ANKARA CREDITED FOR ISRAELI-SYRIAN PUSH FOR PEACE
Israel's president, Moshe Katsav, yesterday invited his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to Israel for peace talks. However, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who under the law holds more clout than Katsav, said that Syria’s aims were not clear. “One day we received a message from Assad, during his visit to Turkey, that Syria is ready to give up its claims to the Red Sea coasts,” said Sharon. “The other day Syrian newspapers claim that talks between Israel and Syria should start where they broke out.” Prominent New York Times columnist William Safire commented that talks on peace negotiations had begun through Turkey. “Dictator Bashar al-Assad is nervously seeking to re-open negotiations with Israel to regain strategic heights [the Golan Heights] his father lost in the last Syrian aggression,” wrote Safire in his Monday column. “Secret talks have already begun (I suspect through Turkey, Israel's Muslim friend, rather than the unfriendly European Union).” /Sabah/

PAKISTANI PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF TO VISIT TURKEY
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is set to arrive in Ankara next Tuesday for an official visit. Musharraf is expected to meet separately with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. Their talks are expected to focus on Afghanistan, Iraq and the fight against terrorism. /Cumhuriyet/

IPUK OFFICIAL SALIH TO VISIT ANKARA
Behram Salih, a top official of the Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK), is set to visit Ankara on Friday. Salih is expected to meet with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ambassador Ugur Ziyal and tell him about Kurdish groups’ recent proposal to Iraq’s Governing Council for “autonomy” for Iraq’s Kurds. Conversely, Turkish officials are expected to convey Ankara’s firm opposition to any ethnic division of Iraq. /Aksam/

IRAQI SHIITE GROUP ARIVES IN ANKARA
A delegation from the Shiite Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution for Iraq (SCIRI) headed by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the current president of Iraq’s Governing Council, arrived yesterday in Ankara to pay an official visit. Upon his arrival, al-Hakim said that during his contacts in Ankara, he hoped to discuss recent developments in Iraq and Turkey’s role in its reconstruction process. Stressing that Turkey had always supported the Iraqi people, the Shiite leader said that it should also take part in Iraq’s reconstruction process. /Aksam/

PRODI, VERHEUGEN PRAISE TURKEY IN ADVANCE OF VISIT
Turkey’s rapid progress has surprised us all, European Union Commission President Romano Prodi told CNN-Turk yesterday in the runup to his Ankara visit set to begin on Thursday. “We see important advances by Turkey compared to a year ago,” said Prodi, adding, however, that an upcoming commission report would reflect this progress but not tie down a decision on Ankara’s candidacy. The EU is set to decide this December on whether to start membership negotiations with Turkey. “A solution for Cyprus is not a condition, but we would prefer a solution by May 1 [when Greek Cyprus is set to join the EU],” commented the EU leader. “This would also make thing easier for Turkey.” Meanwhile, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, also set to visit Ankara on Thursday, said that Turkey would not be able to be a full member before 2010 but also praised the recent progress in its harmonization. /Hurriyet/

NEW TRNC GOVERNMENT TO BE PRESENTED TO DENKTAS
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)’s new coalition government is set to be presented today to President Rauf Denktas by its proposed prime minister, Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat. Yesterday, the CTP Council approved a protocol of the CTP-Democratic Party (DP) coalition. Talat told reporters that the Cabinet slate would be announced after getting Denktas’s approval. The coalition protocol focused especially on beginning a process of talks in line with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Cyprus plan to solve the island’s issues by May and a later public referendum on a resolution. Greek Cyprus is due to join the European Union in May. The protocol also pointed to the need for coordination between the president and the government during the talks. /Turkiye/

DENKTAS: “WE’RE WAITING FOR TURKEY’S NSC MEETING”
After completing his contacts in Turkey, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday returned to Cyprus. Speaking to reporters, Denktas reiterated that there was no disagreement between himself and the Turkish government. He stated that the framework of Turkish officials’ recent work on the Cyprus issue is set to be taken up following its discussion at Ankara’s upcoming National Security Council (NSC) meeting. In addition, a group of Turkish Cypriots living in Great Britain met Denktas and told him that they would apply to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for recompense or repossession of their assets damaged in Southern Cyprus. /Turkiye/

ANKARA HAILS POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN TRNC
Following a nearly five-hour Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek told reporters yesterday that the government welcomed the success of recent efforts to form a new government in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Stressing that both Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leaders were trying hard to find a just and permanent settlement to the Cyprus issue, Cicek said, “We hope by May 1 [when Greek Cyprus is due to join the European Union], more progress will have been made.” Commenting on the use of Incirlik Airbase by the United States for rotating its troop into and out of Iraq, Cicek said that Foreign Ministry officials had closely looked into the situation and determined that there was no need for a decision by either Parliament or the Cabinet. /Turkiye/

INVESTMENT INCENTIVES TO BE OFFERED FOR 36 PROVINCES
A government bill offering investment incentives for 36 underdeveloped provinces was presented yesterday to the Parliament Speaker’s Office. Under the bill, businessmen investing in these provinces where per capita income is less than $1,500 would be offered tax and insurance premium breaks, energy support, and the use of land free of charge. /Turkiye/

IMF DELEGATION VISITS TIM, TUSIAD
An International Monetary Fund delegation in Ankara for the seventh review of the nation’s economic program yesterday visited the Turkish Exporters’ Union (TIM) to discuss recent economic developments. Speaking afterwards, TIM Chairman Oguz Satici said that the economic program needed to be revised according to current conditions, adding that the government was determined to continue faithfully implementing it. For his part, IMF Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam said that the program aimed to boost the productivity of both the private and public sectors. Later, the IMF delegation visited the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD). Speaking afterwards, TUSIAD Deputy Chairman Omer Sabanci stated that last year had been a successful one, saying that he too favored continued implementation of the economic program. “We have no reservations about the program,” he said, adding that he hoped the government wouldn’t deviate from tight budget discipline this year. /Milliyet/

OECD HEAD: “TURKEY NO LONGER HAS ANY PROBLEM ATTRACTING FOREIGN INVESTMENTS”
Donald J. Johnston, secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), yesterday met with private sector representatives in Istanbul. Speaking afterwards, Johnston said that for many years Turkey had had difficulty attracting foreign investments, but that those days were now history. He pointed out that last year Turkey had achieved its primary surplus target of 6.5% and predicted that recently passed European Union harmonization reforms would pave the way for Turkey’s membership in the Union. /Aksam/