KUWAITI PREMIER MEETS WITH ERDOGAN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah, who arrived in Ankara late on Tuesday for an official visit. Following their talks, at a joint press conference, Erdogan praised the Kuwaiti government's decision to open a trade office in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). For Kuwait to take such a step, following the lead of Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, shows how much importance easing the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots has been given, Erdogan said. Sheikh Nasser, for his part, said that his country was ready to cooperate on the Cyprus issue, and called for strengthened bilateral ties between Turkey and Kuwait. /Hurriyet/
PM ERDOGAN RECEIVES GERMAN-TURKISH FRIENDSHIP DELEGATION
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday received a delegation of a German-Turkish Friendship Group from the Bundestag visiting Turkey. Following the one-and-a-half-hour meeting, the delegation also had talks with the members of Parliament's European Union harmonization Commission. /Aksam/
IN GERMANY, GUL HAILS TURKISH-EU TIES AND TOUTS NEW E-CONSULATE SERVICES
Speaking to reporters in Germany yesterday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul commented on Turkey's European Union membership bid, saying that Turkish-EU relations continued to be good. Asked why Turkey wasn't invited to the recent EU's 50th anniversary celebrations, Gul said that he wasn't interested in this, despite all the ink spilled on the issue. "We're watching the course we're following," said Gul. "There are many things we must do. Everyone knows Turkey's contribution to world peace and stability as well as regional peace and stability. We have no intention of hawking our country." Later, Gul attended a meeting to tout the introduction of new "e-consulate" services to allow expatriate Turks to carry out embassy-based services through the Internet. Stressing that the new program was the culmination of two years of work, Gul added that 85% of such services could be carried out through cyberspace. "We're a pioneer among countries in offering this," added Gul. /Turkiye/
REPUBLIC DEMONSTRATION SET FOR APRIL 14
A republic demonstration, set to be held on April 14 in Ankara, has already been criticized by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Academics, students and several university rectors are expected to take part. Following the demonstration, the protestors will visit Antikabir. In related news, more than 20 universities are supporting the protest. In related news, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) claims that the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) is behind the demonstration. However, CHP leader Deniz Baykal said that the massive protest rally was being organized by non-governmental organizations, adding that if his party were behind it, he would say so. /Milliyet/
IN NICOSIA, DEPUTY PM SENER SIGNS ECONOMIC PACT
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener yesterday met with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Economy and Tourism Minister Enver Ozturk in Nicosia. Sener and Ozturk signed a protocol on an economic program and memorandum of understanding. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Sener said that the solidarity between Turkey and the TRNC had no equal, adding that the ties between Turkey and the TRNC were unique. Sener further stated that the TRNC continued to develop with Turkey's help, despite the isolation imposed on it. /Milliyet/
DOGRAMACI HONORED BY US UNIVERSITY
Ihsan Dogramaci, former head of the Board of Higher Education (YOK) and the founder of Hacettepe and Bilkent Universities, yesterday received an honorary doctorate from the US' Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Dogramaci, 92, during a ceremony at Parliament, will also be given an honorary award. /Hurriyet/
NEW YORK'S MET HOSTS EXHIBIT ON "VENICE AND THE ISLAMIC WORLD"
The Metropolitan Museum in New York has begun to display a new exhibit on "Venice and the Islamic World, 828-1797." The display tells about relations between the West and the Islamic world through artworks including portraits of Ottoman sultans and Turkish handcrafts. According to the museum, the show "deals with the works of Islamic art that entered Venetian collections in historical times and explores the nature of the artistic relationship between Venice and the Mamluks in Egypt, the Ottomans in Turkey, and the Safavids in Iran." The exhibit runs through July 8. /Turkiye/