ERDOGAN ATTENDS AKP CONGRESSES
After attending his Justice and Development Party (AKP) congress in Istanbul on Saturday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by his wife, yesterday paid visits to Giresun and Trabzon, provinces of the Black Sea region, to attend party congresses and a number of opening ceremonies. Addressing gatherings, Erdogan pointed out that Turkey had the 17th greatest economy in the world. Stressing that national income reached $ 360 billion, Erdogan said that Turkey had begun to experience a serious process of investment and employment. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC, POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS WITH SABANCI AND KOC
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due tomorrow to meet with Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Omer Sabanci and High Advisory Council Chairman Mustafa Koc to discuss recent economic and political developments. Sabanci recently criticized the government on secularism and reforms. /Sabah/
OIC TO MEET TODAY IN AZERBAIJAN
The 33rd Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC) will begin today in Baku, Azerbaijan. During the three-day gathering, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will represent Turkey. Ministers from 33 countries are expected to focus on the Iraq issue, recent developments in the Mideast and Darfur crisis in Sudan. In addition, plans for restructuring of the organization will also be taken up. /Turkiye/
TOURISM AND CULTURE MINISTER KOC MEETS WITH AHMADINEJAD
Culture and Tourism Minister Atilla Koc met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over the weekend on an official visit to Iran. Ahmadinejad who received Koc and accompanying delegation said that Turkey and Iran had a common culture. He said that Iranian and Turkish officials should prepare the ground for an expansion of tourism through introducing and promoting such a great cultural heritage. Koc, for his part said that the commercial relations between Turkey and Iran showed great improvement and that they aimed to raise the trade volume to 10$ billion in the upcoming years. /Star/
AGAR: "POLICIES OF THE GOVERNMENT WORSENED THE SITUATION OF ARTISANS AND MIDDLE CLASS"
Speaking at his party's meeting of his party in Sivas at the weekend, opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar criticized the government, saying that policies of the government worsened the situation of artisans and middle class. "The unemployment has increased while the Justice and Development Party (AKP) is in power," he said. "You can't govern the country with lies. The nation is getting poorer." /Milliyet/
TALAT: "IF TURKISH HARBORS AND AIRPORTS WERE OPENED TO GREEK CYPRUS, THIS WILL LIFT THE LAST LEVER FOR CYPRUS RESOLUTION"
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat said yesterday that if Turkish harbors and airports were opened to Greek Cyprus, this would lift the last lever for a resolution on the island. Speaking to Daily News, Talat expressed support for Turkey's veto to Greek Cypriot's membership to international institutions. "Greek Cyprus shouldn't join new institutions," he said. Stressing that the TRNC's policy was to reunify the island on the basis of the Annan plan, Talat added that no one could create a mortgage on the future. He further stressed that he was ready to begin Cyprus talks with Greek Cyprus. "These talks can be on the basis of the Annan plan or not," he added. /Milliyet/
GREEK FM'S NEW PLAN: "EUROPEAN UNITED CYPRUS" SOLUTION
Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said over the weekend that her country was preparing a new proposal entitled "European United Cyprus." In an interview with Greek daily Elefterotipia, Bakoyannis said that a new plan under this title should contain components such as the UN Secretary-General's all works to date, the reality brought by Greek Cypriots' European Union membership for two-and-a-half years, and the will of two societies. Bakoyannis said, "Nothing can be imposed to a nation. Therefore, a new plan should be admitted by the government before it is voted by the nation." /Hurriyet/
PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE TURKISH CITIZENSHIP BILL
A bill proposing an amendment to the Turkish Citizenship Law, which would introduce new regulations on the naturalization of foreigners in Turkey, will be debated by Parliament's Interior Commission on Wednesday. Under the bill, foreigners who want to obtain Turkish citizenship would be eligible if they fulfill the necessary requirements, although fulfilling them wouldn't mean automatic naturalization. The necessary requirements for foreigners to acquire Turkish nationality would include being of legal age; being of sound mind; have been settled in Turkey for five years; behaving in a way which confirms their intent to settle in Turkey; have no dangerous diseases; be of good moral character; be able to speak reasonable Turkish; have an income or job which provides enough for them to support themselves and dependants; and for them not to pose a threat to national security or public order. Those who fail to do obligatory military service and acquire foreign citizenship without permission from the authorities would no longer be stripped off their nationality under the bill. In related news, an antiterrorism bill that has become controversial over suspicions that it might pave the way for an amnesty to Abdullah Ocalan, jailed head of the terrorist group PKK, is on its way to Parliament's agenda again. The bill is to be handed over to the Justice Committee by a sub-commission. The sub-commission has removed an article that critics said would pave the way for an amnesty for Ocalan but has insisted to keep another article that military circles oppose. That article envisages a reduction in punishment for unarmed illegal organizations. The Justice Committee is now expected to take up the bill tomorrow and Parliament is likely to enact the bill before its summer recess, most probably the next week at the latest. /The New Anatolian-Turkish Daily News/
SENER: "IMPORTS CAN'T BE REDUCED IN FREE MARKET ECONOMY TO DECREASE CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT"
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener yesterday commented on high current account deficit, which is revised as 7% of the Gross National Product (GNP) for the end of this year, saying that imports couldn't be reduced in free market economy to decrease high current account deficit, adding that exports needed to be boosted. "Under the rules of the World Trade Organization, you can't take measures to restrict the imports," he said. "The deficit can be reduced by boosting production." He added that the package to be prepared for current account deficit would include measures on both imports and exports. /Aksam/
BABACAN: "RECENT FLUCTUATIONS IN THE MARKETS WON'T CHANGE OUR INFLATION TARGET"
Appearing on CNN Turk yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that recent fluctuations in the markets due to global factors wouldn't change the government's inflation target. He stressed that these fluctuations didn't only affect the Turkish markets, but all economies in the world. "Stock exchanges of all countries fell," he said. Babacan stated that the government wouldn't forsake fiscal discipline, adding, however, that inflation could increase a bit as a result of these fluctuations. /Milliyet/