PRESIDENT GUL RECEIVES ATO DELEGATION
President Abdullah Gul yesterday received an Izmir Chamber of Commerce (IZTO) delegation chaired by Necip Kalkan, followed by Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) head Sinan Aygun and other top members of the group. During the latter meeting, the ATO delegation proposed organizing joint visits to foreign countries in order to boost imports. "We'll work together," Gul replied. "We'll do what's needed for the country's success." The new draft civilian constitution was also brought up, with Gul reportedly saying he was closely following work on it. He added, "I spoke with Prime Minister (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) and told him, `You should be careful about the procedure. It shouldn't be seen as the constitution of any particular political party'." /Aksam/
PRESIDENT GUL TO VISIT THE TRNC
President Abdullah Gul is set to fly to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) today to pay his first official visit abroad since taking office. During his two-day stay, Gul will meet his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mehmet Ali Talat and receive Cabinet ministers. The president is also expected to address the TRNC Parliament. /Hurriyet/
CABINET DISCUSSES DRAFT CONSTITUTION
The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday evaluated ongoing work on a new draft constitution. Speaking to reporters following the meeting, government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that they were preparing a new constitution not just for the supporters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) but for the entire country. Stressing that the draft had been prepared in light of many proposals from both non-governmental organizations and political parties, Cicek said that they didn't intend to do the work alone, adding that it shouldn't be seen as being focused on just the headscarf issue. /Milliyet/
BABACAN: "TURKEY WILL SWIFTLY IMPLEMENT EU REFORMS"
Foreign Minister and chief European Union negotiator Ali Babacan yesterday met with top bureaucrats of all Turkish ministries and government bodies in order to speed up their work on EU harmonization. Before the meeting, Babacan again underlined that the reforms will continue. Stating that a detailed new program will be prepared for EU reforms, Babacan said, "Turkey will swiftly implement reforms in various areas, regardless of whether accession talks with the EU on specific chapters have been officially opened or not." He added, "Turkey has the ability to carry out its program for harmonization with the EU in the scheduled time and manner." /Star/
BUYUKANIT: "TURKEY SHOULD BE POWERFUL"
Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit yesterday attended launch ceremonies at the Istanbul Naval Yard for two minesweepers and a mosquito boat. Stressing that Turkey is located in a key region and also a risky one, Buyukanit said that Turkey needs a powerful armed forces, adding that the country should produce its own weapons through marshaling its own resources. /Turkiye/
US UNDERSEC'Y OF STATE DUE IN TURKEY TODAY
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns is set to arrive in Turkey today. Buns will have meetings in Istanbul before holding official contacts in Ankara tomorrow. He is expected to meet with President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan. /Cumhuriyet/
TURKISH GIRL TO RECEIVE WORLD FAIR PLAY AWARD
A 12-year-old Turkish girl, Hilal Coskuner, will be decorated with the 2006 International Fair Play Baron Pierre de Coubertin Prize. During a track championship last year in Trabzon, Coskuner, who was leading the runners, stopped to help a competitor who had fallen down. /Milliyet/