EU FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
European Union member states' foreign ministers, meeting ahead of a summit of EU leaders later this week, yesterday discussed Term President Finland's draft proposal on Turkey in Brussels. At a press conference following debates over how many chapters should be affected by Turkey's refusal to open its ports and airports to traffic from Greek Cyprus, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, accompanied by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and EU Commissioners Olli Rehn and Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said that in line with an earlier recommendation from the EU Commission, the ministers had agreed to suspend eight chapters related to the Customs Unions out of 35 total and not close any other chapters until the EU Commission verifies that Turkey has fulfilled its commitments related to the ports dispute. Also speaking to reporters, Rehn said they had made a balanced decision. Stressing that the EU needed a stable, democratic Turkey, Rehn added that Turkey's accession to the bloc would show that Islam is in harmony with democracy, human rights and European norms. /Turkiye/
BLAIR CALLS PM ERDOGAN TO REITERATE HIS SUPPORT FOR TURKEY'S EU BID
British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday spoke with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the telephone and reiterated his support for Turkey's European Union bid. The conversation between the two leaders coincided with the EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels where Turkey's situation was being discussed. During the conversation, Turkey's EU process was discussed in light of Turkey's proposal last week to open one port and one airport to the Greek Cypriots. Stating his support for Turkey's initiative, Blair also said that his country's support for Turkey's EU bid would continue. /Hurriyet/
MERKEL PLEASED WITH EU DECISION TO PARTIALLY FREEZE TURKEY'S PROCESS
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pleased with the European Union foreign ministers' decision to partially freeze Turkey's negotiation process. Merkel's spokesperson Ulrich Wilheim said that decision taken in Brussels took into consideration Turkey's not fulfilling its responsibilities related to the Ankara Protocol, adding, "It's important that the EU heads of state and government examine Turkey's developments in an orderly way." Greek Cypriot administration Foreign Minister Georges Lillikas said, "It's important to set a timetable for whether or not Turkey will fulfill its responsibilities to the EU." Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said that her country would determinedly maintain its stance during Turkey's EU negotiation process. "I favor suspending many chapters," she said. Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot said that the negotiations should be suspended on 10 chapters. /Cumhuriyet-Star/
FINNISH PM: "WE DIDN'T FULFILL OUR COMMITMENTS TO TURKEY"
European Union Term President Finland's Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen yesterday acknowledged that the European Union had not fulfilled its commitments to Turkey. According to news channels NTV and CNN-Turk, Vanhanen told reporters, "Yes, that's right. The EU didn't fulfill its commitments. But Turkey should fulfill its commitments." Meanwhile, Finland's Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said that lifting the embargo from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and approval of the additional protocol were separate issues. He said that Turkey's taking a step would be seen as positive but the main issue was full implementation of the additional protocol. In related news, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht made a speech giving full support fto Ankara and saying the Greek Cypriots bore the main responsibility for the difficult situation. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said that there were legal and political promises given to Turkey and that the EU should fulfill its commitments on certain issues. European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said that the EU needs a stable, democratic Turkey, adding, "Turkey is a component of stability in the most unstable region of the world and a threshold for democracy in the Middle East." /Milliyet/
ITALIAN STATE MINISTER BONINO: "TURKEY'S EU PROCESS SHOULDN'T BE JEOPARDIZED"
Italy's Minister for European Policies Emma Bonino yesterday said that Turkey's EU membership process shouldn't be jeopardized. Criticizing those who use the Cyprus issue as an pretext to block Turkey's membership, Bonino said, "The benefits of Turkey's EU membership for Europe, the Mediterranean and Italy require avoiding the risk of suspending this process." She added, "I hope that the summit of heads of state and government this Thursday and Friday will state that Turkey's membership is necessary. Both the EU and Turkey should fulfill their commitments. We're expecting the EU summit to encourage Turkey's steps on the path to membership." /Star/
CICEK: "THE TRNC CAN'T BE SACRIFICED"
The Cabinet ministers, chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, yesterday discussed Turkey's relations with the European Union and recent developments on the matter. Following their nearly seven-hour meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek told reporters that Greek Cyprus was putting obstacles before Turkey, adding that Ankara would never sacrifice the just cause of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for its goal of EU membership. Cicek said Turkey would continue its diplomatic efforts to reach these two goals. Commenting on recent claims that top Turkish leaders had not been informed about the government's proposal last week to the European Union Commission on the Cyprus issue, Cicek stated that the government was trying to do its best on Turkey's behalf and there was no time to waste on domestic bickering. /Turkiye-Sabah/
ARINC VISITS CHIEF OF STAFF GEN. BUYUKANIT
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday paid a courtesy visit to Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit. Afterwards, Arinc told reporters that during his nearly one-hour meeting with the top commander, he had congratulated Buyukanit for his taking office as chief of General Staff in late August, adding that they had had very friendly and sincere talks. /Sabah/
MILITARY HOUSING BUILDING COLLAPSES DUE TO HEATING SYSTEM EXPLOSION
A five-story residential building for military families in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir collapsed yesterday morning due to an explosion of its heating system. The disaster took six lives and injured eight. Rescue workers are trying to save two other people still trapped under the debris. Officials stated that an investigation of the accident is underway. /Aksam/