ANKARA TO HOST TOP FOREIGN OFFICIALS THIS MONTH
Following European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visits this week, Ankara will continue to host important foreign guests this month. Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta, who graduated from Ankara University's Faculty of Political Science, will visit Ankara on Oct. 10-13. Then Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Secretary-General Angel Gurria will pay an official visit to Turkey at the invitation of Foreign Minister Abdullah on Oct. 16-19. Another official to visit Turkey this month is Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht. He will hold talks with Turkish officials on Oct. 30-31. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN MEETS WITH BLAIR IN LONDON
After completing his contacts in the US, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday proceeded to London. Erdogan, accompanied by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan, met with his British counterpart Tony Blair. During their talks, reportedly the Mideast, Iran and terrorist PKK issues were taken up. /Sabah/
ERDOGAN: "ISLAMOPHOBIA IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY"
In an interview with The Washington Post published on Tuesday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that in the same way people consider anti-Semitism a crime against humanity, Islamophobia was also such a crime. Regarding Turkey's European Union membership bid, Erdogan stated that most Turks are in favor of EU membership for a better standard of living. Erdogan also however stressed that the EU's stance on Cyprus had hurt its standing in the Turkish public. The premier also said that Turkey was resolved to continue the fight against terrorism. Furthermore, Erdogan also criticized people who try to link terrorism with Islam. /Sabah/
REHN: "AS A FRIEND, MY AIM IS TO PREVENT A TRAIN CRASH"
European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn yesterday said that he had come to Turkey both to attend a symposium held by the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Turk-Is) and to prevent a "train crash" from occurring around the first anniversary of the beginning of Turkey's EU membership negotiations. "As a friend I want to be honest with you: The reform process has slowed down," said Rehn. "You should continue the reform process with determination and fulfill your obligations on the Ankara Protocol." Asked about Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok's remarks about reactionaryism, Rehn said that there had been a misunderstanding and that as a former soldier he believed in the professionalism of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). Speaking about Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Rehn said that freedom of expression was a touchstone of EU values and Turkey should consider this while deciding about the controversial law. /Star/
US' WILSON DOWNPLAYS DOMESTIC DEBATES IN TURKEY
Speaking yesterday about President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok's recent remarks on reactionaryism, US Ambassador to Ankara Ross Wilson said that the cacophony in domestic policy and the media was nothing to be worried about. Stating that he was surprised by debates over reactionaryism, Wilson said that Turkey was an example of a secular state and added, "Regardless of these debates, we admire Turkey." /Cumhuriyet/
MERKEL TO VISIT ANKARA
Turkey's European Union bid, dialogue between civilizations and economic relations will top talks during the first visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Turkey set to begin tomorrow. Merkel will proceed to Istanbul with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan after meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in Ankara. Merkel and Erdogan will both participate in the Turkish-German Economic Forum to be held in Istanbul on Friday. /Hurriyet/
GEN. BASBUG CALLS ON TERRORISTS TO DISARM AND UNCONDITIONALLY SURRENDER
Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug, accompanied by Gendarmerie General Commander Gen. Isik Kosaner, yesterday visited the southeastern province of Diyarbakir. During a visit to Governor Efkan Ala, Basbug urged terrorist group PKK militants to lay down their arms and unconditionally surrender to Turkish justice. Gen. Kosaner also said that the fight against the terrorist group would continue until the last militant lays down his arms. /Milliyet/
THY HIJACKING ENDS IN SURRENDER
A Turkish Airlines (THY) plane was hijacked over Greece yesterday after it took off from the Albanian capital of Tirana to Istanbul, apparently to protest Pope Benedict XVI's recent controversial remarks about Islam. The Boeing 737-400 plane, carrying 107 passengers and six crew members, landed at Brindisi Airport in Italy, where the two unarmed hijackers surrendered to authorities. None of the plane's passengers were harmed. /All papers/
CPI INFLATION RISES IN SEPTEMBER
The Turkish Statistics Institute (TUIK) released its monthly inflation figures for September yesterday. Consumer price index (CPI) inflation exceeded average expectations. CPI inflation in September rose by 1.29 pct to reach 10.55 pct year-on-year. Producer price index (PPI) inflation in September fell by 0.23 pct to reach 11.19 pct year-on-year. /Aksam/