Vakkas Gozlugol, Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy leader Eyup Fatsa, and many military officials were present at his funeral. /Sabah/

CB HEAD: "I WILL NEVER FORSAKE THE BANK'S INDEPENDENCE"
Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz said yesterday that he would never forsake the bank's independence, adding that if someone tries to intervene in the CB, he would prevent this. "We can put forward the necessary stance against politicians in case of intervention," he said. Yilmaz stated that the data point to 2006 inflation exceeding the target, adding that the 2007-2008 target was still achievable. Yilmaz said that if the target isn't achieved, this wouldn't hurt the credibility of the CB. "If we can describe correctly why the target isn't achieved, then our credibility wouldn't be hurt," said Yilmaz. "The inflation increase in May is mostly due to increases in the exchange rate, but it should not have been reflected in prices immediately. All of us are in the same boat. Opportunism is improper." /Milliyet/