SEZER PAYS FAREWELL VISITS TO MILITARY, CIVILIAN COURTS AND TURKISH BAR
Outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday paid farewell visits to several judicial institutions. First, Sezer visited the Turkish Bar Association (TBB). Meeting with TBB head Ozdemir Ozok, former top jurist Sezer described his term in office as "exhausting," saying that he was ready to hand over his duties to his successor as soon as one is elected. He added that after stepping down he has no plans besides having some rest. Afterwards, Sezer separately visited Supreme Court of Military Appeals head Gen. Ahmet Alkis and Supreme Military Administrative Court head Turgut Aribal. Later, Sezer paid farewell visits to the Council of State, the Court of Appeals, and the Constitutional Court. /Milliyet/
ERDOGAN ATTENDS EDUCATION MINISTRY CEREMONY FOR NEW TEACHER APPOINTMENTS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended a ceremony at the Education Ministry for the computer assignment of the appointments of 20,000 teachers. Speaking to the gathering, Erdogan said that the new teachers would provide an invaluable service. Stressing that the nation has some 19 million students, Erdogan said this makes Turkey a young country. "This young population is our treasure," said Erdogan. "We need a modern education system to help make them dynamic." /Turkiye/
BUYUKANIT GIVES MEDALS TO TWO TOP COMMANDERS
In a ceremony yesterday, Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit gave Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) Medals of Honor to Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug and Gendarmerie Commander Gen. Isik Kosaner. Speaking at the ceremony, Buyukanit said that the TSK could achieve its goals with its skilled, educated soldiers and their modern values. "This way we can forever protect our country in this region, which is full of problems," added Buyukanit. /Sabah/
BAYKAL CRITICIZES MHP OVER PRESIDENTIAL VOTE
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday criticized the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) for taking part in the current parliamentary voting to elect a new president. Speaking to news channel NTV, Baykal charged that when the MHP leader displayed a noose while campaigning for last month's general elections, everybody thought that he did this for the execution of the terrorist leader (meaning PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan), but actually it seems to have been meant to "rescue him." Baykal repeated his warnings about "moderate Islam" and also criticized the MHP for paving the way for Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul to become Turkey's next president. /Cumhuriyet/
MHP: "THE CHP IS HOPING FOR UNDEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENTS"
Responding to Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal's criticisms, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Secretary General Cihan Pacaci yesterday branded Baykal "inconsistent." Pacaci charged that the CHP is hoping for help from "undemocratic developments" and that its policy is based on political stubbornness and ambition. He claimed that Baykal was the one who paved the way for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to rise to the premiership nearly five years ago. /Cumhuriyet/
MAJOR US JEWISH GROUP CHANGES COURSE TO RECOGNIZE SO-CALLED "GENOCIDE"
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a major US Jewish group, on Tuesday announced it had changed its stance on the Armenian claims concerning incidents during World War I, and thus had decided to recognize these incidents as a "genocide." But the ADL, which was founded to fight anti-Semitism, also stated that they would continue to oppose a US House of Representatives resolution which supports the Armenian claims. "We have never negated but have always described the painful events of 1915-1918 perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians as massacres and atrocities," said ADL head Abraham Foxman in a statement. "On reflection, we have come to share the view of [late US Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire] Henry Morgenthau, Sr. that the consequences of those actions were indeed tantamount to genocide. If the word genocide had existed then, they would have called it genocide. I have consulted with my friend and mentor Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel and other respected historians who acknowledge this consensus. I hope that Turkey will understand that it is Turkey's friends who urge that nation to confront its past and work to reconcile with Armenians over this dark chapter in history. Having said that, we continue to firmly believe that a Congressional resolution on such matters is a counterproductive diversion and will not foster reconciliation between Turks and Armenians and may put at risk the Turkish Jewish community and the important multilateral relationship between Turkey, Israel and the United States." /Hurriyet/
FOREIGN MINISTRY PLANS RESPONSE TO JEWISH GROUP'S "GENOCIDE" RECOGNITION
The Foreign Ministry yesterday began planning its response to the US Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) decision to acknowledge Armenians' "genocide" claims. Ministry officials expressed concern that if other US Jewish groups were to follow suit, this could lead the US Congress to also recognize the claims. In past years, such groups have helped to turn back "genocide resolutions" in Congress, in part due to Turkey's longstanding good ties with Israel. The ministry directed the Turkish Embassy in Washington to hold contacts with relevant Jewish groups and work to convince the ADL to reverse its decision as well as to prevent other Jewish groups from taking similar steps. Turkish Ambassador to Israel Namik Tan is also set to return to Israel from vacation two weeks early to express Turkey's concerns about the decision. /Milliyet/
UK'S GUARDIAN: "WITH GUL SET TO BECOME PRESIDENT, THE ARMY SHOULD LET EVENTS TAKE THEIR COURSE"
Barring some unforeseen event, Abdullah Gul, a "devout Muslim who once flirted with Islamism," will become Turkey's president next week, said Britain's The Guardian yesterday. "The military, if it is wise, will let parliamentary events take their course," said the paper's lead editorial, "Islam and democracy." "The army has toppled four Turkish governments during the past 50 years, and to do so again would be bad for the military itself (since the AKP has a clear mandate), bad for Turkey and, indeed, bad for the rest of the Muslim world." /Star/
SABANCI: "LAST MONTH'S GENERAL ELECTIONS CREATED IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR TURKEY"
Sabanci Holding Chairwoman Guler Sabanci said yesterday that Turkey was on a course towards stability and that last month's general elections had created important opportunities for Turkey. She stressed that if the next five years lead to stability, then per capita income could rise above $10,000. Also commenting on Turkey's European Union membership bid, Sabanci stated that the incoming government should revive the process. Sabanci added that since macroeconomic stability has been achieved, the new government should work to provide microeconomic stability through reforms to social security and education. /Aksam/