KOKTAN ELECTED PARLIAMENT SPEAKER
As expected, the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) candidate was elected Parliament speaker yesterday. Koksal got 450 votes, while his sole opponent, from the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), got only 74. Independent Deputy Kamer Genc withdrew his bid for the post after learning that Toptan was the AKP's candidate, expressing respect for the speaker-to-be. Later, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Toptan to congratulate him, along with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and outgoing Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc. During the meeting, Erdogan spoke about the upcoming presidential election, saying that the parties could be represented in Parliament in line with the mandate given to them by the people and that these parties could use their representative authority accordingly. In related news, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that he welcomed Toptan's visits to political parties before he was elected. Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said that he wished Toptan success in his new post. /Turkiye-Sabah/

CALENDAR FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO START TODAY
Following Koksal Toptan's election to the Parliament speaker post, the calendar for the presidential election is due to start today. After Parliament's Presidential Board is formed, the Advisory Board is set to determine a date for the presidential election. The Advisory Board Council is due to convene today and start the process tomorrow. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which wants to accelerate the process, has asked the opposition parties to name their presidential candidates. /Milliyet/

BAYKAL: "IF THE AKP NAMES A COMPROMISE CANDIDATE, WE'LL BE IN PARLIAMENT TO VOTE"
Speaking yesterday with the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) Koksal Toptan before he was elected Parliament speaker, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal praised the AKP's choice of Toptan for the post. Stressing that the nation expects to see the same spirit of compromise in the upcoming presidential election, Baykal added that if the AKP names a compromise candidate, the CHP deputies would be in Parliament for the presidential vote. A CHP-led boycott of the April presidential vote led to a top court annulling the election, leading to elections for a new Parliament last month. /Milliyet/

UNAKITAN: "OUR PRIMARY SURPLUS TARGET IS WITHIN REACH"
Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan yesterday said Turkey's primary surplus target, set at 6.5% of the gross national product (GNP) in the public sector, would be reached without the need for any additional measures. Speaking to Reuters, Unakitan said that they can reach this goal by continuing to implement current policies and pledged there would be no concessions from fiscal discipline. /Hurriyet/

DTP ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS
State Planning Organization (DTP) Undersecretary Ahmet Tiktik said yesterday that the DTP would provide support for the large-scale research projects, researcher manpower projects and controlled projects and that basic and academic projects falling outside this would be supported by the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TUBITAK). Tiktik sent the project criteria, subject to review next year, to public institutions and organizations and universities. Stating that sharpening Turkey's competitive edge in international markets and ensuring sustainable socioeconomic development were among Turkey's basic aims, Tiktik said that doing research and development was important for reaching these goals. /Aksam/

TRAVEL MAGAZINES SING ISTANBUL'S PRAISES
British travel magazine Business Traveler has a feature article on Istanbul in its July-August issue. The piece entitled "Istanbul al fresco" says that Istanbul is the place where East and West meet and emphasized the diversity of seasons in the cosmopolitan capital. In addition, Italian travel magazine Bell'Europe devotes 12 pages to Turkey in its July issue. The magazine says that Fethiye has the most beautiful coastline in all of Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/