TURKEY MARKS 84TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC
The 84th anniversary of the Turkish Republic was celebrated yesterday throughout the country. Following the traditional visit of top Turkish officials to Anitkabir, Ataturk's mausoleum, they witnessed a parade in Ankara. Later President Abdullah Gul hosted a reception for high-level state officials, military force commanders, political party leaders, Cabinet ministers, foreign mission chiefs and representatives of religious minorities in Turkey, as well as other guests. Famous actor Kevin Costner, currently in Turkey to perform in Istanbul, was also present at the reception. Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and other fellow deputies were not at the event. In addition, throngs of people visited Anitkabir to pay their respects to the leader of the War of Independence and founder of the republic. /All Papers/
ERDOGAN VISITS WOUNDED SOLDIERS, VETERANS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday visited troops and veterans being treated at Ankara's Gulhane Military Medical Hospital (GATA), including soldiers who were injured in a recent terrorist PKK attack in Hakkari. Erdogan was accompanied by Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Interior Minister Besir Atalay and Health Minister Recep Akdag. /Cumhuriyet/
AMBASSADOR IN WASHINGTON SENSOY: "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"
In an interview with CNN's Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer on Sunday, Turkey's Ambassador to Washington Nabi Sensoy corrected Blitzer's characterization of a possible Turkish cross-border operation as "invading northern Iraq." Sensoy clarified, "I wouldn't like to use the term `invade' Iraq, because if there is going to be a decision to intervene militarily in the north of the country, it will have a specific target and a scope, and the target will be the PKK terrorist organizations . We are trying to employ and exhaust all the diplomatic possibilities and peaceful possibilities before we think of the last resort, which is use . of arms." Asked why Turkey believes that it can go into northern Iraq and stop the terrorist PKK, Sensoy said members of the group flee to northern Iraq after carrying out attacks in Turkey and added, "We have lost more than 35,000 lives in the last 20 years. Now enough is enough." /Aksam/
SYRIA, IRAN BACK TURKEY'S FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM
The foreign ministers of Iran and Syria, Manuchehr Mottaki and Velid Muallim, yesterday lent their support to Turkey's fight with the terrorist PKK. Speaking to reporters following their talks in Damascus, the two top diplomats said that they were making efforts to solve the PKK issue between Turkey and Iraq. /Turkiye/
AFGHAN GEN. DOSTUM: "WE ARE ON TURKEY'S SIDE IN ITS STRUGGLE AGAINST TERRORISM"
Gen. Rashid Dostum, deputy commander in chief of the Afghan Military Forces, yesterday publicly released a letter of condolences for the 12 Turkish soldiers who lost their lives in a recent terrorist PKK attack. "I condemn these terrorist attacks and sincerely share the grief and mourning of these soldiers' families," it said. "We support the Turkish Republic's and Parliament's struggle against terrorism and once we ask God's forbearance and fortitude for the families of the fallen soldiers. I declare that Afghanistan is on Turkey's side and ready to help in its struggle against terrorism." /Cumhuriyet/
TUSIAD DELEGATION VISITING EUROPE
A Turkish Industralists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) delegation is continuing a tour of Europe to explain recent developments in Turkey to European Union member states. On its stop in Rome, the delegation led by Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag, TUSIAD's chairwoman, met with the head of the Italian Confederation of Industrialists (CONFINDUSTRIA), Luca Corsero di Montezemoli. Following the meeting, Yalcindag told reporters that they had spoken about economic relations between the two countries and possible new ventures. The delegation was then received by Premier Romano Prodi. /Turkiye/
ANTALYA GOLDEN ORANGE FILM FESTIVAL ENDS
The 44th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival ended on Sunday at a closing ceremony in the Mediterranean city's Cam Piramit Congress & Fair Center. More than 160 films were shown and 62 films competed during the Golden Orange Film Festival and the simultaneous Third International Eurasia Film Festival. The film "Yumurta" (Egg) directed by Semih Kaplanoglu received five awards, including Best Film. Abdullah Oguz's "Mutluluk" (Bliss) also won five awards, including Best Actress and Actor. In addition, Turkish-German director Fatih Akin, whose film "Yasamyn Kiyisinda" (The Edge of Heaven) which won the Best Screenplay at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, received the Best Director award at the festival. /Turkish Daily News/