CABINET SET TO SIGN MOTION FOR CROSS-BORDER OPERATION INTO N.IRAQ
A motion to give authorization for a cross-border operation into northern Iraq will be opened for signature at today's Cabinet meeting. Parliament's weekly meeting will focus on the second round of voting on changes to the Oct. 21 constitutional referendum and the motion for a cross-border operation. The motion is expected to be submitted to Parliament today or tomorrow at the latest. /Hurriyet/
ERDOGAN TO VISIT IZMIR
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by six Cabinet ministers, will travel to Izmir today to attend the opening of a symposium on healthcare issues. Erdogan will leave Izmir after hosting a dinner for delegates from the Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE), who are in Izmir to participate in the symposium and deliver speeches. Izmir is currently vying to host the BIE's Expo 2015. /Turkiye/
CHIEF OF STAFF BUYUKANIT WARNS RESOLUTION COULD DO LASTING DAMAGE TO TURKISH-US TIES
Turkey's top general yesterday warned that military ties with the US will be irreversibly damaged if the House of Representative passes the Armenian resolution. Chief of Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said that a key congressional committee's approval of the measure last week had already strained ties between the two countries, adding that Turkey's military ties with the US will never be the same. /Sabah
TURKISH ARMENIAN PATRIARCH: "WE OPPOSE THE RESOLUTION BEFORE THE US CONGRESS"
Mesrob Mutafyan, the patriarch of Turkish Armenians, yesterday said that the Turkish-Armenian community is opposed to the resolution concerning incidents of 1915 set to be considered by the full US House of Representatives. Speaking to reporters while visiting the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre, Antalya, he said that the resolution was domestic political fodder in the US, adding that the issue is irrelevant to Turkish citizens of Armenian origin. He said they are all opposed to the resolution. /Hurriyet/
BUSH ADMINISTRATION TRIES TO SOFTEN BLOW OF ARMENIAN RESOLUTION
While Turkey discusses further measures to block passage of the Armenian resolution in the full US House of Representatives, the US is trying to minimize its fallout. In Moscow, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the Bush administration was urging lawmakers to oppose the measure. "First of all, we'll keep working to try to prevent it from winning on the [House] floor... It will be tough," Rice told reporters. "But we are certainly working to try to minimize any concrete steps that the Turkish government might take . restricting the movement of our forces or the like. And I'm hopeful we can prevent that, because I think we and Turkey both understand the importance of the strategic relationship." /Sabah
TRNC PRESIDENT TALAT TO VISIT UN'S BAN KI-MOON
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday left for New York to meet with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Before his departure, he told reporters, "Instead of new proposals, I have some ideas to clarify. But in the course of the discussion I can bring up some new ideas." /Turkiye/
EU PROGRESS REPORT SET TO CRITICIZE PROGRESS ON REFORMS
The European Union progress report on Turkey set to be released on Nov. 6 is expected to criticize what the EU sees as a lack of progress on legal reforms to protect the freedoms of religion and expression. It also will repeatedly urge a lowering of the 10 percent election threshold required to secure seats in Parliament. Following the pattern of recent years, the report is also expected to condemn the attacks of the terrorist PKK. /Sabah/