ERDOGAN, BAYKAL ATTEND MEVLANA RUMI MEMORIAL CELEBRATIONS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday attended Shebi Arus ceremonies in Konya marking the 733rd anniversary of Mevlana Rumi's Vuslat (reunion with the beloved). Addressing the ceremony, both leaders issued a call for peace, friendship and love of Mevlana Rumi, the founder of Islam's Sufi order, adding that Mevlana Rumi's ideas have enlightened people through the ages. UNESCO declared 2007 the Year of Rumi to mark his 800th birthday. In related news, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar issued messages marking the occasion. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN TRAVELS TO NEW YORK FOR ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS MEETING
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday evening traveled to New York to attend a meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations, an initiative carried out with the support of the United Nations, and under the co-leadership of Turkey and Spain. As part of the gathering, Erdogan is scheduled to meet with outgoing UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his successor Ban Ki-Moon. Furthermore, he is also expected to have talks with former US President Bill Clinton. During its gathering today, the Alliance of Civilizations Initiative, which proposes cooperation and tolerance between different religions and cultures, will make public a new report. /Turkiye/

BAYKAL VISITS TURKISH TROOPS IN LEBANON
Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal traveled to Lebanon on Saturday to participate in a meeting of the Socialist International (SI) to address an urgent action plan concerning the political crisis in Lebanon. Baykal, vice president of the SI, also visited Turkish troops deployed in southern Lebanon. The CHP leader told reporters that Turkish troops were fulfilling their mission with a sense of great responsibility. After completing his contacts, in the afternoon, Baykal flew to Konya to attend ceremonies marking Mevlana Rumi's 733rd Vuslat anniversary. /Sabah-Turkish Daily News/

TALAT: "DIRECT FLIGHTS, NOT PROMISES, ARE NEEDED"
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat stated yesterday that British Prime Minister Tony Blair's recent visit to Ankara was only meant to soothe Turkey's anger at the European Union and said, "Blair gave promises about direct flights to TRNC. But he didn't do anything. All flights to Ercan are through Turkey. We want direct flights." Talat, currently in Antalya, told a press conference, "Freezing Turkey's negotiating on eight chapters and connecting the closure of other chapters to the condition of opening ports and airports to Greek Cypriot vessels is a punishment for Turkey. Blair's visit to Turkey is in a sense to soothe hurt feelings in Turkey. All of his statements show this." /Hurriyet/

PAPADOPOULOS ANGRY WITH BLAIR'S REMARKS OVER TRNC
British Prime Minister Tony Blair's statements in Ankara didn't satisfy Athens or the Greek Cypriot administration. While Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis couched her reaction diplomatically, Greek Cyprus administration leader Tassos Papadopoulos didn't hide his anger. "Blair's statements may carry a political importance," said Bakoyannis. "But the important thing is the decision taken by the European Union foreign ministers." Papadopoulos said, "Britain's attitudes supporting Turkey is usual." When asked about Blair's comments on beginning direct flights to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Papadopoulos said, "If it can start, if... They've been struggling for three years, and it's come to nothing." /Hurriyet/

COREPER TO DISCUSS TURKEY
COREPER, made up of the European Union countries' permanent representatives in Brussels, will decide on Wednesday how many negotiation chapters will be opened on Turkey. The general tendency is to open negotiation on eight chapters to make up for the eight suspended chapters. EU Term President Finland, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn and many countries including Britain, Spain and Italy favor opening as many chapters as possible before the New Year to give a positive message to Ankara. But countries such as the Greek Cypriot administration, France and the Netherlands argue that suspending eight chapters would be a "soft" decision and opening one chapter would be enough. How many chapters will be opened will emerge through bargains to continue until the last minute. /Star/