CICEK: "THE GOVT HAS NO PLANS FOR AN AMNESTY"
Government spokesperson Cemil Cicek yesterday said the government has no plans for a new amnesty law. After yesterday's Cabinet meeting, Cicek said that a number of legal arrangements had been discussed at the gathering. Asked about a new European Union foreign ministers' document in which references to Turkey's accession were removed, Cicek brushed off its significance. "Turkey doesn't place all its hopes and developments on relations with the EU," he said. "We're already an EU country." He added that Turkey's membership bid would continue with undiminished spirits. /Cumhuriyet/
BABACAN: "TURKISH-US COOPERATION WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE PKK TERRORISM ENDS"
Addressing Parliament yesterday, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that recent decisions made by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President George W. Bush to fight the terrorist PKK are being put into practice step by step. Saying that cooperation between military and political officials against the PKK has begun, he added that they expect this cooperation to continue until the PKK terrorism comes to an end. Touching on the Baghdad administration's promise to cut off the PKK's financial support, he said that this pledge will be watched closely. /Star/
GEN. BASBUG RECEIVES CHINESE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF
Chinese Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Zhang Li yesterday visited Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug. Zhang was received by Basbug with an official ceremony at Land Forces headquarters, and he signed the official Land Forces Guestbook. Zhang and his delegation will leave Turkey tomorrow. /Turkiye/
JORDAN'S KING ABDULLAH DUE IN TURKEY TODAY
Jordan's King Abdullah will visit Turkey today as the official guest of President Abdullah Gul. According to a press release, Abdullah will pay a one-day working visit to Ankara, and issues such as relations between Turkey and Jordan and regional and international issues concerning the two countries will be discussed. Abdullah is also expected to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. /Turkiye/
BAYKAL VISITS APPEALS COURT HEAD PROSECUTOR, CONSTITUTIONAL COURT CHIEF JUSTICE
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday visited Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya and Constitutional Court Chief Justice Hasim Kilic at their offices. Baykal said that unfair interference in the judiciary threatens not only the dispensation of justice but also social peace and stability. /Aksam/
OZCAN NAMED NEW HEAD OF BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Professor Yusuf Ziya Ozcan has been named the new chairman of the Board of Higher Education (YOK). President Abdullah Gul appointed Ozcan, of Middle East Technical University's (ODTU) Sociology Department, to the post. Ozcan is also an advisor to the head of the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TUBITAK). /Aksam/