ERDOGAN: “WE’LL WORK TO TACKLE UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE COMING YEAR”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that over the past year, Turkey’s economy had recovered and emerged from crisis, with dramatically falling inflation paving the way for single-digit inflation next year. Erdogan added, however, that the government needed to continue its tight monetary policy for some time, but not for much longer. Also speaking on corruption, the premier stated that next year the government would continue its fight against this menace. Next year the administration will work to tackle unemployment, he added, saying that it would try to boost growth and bring down unemployment by creating new jobs. /Milliyet/
GUL TO PAY EARTHQUAKE CONDOLENCES VISIT TO IRAN
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is set to travel to Tehran today to express Turkey’s condolences for Iran’s suffering in last week’s devastating earthquake, which took some 30,000 lives. During his visit, Gul will be accompanied by several government ministers. /Cumhuriyet/
CTP LEADER TALAT BEGINS BID TO FORM TRNC GOVERNMENT
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat, who on Monday was given a mandate by President Rauf Denktas to establish a new TRNC government, yesterday began contacts towards this end with meetings with the leaders of the Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH) and the National Unity Party (UBP), Mustafa Akinci and Dervis Eroglu respectively. Talat reportedly proposed to Eroglu the formation of a coalition government, and Eroglu replied that he would discuss the matter with other party officials. Talat is expected to meet today with Serdar Denktas, leader of the Democratic Party (DP). /Turkiye/
DP LEADER DENKTAS MEETS WITH GREEK CYPRIOT PARTY LEADERS
Even while work to form a new government continues in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Democratic Party (DP) leader Serdar Denktas yesterday began a series of contacts with party leaders from neighboring Greek Cyprus. After meeting with Nikos Kleanthus, the deputy chairman of junior Greek Cypriot coalition partner the Democratic Party (DIKO), Denktas told reporters that both the Turkish and Greek Cypriots want a settlement, but not one imposed from outside. “A solution can only be reached by the two sides talking to each other and trying to overcome their differences, rather than through outside pressure,” said Denktas. He added that United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Cyprus plan might form the basis for a settlement. /Turkiye/
FOREIGN MINISTRY CONTINUES WORK ON CYPRUS ISSUE
A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said yesterday that work on the Cyprus issue was ongoing through contacts with all related institutions in Ankara. Underlining that both Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) hope to resume talks with the Greek side to find a just and lasting settlement on the island, the statement noted that after completion of the ministry’s work, its results would be presented to the political leadership and top officials for evaluation. The ministry also proposed a gathering in Ankara with the attendance of TRNC President Rauf Denktas and other officials for a final discussion of the matter. In related news, ministry officials yesterday briefed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on recent developments on Cyprus and its work on the issue. /Turkiye/
INCOMING EU HEAD IRELAND EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP BID
The Irish Embassy in Ankara yesterday released a statement saying that it was determined to support Turkey’s European Union membership bid during its term presidency scheduled to begin tomorrow, Jan. 1. Ireland will be EU president for the next six months. /Cumhuriyet/
TUZMEN VOWS TO BOOST TURKISH-IRAQI TRADE
We hope to boost trade between Turkey and Iraq as soon as possible, said State Minister Kursat Tuzmen yesterday after his meeting with Iraqi Transportation Minister Bahnam Ziya Bulus. Bulus also said that Turkish-Iraqi ties would improve in the postwar era. “The situation has changed. Now we can have free trade,” he added. Predicting that the transportation in Iraq would be more secure six months to one year from now, Bulus said that Turkish firms would be able to conduct trade in Iraq. /Turkiye/
EROGLU TO STAND FOR MAYOR OF ISTANBUL
Veysel Eroglu, head of the State Waterworks Authority (DSI), yesterday stepped down to run for the post of Istanbul mayor in next spring’s local elections. Yesterday was the deadline for bureaucrats to resign from their posts in order to stand as candidates in the polls set for March. /Sabah/
NEW MINIMUM WAGE SET AT TL 303 MILLION
The Minimum Wage Commission announced yesterday that next year’s minimum wage had been set at 303 million Turkish liras. Speaking after the commission’s meeting, Labor and Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu said that though this boost was the highest in five years, it still fell short of the ideal. “The government worked very hard with the commission to raise the wage considerably,” added Basesgioglu. /All papers/