ERDOGAN CALLS ON YOUNG PEOPLE TO RUN FOR PARLIAMENT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that his Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has taken serious steps to invest in people. Speaking at a fast-breaking iftar dinner in Istanbul, Erdogan said that by recently lowering the eligible age for being a deputy to 25, they had opened the doors for young people to take an interest in politics, and called on young people to run for Parliament. Commenting on the French Parliament's passage last week of a bill on the so-called Armenian "genocide," Erdogan said that all countries around the world and even many French people were condemning France, a country which once stood for freedom. /Turkiye/
PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE FRANCE'S "GENOCIDE" BILL
Parliament tomorrow will debate the passage by France's National Assembly last week of a bill to heavily penalize those who deny an Armenian "genocide." Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will speak to the parliamentarians, and then political parties will voice their concerns and opinions. Also this week the 93-article foundations bill will be assessed by Parliament as a basic law in three different sections. The bill paves the way for community foundations to officially register what they own. Under the bill, foreigners would be able to establish foundations in Turkey or sit on the administration of existing foundations. /Star/
EN ROUTE TO EU TROIKA MEETING IN LUXEMBOURG, GUL COMMENTS ON AGAR-BUYUKANIT DISPUTE
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday traveled to Luxembourg to attend a meeting of the European Union Troika. Speaking en route, Gul commented on the recent dispute between Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar, who suggested that terrorists should be encouraged to come down from the mountains so they can take part in politics. Gul stated that Agar was experienced on the issue since he was once interior minister and so his remarks should be taken seriously. "There's no need to engage in polemics," he said. Also commenting on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's reportedly saying that the ruling party would win 26% of the nation's votes according to polls, Gul stressed that many polls were being done and published in newspapers, adding that Erdogan had told him about one of these. "If elections were held today I believe we would win the same majority in Parliament," added Gul. Also commenting on last week's passage of a bill on the so-called Armenian "genocide" by the French Parliament, the foreign minister stated that France had deeply hurt its relations with Turkey. "Turkish-Armenian relations didn't benefit from the bill either," he added. /Milliyet-Sabah/
AGAR: "I KNOW WHAT I DO AND WHAT I SAY"
Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar, currently in Germany to meet with the representatives of Turkish associations, yesterday commented on the recent dispute between himself and Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, saying that he didn't fear anything or anyone. "I know what I do and what I say," said Agar. "There are two issues that Turkey should get past, namely terrorism and secularism. We don't want to be part of tensions while trying to reduce them. I'm in politics to ensure peace for the nation." Agar further stated that politics shouldn't be conducted with soldiers, but that the state couldn't be governed without soldiers either. /Hurriyet/
BARROSO: "WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT TURKEY'S REFORM PROCESS"
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso yesterday said that they were worried about Turkey's progress in its reform process. Speaking to the BBC, Barroso said, "If Turkey fully complies with the political and economic criteria, Turkey's membership will be good for the European Union." He also stated that it would be a mistake to think that this will also be the case 10-15 years from now. Barroso said that Turkey's progress report, due to be released by the European Commission on Nov. 8, will be objective and highlight the areas that Turkey needs to work on. /Star/
OSKANIAN: "WE WANT TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH TURKEY"
Armenia's Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian said yesterday that he would strive to normalize relations with Turkey despite deep misgivings about Turkish refusal to recognize a "genocide" of Armenians during World War I. Speaking to Swiss newspaper NZZ am Sonntag, Oskanian said, "As foreign minister I have a duty to look to the future and to seek and establish normal relations with Turkey." Turkey severed diplomatic relations with neighboring Armenia after Armenian troops occupied the Azeri territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The border gate between Turkey and Armenia has been closed for more than a decade. Ankara now says normalization of ties depends on Armenian withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh as well as on progress in the resolution of a series of bilateral disagreements, including Armenia ceasing support for Armenian diaspora efforts to secure international recognition for the alleged genocide. He also said the Turkish government's offer to set up a joint commission of historians to examine the killings was "dishonest" so long as Turkey kept its border with Armenia closed and explicitly outlawed the use of the word "genocide" in the sensitive Armenian issue. /Turkish Daily News/
IRAQI PM IN TURKEY FOR KEY TALKS ON PKK
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today begins a two-day visit to Turkey where he will discuss with Turkish authorities ways to eliminate the terrorist PKK from Iraq and the latest developments in the country. During his crucial talks with Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, the Turkish side is expected to push al-Maliki into taking concrete steps to eliminate PKK terrorists from the country and to stop the terrorist group's activities there. /The New Anatolian/