SEZER TO TRAVEL TO IRAN
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is scheduled to travel to Iran next week to attend the D-8 meeting of eight developing Islamic countries. Sezer is also expected to meet with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami there. /Cumhuriyet/
ERDOGAN: “DENKTAS’S WITHDRAWING FROM NEGOTIATIONS IS OUT OF QUESTION”
Answering questions of reporters yesterday on board of the airplane on his way back from South Korea to Turkey, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas’s withdrawing from negotiations was out of question. Asked about his expectation from the Cyprus talks in New York, Erdogan said, “At the moment we expect what we want to get. If it does not happen, we will do what is necessary. I believe that solution of this has to be put forward by protecting both Turkey’s and TRNC’s interests and the other side’s interests, too.” Asked what he thought about his visit to South Korea, Erdogan said that he had seen Koreans very excited about Turkey. “Among the countries to which we had visited so far, meetings among the sectors in which businessmen showed great interest were held in South Korea,” added Erdogan. /Milliyet/
GUL RETURNS TO TURKEY
After completing his official contacts in Poland, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday returned to Ankara. Speaking to reporters at Esenboga Airport, Gul said that his visit was very important and fruitful. Stressing that during his meetings with Polish officials, bilateral relations had been taken up, Gul said that they had agreed to bolster economic and trade relations. He also pointed to Poland’s fully support to Turkey’s European Union membership. /Turkiye/
DENKTAS, PAPADOPOULOS AND ANNAN DISCUSS CYPRUS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas, Greek Cyprus leader Tassos Papadoulos and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday hold a two-hour meeting in New York to discuss the Cyprus issue. TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas also participated in the meeting. Speaking before the meeting, Denktas said that both sides would tell about possible changes they want to be made to the plan. Denktas, Papadopoulos and Annan are expected to meet again today. Speaking afterwards, UN Speacial Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto said that the discussions were constructive. “Annan wanted both sides to continue negotiating,” said de Soto, adding that he hoped an agreement to be reached, but that there was still time for it. In related news, addressing the UN Security Council before the meeting, Annan said that if both sides agree, some changes could be made to the UN plan. He further stated that the UN plan would ease Turkey’s European Union membership bid. /Aksam/
PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE CYPRUS ISSUE
Upon a motion given by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Parliament is set to debate recent situation of the Cyprus issue today. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to brief on the developments on the matter. In related news, Gul yesterday met with Cabinet ministers including State Ministers Abdulllatif Sener and Mehmet Ali Sahin, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu. During the two-and-a-half-hour gathering, a preparatory work was done for Parliament today’s session on Cyprus. /Turkiye/
FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER: “IT WOULD BE A GRAVE MISTAKE TO OPPOSE TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP BECAUSE OF RELIGIOUS REASONS”
Speaking to the International Policy Magazine published in France, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin stated that it would be a grave mistake to oppose Turkey’s European Union membership because of religious reasons. De Villepin warned that refusing Turkey because it is a Muslim country would only incite hatred among societies. /Cumhuriyet/
EC REPRESENTATIVE TO TURKEY KRETSCHMER: “YOU’VE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS”
The European Commission Representative to Turkey Hansjorg Kretschmer yesterday stated that the Turkish government recently made significant progress on its path towards the EU membership. “You’re on the right track,” said Kretschmer. “If Turkey goes on like this, there is no reason for it to fail.” /Cumhuriyet/
GERMAN AMBASSADOR PRAISES RECENT POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN CYPRUS
German Ambassador to Turkey Wolf Ruthart Born yesterday praised recent positive developments regarding the Cyprus issue, adding that he had believed a resolution could be reached by May, when Greek Cyprus is scheduled to join the European Union. He stated that the Cyprus issue was an “ethnic approach problem.” Born further criticized the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, saying that there were conflicts between its Iraq and Cyprus policies. /Aksam/
BAHCELI VISITS BAYKAL
As part of his tour of political party leaders to exchange views on the Cyprus issue, Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli yesterday visited main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. After the meeting, CHP Deputy Chairman Onur Oymen told reporters that the gathering had been very fruitful. He added that both parties shared similar views and they would continue to carry out contacts on the matter. /Turkiye/
IPUK REPRESENTATIVE SALIH: “TURKISH TROOPS MUST PEACEFULLY LEAVE IRAQ”
Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) high-level official Berham Salih yesterday met with Turkey`s Special Envoy to Cyprus Osman Koruturk in Ankara. Salih argued that the Turkish troops must peacefully leave northern Iraq, reiterating the Kurdish claim that Kirkuk belonged to Kurds. “Kirkuk is a part of Iraqi Kurdistan,” claimed Berham. “The people of Kirkuk should find a democratic solution to the current administrative problems.” Salih also informed Turkish officials about IPUK’s plans on Iraq’s reconstruction, stressing that his organization also supports Iraq’s territorial integrity. /Cumhuriyet/
FINANCIAL TIMES: “AMNESTY’S VIEWS ON TURKEY’S HUMAN RIGHTS WILL BE A CRUCIAL TEST FOR THE COUNTRY’S EU BID”
The head of Amnesty International began a weeklong visit to Turkey yesterday to put a spotlight on the country`s human rights record - an issue central to its hopes of joining the European Union, stated the Financial Times. The daily quoted Amnesty’s Secretary-General Irene Khan as saying that she was “encouraged” by human rights reforms introduced by the Turkish government. “Khan will hand a memorandum outlining Amnesty`s concerns to Erdogan on Thursday,” added the Financial Times. “Amnesty`s view on Turkey`s human rights reforms will be a crucial test of its ambitions to join the EU. Turkey`s membership credentials will be assessed in December at a summit in Brussels, when member states will decide whether to start formal accession negotiations with Ankara. Khan said the pre-accession work done by Erdogan`s government was bearing fruit, but she was unsure whether the need for reform was “internalized” at all levels of the administration.” /Cumhuriyet/