SEZER TO MAKE FAREWELL VISITS TO ERDOGAN, BUYUKANIT
Outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, as part of his farewell visits to top state officials, is set today to visit Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit. Sezer is expected to make his final visit on Monday to recently elected Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan. /Hurriyet/

PARLIAMENT TO HOLD SECOND ROUND OF PRESIDENTIAL VOTING TODAY
Parliament will held the second round of presidential balloting to elect Turkey's next president today. Foreign Minister and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidate Abdullah Gul is not expected to be elected today, as the 367 votes needed are not thought to be there. He will likely become the 11th president of the Republic of Turkey next Tuesday, in the third round of voting, when 267 votes will be sufficient for him to become the head of state. /Hurriyet/

ERDOGAN URGES ISRAELI PRESIDENT NOT TO SUPPORT ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS
In the wake of the decision by a prominent US Jewish group, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), to recognize the so-called Armenian genocide, Turkey has called on Israel to work to convince similar groups not to follow suit. In a telephone conversation yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly urged Israeli President Shimon Peres to deal with the issue at the highest level. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul conveyed Turkey's disappointment and concern over the ADL's decision to Pinhas Avivi, Israel's ambassador in Ankara. "It is a great disappointment for us, who for centuries have given support to the Jews," Gul reportedly said. "This decision contradicts the main argument of Jews, which says that the Holocaust was a singular evil. Our bilateral relations will suffer from this decision." /Turkiye/

GEN. COMERT HANDS OVER AIR FORCES COMMAND TO GEN. BABAOGLU
Air Forces Commander Gen. Faruk Comert yesterday handed over his duties to Gen. Aydogan Babaoglu. Addressing the command handover ceremony, which President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit attended, Comert said that all of Turkey's problems would be solved when people try to understand and tolerate each other rather than being suspicious. Also speaking at the gathering, Babaoglu said that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) would always closely follow all threats against the republic, adding that they would proceed down the path laid out by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. /Milliyet/

DSP'S SEZER: "WE WILL VOTE FOR OUR OWN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE"
Referring to main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal's call for opposition parties not to take part in the current presidential vote in Parliament, Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Zeki Sezer said yesterday that neither the DSP nor the CHP want Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul to become president, but they are following different methods towards this end. After receiving a delegation from the Civil Servants' Trade Union (Memur-Sen), Sezer said that after the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) decided to take part in the presidential election, which provided the vote's necessary quorum, it became meaningless for the DSP to sit out the process. He added that the DSP would vote for its own candidate during the election. /Star/

IRAQI VP AL-HASHEMI ARRIVES IN TURKEY
As part of Turkey's efforts to help the solve government disputes between Iraq's Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, Iraqi Kurdish President Jalal Talabani's Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi came to Ankara yesterday on a plane sent by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Hashemi said that his visit served to complement meetings held by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Turkey earlier this month. Hashemi participated in a working dinner organized by Erdogan last night, and today he will meet with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. /Aksam/

ISTANBUL FASHION FAIR BEGINS
The world's third-largest garment industry fair, the 10th International Istanbul Fashion Fair, opened its doors yesterday to potential buyers at the CNR EXPO convention center. Speaking at the opening of the event, State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said that they aimed to make Istanbul the center of fashion. Around 30,000 visitors are expected to visit the fair, including purchasing delegations from a host of countries. More than 300 firms are participating in the event, which will end tomorrow. /Turkish Daily News/