TURKEY COMMEMORATES ATATURK
The 65th anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern secular Turkish Republic, was commemorated throughout Turkey yesterday. The day’s ceremonies began in Ankara at Anitkabir, Ataturk’s mausoleum. A delegation led by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer laid a wreath at the mausoleum and observed a minute of silence. Also in attendance were Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. After the ceremony, Sezer signed Anitkabir’s commemorative guest book. Yesterday also marked the 50th anniversary of the transfer of Ataturk’s remains from the Ethnography Museum to Anitkabir, and a ceremony was held at the museum to honor this occasion. Ataturk was also commemorated at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace, in the room where he passed away. /All papers/

ERDOGAN URGES RESTRAINT ON STATEMENTS THAT COULD RAISE TENSIONS
Pointing to recent tension in the public on various issues, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday urged the entire nation to steer clear of “useless debates” which risk damage to the country’s unity and solidarity. Speaking to a gathering at the Ataturk Culture, Language and History Higher Board marking the 65th anniversary of Turkish Republic founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s passing away, Erdogan called the principle of secularism one of Ataturk’s most important legacies. Stressing that while secularism could be defined as the separation of religious and state affairs, the premier added, “This definition is correct, but incomplete. Another dimension of secularism is the freedom of religion and conscience.” He also said that the state should maintain an equally impartial stance towards all beliefs and identities. Also present at the gathering were Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mustafa Bumin, High Court of Appeals Chief Justice Eraslan Ozkaya, and various Cabinet ministers as well as other high-level officials. /All Papers/

GUL: “BOTH THE TURKISH AND GREEK CYPRIOTS SHOULD DO THEIR UTMOST FOR A RESOLUTION ON THE ISLAND”
Speaking before flying to Rome to attend a European Union troika meeting yesterday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that both the Turkish and Greek Cypriots should do their utmost to reach a resolution on the island. “It is important that both sides strive for a resolution,” he said. Gul stated that there was also a need to wait for the results of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) general elections scheduled for next month, adding that a settlement should be reached before next May, when Greek Cyprus is set to join the Union. /Aksam/

EU’S KRETSCHMER: “LIKE ALL THE OTHER CANDIDATES, TURKEY MUST IMPLEMENT THE COPENHAGEN CRITERIA”
European Commission representative in Turkey Hansjoerg Kretschmer said yesterday that Turkey should implement the Copenhagen criteria like all the other European Union candidates, adding that it should make a commitment to do so. “Turkey must carry out radical reforms for its EU bid,” said Kretschmer. Also touching on the Cyprus issue, he said that Turkey should take Greek Cyprus’ EU accession scheduled for next May into consideration in its stance on the issue, adding that reaching a resolution on the island was critical. /Aksam/

THE GUARDIAN: “GREEK CYPRUS COULD WORK AGAINST TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION”
After Greek Cyprus joins the European Union next May, it could well work to block Turkey’s own EU accession, predicted British daily the Guardian yesterday. The support of Turkey’s military for EU membership is also key, it added. "Turkey remains the toughest nut to crack," said a commentary on EU enlargement by Ian Black. "Yet the prospect of membership has brought undeniable progress on human rights and democracy. The trick is to persuade the generals in Ankara that a peace settlement in Cyprus is in their interests. After next May the Greek Cypriots – armed with a veto, like everyone else – are hardly going to be rooting for the Turks. [EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter] Verheugen's final and most delicate task will be to decide whether they have met the criteria for starting negotiations. Governments, though, will have the last word." /Milliyet/

HOLBROOKE DECRIES “FIASCO” OF BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S HANDLING OF TROOP DEPLOYMENT ISSUE
It is unthinkable that Washington asked Turkey to vote to make troops available for Iraq without knowing for certain in advance that they would be deployed, said a veteran US diplomat yesterday, lambasting the US handling of Turkey over a troop deployment that failed to materialize. "This whole [deployment] episode has angered and embarrassed Turkey ... our most important NATO ally,” former US Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbroke told American network ABC. "Three years ago, 60 percent of Turks said America was its best friend. Now that number is down to the teens. This is a fiasco." /Star/

TURKISH BUSINESSMEN CRITICIZE EU REPORT ON TURKEY
A delegation from the Association of European Turkish Businessmen and Industrialists led by Chairman Esref Unsal met in Berlin yesterday with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. The group presented a report to the chancellor on Turkish-European Union relations and the problems of Turkish citizens living in Germany. The group’s document harshly criticized how the new European Commission Progress Report on Turkey tried to link its membership bid with a solution to the Cyprus issue as well as the report’s request that certain letters be added to the Turkish alphabet, including w, x, q, to accommodate Kurdish names. “This was a stupid request,” said one of the businessmen. “If they are serious about this, then certainly some Turkish letters should also be added to the German and all other European alphabets.” /Turkiye/

IMF EXPERTS ON UNREGISTERED ECONOMY ARRIVE IN ANKARA
A delegation of three International Monetary Fund (IMF) experts on the unregistered economy arrived yesterday in Ankara to work to find solutions to the problem. The delegation first met with State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan and then Treasury Undersecretary Ibrahim Canakci. It is also expected to meet with Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and other economic officials. /Turkiye/