OIC MINISTERS DISCUSS WOMEN'S ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT
Istanbul yesterday hosted the Organization of the Islamic Conference's (OIC) ministerial conference on women's role in development. Speaking at the gathering, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that not only the Islamic world, but the whole world faced serious problems whose solutions can only be found through discussion. Stressing that steps to advance women's rights play a very important role in the development of democracy, he said that the reason women were prevented from participating in social activities wasn't religion but traditions painted as religious rules. State Minister for Women and Family Affairs Nimet Cubukcu and OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, a Turkish scholar, also attended the meeting and addressed the ministers of member states on the issue. Later, returning to Ankara from Istanbul, Erdogan stated that despite calls from the opposition to hold early general elections before next May's presidential election, the elections would be held as scheduled, in late October of next year. The trust and stability established in Turkey will continue, Erdogan said. He added that early elections would hurt both political and economic development, and that everyone should get used to the fact that the elections would take place at their normally scheduled time. /Star/

GUL TO TRAVEL TO FINLAND NEXT MONTH
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to travel to European Union Term President Finland next month for an official visit. During his stay in the country, Gul will meet with his Finnish counterpart Erkki Tuomioja to discuss Turkey's EU membership bid and the Cyprus issue. Gul is expected to stress that Turkey doesn't pose an obstacle to a Cyprus resolution and stress, in contrast, the uncompromising stances of Greece and the Greek Cypriots. /Cumhuriyet/

BABACAN: "EVERY WEEK MORE THAN $1 BLN IN FOREIGN CAPITAL FLOWS INTO TURKEY'S BOND AND BILL MARKET"
Speaking at a reception marking the 143rd anniversary of Ziraat Bank, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan yesterday hailed it as one of the finest banks in the sector. Babacan also touted recent economic developments, saying that every week more than $1 billion in foreign flows only into Turkey's bond and bill market. Babacan further stressed that one of the most important reforms carried out by the government was providing autonomy for institutions. /Hurriyet/

CICEK: "NOW IT'S EUROPE'S TURN"
Cabinet ministers chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday convened and discussed domestic and foreign issues. Speaking to reporters after the gathering, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek told reporters that the ministers took up the fee the government charges Turkish citizens traveling abroad, adding that it would be drastically lowered from 70 YTL to 15 YTL. Aid to the victims of recent floods in southeastern Anatolia was also discussed, said Cicek. Asked about the government's stance towards European Union Term President Finland's recent call for Turkey to take steps on the Cyprus issue before Dec. 6, Cicek said Ankara had already fulfilled its commitments on the issue, unlike the EU. He also urged the EU to lift the embargo on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as soon as possible. /Turkiye/

TALAT MEETS WITH ANNAN, DISCUSSES ISOLATION OF TURKISH CYPRIOTS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday met with outgoing UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Geneva. Speaking afterwards, Talat said that his meeting with Annan aimed at bringing the Annan plan back for reconsideration, adding that a Cyprus resolution could only be found through the UN. Asked if the Annan plan could be taken as a basis for a resolution, Talat said that the plan had been discussed for four or five years and couldn't be dismissed. Saying that he had requested a meeting with Annan, Talat called their meeting "comprehensive and very positive" and added that it proved that the Cyprus issue could only be solved by the UN, not the European Union. Talat further added that the sides should take advantage of Annan's experience to reach a resolution and that he should continue to be active in efforts for a resolution even after leaving the UN helm. /Cumhuriyet/

FINLAND SETS DEC. 6 DEADLINE ON PORTS ISSUE
Pressure on Ankara to open its ports to Greek Cyprus has been rising. Despite Turkey's announcements that no further steps would be taken on the Cyprus issue before the international isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is ended, European Union Term President Finland's Premier Matti Vanhanen said yesterday that Ankara should make a decision on the opening of its ports to Greek Cyprus. He stated that if Turkey does not open its ports to Greek Cypriots, the EU Commission, in the first week of December, is expected to make recommendations on the matter, and that during its gathering on Dec. 11, the EU foreign ministers could decide on Turkey's accession process in line with that advice. Vanhanen stressed that the topic would not be allowed to dominate the summit of the 25-nation bloc's leaders on Dec. 14-15, who will review Ankara's progress since the opening of accession talks in October 2005 and have the final say if Ankara does not open its ports and airports to Greek Cyprus by then, but decisions would be made before the meeting. The summit will take up various topics including the enlargement process, he added. In related news, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn also stated that they had already held a summit for Turkey so there was no need for a new one. /Turkiye/

BAYKAL CALLS REMARKS OF MHP'S BAHCELI "IMPORTANT"
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday commented on opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli's remarks at his party's weekend congress, saying that they were very important. "It's very important that the MHP considers nationalism together with the republic and modernization," said Baykal of his right-wing rival. "It's important that MHP adopts this. They could have considered nationalism as opposed to the republic's values and Turkish Republic's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's principles, but fortunately they didn't." /Milliyet/