SEZER VISITS IRANIAN PRESIDENT DURING D-8 SUMMIT
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer arrived in Tehran yesterday to attend the summit of group of eight Islamic developing countries (D-8). Sezer first met with Iran’s President Mohammad Khatami. “Whenever we meet, we feel ourselves closer to you,” said Khatami. Sezer replied with an invitation for his counterpart to visit Turkey. The two leaders were in agreement on the need to strengthen trade ties and on the Iraq issue. Sezer also requested that Iran recognize the PKK as a terrorist organization under its new name, KADEK. “Turkey’s security problems are also Iran’s security problems,” Khatami answered. “We are aware of the importance of cooperation against terrorism and we also consider it an important issue.” Sezer later met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Kemal Harrazi. /Sabah/
ERDOGAN MEETS WITH SWEDISH PM, DISCUSSES TURKEY’S EU BID
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday received his visiting Swedish counterpart Goran Persson to discuss a number of issues of bilateral interest. Persson is the first ever Swedish premier to officially visit Turkey. Speaking afterwards, the prime minister praised Ankara’s recent efforts in its European Union membership bid, calling its progress “impressive.” Person also underlined the importance of Erdogan’s role in moving the Cyprus issue forward. “If the two sides on the island reach a peaceful political resolution, clearly this would cause beneficial political ripples,” he predicted. “Such a resolution would also be an example for the world.” For his part, Erdogan stated that he was concerned about the activities of the PKK/KADEK terrorist organization in Sweden, adding that Turkey and Sweden should cooperate against the outlaw group. /Milliyet/
ERDOGAN: “TURKEY AND THE TRNC WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ANNAN’S EFFORTS FOR A RESOLUTION”
Addressing the Parliament yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that both Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) administration would continue to support UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s efforts to reach a resolution on the island. Erdogan called last week’s meetings in New York a “diplomatic success,” adding however that there were those who didn’t welcome these positive developments. Proclamations of victory are premature, cautioned the premier, issuing a call for the public and the media to support the government’s new Cyprus policy. /Aksam/
GUL MEETS WITH GEORGIAN FM, ADDRESSES PARLIAMENT ON CYPRUS ISSUE
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with his visiting Georgian counterpart Tedo Japaridze to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. Later, in a briefing to Parliament on recent developments on Cyprus, Gul said that the issue was a national cause and that the rights of the Turkish Cypriots should be protected. He added that during meetings in New York last week the efforts of the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot delegation had blocked Enosis, or Cyprus’ political union with Greece. “If we fail to reach a resolution on the island by May, then Greek Cyprus will join the European Union in the name of the whole island,” said Gul. “Such a development could lead Turkey to forsake its EU membership bid.” The foreign minister stated that if the Turkish Cypriots see suitable changes made to the United Nations plan for the island, then they could accept the plan in a referendum scheduled for April 21. “If no resolution is reached, then Ankara’s Parliament will have the final word,” added Gul. /Turkiye/
BABACAN: “THE IMF DELEGATION WILL COME WHEN WE INVITE IT”
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that a planned visit of an International Monetary Fund delegation would not begin tomorrow. Asked about the timing of the visit, Babacan said that the delegation would come when Ankara invites it. In related news, Turkish Ambassador to Washington Faruk Logoglu said that negotiations were continuing with US officials over the conditions for use of an $8.5 billion loan package. /Milliyet/
TURKISH COULD JOIN RANKS OF OFFICIAL EU LANGUAGES
The European Union Commission stated yesterday that Turkish might be added to the EU’s official languages if the Cyprus issue is resolved, adding that its transition office was ready for such a contingency. Stressing that the number of official EU tongues would more than double on May 1, when 10 nations are set to join the Union, EU officials stated that Greek was already part of this list. Marco Benedetti, the EU Commission’s director for translation, said that they already employed some 20 translators proficient in Turkish. /Turkiye/
IN RUNUP TO NEW TALKS, CYPRUS SEES BUSY DIPLOMATIC TRAFFIC
George Papandreou, the new leader of Greece’s ruling socialist PASOK party, arrived yesterday on Cyprus to meet with Turkish officials in the island’s buffer zone. Speaking to reporters, Papandreou predicted that after breakthrough talks last week in New York, prospects for reaching a resolution to the issue by May 1, when Greek Cyprus is set to join the European Union, were much improved. Stressing that this opportunity should be seized upon, Papandreou said, “The Turkish Cypriots have displayed the political will for a European Union perspective. We hope that shortly you will join the solidarity, democracy and peace of the EU. After that, we will help our neighbor Turkey.” In addition, in the runup to tomorrow’s talks set to begin on the island, Special UN Envoy for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto accompanied by a working group arrived yesterday on Cyprus. De Soto is expected to meet separately with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopulos. EU Commissioner for Enlargement Gunter Verheugen is also expected to arrive on the island today. /Turkiye/
VERHEUGEN, EUROPEAN PRESS REBUFF MERKEL’S “SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP” PROPOSAL
European Union Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen yesterday rebuffed German opposition leader Angela Merkel’s proposal that Turkey be offered a “special partnership” with the EU rather that full membership. Merkel, the leader of Germany’s Christian Democrats, on Monday floated the proposal during a visit to Ankara. Verheugen said that the European Union had to show that it was serious about offering eventual membership for Turkey provided the country completes a raft of reforms. "It's not very much what Mrs. Merkel is offering Turkey," he said. Verheugen noted that Turkey already has a special partnership with the EU. The Times of London reported that Turkey’s EU membership is one of the most important issues on Berlin’s agenda. German daily Berliner Zeitung also wrote that Erdogan believes the EU has to prove that it is an open Union, one capable of accepting Turkey. /Hurriyet/
ANKARA, ATHENS RATIFY NATURAL GAS PIPELINE PACT
Turkey and Greece officially ratified yesterday a pact signed in Salonika last year proposing construction of a natural gas pipeline between the two countries. Under the agreement, the two countries will separately construct and operate their respective segments of the two-way pipeline. Meanwhile, a pair of Turkish and Greek professors from Oregon’s Portland State University in the United States, Birol Yesilada and Harry Anastasiou respectively, have established the first ever Turkish-Greek Friendship Association. /Turkiye/
SCHROEDER TO URGE ACCELERATED REFORMS DURING ANKARA VISIT
During a visit to Turkey set for next week, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will reportedly urge Ankara to accelerate the pace of reforms in its bid for European Union membership. The same source reported that Berlin’s EU commission sees no reason to prepare a negative report on Turkey. /Hurriyet/
2004 PROCLAIMED “YEAR OF EFFICIENCY AND FIGHTING WASTE”
A consortium of 40 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) led by the Turkish Anti-Waste Foundation has declared 2004 as the Year of Efficiency and Fighting Waste. In a gathering yesterday, the groups issued a public declaration stating that waste means the reckless consumption of money, energy, time, labor and resources to no good end. Speaking at the gathering, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said that bailed-out banks were the chief culprit of state waste. “To date, citizens have already paid some $55 billion for those banks,” said Arinc. /Turkiye/