ERDOGAN: "THE NATION NEEDS PEACE AND HAPPINESS"
Addressing people in the southeastern city of Adiyaman yesterday at an opening ceremony for schools and village clinics, Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan said that since the nation needs peace and happiness, the government would continue to ignore the negative remarks of naysayers. Saying that the government was working to develop Turkey's 81 provinces, Erdogan stated that Adiyaman was no longer distant from Ankara. "There's a government in Ankara which is working to solve the problems of the people of Adiyaman," he said, adding that the government wasn't ignoring the problems of Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Malatya, or Elazig. Erdogan further stressed that the government would adopt a new system for irrigation which would help to save water. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN SPEAKS WITH AHMADINEJAD ABOUT IRAQ
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday spoke on the telephone with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, currently in Khartoum, Sudan for an official visit, in a discussion focused mainly on Iraq. Erdogan reportedly said that the countries of the region, especially Turkey and Iran, should cooperate and consult more to help establish security in Iraq. In related news, Erdogan also called Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who is undergoing treatment in Amman, Jordan after an illness, and expressed his get-well wishes. Talabani said that he believed that Turkey and Iraq would soon solve their mutual problems through cooperation. /Star/

BABACAN: "REGARDLESS OF THE EU, TURKEY WILL MOVE AT FULL SPEED AHEAD"
Turkey's chief European Union negotiator Ali Babacan yesterday said that whether the European Union opens chapters for negotiations with Ankara or not, Turkey will move at full speed ahead. "The problem is when the EU will be ready for Turkey, not Turkey being ready for the EU," he said. "We will fulfill all the criteria by 2013." Speaking at a Turkey-EU Consultation meeting held in Brussels, Babacan said, "We will continue to work on all 35 chapters of the EU whether they are opened or not. We're resolved to move at full speed ahead. We've started working even though some chapters are frozen. We will announce a timetable this month, and all of our work will be finished by 2013." /Hurriyet/

IN WASHINGTON, TURKISH DEPUTIES MEET WITH EDELMAN
A delegation of deputies, currently in Washington to lobby against the Armenian genocide resolution before the US Congress, yesterday met to discuss the issue with Eric Edelman, the US undersecretary of defense for policy and former ambassador to Ankara. Later, the deputies met with the directors of B'nai B'rith, a US Jewish group. /Sabah/

IN BOOKLET SENT TO US CONGRESS, TURKISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY MAKES CASE AGAINST ARMENIAN RESOLUTION
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Justice and Development Party (AKP) Istanbul Deputy Egemen Bagis said that a booklet using documents from the Turkish Historical Society (TTK) has been sent to US Congressmen to help make the case against the Armenian resolution now before the House of Representatives. Also speaking at the press conference, AKP Diyarbakir Deputy Aziz Akgul stated that the resolution was full of misinformation, adding that the booklet provides documentary evidence that there was no genocide. For his part, Bagis also stated that US Muslim leader W.D. Mohammed is due to arrive in Turkey next week, saying that he would help to prevent the passage of the resolution in Washington. /Turkiye/

LAGENDIJK: "THE AKP'S STANCE ON THE EU IS QUESTIONABLE"
EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee Co-Chair Joost Lagendijk yesterday met with opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar. During their meeting, Lagendijk expressed suspicion about the ruling Justice and Develoment Party's (AKP) stance on EU accession, saying, "The AKP portrays itself as it were an EU supporter." At the meeting, Lagendijk asked Agar what his views are of Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), the Kurdish and the Armenian issues, the military's role in politics, and the DYP's strategy for this year's general elections. /Hurriyet/

BARZANI: "WE HAVE NO PROJECTS ABOUT KURDS IN TURKEY, IRAN, OR SYRIA"
Speaking yesterday to a magazine published in northern Iraq, Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani said that he had no projects concerning Kurds in Turkey, Iran, or Syria, adding that these people would prepare their own course. He further stated that the Kurdish problem in Turkey should be solved peacefully and politically, adding that military operations couldn't be a solution. /Cumhuriyet/

SCIENCE COUNCIL TO DISCUSS GLOBAL WARMING
Global warming and climate change are due to be discussed next Wednesday at the Supreme Council of Science and Technology (BTYK). The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During the meeting, scenarios concerning global warming, the effects of climate change, and measures to help counter this will be discussed. Erdogan will deliver the meeting's opening speech. /Turkiye/