THIS YEAR'S HONORARY AWARDS PRESENTED IN PARLIAMENT
47entity and institutions including 12 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) yesterday received Parliament's Honorary Award. Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the awards were presented to those who contributed to Turkey's dignity, development, improvement and growth. He thanked award winners for their efforts on behalf of the Turkish nation. Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said that those who received the awards voluntarily helped people, without considering personal benefits, they only aim to make a small or a great contribution to their country's welfare. /Hurriyet/

TURKEY TO TAKE OVER NATO COMMANDERSHIP IN AFGHANISTAN
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will take over the command of Kabul Regional Commandership from France after a ceremony to be held today in Kabul. Turkey will command the NATO forces in the region for eight months and its number of troops will be increased from 750 to 1,150. At the beginning of December, Turkey will hand over the command to Italy. /Sabah/

YOK'S TEZIC: "PRESIDENT SHOULD BE IMPARTIAL"
University rectors yesterday called for an impartial president to be elected with consensus. Speaking to reporters following the Rectors' Committee of the Board of Higher Education (YOK) Chairman Erdogan Tezic said the tension created by the upcoming presidential election may only be resolved through a presidential candidate who has proven credentials in maintaining balance within the state, adding that candidates should believe in secularism and republic's unchangeable principles. He also underlined that ones who run for president should have a clean criminal record. Furthermore, Tezic insisted on the presence of at least 367 deputies, two-third of the lawmakers, to begin voting on the next president in Parliament. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday kicked-off a series of meetings with nation's leading non-governmental organizations (NGOs) by receiving a delegation from the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (Turk-Is). In addition, Erdogan met with a group of his Justice and development Party (AKP) deputies last evening to sound them out on his possible run for president. /Milliyet/

KAZAKH FM MEETS WITH GUL
Kazakh Foreign Minister Marat Tazhin who is currently paying an official visit to Turkey, yesterday met with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul. Speaking to reporters after their talks, the two top diplomats pointed to the great cooperation in the field of energy and increase in trade volume, as well as mutually growing investments between the two countries. Gul announced Turkey's support to Kazakhstan for the 2009 presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). /Turkiye/

OIC SECRETARY GENERAL VISITS ANKARA
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu is expected to arrive in Ankara today to have talks with Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on relations between the OIC and Turkey. He will be also received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. /Turkish Daily News/

BAYKAL SPEAKS ABOUT ALLEGATIONS ON PROTEST RALLY
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday attended a meeting entitled "World Economy and its Reflections on Turkey" within the context of 31st Economists Week held by the Istanbul University Association of the Faculty of Economist Graduates. After the meeting, Baykal spoke about allegations that the protest rally to be held on April 14 was organized by the CHP and said, "Nobody should hide what he or she is doing. Everybody takes action by assuming his or her own responsibility. Who organizes this rally is clear. If we take a decision to organize a rally, we declare it to whole Turkey. We have not launched this initiative. Everybody in Turkey should raise their voice while Turkey is going through such an important event." /Cumhuriyet/

BAGIS: "THE WORLD'S NEED FOR NATO HAS INCREASED SINCE SEPT. 11"
Egemen Bagis, Head of the Transatlantic Relations Committee affiliated with NATO Parliamentarian Assembly yesterday said that world's need for the NATO had increased since Sept. 11, 2001. A delegation consisting of parliamentarians of 20 countries taking place within the Transatlantic Relations Committee was received by the Italian President Georgio Napolitano during their two-day visit to Rome. At the meeting, Bagis delivered a speech and said, "The world needs NATO especially after Sept. 11. This is a reality that we all observe." Touching the importance of the cooperation and alliance relations between the NATO member countries, Bagis said, "There are new dangers in the world. Terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, terrorist gangs, issues such as people, drug and weapon smuggling are some of these dangers. We have to struggle jointly against these problems. The values which bring us together in NATO are the ones that we should protect together." /Turkiye/