ERDOGAN MEETS CLINTON IN DUBAI
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in Dubai attending the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, yesterday met with former US President Bill Clinton. Erdogan told reporters that the Iraq issue and the Middle East conflict had been taken up during their talks, adding that Clinton said that he supported Turkish troop deployment in Iraq. In addition, the premier met with Peter Woicke, the head of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the IMF’s private sector lending arm. He is also set to meet today with IMF Director General Horst Koehler. /Turkiye/
GUL TO ATTEND UN MEETINGS IN NEW YORK
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday flew to New York to attend the 58th annual meetings of the United Nations General Assembly. Gul is expected to address the gathering on Friday. Additionally, he is scheduled to meet with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as well as 30 of his counterparts from other countries, including the US, Britain, China and Greece. Before leaving, Gul told reporters at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport that Turkey would greatly welcome a new UN resolution paving the way for Iraq troop deployment, adding however, that his government would make its own decision. Remarking that Turkey felt more responsibility on the issue than other countries, as Iraq was one of its neighbors, Gul said that Ankara wanted to help the Iraqis restore peace to their country. /All Papers/
CABINET TO CONVENE TODAY
The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to meet today. After completing his contacts in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Erdogan will return to Turkey this afternoon whereupon he is set to attend the meeting. The Iraq issue is expected to be the focus of today’s gathering. /Star/
CEM REELECTED TO NEW TURKEY PARTY HELM
The New Turkey Party (NTP) yesterday held its first convention in Ankara. In an election of party administrators, former Foreign Minister Ismail Cem was reelected to the NTP helm. Addressing the gathering, Cem charged that Turkey was being dragged into turmoil. Criticizing the government’s policy on Iraq, Cem alleged that decisions were being made with the permission of tribal leaders and sheikhs. /Sabah/
BAYKAL CRITICIZES AKP’S PRIVATIZATION POLICIES
Speaking at a regional congress of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) yesterday, Deniz Baykal criticized the privatization policies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government. “They say that the state will withdraw from education, ending its involvement in that area,” said Baykal. “How can they say this in a country in which 15 million students go to school through the help of scholarships?” Also touching on the Iraq troop deployment issue, Baykal said that the government shouldn’t send troops to Iraq without the United Nations first passing a resolution. /Hurriyet/
BABACAN, US TREASURY’S SNOW INDICATE PROGRESS ON LOAN DEAL
State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan, who is currently in Dubai to attend annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, yesterday briefed reporters on his meetings there. Babacan said that there was no problem concerning an $8.5 billion US loan, adding that this matter was not related to the issue of Turkey sending troops to Iraq. “The process [of loan talks] is ongoing,” he said. “There won’t be any delay on the loan.” Babacan added that Ankara could also get a loan from other countries, but that conditions of the US loan were more suitable and favorable. “Our full implementation of our IMF-supported economic program has made the economy more resistant to shocks both domestic and foreign,” he said. He also stated that he had met with Brazilian Finance Minister Antonio Palocci Filho and that they had had the chance to discuss both countries’ economic programs. In related news, US Treasury Undersecretary John Taylor said on Saturday that a final deal on the loan could be signed by Babacan and US Treasury Secretary John Snow on Monday. /All papers/
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT HEAD TRAVELS TO STRASBOURG TO MEET EHCR PRESIDENT
Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mustafa Bumin yesterday travelled to Strasbourg to meet with Luzius Wildhaber, the president of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). During their meeting, they are expected to discuss legal human rights reforms. Bumin will be accompanied by six of his Constitutional Court colleagues during his visit. /Cumhuriyet/
VERHEUGEN: “THERE ARE CIRCLES OPPOSED TO TURKEY’S EU BID, BUT ITS REFORMS SHOULD BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”
Guenter Verheugen, the European Union’s commissioner for enlargement, said yesterday that Turkey could join the Union after carrying out certain needed reforms. There are some circles in Turkey who are opposed to the nation’s EU bid, added Verheugen, but notwithstanding this the reforms should be completed as soon as possible. However, he stated that the EU needed to make structural changes in order to accept Turkey with its large population, adding that the EU’s enlargement process would not continue forever. /Cumhuriyet/