ERDOGAN, GUL CAMPAIGN IN AEGEAN, SOUTHEASTERN CITIES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday visited the Aegean cities of Usak and Denizli to woo voters' support for his Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the July 22 general elections. Addressing crowds, Erdogan touted the record of his government over the past four-and-a-half years. In addition, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul led AKP campaign rallies in the southeastern Anatolian cities of Kilis and Mardin. Speaking at the gatherings, Gul said that he had not been a victim of the aborted presidential election in May, when he stood as a candidate, but rather that Turkey had gone through a negative period. Urging voters to reelect his party for five more years, Gul warned that coalition governments lead to instability and lack of confidence. /Turkiye/
BAYKAL: "OUR NEXT PRESIDENT SHOULD NOT BE BIASED"
Commenting on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent statement that Turkey's next president would emerge from compromise, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that the remarks amounted to an admission of error on Erdogan's part. Speaking to reporters before campaign visits to Bartin and Kastamonu, Baykal said that the next president should be elected through by compromise and also be unbiased, honest and loyal to the principles of the republic. He added that though Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener is an honorable person, he is unsuitable for the post. "New figures should be put forward for the presidency," said the CHP leader. /Hurriyet/
MHP, DP LEADERS WOO VOTERS IN YOZGAT, ADANA
Addressing a campaign rally in Yozgat, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said his supporters are the "real" nationalists and criticized the premier's appeals to nationalism. Also speaking to Kanal B, Bahceli said that Turkey's next president should be elected by the Parliament produced by the July 22 general elections. Meanwhile, Democrat Party (DP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday said in Izmir that he has always trusted in the people and that if the president is elected by popular vote, the people wouldn't make a wrong choice. Then he proceeded to a campaign stop in Adana. /Aksam-Cumhuriyet-Sabah/
THE GUARDIAN: "US TROOPS MAY WITHDRAW TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, INCLUDING TURKEY"
British daily The Guardian reported yesterday that one of the options discussed by the US administration regarding its troops in Iraq was withdrawing them into well-protected bases in neighboring countries such as Turkey, Qatar and Bahrain. The paper further stated that under this plan, the US troops would only carry out raids with special forces or lend support to the Iraqi government in special air attacks. /Milliyet/
TRNC'S TALAT READY TO MEET WITH GREEK CYPRIOT LEADER
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday accepted a proposal by Tassos Papadopulos, the Greek Cypriot president, to meet to break the deadlock in reunification talks on the divided island. "I have the desire to meet with Papadopulos," Talat told a press conference in Nicosia. He added that there many measures are needed to make the initiative productive. Meanwhile, British football side Luton Town arrived in the TRNC to play a match with Turkish Cypriot club Cetinkaya, leading to outrage in southern Cyprus. The Greek Cypriot administration tried hard but failed to stop the club from visiting the TRNC. Under a strict embargo, Turkish Cypriot sports clubs cannot participate in international events. /Turkish Daily News/
TUZMEN: "EXPORTS ARE TURKEY'S ONLY WAY FORWARD"
State Minister Kursat Tuzmen yesterday said that the real engine of Turkey's economy is exports and growth coming from exports, adding that conditions favoring exports would allow Turkey to "show its export-fueled growth to the whole world." Speaking to the Istanbul Mineral and Metal Association (IMMIB), Tuzmen said that exporters had no problems in production, advertising or quality, but did face difficulties over input costs. "Exports are the engine supporting Turkey's GNP (gross national product)," he said. "Turkey has no way forward other than exports. The only prescription for democracy and adding wealth is exports." /Aksam/
BABACAN: "OUR PRIORITY TARGET IS SINGLE-DIGIT INFLATION"
State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan yesterday said that his priority target from now on is to ensure single-digit inflation and interest rates. Speaking on television, Babacan said that as inflation falls to more predictable and lower single-digit numbers, interest rates for the Turkish lira would fall swiftly as well. He also said that the difference between the costs of borrowing from the Turkish and US treasuries gets narrower all the time. /Sabah/