ERDOGAN MEETS WITH BUSINESSMEN SPONSORING JUNE NATO SUMMIT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with businessmen sponsoring this summer’s NATO summit due to be held in Istanbul. Present at the meeting were Sakip Sabanci, Mustafa Koc, Bulent Eczacibasi, Ferit Sahenk, Omer Dinckok, Turgay Ciner, Basaran Ulusoy, and other businessmen. The meeting focused on preparations for the summit, set for June 28-29, and cultural activities during the gathering. In other news, Erdogan denied yesterday that he wanted the media to censor itself in its Cyprus coverage, but rather urged “self-control,” which he said was needed in order to protect the negotiating process. /Cumhuriyet/

GUL RETURNS FROM MOSCOW VISIT
After completing his three-day official visit to Moscow, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday returned to Turkey. At a press conference before leaving, Gul told reporters that terrorism had been a focus during his meetings with Russian officials. “I told them of Turkey’s concerns over PKK terrorists finding refuge in Russia,” said Gul. “I also asked them to add the terrorist PKK to their list of terrorist groups. The Russian leaders pledged to work on the issue.” Gul also reiterated that Turkey would do its best to fight all kinds of terrorism. /Turkiye/

EUROPEAN COUNCIL PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY PREPARES TURKEY REPORT
The European Council Parliamentary Assembly has prepared a report proposing that Turkey be removed from the council’s monitoring mechanism. After the report is approved, Turkey would be certified as being in compliance with the Copenhagen criteria. The report is expected to be taken up and approved during a meeting next week of the European Council Parliamentary Assembly Control Commission, and later at a full session of the European Council Parliamentary Assembly in April. Since 1996, Turkey has been under monitoring by the European Council due to allegations that it fell short of European standards concerning human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The ratification of the report will be an important step for Turkey to begin negotiations with the Union, a decision on which is due this December. /Turkiye/

VERHEUGEN: “TURKEY’S ACCESSION AGREEMENT INCLUDES A FULL MEMBERSHIP PERSPECTIVE”
In his address to a German Social Democratic Party (SPD) meeting yesterday in Berlin, European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said that Turkey’s 1963 accession partnership agreement with the EU included the prospect of membership in the Union, thus brushing off recent arguments that Turkey should not be given full EU status. “I’d like to remind you that we’re making progress in line with an established policy when we try to bring Turkey closer to Europe,” said the commissioner. “Turkey signed a partnership agreement with the Europe Economic Community [EEC, the EU’S predecessor], in 1963, which included a full membership perspective.” Verheugen added that he was having difficulty understanding a proposal recently made by Angela Merkel, leader of the opposition German Christian Democratic Union Party (CDU), to give Turkey a “privileged partnership” status, since in his view such a partnership already exists. “Over the years, the country was told again and again that it would become a EU member,” added Verheugen. “However, at that time, Turkey was far from democratic rule and lacked the recognition of human rights. But now that it has progressed in all these areas since 1999, it’s being told that it can’t join.” /Hurriyet/

DENKTAS: “OUR DETERMINATION FOR TWO EQUAL STATES ON CYPRUS IS UNWAVERING”
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday met for the fourth time in the current Cyprus negotiations with Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos. Speaking afterwards, Denktas said that his administration’s resolve on such issues as two equal states based on two nations was unwavering, but added that the Greek Cypriots wanted a unitary state which disregarded the facts of the island. Denktas further decried the Greek Cypriot leader’s “stubborn” stance on the issue. In related news, US Cyprus Envoy Thomas Weston is expected to arrive on the island this weekend. /Aksam/

TALAT: “MY GOAL FOR CYPRUS IS THE SAME AS DENKTAS’S, BUT THERE MAY BE SMALL DIFFERENCES OF APPROACH”
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said yesterday that that his goal for Cyprus and that of TRNC President Rauf Denktas were the same, but added that there could be small differences in their approaches. “We should continue the current talks,” said Talat. “On the one hand the negotiations are continuing, and on the other hand we are continuing our work for the TRNC’s harmonization to the European Union.” /Turkiye/

MILITARY TO WEIGH IN ON CYPRUS ISSUE
Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug is expected to hold a press conference today to brief the media on the Cyprus issue. During the gathering, Basbug is set to lay out the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) views on the issue and the current negotiating process. /Cumhuriyet/

AKP MAYORAL CANDIDATES CONVENE IN ANKARA
More than 3,000 ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidates for next month’s local elections met yesterday in Ankara. Addressing the candidates and party members, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged them to work hard to serve Turkey’s citizens. He stated that his party’s aim was not merely to win the elections but also to unite the people. “If a mayor can’t solve his town or city’s basic problems like providing tap water or the sewage system, he should step down,” said the premier. “He can’t be called a mayor.” /Turkiye/

POLAND PRAISES TURKEY’S REFORMS
Poland, one of 10 nations due to join the ranks of the European Union in May, yesterday praised Ankara’s recent reforms on its path towards EU membership. “Poland fully supports Turkey’s efforts aimed at becoming a full EU member,” said a Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman. “Our country is following Ankara’s latest reforms to fulfill the EU’s Copenhagen criteria and it appreciates them.” /Turkiye/

US STATE DEPARTMENT LAUDS HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRESS IN TURKEY, URGES BETTER IMPLEMENTATION
The US State Department yesterday released its annual report on the state of human rights worldwide, including Turkey. The report underlined Ankara’s recent efforts to improve human rights and democracy, saying that it passed “extensive human rights reform packages that covered a broadening of laws on torture, impunity, access to attorneys, fair trials and freedom of speech.” The report also stated that Ankara must continue its reforms and take new measures to eliminate certain “serious problems” which can still be seen in practice. /Hurriyet/

IMF DELEGATION ARRIVES FOR SEVENTH REVIEW OF STANDBY PACT
An International Monetary Fund delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam will resume discussions today in Istanbul for the seventh review under Turkey's stand-by agreement with the IMF. The mission is to meet first with Saving Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF) Chairman Ahmet Erturk and later Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) head Osman Birsen. It is also scheduled to travel to Ankara on Sunday to meet with State Minister Ali Babacan. The delegation will discuss with these officials the remaining steps needed to achieve this year’s 6.5 percent primary fiscal surplus target. It will also discuss the detailed structural reform agenda for the program’s remainder, and in particular progress in privatization, resolving taken-over banks and accelerating asset sales, and reforming state banks. /Hurriyet/