GUL RECEIVES EP'S TURKEY RAPPORTEUR
President Abdullah Gul yesterday received the European Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey, Ria Oomen-Ruijiten. After their meeting, Ruijiten stated that Gul had told her the government would use its strong public mandate to advance Turkey's European Union reform process. Ruijiten also said that she and Gul had had an open and positive meetingl. /Star/
ERDOGAN RECEIVES TOP GERMAN MIGRATION OFFICIAL
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday received Maria Boemer, the German commissioner for migration, refugees and integration, and told her his concerns concerning arrangements for family unification in German immigration law. Pointing to attacks seen over the last year on the German-Turkish community and their property, Erdogan said that better measures were needed to protect against and prevent such attacks. /Cumhuriyet/
DEFENSE MINISTER GONUL BRIEFS EU OFFICIALS ON CROSS-BORDER MOTION
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, at this week's European Union defense ministers Troika Meeting in Brussels, briefed EU officials on the motion approved by Parliament last month authorizing the government to launch a military operation into northern Iraq. Other matters reportedly discussed at the meeting included defense issues and the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). /Turkiye/
TURKEY-EU JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE CONDEMNS PKK TERRORIST ATTACKS
The Turkey-Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee yesterday unanimously condemned all the terrorist activities of the PKK. After the group's meeting in Ankara, Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee Co-Chair Joost Lagendijk and the commission's Turkish co-chair, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Yasar Yakis, held a joint press conference. "I want to state that the PKK is a terrorist group and I firmly condemn PKK terrorism," Lagendijk told reporters, adding that Europeans had seen over the last several years how terrorism can also hit their neighbors, with the attacks in Spain and Britain. Stating that he opposes moves to close Turkey's Democratic Society Party (DTP), Lagendijk said, "The DTP was told to put a distance between themselves and the terrorist PKK and to give strong messages that they are against terrorism." Lagendijk also met with the head of the Terrorism Victims Association, Hamit Kose, and an accompanying delegation at Parliament. /Star-Aksam/
IRAQI KURDISH PARTY OFFICIAL URGES PKK TO LAY DOWN ITS ARMS
The Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party will not allow the PKK to take actions to push the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) into launching an operation into northern Iraq, said Safeen Dizayee, the IKDP's head for external affairs, yesterday. Stressing that the IKDP is taking tight security measures in the region to protect their people, Dizai warned the PKK to watch its step. He also urged the terrorist PKK to lay down its arms and declare a ceasefire, adding that they were ready to take efforts to ensure peace in the region. /Milliyet/
ITALIAN FM: "TURKEY HAS A RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF"
Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema, at the opening of the Fourth Turkish-Italian Forum in Istanbul alongside his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan, yesterday expressed his support for Turkey's fight against terrorism. Stating that Turkey has been subject to an intolerable series of terrorist attacks which must be opposed with international support, calm and self-control, D'Alema said, "Turkey is doing this the best way possible, with the grasp of a true democratic country." He added, "I have said many times that attacks coming from Iraqi territory are completely unacceptable. Concerted international effort is needed to confront this issue. Turkey has a right to defend itself. I have never questioned this, and I never will." Touching on Turkey's European Union bid, D'Alema said, "The EU has a decision on Turkey. Turkey is an EU candidate country. It's candidate country and will become a member." For his part, Babacan said that after the EU makes Turkey part of the bloc, it will thereby have the potential to become a global power. /Hurriyet/
BRITISH JUSTICE MINISTER STRAW ARRIVES IN ANKARA
British Justice Secretary Jack Straw yesterday arrived in Ankara. Straw will visit several departments at the Turkish Justice Ministry and is expected to meet with his Turkish counterpart Mehmet Ali Sahin today before proceeding to Istanbul. /The New Anatolian/
GREEK CYPRIOT MEP: "THE DTP SHOULD PUT ITSELF AT A DISTANCE FROM THE TERRORIST PKK"
Marios Matsakis, a Greek Cypriot deputy at the European Parliament, yesterday condemned terrorism and the terrorist PKK. Matsakis, on a visit to Ankara for a Turkey-European Union Joint Parliamentary Commission (JPC) meeting, told reporters that he wanted the Democratic Society Party (DTP) to put itself at a clear distance from the terrorist PKK and condemn its attacks. He called terrorism a "cancer" on the modern world. /Milliyet/
RULING PARTY DEPUTIES TO HOLD RETREAT
As part of its traditional meetings, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies will start a party retreat today in Kizilcahamam, Ankara. During the weekend gathering, the deputies will discuss the terrorism issue and the government's efforts to end the terrorist PKK's attacks. Cabinet ministers are expected to brief them on the issue. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also attend the meeting. /Sabah/