PRESIDENT SEZER RECEIVES GHANAIAN, COSTA RICAN AMBASSADORS
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday personally received the letter of credentials of Kofi Dsane Selby, the Ghanaian Ambassador to Italy who also serves as a Ghana’s representative to Ankara. Later, Noemy Judith Baruch Goldberg, Costa Rica's ambassador to Tel Aviv who also represents her country in Ankara, also presented her letter of credentials to President Sezer. /Anatolia News Agency/
GERMAN PM SCHROEDER PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU BID
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in Berlin for an official visit, yesterday met with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to seek his support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. During their talks, Schroeder said that Germany would support Turkey at the EU’s December 2004 summit, when the Union is to decide whether or not to begin accession talks with Turkey. “Turkey has been waiting for 20 years,” he said. “I will do my best for Turkey to join the EU as soon as possible.” He further added that the Union would not disappoint the Turkish nation. Said Erdogan for his part, “We will not forget the help given to us by Chancellor Schroeder. We hope that this support will continue.” In related news, Erdogan met with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer to discuss a number of issues, including Iraq’s postwar situation and Turkey’s EU bid. During their meeting, Fischer stressed that Turkey was a modern Islamic country and praised its recent passage of two EU harmonization packages. For his part, Erdogan said that Turkey’s joining the Union would positively change the EU’s mentality. /All papers/
GUL MEETS WITH AUSTRIAN OFFICIALS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently paying an official visit to Vienna, yesterday met with his Austrian counterpart Betina Ferrero-Waldner. During their talks, the two top diplomats discussed Turkish-European Union relations and the recently passed sixth and seventh EU harmonization packages as well as Turkish-Austrian trade relations. Speaking to reporters, Gul said that Ankara was conducting a risk analysis on the prospect of sending troops to Iraq, adding that a final decision on the matter has yet to be made. In addition, Gul met with Parliament Speaker Andreas Khol and Premier Wolfgang Schussel. /All Papers/
CABINET TO CONVENE IN SIVAS
The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to convene in the central Anatolian province of Sivas tomorrow to mark the 84th anniversary of the Sivas Congress, a key step in the founding of the Turkish Republic. During the meeting, issues concerning the province will be discussed in addition to national and international matters. In related news, Sivas Airport was also recently re-commissioned into service by the premier after having been closed for some time. /Turkiye/
NATO COMMANDER GEN. JONES ARRIVES IN ANKARA FOR DEPLOYMENT TALKS
Gen. James Jones, supreme commander of NATO forces in Europe, yesterday arrived in Ankara to discuss with both military and civilian officials a possible Turkish troop deployment to Iraq. Jones’ first scheduled meeting today will be with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, and later he is expected to visit Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul. Ozkok earlier issued a statement saying the aim of their meeting would be to get needed information about the possible mission in Iraq, which in turn would be submitted to the government and Parliament to help guide their decision. “We will get the military information that we need, nothing more,” said Ozkok. Ozkok added that a US delegation would also soon arrive in Turkey to hold technical meetings. /All Papers/
US AMBASSADOR EDELMAN: “WASHINGTON WANTS TO SEE TURKEY ON ITS SIDE”
Newly posted US Ambassador to Ankara Eric Edelman yesterday met with Ankara Chamber of Industry Chairman Zafer Caglayan to exchange views on recent political and economic developments. Ankara and Washington reportedly recently agreed on the terms of an $8.5 billion loan from to help Turkey cushion the economic impact of the Iraq war. Despite recent rumors that the loan was tied to Ankara's military cooperation in Iraq, Edelman denied any direct link between the loan deal and possible Turkish troop deployments in Iraq. “However, Washington wants to see Turkey on its side,” said the US ambassador. For his part, Caglayan stated that Turkey wished to establish fuller economic cooperation with the US, rather than receiving limited loan funds. “I told Edelman that Ankara wanted to protect Iraq’s territorial integrity and also improve cooperation between Turkish and US businessmen in Iraq’s reconstruction,” added Caglayan. /Cumhuriyet/
FALLUJAH MAYOR AL-ALWANI: “OUR PEOPLE WANT TURKISH SOLDIERS TO COME TO IRAQ”
Taha Badawi Hamid al-Alwani, the mayor of Fallujah, an Iraqi city 50 kilometers northwest of Baghdad, yesterday said Fallujah residents would be very pleased to see Turkey sending soldiers to Iraq. Al-Alwani stated that he had explained to his constituents the contributions which Turkish soldiers could make to the region. “If foreign forces are going to come to our country, we want them to be Turkish soldiers,” said the mayor. Al-Alwani also said that Turkey and Iraq shared many common ties through their shared region, faith and kinship, adding, “We’re awaiting your soldiers’ arrival.” /Hurriyet/
HOLBROOKE: “THE BRITISH POST-OTTOMAN BORDERS FOR IRAQ WERE A MISTAKE”
