TURKISH DEPUTIES MEET WITH US UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE BURNS
Turkish members of Parliament, currently in Washington to work against the resolution on the so-called Armenian genocide before the US House of Representatives, yesterday attended a meeting of the Turkish-American Council and met with representatives of Jewish groups. The delegation was also received by the US Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, and they urged Washington to beware of the Armenian lies. During the meeting, Burns told Turkish parliamentarians that the Bush administration would do everything it can to prevent passage of the resolution. The parliamentarians also met with former US Ambassador to Ankara Mark Parris, and will hold talks at the US Congress today. /Turkiye/

AKP TO POLL PARTY MEMBERS ON PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) administration has prepared a list of possible presidential candidates to conduct an inter-party poll. The survey seeks to find out party members' views on the matter. In addition to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the list includes four other prominent figures in Parliament: State Ministers Besir Atalay and Mehmet Aydin, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, and Koksal Toptan, the head of Parliament's Justice Commission. /Aksam/

AKP DEPUTY OZDEMIR URGES EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE TO STAND FIRM AGAINST PKK
Concerned that the terrorist PKK could be removed from the official European Union list of terrorist groups, ruling Justice and development Party (AKP) Istanbul Deputy Inci Ozdemir has sent letters to members of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), with documents and photographs attached showing innocents slaughtered by the group. "The slain babies and children in the photographs are imploring you for justice," said Ozdemir in her letter. Pointing to how 30,000 people have been killed by the terrorist group in Turkey, Ozdemir said that should the PKK be taken off the list, the group would continue to get logistical and financial support to carry out its terrorist attacks. She also called on the court to lend support to Turkey during its decades-long fight against the terrorist PKK. /Turkiye/

BAYKAL CRITICIZES AKP OVER UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
At his party's group meeting, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday spoke about May's presidential elections, saying, "We have entered an unnatural period of silence. Things are going on behind the scenes. They [the ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP] are carrying on a policy of attrition against some institutions behind closed doors." Underlining the importance of a healthy environment for debate, Baykal explained, "Damaging Turkey's major institutions is a mistake. Those who want to run (for president) must clearly voice their intent. For a healthy democratic election, candidates must announce their candidacy as soon as possible so that people have a chance to raise their objections as well as support their own candidates." On whether the CHP would field a candidate, Baykal said their candidate wouldn't be elected because they have too few seats in Parliament, where the election will be held. /Milliyet/

BELGIAN DECISION ON TERRORIST ERDAL TO BE ANNOUNCED ON MARCH 29
Following a hearing yesterday, a Belgian court announced that a decision on whether or not to try fugitive terrorist Fehriye Erdal in Belgium for her crimes committed in Turkey will be announced on March 29. Prosecutor Johan Delmulle reiterated his arguments that Erdal could not be tried in Belgium for her crimes in Turkey. Erdal is one of the suspects in the 1996 murders in Istanbul of prominent Turkish businessmen Ozdemir Sabanci, Haluk Gorgun and Nilgun Hasefi. /Turkiye/

IRAN OPERATION NETS PKK TERRORISTS
Some 207 people have reportedly been arrested in Iran, most members of the terrorist PKK. Hasan Keremi, the chief of police of Iran's West Azerbaijan region, said that 63 of the detainees had participated in armed operations, and the rest had helped them, adding that half of the detainees were armed. He also said that 90% of the group were PKK members and that operations would continue until all the terrorists were killed or captured. /Star/

ISRAEL TURNS BACK ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MOTION
In Israel's Parliament Knesset yesterday, a resolution on the so-called Armenian genocide was turned back by a vote of 16-12. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Parliament Speaker Dalia Itzik and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni reportedly pressured on the deputies to reject the motion. In addition, Turkey's Ambassador to Tel Aviv Namik Tan also worked against the resolution, warning deputies that should it come to a vote, it would damage Turkish-Israeli relations. The resolution proposed that Israel recognize April 24 as the commemoration day of the so-called Armenian genocide. /Hurriyet/

EC VICE PRESIDENT WALLSTROM: "WE SHOULD SUPPORT TURKEY'S EU BID"
European Commission Vice President Margot Wallstrom recently wrote about her trip to Ankara and Istanbul earlier this month. "I have not changed my mind about Turkey," she wrote. "On the contrary: this country belongs to Europe and the best we can do is to engage with them on their road to membership." Touching on Turkey's women's rights problems, Wallstrom said, "Turkey has made enormous progress in reforming its society, including women's rights. But despite the new legislation that has been introduced to promote gender equality, Turkey is far from offering equal opportunities to women and men. Too many women are illiterate, unemployed, badly paid and made invisible. Too many women and girls are abused, beaten and killed. And even if we would like to think that the EU countries have solved these problems -- that is simply not the case. Did you know that in Europe the major cause of death and disability for women aged 16-44 is men's violence against women? No country can claim that they have solved the problem of violence against women." /Milliyet/

BABACAN HOLDS CONTACTS IN STRASBOURG
State Minister for the Economy and chief EU talks negotiator Ali Babacan yesterday traveled to Strasbourg to hold a series of talks at the European Parliament. Turkey's European Union membership process will top Babacan's meetings with EU leaders. During his two-day stay, Babacan is also set to meet with Greens Group Co-Chairman Daniel Cohn-Bendit. /Turkish Daily News/