ERDOGAN MEETS WITH MONGOLIAN PM
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with his Mongolian counterpart Miyekombo Enkhbold, who is currently paying an official visit to Ankara. During their meeting, Enkhbold requested $20 billion in credits through Eximbank. The visiting premier also suggested a Lenin museum with displays on common history and culture, and Erdogan said State Minister Besir Atalay would look into the proposal. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Erdogan commented on the cancellation of this weekend's planned Cyprus meeting by Finland, saying that the Cyprus issue could be solved by the UN. "You can only bring together the foreign ministers of both sides," said Erdogan. "This would prove good will." /Milliyet-Sabah/

GUL: "FINLAND TRIED TO BRING THE 2 SIDES ON CYPRUS TOGETHER, BUT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO ATTEND"
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday said that European Union Term President Finland had cancelled the Cyprus meeting which was scheduled to be held this weekend. "Finland tried to bring the two sides together with good will," said Gul after returning from a meeting in Moscow. "But the sides don't want to attend this meeting. We prefer a comprehensive resolution." He added, "This mission belongs to the UN, but if the EU helps, this would please us." Commenting on claims that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) had acted to help Yimpas Holding, currently under a legal cloud, Gul decried efforts by some to link the company to his party. /Aksam/

CHIEF OF STAFF BUYUKANIT MEETS WITH TOP GREEK OFFICIALS
Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, on a four-day visit to Athens, yesterday met with his Greek counterpart Adm. Panagiotis Chinofotis and Defense Minister Evangelos Meimarakis. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Buyukanit said that he was the first Turkish chief of General Staff to visit this neighboring country. Stressing that he had held very fruitful talks with top Greek officials, Buyukanit stated that most problems could be resolved through discussion. Meanwhile, the US State Department praised the top Turkish commander's trip to Greece, adding that it was a positive step to further develop bilateral ties. /Hurriyet/

MURDERER OF TURKISH DIPLOMATS FREED IN GREECE
Dionisis Yorgiyadis, a member of the Greek terrorist group November 17 with the codename "Alexis," was released on probation yesterday. The terrorist reportedly was released for good behavior during his time in jail, about half of his nine-year sentence. He was involved in a number of murders, including the assassinations of Turkey's Athens Embassy Press Secretary Cetin Gorgu in 1991 and Undersecretariat Haluk Sipahioglu in 1994. /Star/

FINLAND CANCELS CYPRUS SUMMIT
European Union Term President Finland yesterday stated that it had decided not to convene a Cyprus summit in Helsinki. Finland's Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja's spokesperson Susanna Parkonnen said, "There's no chance of a meeting in Helsinki," adding that from now on they would continue negotiations on the political level. Parkonnen also confirmed that Tuomioja would today meet with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat. After learning of the summit's cancellation, Talat said, "The failure of this initiative doesn't please me." /Star/

KARAMANLIS: "TURKEY SHOULD FULFILL ITS OBLIGATIONS"
Speaking to the Greek Parliament, Greek Foreign Minister Kostas Karamanlis yesterday stated that while Turkey's implementing the Ankara Protocol was a commitment it made to the European Union, the EU's pledge to enable trade with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was a Union "internal affair" and had nothing to do with the protocol issue. Karamanlis further claimed that Turkey had failed to take certain steps in its EU bid, and that its moves on religious freedom and human rights remained mere efforts, adding, "Europeans understand Turkey's domestic affairs, but Turkey's not fulfilling its obligations is inconceivable." /Hurriyet/

EDUCATION MINISTER CELIK VISITS BAKU
Education Minister Huseyin, visiting Azerbaijan, yesterday met with President Ilham Aliyev in Baku. He also visited Turkish schools in the capital and had talks with Turkish students at Baku State University. /Turkish Daily News/

ISRAEL'S FIRST VISIT TO THE NSC
On his first official visit to Turkey Ilan Mizrahi, the head of Israel's National Security Council, yesterday met with National Security Secretary-General Yigit Alpogan. Mizrahi and Alpogan exchanged views on Turkish-Israeli security cooperation and discussed regional and international developments affecting the two countries. /Star/

SCHROEDER: "TURKEY HAS THE RIGHT TO REQUEST IMPROVEMENTS FOR TURKISH CYPRIOTS"
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said yesterday that Turkey has the right to ask for improvements in the Turkish Cypriots' situation in return for implementation of the Ankara Protocol. Speaking in Berlin, Schroeder said that recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration was not among the criteria for Turkey in its European Union membership bid. He stressed that on the other hand, ending the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots had not been promised, but following talks with Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, certain head of state and government of EU countries had agreed on the need to end this isolation. /Turkiye/

IN DUBLIN, BABACAN SAYS ANKARA FAVORS CYPRUS RESOLUTION
Speaking at a forum in Dublin, Ireland yesterday, Turkey's chief European Union negotiator Ali Babacan said that Ankara has always favored a resolution on Cyprus. "We're again ready to be constructive," he said. "However, the Turkish Cypriots are facing an embargo." Commenting on Turkey's EU bid, Babacan stated that while there had been no slowdown in Turkey's reforms, there may be a slowdown in implementation. "Correcting this requires a revolutionary change in mentalities," added Babacan. /Sabah/

FLOODS KILLS 12 IN BATMAN; DEATH TOLL CLIMBS TO 39
Some 12 people died in Batman yesterday after the Iluh Stream overflowed its banks due to heavy rain. The death toll from flash floods sweeping through impoverished southeastern Turkey rose to 39 upon news that 12 people, including children, had died in Batman, said officials yesterday. Many more missing are feared dead. State meteorologists warned that the southeastern Anatolia region would again face heavy rain today. /Milliyet/