TUZMEN: "EXPORTERS NEED A STABLE EXCHANGE RATE OF MORE THAN 1.5 YTL"
State Minister Kursat Tuzmen said yesterday that exporters needed a stable exchange rate which is more than 1.5 YTL, adding that sudden upward and downward trends in exchange rates hurt exporters. Saying that despite these difficulties exports have risen by 16 percent since the beginning of the year, Tuzmen added that everyone understood the connection between exchange rates and exports. "The Chinese government is pursuing a rational exchange rate policy to boost its exports," said Tuzmen, adding that Turkey should also pursue the same policy. /Hurriyet/
IMF PREDICTS PER CAPITA INCOME WILL RISE TO $8,839 NEXT YEAR
The International Monetary Fund released a report yesterday predicting that Turkey 's per capita income according to purchasing power parity would rise to $8,839 next year. The IMF report predicted that Turkey 's domestic income according to purchasing power parity, which was $7,950 in 2005, would increase to $8,385 by the end of this year. /Hurriyet/
AGAR: "IF WE COME TO POWER, WE WOULD ELIMINATE PKK SPECIAL ENVOY POST"
Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday criticized the government's anti-terror policy, saying that if the DYP comes to power in next year's elections, it would eliminate the PKK special envoy post. Stressing that the PKK problem could only be solved by Turkey , not by another country, he added, "Nowhere else in the world can you find a country trying to end terrorism through another country." In addition to Turkey , the US and Iraq have also recently appointed special envoys to fight the PKK threat. /Cumhuriyet/
CABINET TO DECIDE CIVIL SERVANTS' WAGE HIKE TODAY
The Cabinet is due to convene today to discuss the raise in salaries of civil servants since government officials and representatives of civil servants' unions failed to reach an agreement on the issue last week. Last week, the government officials headed by Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin revised their proposals, but the representatives of civil servants' union rejected his offer. /Cumhuriyet/
PARLIAMENTARIANS TO VISIT NORTHERN IRAQ
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Balikesir Deputy Turhan Comez and opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Tokat Deputy Orhan Ziya Diren are set to travel to Iraq today. During their three-day visit, the two deputies reportedly will observe the situation in the disputed northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk , as well as have talks with regional officials, including Turkmen representatives. Comez and Diren are expected to prepare a report outlining their impressions when they are back home and summit it to Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and CHP leader Deniz Baykal. /Turkiye/
SPRINGTIME FOR TURKISH-GREEK TIES
A recent rapprochement between the two Aegean states, Turkey and Greece , is now growing warmer. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is scheduled to travel to Athens at the beginning of next month. Gul and his Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyannis will discuss the Cyprus issue and Turkey 's European Union membership process. Furthermore, following Greek Chief of General Staff Adm. Panayotis Hinofotis' recent visit to Turkey , his Turkish counterpart Gen. Yasar Buyukanit is expected to pay an official visit to the neighboring country. The two top officials will discuss bilateral issues as part of confidence-boosting measures in the Aegean . In addition, in November, the two countries will hold a joint research and rescue exercise in Istanbul . In related news, the Greek Education Ministry has accepted Turkish as an elective in public schools in Gumulcine and Iskece, areas in Western Thrace with large Turkish minorities. /Turkiye/
NEW TRNC CABINET LIST TO BE PRESENTED TO TALAT TODAY
A Cabinet list formed by Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Ferdi Sabit Soyer, the designated premier of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), will be presented to TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat today. Soyer planned a coalition government with the newly established Freedom and Reform Party (Ozgur Party). Ozgur Party leader Turgay Avci is set to be both deputy prime minister and foreign minister in the CTP-Ozgur Party coalition government. The distribution of Cabinet ministries is expected to be announced following Talat's approval. /Star/
GOLDEN ORANGES GO TO YOUNG TURKS
The 43rd Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival was held over the weekend. Turkey 's top cinema festival gave famous director Zeki Demirkubuz the best film award for his "Kader" (Fate), while Nuri Bilge Ceylan got the best director award for his "Iklimler" (Climates). Furthermore, Erkan Can's performance in Ozer Kiziltan's "Takva" gave him the best actor award, and Sibel Kekilli was also honored as the best actress in Omer Ugur's "Eve Donus" (Back Home). /The New Anatolian/