ERDOGAN STARTS FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FOR RELIEF IN LEBANON
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday called on the Turkish public to aid the Lebanese people. Under a circular issued in the Official Gazette, the fundraising campaign will last for two months and people will be able to deposit money in special accounts at both Ziraat Bank and Halk Bank. /Aksam/
GENDARMERIE COMMANDER TURKERI PAYS FAREWELL VISIT TO PM ERDOGAN
Outgoing Gendarmerie General Commander Fevzi Turkeri, who will hand over his duty to Gen. Isik Kosaner on Aug. 30, yesterday paid a farewell visit to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. No statements were released after the half-hour meeting. /Cumhuriyet/
CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF OZKOK PAYS FAREWELL VISIT TO CHP'S BAYKAL
Outgoing Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday paid a farewell visit to main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. After the meeting, Baykal told a press conference that Gen. Ozkok had ended his distinguished career full of successes that have earned him a special place in the hearts of the Turkish people. /Star/
TAN: "TURKEY CAN SEND TROOPS TO LEBANON ONLY FOR HUMANITARIAN AID"
Speaking to reporters yesterday in Ankara during a weekly press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said that Ankara is still evaluating technical aspects of the possibility of its sending troops to Lebanon as part of UN forces. Underlining that Turkish troops would not go the region if the UN assigns soldiers the mission of disarming Hezbollah, Tan said that Turkey could only send troops with a mission of rendering humanitarian aid. Commenting on Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's recent meeting with the families of three Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah and Hamas, Tan said that Gul had received the families in the hotel where he was staying during his visit to Israel, adding that Israeli officials had asked that the meeting remain secret. /Turkiye/
TURKISH DELEGATION VISITS LEBANON
A Turkish delegation including officials from the Foreign Ministry, National Intelligence Agency (MIT) and General Staff yesterday returned to Turkey after completing its work in Lebanon. The delegation, sent to the region by the government, reportedly did technical evaluations to lay the groundwork should Turkey decide to send troops to the region. In related news, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is set to tell next Monday's Cabinet meeting about his recent trips to Lebanon, Israel and Syria. Gul's views are expected to influence the Cabinet ministers' stance on sending troops to Lebanon. /Milliyet-Turkiye/
TURKISH BASKETBALL TEAM DEFEATS QATAR
By defeating Qatar 76-69 yesterday in their first-round Group C game, Turkey's "12 Giant Men" advanced to the next round of the tournament at the World Basketball Championship in Japan. The Turkish team, which had already beaten Lithuania, Australia and Qatar, will play Greece today. /Hurriyet/
ISTANBUL TO HOST FORMULA 1 OVER THE WEEKEND
Istanbul will host the Turkish Grand Prix this weekend for the second time, where the world's 22 fastest drivers, including Michael Schumacher, will race. Istanbul hotels reportedly will be full during the event, 50,000 tickets have been sold, and some 130,000 people are expected to watch the race. /Aksam/