The British-laid borders for Iraq set after the Ottoman era were a mistake, said Richard Holbrooke, the former US Ambassador the United Nations, on Sunday. "The country we call Iraq was created 81 years ago by Winston Churchill and others at the Cairo conference in 1922," Holbrooke told Fox News. "It never should have been created in its current international borders. The Ottomans had ruled it for 400 years as three different provinces – the Kurds, the Sunnis and the Shiites – Mosul, Baghdad and Basra. That was the right solution. The British made a mistake." Asked whether the borders should be reconsidered, Holbrooke replied, "I've thought a lot about that... I think, in 1991, the first Bush administration, working with the Turks, could have done it. ...[But] I think the moment to correct the Churchillian mistake of 1922 is passed, which means we are in a terrifically difficult problem.” /Turkiye, Foxnews.com/
TERRORIST PKK/KADEK ABANDONS CEASEFIRE
The terrorist group PKK/KADEK announced yesterday that as of Monday, it had ended its five-year ceasefire, claiming that Kurds in Turkey lack adequate political and cultural rights. This summer Turkey’s Parliament passes a slate of reforms including new rights for the nation’s Kurds, a move soon followed by an amnesty law designed to encourage the terrorists to lay down their arms. In related news, European Union sources characterized the PKK/KADEK announcement as a sign of weakness and panic within its ranks. “The terror group’s shouting in recent days is the result of panic stemming from the partial amnesty law,” said Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, echoing the EU sentiments, during his current visit to Vienna. /Star/
DENIZLI GOVERNOR YAZICIOGLU INJURED IN CAR ACCIDENT
Recep Yazicioglu, the governor of the western Anatolian province of Denizli, was injured yesterday in a car accident near Temelli, Ankara. The governor’s official car lost control and was overturned, killing Denizli Chamber of Commerce Chairman Haldun Tellioglu (40) as well as injuring the driver. Yazicioglu was seriously wounded in the accident and was operated on at Ankara’s Trafik Hospital. He remains in serious condition in the intensive care unit of Ibn-i Sina Hospital. /All Papers/
TURKEY AND ITALY TO SIGN PACT ON ENVIRONMENT
Turkey and Italy have decided to sign a cooperation agreement on the environment and forests, the Ministry of the Environment and Forestry announced yesterday. Environment and Forestry Minister Osman Pepe, currently in Cuba for a UN conference on desertification, met yesterday with his Italian counterpart Altero Matteali. Pepe said that both he and Matteali were seeking cooperation between their two countries on the environment and forestry and that they particularly wanted this cooperation to focus on using donations or long-term loans from the European Union. For his part, Matteali said that he would be pleased to see cooperation with Turkey in various fields, adding that Italy attached great importance to Ankara’s EU candidacy. Matteali stated that studies on the environment and forestry should be finished as soon as possible and that Turkey should convey its proposals to his government. The two sides decided to organize bilateral visits of technical personnel and to finish all studies in order to sign an agreement between the two countries during a UN climate change summit in Italy this December. /Anatolia News Agency/
AKBANK JOINS MANAGEMENT OF IRAQ TRADE BANK
A consortium of 12 trade banks headed by JP Morgan and including Turkey’s Akbank yesterday won a tender for the management of the Trade Bank of Iraq, a new institution established to finance Iraq’s reconstruction. “We are very proud of Akbank's representing Turkey in establishing and managing the Trade Bank of Iraq, which will play a very critical role in Iraq’s reconstruction,” said Akbank head Zafer Kurtul. Stating that the new bank would also contribute to developing trade between Turkey and Iraq, Kurtul said that it would be hugely important for both Akbank and Turkey’s economy in general. The Trade Bank of Iraq is expected to start working this month to mediate foreign trade transactions and provide financial services. Under the tender, Akbank is to handle Turkey’s commercial transactions with Iraq, open or confirm letters of credit in favor of the Trade Bank of Iraq, and also extend financial and technical assistance to the bank. /Sabah/
JAPAN’S JCR BOOSTS OUTLOOK ON TURKEY FROM NEGATIVE TO STABLE
The Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) yesterday revised its outlook on Turkey from negative to stable. A JRC statement noted that since the Iraq war ended earlier than expected, concerns over its possible adverse effects on Turkey’s economy had dissipated. “The Turkish economy has been in good shape, supported by the rise in exports mainly due to the sharp depreciation of the Turkish lira since 2001 and the recovery of domestic demand,” said JCR. Recalling that last month the International Monetary Fund approved the disbursement of a fifth loan tranche to Ankara, the statement said, “JCR has decided to remove credit monitoring from the ratings on yen-denominated bonds issued by Turkey’s government, and to simultaneously revise the rating outlook from negative to stable.” /Hurriyet/
INDIAN BUSINESSWOMEN VISIT ISTANBUL
The Women Entrepreneurs’ Association (KAGIDER) yesterday hosted a gathering in Istanbul bringing together Turkish and Indian businesswomen. At the meeting, a delegation of 21 Indian businesswomen representing various sectors such as textiles, chemicals and information technology held bilateral contacts with their Turkish counterparts. KAGIDER head Meltem Kurtsan stated that she was very pleased to organize such an important meeting which she hoped would be a first step in improving commercial relations between the two groups. /Cumhuriyet/