ERDOGAN VISITS BLACK SEA PROVINCES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the weekend visited the Black Sea provinces of Ordu and Samsun. In addition to attending his Justice and Development Party (AKP) provincial congresses, the premier opened a number of facilities in the cities. Addressing crowds, Erdogan touted his government's record during its three-and-a-half years in office. Urging local leaders, including mayors, to work hard to serve the people, he added that they should not look to the central government when they are unsuccessful but rather relinquish their post to someone better able to do the job. /Milliyet/

PM ERDOGAN TO VISIT BAYKAL
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay a visit to main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal today. Erdogan is expected to express his best wishes for the CHP's new headquarters and discuss recent domestic and foreign developments. /Turkiye/

GUL: "NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES SHOULD MAKE EFFORTS TO ENSURE PEACE IN IRAQ"
The ninth meeting of foreign ministers from Iraq's neighboring countries ended yesterday. During the two-day gathering in Tehran, Iran, foreign ministers of nine countries, including Turkey, expressed their concern over the civil war and bloody violence in Iraq. Addressing the meeting, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, representing Turkey, said that Iraq's future was very important for the region, adding that all neighboring countries should step up efforts for a peaceful settlement in the country. A final declaration made at the end of the gathering pointed to the importance of ensuring Iraq's unity and establishing democracy and lent full support to the new Iraqi government and Parliament. In addition, the recent mounting violence on Palestinians in Gaza was also condemned, and Israel was called on to stop its inhumane treatment of innocent people. /Turkiye/

GUL MEETS WITH IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI
Following a foreign ministers' meeting in Iran, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki. Regarding the recent international dispute over Iran's nuclear program, Gul conveyed his impressions from his talks with both US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Mohamed ElBaradei, and urged Mottaki to make efforts for a settlement of the issue through peaceful means. In addition, speaking to reporters in Tehran, Gul said that he personally was not in favor of obligatory religion lesson in schools. Concerning the recent rumors of Turkey withdrawing troops from Northern Cyprus and returning Varosa to Greek Cyprus, following the meeting of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, Gul underlined that Ankara has no such intention. "It's out of the question," said the foreign minister, reiterating Turkey's full support to Talat. /Sabah/

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER ARINC VISITS RUSSIA
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc today will visit the Russian Federation. Arinc will hold a press conference at Ankara's Esenboga Airport before his departure, and is set to start his contacts tomorrow. Arinc will meet with Russian State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov, lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visit Moscow's Red Square. /Cumhuriyet/

CHP'S BAYKAL: "YOU SHOULDN'T GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FORCES SEEKING TO CREATE AN ARTIFICIAL MINORITY"
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said over the weekend that there were efforts to destroy the atmosphere of peace in Turkey and that forces trying to create an artificial minority shouldn't be allowed. Speaking in Ankara's Elmadag district, Baykal said, "There are people who want to spoil Turkey's peace. There are some people who became tools of this inside Turkey. We know all about this, you know it, too. But we shouldn't give them the opportunity." In related news, opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli over the weekend said, "Turkey is under siege and on the verge of being torn apart." Speaking in Bursa's Keles district, Bahceli said that the republic is now going through its most tumultuous era and criticized the government, saying that the ruling Development and Justice Party (AKP) had been submissive in its foreign policy. /Aksam/

TRNC'S TALAT: "WE'LL PUSH FOR A SOLUTION"
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat said over the weekend that United Nations Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari wasn't returning empty-handed after his contacts on the island. Talat said that he would push for a solution in line with the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's plan, adding that if the process with Greek Cypriot administration leader Tassos Papadopoulos is successful, a meeting process would start hopefully at the end of this month. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKEY RATIFIES ACCORD WITH US ON CIVILIAN NUCLEAR COOPERATION
The Turkish government has ratified a civilian nuclear power agreement signed with the US in 2000, one which has yet to be implemented, Ankara announced yesterday. Under the deal, reached as part of renewed efforts to improve ties with the US, Washington is to provide Turkey with assistance on nuclear power while building in safeguards for the nonproliferation of weapons, state paper of record the Official Gazette said. Turkey plans to build three nuclear power plants by 2015. The agreement includes a principle prohibiting the transfer of secret data and sensitive nuclear technology. In line with the deal, the US will be free to transfer uranium in small amounts or uranium which is enriched to a low level. The deal also prohibits the transfer of nuclear equipment to be used for non-military purposes. /The New Anatolian/