PARLIAMENT DEBATES YOK BILL
Parliament yesterday began to debate the controversial Higher Board of Education (YOK) bill submitted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government to amend the existing law. Addressing the full Parliament, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal criticized the bill, charging that the government was trying to use it as a tool to put graduates of religious imam hatip schools into positions of power within the state. Baykal called on the government not to “abuse religion” for political ends. Debates on the 12-article bill continued throughout the night. After its expected passage in Parliament, the bill is set to be sent to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to be signed into law. /All Papers/

ERDOGAN TO VISIT EU TERM PRESIDENT THE NETHERLANDS NEXT MONTH
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled next month to pay a visit to the Netherlands, which is set to take over the European Union term presidency on June 1. After a two-day visit to this country, Erdogan will proceed to Brussels to attend an EU summit and hold contacts with EU officials. Turkish officials place importance on relations with the Netherlands, as the December EU summit, where the Union will consider setting a date for Ankara’s membership talks, falls within Amsterdam’s tenure as president. In related news, Dutch Crown Prince Willem Alexander is expected to arrive in Ankara on May 26 to pay an official visit at the invitation of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. /Turkiye/

LEBANESE PM HARARI VISITS TURKEY
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri yesterday arrived in Ankara to pay a two-day official visit. After meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Harriri told reporters that he wanted Turkey to play a more active role in solving the problems of the Middle East. Commenting on Washington’s decision this week to impose an economic embargo on Syria due to for its alleged support for terrorism, the two leaders underlined that economic embargos had never been a good way to settle issues. The Lebanese leader was later received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Hariri is expected to proceed to Istanbul today to attend a Turkish-Lebanese Business Council meeting. /Turkiye/

FOREIGN MINISTRY URGES KRETSCHMER TO “OBEY RULES OF CONDUCT”
The Foreign Ministry yesterday released a statement urging European Union Commission Ankara Representative Hansjoerg Kretschmer to “obey rules of conduct.” The statement was in apparent response to Kretschmer’s comments on Tuesday that recent General Staff statements concerning a controversial Board of Higher Education (YOK) bill were not in accordance with EU norms, adding that if Turkey wants to join the EU, then it should accept these norms. The ministry’s statement stressed that there were rules of conduct which representatives of foreign countries and institutions in Turkey should obey. /Cumhuriyet/

GEN. YALMAN MEETS WITH TRNC’S DENKTAS, TALAT
Land Forces Commander Gen. Aytac Yalman yesterday travelled to the Turkish Republic of Norther Cyprus (TRNC) and met with TRNC President Rauf Denktas. Speaking afterwards, Yalman praised Denktas, saying that he admired the senior Cypriot statesman for his recent contributions to Cyprus’ national cause. “Now a new page has been turned, and the interests of the Turkish Cypriots will be better protected,” he said, adding that Turkey would stand by the TRNC. Later, Yalman met with TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and reiterated that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) would always support the Turkish Cypriots. /Milliyet/

BABACAN: “WE WON’T TAKE ANY MEASURES TO CONTROL CAPITAL INFLOW”
State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said yesterday that there was no need for concern over the dollar’s recent appreciation, adding that the possibility of the US Federal Reserve raising interest rates lay behind it. “We‘re closely watching developments on consumer credit,” he added. Babacan further stated that the government would not take any measures to control capital inflow. In related news, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan pledged that the government would not abandon the floating exchange rate, calling it a form of insurance for the economy. /Aksam/

IMF HEAD: “WE’LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ANKARA, UNDER A NEW STANDBY AGREEMENT OR NOT”
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Rodrigo Rato, the International Monetary Fund’s new managing director, said that the IMF would continue to work with Ankara whether or not the two had a new standby agreement. “Recently Turkey has successfully implemented its economic program,” said Rato, adding that he didn’t believe that the nation would face another economic crisis. “Turkey’s macroeconomic situation is much better than in the past,” he stated. In related news, appearing on television yesterday, IMF Turkey Representative Odd Per Brekk yesterday praised the nation’s recent economic developments, saying that its economy was on the right path. “Concerns regarding Turkey’s current accounts deficit are exaggerated,” said Per Brekk. “A high current accounts deficit is normal for the first months of the year.” Touching on Turkey’s 6.5% primary surplus target, Per Brekk praised the government’s determination on this goal, adding that Ankara needed to achieve this surplus for a few years and that there was no need to change it. /Aksam/

FOUR NEW EU MEMBERS STAND BEHIND TURKEY’S BID
The prime ministers of four new inductees to the European Union – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia – said yesterday that the EU’s doors should be open to Turkey. The four, whose nations just joined the Union on May 1, added that they had agreed to support Ankara’s goal to begin its EU accession talks. The Union is to decide this December whether or not to begin those negotiations. /Aksam/

EUROVISION FINALISTS SET FOR SATURDAY
In last night’s Eurovision semifinals, 10 countries – Serbia-Montenegro, Malta, the Netherlands, Albania, Ukraine, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Greece and Greek Cyprus – were chosen by telephone voting to advance to the finals in Istanbul on Saturday. In the finals, 24 countries, including last year’s winner Turkey, will compete. /Hurriyet/