GUL TO RECEIVE MIDEAST LEADERS IN RUNUP TO NOV. MEETING
President Abdullah Gul yesterday received two muftis serving in Greece's Western Thrace region, Ahmet Mete and Ibrahim Serif, as well as Iraqi Turkmen Front leader Sadettin Ergec and its Ankara Envoy Ahmet Muratli. Gul also gave a fast-breaking Iftar dinner to representatives of labor and civil service unions. In related news, Gul is planning to meet with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the runup to a Middle East conference set for next month. A press release said that Syrian President Bashar Assad and Jordan's King Abdullah are also expected to visit Gul before the conference. /Sabah/
ERDOGAN TO VISIT LONDON
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will travel to London on Oct. 20 to hold various contacts. Before returning to Turkey, he will pay a visit to Bucharest, Romania. Erdogan will also go to the US on Nov. 5 to meet with US President George W. Bush. Afterwards, the prime minister is expected to visit Italy and the Czech Republic. /Turkiye/
TOPTAN RECEIVES FENER GREEK PATRIARCH
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan yesterday received Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos. Congratulating Toptan on his new post, Bartholomeos stated that they have been working with scientists for over a decade to fight global warming. "The environment is important not only for us but also for future generations," he added. "We want to make people sensitive and conscious about the environment. We may not solve the problem, but we're trying to make people respect nature." /Milliyet/
SOLDIERS KILLED BY TERRORIST PKK LAID TO REST
After 13 soldiers were killed on Sunday in the southeastern province of Sirnak, two other soldiers lost their lives yesterday to roadside explosions in Diyarbakir and Sirnak. The fallen soldiers were laid to rest yesterday in their hometowns. During the funerals, family members of the soldiers condemned terrorism. /Cumhuriyet/
CABINET MEETING, SECURITY SUMMIT COME IN WAKE OF 15 SOLDERS' DEATHS
Following the deaths of 15 soldiers in terrorist PKK attacks in southeastern Anatolia over a 24-hour period, the Cabinet met yesterday to discuss the violence. "We are discussing a point where words have no meaning," said Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek. "The government is considering all possible measures against the terrorist PKK. All necessary measures will be taken. All possibilities will be discussed." The Cabinet meeting preceded a security summit of President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit at the Presidential Palace. /Star/
PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE AMENDS CONTROVERSIAL ARTICLES OF OCT. 21 REFERENDUM
Articles in a reform package set to go to referendum on Oct. 21, which suggested that the 11th president must be elected by popular vote, were amended by Parliament's Constitutional Committee yesterday to prevent any legal challenges to the current president. Articles 18 and 19 of the package of constitutional changes include provisions related to the election of the 11th and current president, Abdullah Gul. A group of deputies from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) submitted the bill last week, on the grounds that the two temporary articles did not apply since Parliament already elected the 11th president this August. /Aksam/
FM BABACAN CONTINUES ISRAELI VISIT
On day two of his first official visit to Israel as Turkey's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. He also visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. After arriving on Sunday, Babacan met with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik and his Israeli counterpart Tzipi Livni. /Turkiye/
BUYUKANIT RECEIVES SOUTH KOREAN CHIEF OF STAFF
Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit yesterday received his South Korean counterpart Gen. Kwan-Jin Kim and presented him with an order of merit. Speaking at the ceremony, Buyukanit said that despite the thousands of kilometers separating the countries geographically, Turkey and South Korea enjoy strong relations. /Cumhuriyet/
IN LETTER TO US DEFENSE SEC'Y GATES, GONUL WARNS AGAINST ARMENIAN RESOLUTION
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul yesterday sent a letter to US Defense Secretary Robert Gates arguing against passage of a resolution backing the Armenian allegations concerning incidents in 1915. The resolution is set to be debated tomorrow by a key committee of the US House of Representatives. In the letter, Gonul stressed that the resolution jeopardizes Turkish-US relations and could have a negative impact if passed. "If that happens, it will be difficult to control the reactions of the Turkish public." he warned. Gonul added that passage of the resolution would not benefit either the Turkish or US peoples. /Hurriyet/
BAYKAL CRITICIZES PM OVER OCT. 21 REFERENDUM
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday branded Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent remarks that people should be used to referendums as "dangerous," and added, "Plebiscites move democratic countries closer to very dangerous dictatorial regimes." Speaking to news channel NTV, Baykal said, "The referendum attempt is a fiasco for Turkey . Turkey will begin to be a country which won't be taken seriously from the viewpoint of democracy." A referendum on constitutional changes is set for Oct. 21. /Milliyet/
WILSON REITERATES US OPPOSITION TO CROSS-BORDER OPERATION INTO N. IRAQ
Even as Turks talk about a possible cross-border operation into northern Iraq in the wake of deadly terrorist attacks, US Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson yesterday reiterated that Washington opposes Turkish military intervention in Iraq. Wilson also repeated the US position that Turkey, Iraq and his nation should try to cooperate against the terrorist PKK. /Star/