EU COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE: “NEGOTIATIONS CAN’T BEGIN BEFORE TURKEY FULFILLS THE COPENHAGEN CRITERIA”
It would be pointless for Turkey to demand that the EU set a beginning date for its membership talks in return for a permanent settlement on Cyprus, said European Union Commission Representative to Turkey Hansjoerg Kretschmer yesterday. Stressing that the matters were separate, Kretschemer said that Turkey’s membership talks could not begin before Ankara completely fulfills the Copenhagen criteria. “The EU can’t give Turkey any guarantee on this,” added Kretschmer. “It is the EU leaders who will have the final word on Turkey’s status in December 2004. Negotiations can only begin if Ankara has fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria.” In related news, Greek Ambassador to Ankara Michaeal Christides said that Greece would not support any proposal from Turkey for a four-way conference on the Cyprus issue. “The international community supports efforts in line with the UN plan,” said the diplomat. “I don’t think that a new platform is necessary.” In addition, Austrian Ambassador to Ankara Marius Calligaris said that the world expected Turkey to do its utmost to reach a permanent solution on Cyprus in line with the UN plan. Finally, German Ambassador to Ankara Wolf-Ruthart Born reiterated that Germany wanted the Cyprus issue to be resolved by May 1, 2004, stressing that a united Cyprus would be beneficial to Turkey. Greek Cyprus is due to join the EU next May. /Cumhuriyet/

FOREIGN MINISTRY: “A NEW TRNC GOVERNMENT WILL BE FORMED SOON”
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said that a new government in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would be formed as soon as possible. “We are discussing with TRNC officials the formation of their new government, and we will cooperate with it once it’s formed,” added Dirioz. /Milliyet/

VERHEUGEN: “TURKISH CYPRIOTS WANT EU MEMBERSHIP”
Guenter Verheugen, the European Union commissioner for enlargement, said yesterday that Sunday’s general elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) proved that the Turkish Cypriots favor EU membership. He added that he believed the Turkish Cypriots wanted a resolution on the island within the framework of the United Nations’ Cyprus plan. /Milliyet/

DYP LEADER AGAR: “TURKEY’S EU BID SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN EFFORTS FOR A CYPRUS RESOLUTION”
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar said that Ankara should proceed very carefully while the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is in the process of forming a new government. Agar stated that Turkey’s European Union membership bid was immensely important and that this should be considered in efforts for a resolution on the island. The DYP leader added that Turkey should get a date to begin accession talks at the EU summit in December 2004. Touching on local Turkish elections scheduled for next April, Agar said that his party was continuing to prepare for the polls. /Turkiye/

DENKTAS MEETS WITH TRNC PARTY LEADERS
In the aftermath of Sunday’s elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), work on establishing a new government is ongoing. Towards this end, President Rauf Denktas yesterday met with leaders of the four parties in Parliament – namely the Republican Turkish Party’s (CTP) Mehmet Ali Talat, the National Unity Party’s (UBP) Dervis Eroglu and Democratic Party’s (DP) Serdar Denktas as well as Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH) leader Mustafa Akinci. Following the meeting, Talat told reporters that his party would welcome any coalition that included all parties in line with “a settlement on the island by May 2004 and a vision of European Union membership.” Greek Cyprus is due to join the EU on that date. In related news, President Denktas told reporters that he had encouraged all party leaders to establish a broad-based national government. Commenting on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent remarks that new policies and politicians were needed on the island, Denktas said that he supported this fully. “When individuals capable of shouldering this heavy responsibility step forward, everybody will step aside most honorably so the successors can take over,” said Denktas, who has been active in Turkish Cypriot politics for decades. /Turkiye/

LEADING US CONGRESSMAN EXPRESES SUPPORT FOR CTP LEADER TO FORM TRNC GOVERNMENT
In the wake of Sunday’s elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat should form a new government, recommended a leading US congressman yesterday. Rep. Mark Kirk, a majority-party Republican who serves on key US House committees, added that resolving the Cyprus issue would help not only Turkish-European Union relations, but also Turkish-US ties, and urged the new TRNC leaders to confront the issue. In related news, US Cyprus Coordinator Thomas Weston yesterday met with CTP leader Talat during his visit to the island. After his contacts there, Weston is expected to proceed to Ankara to meet with Turkish officials to discuss recent developments on Cyrus. /Turkiye/

BAHCELI: “THE TRNC SHOULD ACT TOGETHER WITH TURKEY”
Speaking to the media in Ankara yesterday, Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said that new government to be established in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should be robust and reliable, should vigorously defend the Turkish Cypriots and should have a good dialogue with Ankara. “If not,” warned Bahceli, “political chaos in the TRNC could ensue.” In line with Sunday’s election results, possible solutions to the Cyprus issue should be reviewed by officials from both Ankara and the TRNC, added the MHP leader. /Turkiye/

FOREIGN MINISTRY REBUKES SWISS AMBASSADOR OVER “GENOCIDE” RECOGNITION
Ankara yesterday continued to voice serious concern over Tuesday’s official recognition by the Swiss Parliament of the so-called Armenian genocide. The Parliament voted 107-67 to recognize Armenian allegations of “genocide” at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. After a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement strongly condemned and rejected the decision, Swiss Ambassador to Ankara Kurt Wyss was summoned to the Foreign Ministry yesterday to hear Ankara’s serious concerns. Wyss met with Assistant Undersecretary Nabi Sensoy, who warned Switzerland once again that such moves could deal a great blow to bilateral relations. Sensoy reiterated that the Swiss Parliament would bear responsibility for any negative consequences its decision might cause. /Cumhuriyet/

GUL RECEIVED BY JAPANESE PRINCE MIKASA
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was received yesterday in Tokyo by Japanese Prince Mikasa, the honorary co-chairman of the year of Turkey in Japan. He later met with a number of Turkish citizens living in Japan at a reception at the Turkish Embassy in Tokyo. Gul also spoke with his Japanese counterpart Yoriko Kavaguchi, House of Representatives President Yohei Kano and Japanese Senate Asssistant Chairman Shooji Motooka. “After the recent terrorist attacks in Istanbul, the Japanese Foreign Ministry advised their citizens not to visit Turkey,” said Gul. “I hope these meetings will change your position.” For his part, Motooka condemned the attacks, adding that international cooperation was a must for effectively fighting global terrorism. /Sabah/

ERDOGAN PLEDGES KONYA-KARAMAN ROAD COMPLETION NEXT YEAR
A new divided road between Konya and Karaman, some 100 kilometers to the southeast, will open next year, pledged Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday. Before visiting the central Anatolian town of Konya, Erdogan cut the ribbon on a new hospital in Karaman. Erdogan also predicted that his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) would emerge victorious in next spring’s local elections. /Turkiye/