CYPRUS SUMMIT AFFIRMS NEW PLAN, RESTARTED NEGOTIATIONS
A summit chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer was held yesterday at the Presidential Palace. During the three-hour-plus meeting, top officials including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Undersecretary Senkal Atasagun discussed a new Cyprus plan prepared by the Foreign Ministry and other related institutions. The officials fully approved the plan, which uses UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Cyprus plan as a basis, and resolved to solve the Cyprus issue as soon as possible through negotiations. Ankara will reportedly ask US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld or Secretary of State Colin Powell to serve as mediator during new talks between the sides on the island. Erdogan is expected to present the new plan to Annan on Jan. 22, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, after which he will present it to US President George W. Bush during his month-end visit to Washington. The plan is also set to be discussed at an upcoming National Security Council (NSC) meeting. In addition, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas is scheduled to arrive in Ankara over the weekend or on Monday to exchange views on recent development on the island and what needs to be done next. /All Papers/
ERDOGAN TRAVELS TO GERMANY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday traveled to Germany to attend the International Bertelsmann Forum and to hold a series of contacts in the country. Before his departure, Erdogan told reporters that during his address to the gathering, a conference on Europe sponsored by German publisher Bertelsmann, he would point to the important contributions Turkey will make to the European Union when it becomes a full member. Possible visits by Erdogan to other EU countries will be scheduled after the Jan. 15 visit to Turkey of EU Commission President Romano Prodi and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen. The Turkish premier is also scheduled to travel to Washington at the end of this month to pay an official visit. In related news, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said yesterday that the US administration welcomed Erdogan’s visit and that the strength of Turkish-US relations would be confirmed once more during his contacts. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN MEETS WITH TURKISH CYPRIOT PARTY LEADERS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with four political party leaders from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) who came to Ankara at his invitation. Erdogan, accompanied by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Ambassadors Ahmet Davutoglu and Ender Arat, first met with the leaders as a group, then held separate meetings with Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat, National Unity Party (UBP) leader Dervis Eroglu and Democratic Party (DP) leader Serdar Denktas as well as Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH) leader Mustafa Akinci. During the meetings, Erdogan reportedly urged the leaders to soon establish a new government and resume talks with the Greek side to find a resolution for the island. Following his meeting with Erdogan, Talat told reporters that the premier had asked the party leaders to form a broad-based government as soon as possible, adding that over the weekend they would continue their efforts to form a coalition. Commenting on who would lead possible new negotiations, Talat said that there was no problem on the matter. “The talks should be carried out jointly by the TRNC government, Parliament and the president, it isn’t important who will sit at the table,” said Talat. “Perhaps President Rauf Denktas won’t be the negotiator, or perhaps the prime minister, foreign minister or president will occasionally carry them out.” /Turkiye/
GUL TO TRAVEL TO AZERBAIJAN
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is set to travel to Baku, Azerbaijan today to pay an official visit. During his stay in the capital, Gul is expected to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev to discuss bilateral relations and the upper Karabakh issue. Later, Gul is to visit Iran. /Cumhuriyet/
LOGOGLU: “THE US SHOULDN’T ENCOURAGE IRAQI KURDS TO FORM A FEDERATION”
The United States should not encourage northern Iraq’s Kurds to form a federation in the country, said Turkish Ambassador to Washington Faruk Logoglu yesterday. “The Iraqi Kurds have been pressing harder for the formation of a federal structure, something which troubles Turkey,” stated Logoglu. “The US administration shouldn’t encourage them.” He added that Ankara shared the US administration’s aim of preserving Iraq’s territorial integrity and stability. Logoglu stated that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would seek US President George W. Bush’s support for Turkey’s new Cyprus plan during his visit to Washington later this month. Logoglu added that Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas wouldn’t stand in the way of a resolution on the island. /Cumhuriyet/
US AMBASSADOR TO GREEK CYPRUS: “WITHOUT A RESOLUTION BY MAY, THINGS WILL GET HARDER”
Reaching a solution for Cyprus will get much more difficult if an agreement is not reached by May 1, when Greek Cyprus is set to join the European Union, said US Ambassador to Greek Cyprus Michael Klosson yesterday. Speaking to a policy forum in Washington, Klosson urged the parties on the island to focus on the UN resolution plan, adding that Washington would like to see the issue solved before this June’s NATO summit in Istanbul. Klosson also said the Greek Cypriots were worried the Turkish Cypriots would try to claim property in the south if no solution is reached by May. /Cumhuriyet/
ASSAD: “SYRIA’S BORDERS WITH TURKEY ARE OPEN FOR TRADE”
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad yesterday completed his historic three-day visit to Turkey with a stop in Istanbul. At a meeting organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Committee and the Turkish-Syrian Business Council, Assad was in attendance along with Turkish State Minister Kursat Tuzmen, Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) head Rifat Hisarciklioglu, Turkish-Syrian Business Council head Turgut Doryan and many businessmen. Addressing the gathering, Assad said that the borders of Syria were open to trade with Turkey. Assad also visited the Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB). /All papers/
ECEVIT: “TRNC PESIDENT DENKTAS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE CYPRUS SUMMIT”
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas should have been included in yesterday’s Cyprus summit chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, said Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit yesterday. As prime minister in 1974, Ecevit ordered the Cyprus Peace Operation that led to the TRNC’s founding a decade later. In related news, True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar called yesterday’s Cyprus summit “beneficial,” but added that no definite result had emerged from it. Agar, who neither was invited to nor attended the summit, added that the issue should be discussed in Parliament after an upcoming National Security Council (NSC) meeting weighs in. /Turkiye/
SEVENTH IMF REVIEW DUE TO FOCUS ON PRIMARY SURPLUS TARGET, NEW MINIMUM WAGE
International Monetary Fund Turkey Representative Odd Per Brekk said yesterday that the seventh review of the nation’s economic program, due to begin next week, would focus on a number of issues, including the government’s steps to achieve its primary surplus target of 6.5% and the recently adjusted minimum wage. A delegation led by IMF Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam is set to arrive in Ankara on Monday. /Milliyet/