SCHOOLS BEGIN SUMMER VACATION; ERDOGAN SAYS GOVT IS WORKING FOR EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Attending a ceremony yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan handed out report cards to students. Addressing the gathering, Erdogan said that government efforts were directed at providing equal educational opportunities for all students around the country. "The opportunities of students in Hakkari, Artvin, Van, and Edirne should be the same as in Ankara and Istanbul," said Erdogan. "Our understanding of education necessitates this." Saying that many countries have begun to give education through the Internet, Erdogan added that in Turkey only 24,000 of 44,000 schools now use Internet technology. "We'll have completed an (high-speed Internet) ADSL system by 2006-07," he said. "There should be information technology classes in every school." In related news, the premier is due today 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. /Milliyet/

ERDOGAN RECEIVES ITALIAN MINISTER BONINO
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday received Emma Bonino, Italy's European policies and foreign trade minister. During the meeting, Bonino reportedly said, "We support Turkey's European Union bid. We shouldn't allow the Cyprus problem to halt this process." /Cumhuriyet/

FM GUL: "REFORMS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD AREN'T A CHOICE BUT A NECESSITY"
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday went a step further in his reform calls to the Muslim world, saying that reforms weren't a choice but rather a necessity for these nations to move forward. Speaking at the 33rd Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) foreign ministers' meeting yesterday in Baku, Azerbaijan, Gul also spoke on the Palestinian-Israeli dispute, saying, "Palestine and Israel should accept their coexistence as two states." He also stressed the necessity for dialogue in preventing a clash of civilizations, adding, "So we have proposed an alliance of civilizations. Reform isn't a choice but a necessity if we want to respond to the problems of this century. It's time now to take steps for reform." In his speech, OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, a Turkish scholar, asked for the Protocol on Preferential Tariff Scheme (PRETAS) to be implemented in order to boost trade among OIC member countries. /Hurriyet/

FM GUL MEETS WITH MOTTAKI
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with his Iranian counterpart Manoucher Mottaki in Baku. During the meeting, Gul urged Mottaki to respond to the six-nation incentive package before the G-8 foreign ministers meeting set for June 29. Gul told Mottaki that Turkey didn't want a new problem in the region and hoped for a positive result from the incentive package prepared by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany in Vienna. "To be perfectly clear, we want a peaceful solution and we want to get a result for this as soon as possible," he said. /Hurriyet/

CICEK: "THE GOVT IS MOVING DECISIVELY ON TURKEY'S EU PROCESS"
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said yesterday that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government was decisive on Turkey's European Union accession process. Speaking to reporters following a five-hour Cabinet meeting in Ankara, Cicek dismissed recent charges that Turkey had begun to act slowly in its EU process. Stressing that 25 preliminary and 19 detailed screenings have been completed so far, Cicek said that there were no shortcomings on the steps needed, adding that the EU membership process was a bumpy road full of difficulties. He pledged that Ankara would keep its promises and commitments, but also was expecting the same from the EU. /Turkiye/

ARINC TO PAY VISIT TO BULGARIA
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc is scheduled to start a three-day official visit to Bulgaria tomorrow at the invitation of his counterpart, Georgi Pirinski. On the first day of his visit Arinc will meet with Pirinski, President Georgi Parvanov and Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev. On Thursday, Arinc will visit the new office of the Turkish-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. On the last day of his stay, he is scheduled to meet with Deputy Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin before he heads for the city of Plovdiv. /Turkish Daily News/

AT US-EU SUMMIT, BUSH TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR TURKEY'S EU BID
US President George W. Bush is expected to reiterate support for Turkey's European Union membership bid at a US-EU summit to be held in Vienna, Austria tomorrow. Addressing the gathering, Bush is expected to stress the importance of continuing Turkey's EU talks, adding that the EU will also benefit from this. /Sabah/

PAKISTANI AIR FORCE COMMANDER AHMED VISITS TURKEY
Turkish Air Forces Commander Gen. Faruk Comert yesterday awarded the Order of Merit to his visiting Pakistani counterpart Gen. Tanvir Mehmood Ahmed on behalf of Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. Ahmed said that the award was an honor for him and had strengthened his will for cooperation. /Cumhuriyet/

TOBB HEAD MEETS WITH ITALIAN TRADE MINISTER
Italy's European Policies and Foreign Trade Minister Emma Bonino, currently in Ankara for an official visit, yesterday met with Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) head Rifat Hisarciklioglu to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. During their meeting, Bonino stated that everyone should be determined to overcome the problem of opening Turkish harbors and airports to Greek Cyprus. Bonino further stated that her first official visit to Turkey underlined the importance Italy places on Turkey. "We should join forces and work to counter China," she added. For his part, Hisarciklioglu said that Italy was the number seven country in terms of foreign capital investments in Turkey. /Sabah/