LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT BACKS TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday met with visiting Lithuanian President Adamkus. At a press conference after their meeting, Adamkus said that they lent fully support to Turkey's European Union membership, while Sezer stated that they had agreed to boost bilateral relations. Lithuania joined the EU in 2004. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN CALLS ON THE EU TO KEEP ITS PROMISES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has decided to pay a visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in a period of increased tension over the island. Erdogan will participate in ceremonies on July 20 held to mark the anniversary of the 1974 Peace Operation. Speaking at his party's group meeting yesterday, Erdogan spoke at length on the Cyprus issue and called on the European Union to keep its promises to Turkey. "If the promises made to Turkey aren't kept, namely ending the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, then Ankara won't allow Greek Cypriot ships or planes to use its ports and airports," said Erdogan, adding that Turkey was disappointed by how the Cyprus issue was brought to the table during EU negotiations on science and research, which have nothing to do with it. /Star/

GUL: "FINALLY GREECE IS GETTING INVOLVED IN THE CYPRUS ISSUE"
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, in Baku, Azerbaijan to attend the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) 33rd Foreign Ministers' meeting, said yesterday that he welcomed the remarks made by his Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyannis that Greece was preparing a plan for a Cyprus settlement as a sign of Athens' involvement in the issue, breaking a long-held Greek policy of keeping its distance from the decades-old dispute. Speaking to reporters, Gul said that for a long time Ankara had tried to convince Greece to take part in the efforts to resolve the problem, as it was a guarantor state. Gul added that the OIC meeting was an important opportunity to clarify the Turkish sides' views on the deep-seated Cyprus issue to Islamic countries. /Star-Turkiye/

NSC TO CONVENE TOMORROW
The National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will convene tomorrow. The NSC's regular bimonthly meeting will start at 1:30 p.m. Recent domestic and foreign developments will be discussed at the meeting. /Cumhuriyet/

ERDOGAN MEETS WITH COUNCIL OF STATE HEAD CORTOGLU
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday received Sumru Cortoglu, head of the Court of State. The closed-door meeting lasted for 15 minutes and according to the prime ministry sources, it was a courtesy visit wherein Cortoglu reportedly repeated her request for an "intelligent" court house with advanced security measures. The council suffered a deadly attack last month by an armed lawyer. /Cumhuriyet/

GREEK CYPRIOTS BLOCK TURKISH PRESENCE IN EUROPOL
The Greek Cypriot administration has taken action to block Turkey's relations with the European Police Office (Europol). Greek Cypriots informed the EU through a diplomatic note that it wouldn't give information to Turkey, which signed an overall cooperation agreement with the police organization, and that it wouldn't accept Ankara's exchange of information with Europol. According to diplomatic sources, Greek Cyprus told the EU and Europol that it wouldn't pass on information to Turkey related to itself. Within this context, Greek Cyprus vetoed Turkey's Europol membership. Greek Cyprus also asked that non-EU member countries be ineligible for this kind of information and cooperative work with Europol. /Cumhuriyet/

REHN: "THE EU SHOULD END THE ISOLATION OF THE TRNC"
The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday began to debate the Turkey progress report prepared by Dutch Christian Democrat Parliamentarian Camiel Eurlings. Addressing the committee, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said that beginning of the official talks between Turkey and the EU last week in Luxembourg signaled that the process was on track. However, the EU's expectations of Turkey have increased, said Rehn. Praising Ankara's efforts to fulfill harmonization reforms, Rehn expressed his concern over increased terrorist PKK attacks. Concerning the Cyprus issue, the commissioner stressed that all sides should work hard for a settlement on the island, adding that the EU should act decisively to end the isolation of the Turkish side and begin direct trade with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). /Turkiye/

TALAT TO MEET WITH PAPADOPOULOS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat is set to meet with Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos on July 3 in the buffer zone on the island to mark the appointment of a representative of the United Nations' Cyprus Committee. Greek daily Politis stated that the UN was trying to arrange a second meeting of the leaders on July 8 during a visit of the UN representative, Ibrahim Gambari, to the island. In related news, Talat last week sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan reiterating the Turkish Cypriots' desire for technical committees to be established soon, and asking for his own efforts on the matter. /Milliyet/

EDELMAN: "TURKEY'S 3 GREATS ARE ATATURK, INONU, AND OZAL"
Speaking at a Washington, DC conference on late Turkish President Turgut Ozal, US Defense Undersecretary Eric Edelman said that the "three great leaders of Turkey" were Ataturk, Ismet Inonu, and Turgut Ozal. Speaking about Ataturk, Edelman, a former US ambassador to Ankara, said "Ataturk was an incredible leader who carried out innovative reforms. Speaking in the language we use today, Ataturk knew what strategic communication was. He saw the future in the West, and prepared his country for this." Talking about Inonu, Edelman said: "Ismet Inonu unified Turkey with the West, and brought a multiparty maturity to the country." On Ozal, Edelman said: "Turgut Ozal was a visionary, a democrat, a realist, an inventor, well-understood by all, and a true friend of the US." And on current Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan: "Prime Minister Erdogan has been at the forefront of political reforms over the past two years. He has acted very bravely on the Cyprus question." /Hurriyet/

BAYKAL: "A NEW BEGINNING IS REQUIRED"
Turkey needs a new beginning, said main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday. "Everyone who is uncomfortable with developments in Turkey should evaluate the situation and form new attitudes," said Baykal in his group meeting. /Sabah/

AGAR MEETS WITH TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS UNION
True Path Party leader Mehmet Agar yesterday met with the Turkish Parliamentarians Union. Speaking to reporters, Agar said that the Turkish nation is already able to maintain its republic and democracy without the need for any advice. /Star/

TUSIAD LEADERS MEET WITH ERDOGAN
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Administrative head Omer Sabanci and Advisory Board head Mustafa Koc met yesterday with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It was a "warm meeting," said Koc at a press conference afterwards. Sabanci said that they had talked about their visit to European Union country capitals and economic issues. "The government is successfully carrying out the EU membership process and was able to start membership talks," said Sabanci. /Aksam/