ERDOGAN VISITS SYRIA, COMMENTS ON PLANNED PROTEST RALLY
Before leaving for a trip to Syria, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday commented on a protest rally planned for April 14 in Ankara, saying that the public squares are open to everyone and there's no problem in holding such a rally. "But if the reports are true, official institutions' taking initiatives and postponing exams is not proper," he added. "Because teaching institutions train people and everybody take their exams on time. If scheduled exams are delayed due to a protest rally, of course this is improper and this should be stressed. This would mean a situation getting out of hand." Erdogan went to Aleppo, Syria to attend a friendly football match between Turkish team Fenerbahce and Syria's al-Ittihad and to participate in the inauguration of a new soccer stadium. Erdogan and Syrian President Basher al-Assad also discussed issues such as the Arab League peace proposal, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, recent developments in Iraq, tensions over Iran capturing 15 British soldiers, and Lebanon. Erdogan also met with his Syrian counterpart Naji Otri. /Cumhuriyet-Hurriyet/
BILL TO FOUND 17 UNIVERSITIES REACHES PARLIAMENT
A measure to found 17 new universities was presented to Parliament yesterday. Provinces where the new universities are planned include Karaman, Agri, Sinop, and Batman. In related news, the Board of Higher Education (YOK) yesterday released a statement criticizing the government's new universities plan and responding to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's criticisms of YOK. The statement stressed that everyone wants all provinces to have universities, but that the stance of the government, which needs to provide the staff and budget for this, is based on politics, not educational needs. /Sabah/
GUL CONVEYS ANKARA'S CONCERNS OVER ARMENIAN BILL TO GERMAN FM
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, currently in Germany for an official visit, yesterday met with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier to discuss a number of issues, including a bill introduced by Germany to the European Parliament which would criminalize denial of the so-called Armenian genocide. Gul briefed Steinmeier on Ankara's concerns about the bill, saying that it should refer to the United Nations. He further stressed that the bill, in its current form, worried Ankara. Commenting on Turkey's European Union membership bid, Gul said that he appreciated Germany's support for Turkey's EU aspirations. /Sabah/
BAYKAL REBUFFS ERDOGAN'S REMARKS ON THE ROLE OF THE OPPOSITION
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday rebuffed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's criticism of the CHP's understanding of the opposition's role, saying that he was disappointed with Erdogan's remarks. Erdogan had said the role of the opposition now is a problem of "political morality." /Milliyet/
SACEUR COMMANDER CRADDOCK VISITS GEN. BUYUKANIT
Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) Gen. Bantz J. Craddock yesterday met with Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit. Gen. Craddock was welcomed with a military ceremony by Gen. Buyukanit at General Staff Headquarters in Ankara followed by a closed-door meeting. Gen. Craddock is in Turkey as the official guest of Gen. Buyukanit, and he is expected to leave Turkey tomorrow. /Star/
GERMAN DELEGATION VISITS TURKISH PARLIAMENT
A delegation chaired by Turkey-Germany Interparliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Thomas Kossendey yesterday met with Mehmet Elkatmis, the head of Parliament's Human Rights' Commission. The delegation was also received by Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc. /Star/
ANAVATAN DEPUTY LAID TO REST
Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) deputy group chairman and Gaziantep Deputy Omer Abusoglu, who died on Monday in a car accident at the age of 56, was laid to rest yesterday. ANAVATAN leader Erkan Mumcu and party members were among those attending his funeral ceremony. With Abusoglu's loss, the party has automatically lost its group in Parliament, as it now has only 19 seats. /Sabah/
AGAR: "DYP WON'T TAKE PART IN APRIL 14 DEMONSTRATION"
Speaking before visiting the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) yesterday, opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar commented on a large demonstration organized by former Gendarmerie Commander Sener Eruygur for April 14. He said that the DYP wouldn't participate in demonstrations not organized by the party itself. "This isn't port of my responsibility," added Agar. /Sabah/
MARCH INFLATION BEATS EXPECTATIONS
The Turkish Institute of Statistics (TUIK) yesterday released monthly inflation figures for last month that were below expectations. The consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.92% in March, while the producer price index (PPI) rose by 0.97%. The expected monthly increase in the CPI was 0.99% and 1.08% for the PPI. /Aksam/