PRESIDENT GUL VISITS KAZAKHSTAN
President Abdullah Gul yesterday left for Kazakhstan at the invitation of his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev. Gul was accompanied by State Minister Said Yazicioglu, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and Energy Minister Hilmi Guler. Before his departure, Gul addressed the rumors of a new amnesty law, saying "This is a very dynamic process. If there are new things that should be done, then they will be done." He added, "The fight against terrorism is multidimensional. Turkey has firm determination on this matter. Wide-ranging programs to fight terrorism have been prepared and implemented." /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN CRITICIZES SARKOZY'S INCONSISTENCY, OPPOSITION TO TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended a reception organized by the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association at Ankara's Hilton Hotel. In a speech, Erdogan criticized the anti-Turkish stance taken by French President Nicholas Sarkozy at a recent EU summit. Saying that Turkey is not just a candidate country but one whose membership talks are underway, Erdogan added that Sarkozy says different things about Turkey's membership bid to different audiences. "In any case, Turkey's determination on its EU membership will move forward," he said. "Turkey is a representative of the 1.5 billion people of the Islamic world. If the EU accepts the alliance of civilizations, they should accept Turkey into their fold." /Turkiye-Star/

NEW BOARD OF EDUCATION HEAD VISITS GUL, ERDOGAN
Professor Yusuf Ziya Ozcan, the new chairman of the Board of Higher Education (YOK), yesterday paid courtesy visits to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul. /Milliyet/

NGOS VOICE PROPOSALS FOR NEW CONSTITUTION
A coalition of nongovernmental organizations yesterday unveiled a number of proposals they believe a proposed new constitution should embrace. About 250 representatives from over 80 NGOs contributed to the proposals at a workshop organized by the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB). The coalition proposed the adoption of a two-round election system and a bicameral Parliament. Also according to the coalition, NGOs should have the right to submit bills to Parliament and administrative decisions should be open to judicial review. /Star/

IN WAKE OF ATTACKS, UNDP HEAD DERVIS TRAVELS TO ALGERIA
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday stated that he had sent UN Development Program (UNDP) head and former Turkish Economy Minister Kemal Dervis to Algeria in the wake of Wednesday's deadly terrorist attacks on UN buildings. "Mr. Dervis and other high-level officials will determine the best way to help those who are wounded after the attacks, and their families," said Ban. "The security of UN employees is very important to us. We'll take all necessary measures to provide for their security in Algeria and in every part of the world, and we'll review our security measures and policies towards this end." In related news, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday telephoned Algerian President Abdulaziz Bouteflika to offer his condolences for the attacks, which left 67 people dead. /Milliyet/

TOP COURT HEAD WEIGHS IN ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO CONSTITUTION
Constitutional Court Chief Justice Hasim Kilic yesterday commented on proposed changes in the way court members are elected contained in a new draft constitution drawn up by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Touching on a controversial proposal for some court members to be chosen by Parliament, Kilic said from an international perspective, all equivalent courts worldwide have some connection with their national legislatures. "If you try to arrive at a conclusion by looking only at practices, you will come to the wrong conclusion," he said, stressing the importance of theory over practice. The top jurist also suggested that individuals be granted the right to file petitions at the Constitutional Court, which he said would eventually cut the number of suits reaching the European Court of Human Rights. /Today's Zaman/

ARMENIAN PM EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP
Armenia favors Turkey's bid to join the European Union because it might improve the prospects for overcoming strained relations between Ankara and Yerevan, said Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia's prime minister yesterday. "I think it would be good for us if Turkey's desire to become a member of the European Union were satisfied," Sargsyan told Britain's Financial Times. "Maybe the problems between us could find a solution within an EU framework." Sargsyan, the early favorite to win Armenia's presidential elections next February, said he hoped that Turkey would produce proposals for improving ties with Armenia after the vote. /Aksam/

GREEK PM TO VISIT TURKEY NEXT MONTH
Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis will visit Turkey on Jan. 22-24. Karamanlis will first visit Ankara, and afterwards will proceed to Istanbul and visit the Fener Greek Patriarchate. /Sabah/