ERDOGAN: “WE’LL TRY TO ADDRESS OUR SHORTCOMINGS IN EU REFORMS BEFORE THE DECEMBER SUMMIT”
Appearing on television yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan firmly criticized recent developments in Palestine and urged stronger United Nations action on the issue. Touching on Turkey’s European Union membership bid, Erdogan acknowledged some shortcomings in fulfilling the EU reforms, but pledged that Ankara would try to address these by the December EU summit, when the Union is to decide whether or not to begin its accession talks. Later, before leaving for London, Erdogan said that Britain had long supported Turkey’s EU membership bid, adding that last week British Prime Minister Tony Blair had reiterated this in Ankara. Erdogan stated that in a speech at Oxford University he would speak on Ankara’s political and economic progress in the runup to the summit. The premier further stated during his visit he would also meet with Turks living in Britain and Turkish businessmen. Asked about a possible US request for expanded use of Incirlik Airbase, Erdogan said that if the US asks for this, then Parliament would decide on the issue. Touching on EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen’s recent positive statements on Turkey’s EU membership bid, Erdogan said that he appreciated these comments. /Turkiye/

VERHEUGEN: “TURKEY WILL BE ASKED TO FULFILL THE SAME CRITERIA AS OTHER CANDIDATES”
European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenther Verheugen pledged yesterday that the EU would ask Turkey to fulfill the same criteria applied to other candidate countries. He stated that in the preparation of the EU’s Turkey Progress Report due in early October, the same procedures would be applied as on other countries, with no double standards. Verheugen said that before the beginning of Ankara’s full membership negotiations, it could not be asked to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria 100%, as this had not been even asked of other EU member countries. In related news, European Commission Turkey Representative Hansjoerg Kretschmer, who recently paid visits to southeastern Anatolia, including the provinces of Mus, Bitlis, Siirt and Batman, said that Turkey had taken very important steps on the road of human rights, freedom and democracy. He added that in order to implement those reforms Turkey needed to maintain a peaceful situation. /Sabah/

GUL: “THE CHP’S CALL FOR SECULARISM IN IRAQ WAS WRONG”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul charged yesterday that a document prepared by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) following Parliament’s debates on Iraq and the Middle East on Wednesday was “diplomatically wrong” and had been guided by domestic political concerns. Commenting on the CHP statement proposing a “democratic, secular” administration in Iraq, Gul said that Anakra instead favored a “democratic and modern” one, as the CHP’s insistence on the matter was not realistic given Iraq’s current situation. “All sides in Iraq agreed on certain points,” said the foreign minister. “One of them is religion. The religion of Iraq will be Islam, and their constitution will be prepared in line with Islam. In such a situation, asking for secularism would be diplomatically and technically wrong.” /Turkiye/

GUL DENIES REPORTS OF US REQUESTS FOR BROADER USE OF TURKISH AIRBASES, SEAPORTS
Appearing on television yesterday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul denied reports saying the United States has requested broader use of Turkish airbases and seaports. “Everything is in line with our 1980 defense agreement,” said Gul. “They do have proposals regarding air bases. If these proposals are within the framework of the agreement, they will be accepted.” He added that the US had made several requests about military training, adding that Ankara would not welcome requests outside the scope of the agreement. /Cumhuriyet/

CHP DISSIDENT GROUPS CONVENE
Dissident groups in the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) seeking that an extraordinary convention be held convened yesterday. Speaking at the gathering, party members said that their goal was to bring the CHP to power. But CHP leader Deniz Baykal rebuffed the group, saying that inter-party issues should be discussed at its legal platforms. /Turkiye/

GEN. BASBUG URGES INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO COMBAT TERRORISM
Calling terrorism the most serious threat facing the world today, Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug yesterday called on all countries worldwide to cooperate in the fight against it. Speaking at a symposium yesterday at the War Academies Command, Basbug said that Turkey was surrounded by a region of crises, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel and Palestine. Pointing to a spate of recent violence, he stated that without a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, making peace in the region would not be possible. To go further down the road of peace, Basbug continued, it is necessary to get the US on the same page as Europe and countries in the region. Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok also sent a message to the gathering. /Turkiye/

TURKEY TO SEND HELICOPTERS, STAFF TO AFGHAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE
The General Staff yesterday released a statement yesterday saying that Ankara would send three helicopters and 56 flight and maintenance staff to Kabul, Afghanistan to be used in the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF). The statement further stressed that Turkey would continue to contribute to the ISAF. /Milliyet/

SERDAR DENKTAS SEEKS PAKISTAN’S SUPPORT FOR ENDING TRNC’S ISOLATION
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas yesterday travelled to Islamabad to seek Pakistan’s support to end the TRNC’s international isolation. Denktas is being accompanied by a delegation during his visit. /Cumhuriyet/

BABACAN: “THOUGH EXCHANGE RATES HAVE RISEN, WE’VE REDUCED OUR DEBT STOCK”
Appearing on television yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that though exchange rates had recently risen, the nation’s debt stock had fallen. “But we should bring this debt down further,” said Babacan. He pointed out that all countries have debts, adding, “The US has the world’s largest debt, with Japan at number two.” /Aksam/