ERDOGAN: “THE AEGEAN SHOULD BE A SEA OF PEACE”
Speaking in Istanbul before leaving for Greece to pay a three-day official visit, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the Aegean should be a sea of peace. Pointing to recent improvements in Turkish-Greek ties, Erdogan said, “We’ve signed a natural gas agreement, our trade volume is rising and we’re taking new steps together on tourism.” Commenting on Turkey’s European Union bid, the premier reiterated Ankara’s determination to attain membership. “With its cultural values and large economic potential, Turkey will be an important part of the EU,” said Erdogan. Later in the afternoon Erdogan, accompanied by his wife and a delegation, flew to Athens, where he was welcomed by the Greek foreign minister upon his arrival. /Turkiye/

PARLIAMENT COMMISSION APPROVES YOK BILL
A government bill proposing structural reforms to the Higher Board of Education (YOK) as well as a new grading system for university entrance exams favoring occupational secondary schools, including religion-oriented imam hatips, was approved yesterday by Parliament’s Education Commission. Commenting on the bill, Education Minister Huseyin Celik said that the government was doing what the public wants on the matter. After six hours of discussion and debate, during which commission members from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) left the meetings, the commission passed the bill. It is expected to be debated by the full Parliament next week. On the other hand, in a press conference yesterday, YOK head Professor Erdogan Tezic criticized the proposal. Stressing that the bill was meant to open the door to university education for occupational high school and imam hatip graduates, Tezic charged that the government’s push for the measure was politically motivated. /Turkiye

GENERAL STAFF OFFICE ISSUES WARNING ON YOK BILL
Commenting on the recent controversial push of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government to amend the Higher Board of Education (YOK) Law, the Secretariat General of the Chief of General Staff yesterday issued a statement pointing out that under current law, imam hatip schools were intended solely to serve students seeking employment in religious posts. Warning that the amendments might damage the secular education system and cause unnecessary public friction even as Turkey is already dealing with a number of serious issues, the statement said that the Turkish military had faith the related institutions and organizations would act prudently and with common sense. It also called on the public to maintain its sensitivity on the matter. /Sabah/

WESTON: “WASHINGTON MAY PROVIDE DIRECT ECONOMIC AID TO THE TRNC”
Tom Weston, the special US coordinator for Cyprus, yesterday praised the European Union’s recent steps to end the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’s (TRNC) isolation, but added that much remained to be done as these steps alone would not be sufficient. For instance, he stated that Washington was working to provide direct US flights to the TRNC, adding that the US government could also provide direct economic aid but that congressional approval was needed for this. /Cumhuriyet/

BELGIAN PM: “IF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S REPORT ON TURKEY IS POSITIVE, THEN WE MAY BEGIN ACCESSION TALKS”
Speaking at a press conference after meeting with his Spanish counterpart Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero yesterday, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said that the European Commission’s fall report on Turkey needed to be examined before the European Union decides whether or not to begin Ankara’s accession talks. “If the commission releases a positive report, then we may begin the accession talks,” said Verhofstadt. /Aksam/

ANKARA WELCOMES RESOLUTION OF GEORGIAN-ADZHARIAN DISPUTE
The Foreign Ministry released a statement yesterday saying that it welcomed the recent resolution of tension in neighboring Georgia, praising the Georgian government for its prudent handling of the standoff with the leadership of its autonomous province of Adzharia (Adjara). A weeks-long standoff between Adzharian leader Aslan Abashidze and the Georgian government ended on Wednesday when Abashidze fled the region, apparently to exile in Russia after protests against his rule. In related news, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently in Dublin to attend the Euro-Med Foreign Ministers’ meeting, yesterday expressed satisfaction that the problem had been resolved peacefully and added that Turkey would continue to help Georgia in whatever way it could. /Turkiye/

GERMAN BUSINESSWOMEN IN ANKARA LEND SUPPORT TO TURKEY’S EU BID
Members of the Association of German Businesswomen, one of Germany’s leading non-governmental organizations (NGOs), arrived yesterday in Ankara upon the invitation of the Businesswomen’s Association (TIKAD.) Speaking afterwards, TIKAD head Nilufer Bulut said that the German businesswomen had expressed support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid, adding that they and their Turkish counterparts would cooperate to make sure Ankara gets a date for accession talks this December. /Aksam/