FORMER DEPUTY PM INONU PASSES AWAY
Erdal Inonu, former deputy prime minister and former leader of the Socialist People's Party (SHP), yesterday passed away in Houston, Texas. Inonu, son of Ismet Inonu, the Turkish Republic's second president, died at age 81 at a hospital where he was receiving treatment for leukemia. Born in 1926 in Ankara, Inonu was both a physicist and politician. Leader of the Social Democratic People's Party in 1983-1993, he served as deputy prime minister in 1991-1993 and foreign minister for six months in 1995. /All papers/
ERDOGAN: "NO ONE CAN DISTURB TURKEY'S PEACE"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that Turkey will do whatever is needed to counter attacks on the nation's peace, security and unity. Speaking at a meeting organized by the Union of Turkish Exporters (TIM) in Ankara, accompanied by State Minister Kursad Tuzmen and Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan, Erdogan said that Turkey's exports this year have exceeded $100 billion and that officials are determined to reach the nation's foreign trade targets. /Turkiye/
TOP GENERALS TO ACCOMPANY ERDOGAN ON WASHINGTON VISIT
During Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington to begin on Saturday, in addition to Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, the premier will be accompanied by Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Ergin Saygun and Maj. Gen. Kenan Kocak. The premier reportedly included the two top military officials in his delegation to show Ankara's resolve on the option of a military incursion into northern Iraq. In related news, after completing his contacts in the US, Erdogan is scheduled to travel to Italy for an official visit. /Sabah/
CICEK PLEDGES ANTI-PKK MEASURES WILL NOT HARM INNOCENTS
The Cabinet ministers, chaired by Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, convened yesterday to discuss possible economic sanctions on northern Iraq and supporters of the PKK. Speaking to reporters after the six-hour meeting, Deputy Premier Cemil Cicek said the government had decided to take measures which would hurt neither the Turkish nor the Iraqi peoples. He stated that military, political, diplomatic and economic measures would be taken, but offered no details. "These measures will target only PKK terrorists and their supporters," stressed Cicek. /Milliyet/
US' RICE TO VISIT ANKARA
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit Ankara tomorrow. Rice will be received by President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and is expected to meet with her Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan. She will also proceed to Istanbul on Friday to attend a meeting of Iraq's neighbors and other relevant parties. /Hurriyet/
PENTAGON: "WE SHARE INTELLIGENCE ON THE TERRORIST PKK WITH TURKEY"
The US Defense Department said yesterday that it shares intelligence on PKK terrorists in northern Iraq with Turkish officials. Speaking to reporters, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell pointed to the importance of intelligence in combat situations. He said they have helped Turks get information about the terrorists, adding that such activities have recently increased. In addition, the US has reportedly sent a number of U-2 spy planes to the Turkish-Iraqi border to get more information about the activities of the terrorists. /Sabah/
ISTANBUL TO HOST WEEKEND MEETING ON IRAQ
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani will not participate in Friday and Saturday's meeting in Istanbul of the foreign ministers of countries neighboring Iraq. Instead, representing Baghdad will be Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari. Speaking before coming to Turkey, Zebari stated that intensive efforts were continuing to find eight Turkish soldiers lost and claimed captured by the PKK last month. "The meeting in Istanbul should focus on Iraq's security and stability, and shouldn't be influenced by the tension on the Turkish-Iraqi border or the terrorist PKK's activities," he said. /Aksam/
IRAQI PM SEEKS HELP FROM TEHRAN TO DEFUSE CRISIS
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki yesterday asked Iran to help solve his country's crisis with Turkey. In a statement coinciding with the visit of his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki to Baghdad, Tehran was asked to step in to solve the problem at the Turkish-Iraqi border. Maliki also asked Iran to support the meeting of countries neighboring Iraq set to start in Istanbul tomorrow. /Aksam/
MOSCOW URGES TURKISH CALM OVER PKK TERRORIST ISSUE
Russia yesterday called on Turkey to act calmly regarding a possible military incursion into northern Iraq to chase down PKK terrorists. Kremlin deputy spokesman Dmitry Peskov said yesterday that they understood Turkey's unease and concern over terrorist PKK attacks on its people. However, he urged Ankara not to take steps in haste, adding that a misstep could worsen the situation and make it spiral out of control. /Turkiye/