PRESIDENT SEZER ISSUES MESSAGE MARKING INTL WOMEN'S DAY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday said in his message marking International Women's Day that a modern Turkey can only be reached when Turkish women claim their own problems and make efforts to reach a better level of living. In his message, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "Turkey needs a change in mentality to end practices such as discrimination, violence, sexual exploitation, and barriers to education." Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc and the General Staff also issued messages marking the day. In addition, a panel was held in Parliament to mark International Women's Day. /Milliyet-Aksam/
ERDOGAN STRESSES PRODUCING WORLD-CLASS SCIENCE AND STEMMING TURKEY'S "BRAIN DRAIN"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended the Supreme Council for Science and Technology (BTYK) meeting of the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council (TUBITAK). Erdogan stated at the meeting, held at the Space Research Institute of Ankara's Middle East Technical University (METU), that the government aims to have the country engaged in world-class research and scientific activities. "We have to create an atmosphere of development for our brilliant young minds," said Erdogan. "So that they can stay in their country to serve it, we have to reverse the brain drain by not only keeping our scientists in Turkey but also inviting qualified foreign scientists to our country. We shouldn't be afraid of this, and should stop putting obstacles in front of these steps." /Hurriyet/
FM GUL MEETS WITH QATARI COUNTERPART
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with his Qatari counterpart Sheik Hamed Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani. After the meeting, Gul told a press conference that Qatar was the biggest country of the Gulf region and was making great strides in development. Gul also said that Qatar had given permission to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to open a commercial office in Doha and thanked the Qatar administration for this. Al-Thani said that Turkey was playing an important role in the region. /Star/
PERINCEK TRIAL BEGINS IN SWITZERLAND
Labor Party (IP) leader Dogu Perincek, who stands charged over remarks saying that the Armenian genocide allegations are imperialist lies, yesterday began his trial in Lausanne, Switzerland. In court, when asked by the judge whether he is a fascist, Perincek said that he has spent his entire life fighting fascism. In related news, a group of Talat Pasha Committee members and former Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas, who came to the country to lend support to Perincek, told reporters that not Perincek but Turkey itself was on trial. /Sabah/
CHIEF OF STAFF BUYUKANIT HOSTS HIS MACEDONIAN COUNTERPART
Macedonian Chief of General Staff Gen. Miroslav Stojanovski yesterday arrived in Ankara at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Gen.Yasar Buyukanit. During their meeting, the two top commanders reportedly discussed bilateral ties and efforts to boost relations. Stojanovski is expected to leave Turkey tomorrow. /Hurriyet/
PARLIAMENT CONTINUES PUSH AGAINST ARMENIAN RESOLUTION
As part of their efforts to prevent passage of the Armenian resolution in the US House of Representatives, a group of Turkish parliamentarians is scheduled to fly to the US this weekend to have separate talks with members of both the House and Senate. The six-person delegation, including (AKP) Istanbul Deputy Egemen Bagis, who chairs the US-Turkish Friendship Group, is expected to return to Turkey the following weekend after completing its contacts. /Turkiye/
TURKISH DELEGATION DUE IN JERUSALEM NEXT WEEK TO INSPECT ISRAELI DIGGING
A Turkish delegation is set to travel to Jerusalem next week to inspect Israel's controversial digging near the holy site of Al-Aqsa Mosque (Temple Mount). The delegation led by Turkey's Ambassador to Tel-Aviv Namik Tan, includes architects, civil engineers and art historians, and they are expected to meet with both Palestinian and Israeli officials. The issue was first taken up during Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert's recent visit to Turkey. /Sabah/
SOUTH KOREAN DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS ANKARA
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Jang-Soo, paying an official visit to Turkey accompanied by a delegation, yesterday met with his Turkish counterpart Vecdi Gonul. During their talks, Gonul hailed the cooperation between the two countries in the defense industry, while Jang-Soo said that his country owed his freedom to Turkey. Thousands of Turkish soldiers fought in the Korean War of 1950-53. /Turkiye/
REHN: "IT'S TIME TO START DIRECT TRADE WITH THE TRNC"
European Commissioner Olli Rehn yesterday met with Greek Cypriot administration Foreign Minister George Lillikas in Brussels. During their talks, Rehn reportedly stated that the regulations prepared by the commission for direct trade with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should be put into force, adding that talks on the matter would soon begin between the sides. For his part, the Greek Cypriot diplomat said that his administration opposed trade being carried out through harbors and airports in the TRNC. He added that they did not accept the idea behind the regulations. "The two sides on the island are depicted as equal. This is not legally valid," he claimed. /Turkiye/
TUSIAD MEETS WITH TOP LEADERS IN ANKARA
A group of members of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen' Association (TUSIAD) led by Chairwomen Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag yesterday traveled to Ankara to pay visits to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. Their talks with the top leaders focused on the group's efforts to promote Turkey's European Union membership bid as well as economic issues. Moreover, the TUSIAD delegation was also received by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Labor and Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu and Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan. /Milliyet/