GUL: "TURKEY AND IZMIR DESERVE TO HOST EXPO 2015"
President Abdullah Gul, accompanied by a large delegation of businessmen, journalists and bureaucrats, yesterday went to Paris to give support to Turkey's bid to host Expo 2015. "I strongly believe that Turkey and Izmir deserve to host Expo 2015," he said in an address to the Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE), which is deciding who will host Expo. He also met with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who is in Paris to promote Milan's candidacy to host the event, which is held every five years. /Cumhuriyet/
PRINCE CHARLES VISITS RUMI CENTER IN KONYA
Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, duchess of Cornwall, and an accompanying delegation yesterday visited Konya. Charles was welcomed by Konya Governor Osman Aydin and Greater Municipality Mayor Tahir Akyurek. Charles visited the Mevlana Rumi Museum and then the Mevlana Rumi Culture Center to watch a sema or whirling dervish ceremony. Afterwards, Charles said in a speech, "Although there are differences between the three Abrahamic faiths, they also share similar messages." /Hurriyet/
CABINET CONVENES
The Cabinet ministers chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened yesterday. No statement was made to the press following the four-hour gathering. /Star/
GOVT HIGHLIGHTS EFFORTS TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
On the heels on Sunday, the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women, the government is highlighting its efforts to improve the status of women and combat domestic violence. Interior Minister Besir Atalay, State Minister Nimet Cubukcu, Police Department Chief Oguz Kagan Koksal and other officials came together yesterday to mark a project to train police in handling domestic violence. Saying that the state's most important mission is to provide safety for its citizens and protect their basic rights, Atalay stated that the training of 40,000 police will be completed by year's end. Also addressing the gathering, Cubukcu called on victims of domestic violence not to stay silent but raise their voices. /The New Anatolian/
SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL TO MEET THIS WEEK
The Supreme Military Council chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet on Thursday. During the two-day gathering, personnel, training and disciplinary issues of the Turkish Armed Forces' (TSK) will be discussed. Decisions made at the meeting will then be presented for the president's approval. /Turkiye/
INDUSTRIALISTS HOLD SIXTH CONGRESS IN ISTANBUL
Industrialists gathered yesterday in Istanbul at the Sixth Industry Congress organized by the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO). ISO Chairman Tanil Kucuk, Industry and Trade Minister Zafer Caglayan and Rifat Hisarciklioglu, head of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), addressed the gathering, where the problems of industrialists were taken up. /Milliyet/
TUSIAD OPENS OFFICE IN BEIJING
The Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) yesterday opened an office in the Chinese capital Beijing, pushing the number of TUSIAD's offices abroad to five. Speaking at the opening, TUSIAD Chairwoman Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag said that for 38 years the group has been serving the country in all areas, including the economy, social matters and politics. She said that the office would help Turkish businessmen to further develop relations with China. State Minister Mehmet Simsek also attended the opening. /Milliyet/