VERHEUGEN TELLS GUL TO EXPECT POSITIVE PROGRESS REPORT ON TURKEY
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen in Brussels. After their meeting, Verheugen said that he expected the EU Commission’s progress report due to be released Nov. 5 would be a positive and encouraging one. Praising Turkey’s recent reform process, Verheugen said that Gul had pledged to him the reforms would be implemented fully. Regarding yesterday’s Turkish court verdict on election fraud, the commissioner said, “I hope the verdict doesn’t affect Turkey’s political stability.” Also speaking to reporters on the matter, Gul said that he didn’t think the verdict would affect the results of the elections, adding that possible new polls held no fear for the Justice and Development Party (AKP). “The AKP could even increase its majority in Parliament,” predicted the foreign minister. /Turkiye/

APPEALS COURT FINDS DEHAP GUILTY OF ELECTION FRAUD; EFFECT OF RULING UNCERTAIN
The High Court of Appeals yesterday ruled that the Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP) was guilty of committing forgery in last fall’s parliamentary elections, a decision that could affect the distribution of seats in Parliament or even bring early elections as soon as next April. Former DEHAP leader Mehmet Abbasoglu and three officials of the pro-Kurdish party were sentenced in June to just under two years in prison for submitting forged documents to falsely establish that their new DEHAP party had completed organizing in at least 63 provinces, a requirement for participating in national elections. DEHAP officials had appealed the verdict, but the High Court of Appeals’ ruling upholding the lower court decision has thrown the country into an atmosphere of political uncertainty, as, although the pro-Kurdish party holds no seats in Parliament, the effects of the ruling could be large. The Supreme Board of Elections (YSK) now has to decide whether DEHAP’s participation in last November’s polls with forged documents significantly affected the results of the elections, which produced a two-party Parliament for the first time since the 1950s. The YSK may now have three options: 1) It may rule that the election results are final and that 10 months after the Nov. 3 polls, nothing can be done to rectify the election fraud. 2) It may rule to throw out DEHAP’s votes and reallocate the distribution of seats in Parliament according to remaining valid votes. 3) It may rule that throwing out DEHAP’s votes could affect vote results nationwide and thus new polls should be held. Justice and Development Party (AKP) figures said yesterday they oppose new polls, but added that in case of new elections they are confident of returning to Parliament with even a larger majority. The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) also says that new polls would be a grave error. Meanwhile, DEHAP charged that the court’s verdict was “political.” The party’s leader said that after exhausting all domestic legal channels, if need be they would take the issue to the European Court of Human Rights. /All Papers/

IMF DELEGATION BEGINS CONTACTS IN ANKARA
After completing its contacts in Istanbul last weekend, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam yesterday began a series of meetings with officials in Ankara. As part of the sixth review of Turkey’s IMF-supported economic program, the delegation met with Treasury Undersecretariat officials to discuss this year’s economic policies as well as budget targets for 2004. The delegation is expected to meet this week with State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan and Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan as well as officials from the Central Bank, State Planning Organization (DPT), Banking Supervision and Regulation Agency (BDDK), the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), and Eximbank. Following the review, the IMF is expected to extend a $500 million credit tranche to Turkey. /Turkiye/

EDELMAN: “DENKTAS SHOULDN’T BLOCK PROGRESS TOWARDS A CYPRUS SETTLEMENT”
Turkish-US relations have recently undergone a “troubled period” but now both sides are working hard to rebuild a half-century of trust, said US Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman yesterday. “As Turkey examines its own national interests and pursues its internal economic and political reform process, we are confident it will conclude that strong cooperative engagement alongside the US to create a peaceful, stable and prosperous region supporting those interests,” Edelman told an audience at Ankara’s Bilkent University. He said that Turkey itself would decide whether or not to send troops to Iraq, adding that the nation could play an important role in Iraq’s reconstruction. “The president's commitment to ridding Iraq of the terrorist threat includes the PKK/KADEK,” stated the ambassador. “The US has been and will continue to be Turkey's strongest partner in its efforts to eradicate terrorism.” Also touching on the Cyprus issue, Edelman said that last spring’s collapse of talks over the United Nations plan had meant a missed opportunity to reach a historic resolution on the island. “The plan put forth by UN Secretary-General [Kofi] Annan provides for the safety and continuing security of the Turkish Cypriot community and the security interests of Turkey, and remains the best basis for a satisfactory solution for all parties,” he said, adding that Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas shouldn’t stand in the way of a resolution for the island. /Cumhuriyet/

CICEK: “THE GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE A FINAL DECISION ON TROOP DEPLOYMENT ISSUE NEXT WEEK”
Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that next week the government’s decision on whether or not to send Turkish troops to Iraq would be clear. Touching on a recent $8.5 billion US loan agreement, Cicek reiterated that the loan didn’t require Turkey to send troops to Iraq, as these were separate issues. “Next week, guided by our nation’s best interests, we will make a final decision on the issue,” said Cicek. He further stated that the government had not taken the loan into account in preparing next year’s budget. “Whether we make use of the loan is up to us,” said Cicek, adding that the loan deal didn’t require parliamentary approval. /All papers/

BABACAN: “OUR COMPANIES ARE READY TO WORK WITH AMERICAN FIRMS IN IRAQ’S RECONSTRUCTION”
In an address to the Turkish-American Business Council yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that Turkish companies were ready to work with US firms in Iraq’s reconstruction process. “Potential alliances between Turkish and US firms will depend on the interests of both countries,” he said. He stated that importance of bilateral economic ties was on the rise, adding that Ankara expected an influx of more capital from the US. Also touching on a just-approved $8.5 billion US loan, Babacan said that the funds would support Turkey’s reform process. /Aksam/

OZILHAN: “NEW POLLS WOULD THREATEN OUR NATION’S STABILITY”
New elections would threaten Turkey’s hard-won stability, warned Turkish Businessmen’s and Industrialists’ Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan yesterday. “If early elections are called for we will respect them,” he added, commenting on yesterday’s court ruling upholding election fraud convictions and raising the specter of early polls. Also speaking on the ruling, Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) Chairman Sinan Aygun said he hoped the issue would not distract the nation from its larger agenda. “We need to keep our focus on the economy, production, growth and employment,” added Aygun. “I hope we won’t lose this.” /Turkiye/

DEMIREL LEAVES FOR US VISIT
Yesterday former President Suleyman Demirel flew to the United States to attend the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Eisenhower Foundation, named for the late US president. Demirel will also meet with former US President George H. W. Bush. Before leaving Turkey, Demirel said that during his contacts he would express his views on Turkish-US relations, political developments in the Middle East as well as issues concerning Iraq and the European Union. Emphasizing that Turkey must consider carefully its stance on Iraq, Demirel stated, “Iraq is our neighbor but it’s currently under US occupation, so both nations are our neighbors now. The US can’t stay in the region forever. We can’t be indifferent to events in Iraq, because events there concern us. Turkey has to help bring stability to Iraq.” /Aksam/