PARLIAMENT DECIDES TO GIVE HONORARY AWARD TO IHSAN DOGRAMACI
Parliament has announced it will bestow an honorary award on Ihsan Doramaci, the founder of Bilkent University, Turkey's first private university. Speaking yesterday, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said that the award was meant to recognize Dogramaci's contributions in founding several universities, supporting Turkish education, and doing medical research. /Turkiye/

HAMAS, FATAH LEADERS TO VISIT TURKEY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated during the Israeli prime minister's visit to Ankara last month that after a Palestinian national unity government is established, he would invite both of its sides to Ankara. After Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh reached an agreement, now leaders of Hamas and Fatah are expected to visit Ankara. The date of the visit hasn't been set yet but Erdogan is expected to urge Hamas to recognize Israel both for the sake of an independent Palestine and the welfare of the Palestinian people. In related news, Erdogan, after home rest due to a back problem, is expected to travel to Canakkale to attend ceremonies marking the Battle of Gallipoli. /Star/

BAYKAL CALLS AKP PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION POLLS A "MENTAL EXERCISE"
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday received Tahsin Ertugruloglu, the leader of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (TRNC) National Unity Party. Later, speaking to reporters, Baykal commented on the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) polling its members on possible presidential candidates for May, saying that this was the AKP's domestic work. "They're engaged in a mental exercise," added Baykal. /Milliyet/

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PROCEDURES TO START NEXT MONTH
Presidential election procedures are expected to start on April 16, since President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's term in office ends one month later. The election, which is conducted in Parliament, is to be completed in 30 days. Candidates are expected to be to be declared to Parliament's administration by April 26. /Turkiye/

BAGIS: "TWO CONGRESSMEN WHO SUPPORTED THE ARMENIAN RESOLUTION HAVE CHANGED THEIR MINDS"
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Istanbul Deputy Egemen Bagis, who is part of a parliamentary delegation visiting Washington to work against the Armenian resolution before the US House of Representatives, said yesterday that two congressmen who had supported the resolution have now changed their minds, owing to the deputies' efforts. Speaking after the delegation's contacts on their first day in Washington, Bagis stressed that he was more optimistic now that the resolution would be defeated, adding that the US wouldn't want to lose a strategic ally like Turkey. /Sabah/

TURKISH DELEGATION TO INSPECT ISRAEL'S WORK NEAR AL-AQSA MOSQUE
As planned during Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's visit to Ankara last month, a team of Turkish experts will arrive in Jerusalem next Tuesday to inspect Israel's controversial construction work near the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The delegation, including architects, historians and archeologists, will stay in Israel for two days. /Cumhuriyet/

US STATE DEPT'S FRIED: "IF ARMENIAN RESOLUTION PASSES, INCIRLIK AIRBASE COULD BE CLOSED"
Daniel Fried, the US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, yesterday warned that if the US House of Representatives were to pass a resolution on the so-called Armenian genocide, Incirlik Airbase in Adana could be closed and the US military's use of Turkish airspace might be restricted. Testifying before the House Foreign Relations Committee, Fried said that Ankara had also said that measures such as slowing down passage through the Turkish-Iraqi Habur border gate could be brought up. /Hurriyet/

US SPECIAL ENVOY RALSTON: "ALL OPERATIONS AGAINST THE PKK ARE ON THE TABLE"
Retired US Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston, the US special envoy for countering the terrorist PKK, said this week, "All operations, including a military operation are on the table." Speaking to journalists, Ralston acknowledged that the US has not yet met Turkish demands for the capture of PKK operatives and destruction of a rebel base in a mountainous area of Iraq near the Turkish and Iranian border. He added, however, that the US would consider options against the group available to a US military stretched by many challenges in Iraq. Ralston said that the US and Iraqi forces had searched the Mahmur camp in northern Iraq and found artillery shells they believe belonged to the terrorist PKK. He also said that negotiators from the US, Turkey and Iraq are close to a deal to close the camp, which Turkey says is a haven for the terrorist group. In related news, the contents of a letter written by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to the House of Representatives have emerged. The letter says, "Passage of the resolution would harm US efforts to support reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia and Turkey's recognizing the tragic events which happened to Armenians during the Ottoman era." /Aksam/

GREEK CYPRIOT FM: "OUR ACCEPTING DIRECT TRADE FOR TURKISH CYPRUS IS OUT OF THE QUESTION"
Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas said yesterday that there was no possibility that Nicosia would accept direct trade provisions for Turkish Cyprus. According to radio reports, Lillikas stated that the approval of direct trade regulations was up to the European Union member states, adding that unanimity was needed for their approval. He further stressed that it was out of the question for the Greek Cypriots to accept the regulations, claiming that the Greek Cypriot administration wants proposals which would help the development of the Turkish Cypriots. /Turkiye/