PRESIDENT SEZER APPOINTS RECTORS TO 22 UNIVERSITIES
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday appointed rectors to 22 universities, choosing from the candidate list prepared by the Board of Higher Education (YOK). For 17 universities, Sezer appointed the first candidate named, but assigned the second candidates for the rest. /Milliyet/

ERDOGAN VISITS JORDAN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday flew to Jordan to pay a visit at the invitation of King Abdullah. During their meeting, the two leaders discussed a number of issues, including the terrorist group PKK and Iraq, as well as violence in the Middle East. At last month’s G-8 summit in the US, Erdogan and Abdullah decided to pay periodic visits to take up issues. The Jordanian king is expected to reciprocate Erdogan’s visit in the coming months. /Cumhuriyet/

GEN. OZKOK VISITS SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday left for the southeastern Anatolian province of Diyarbakir to pay a visit to the Second Army deployed in the region. Ozkok is expected to inspect measures taken by the armed forces to ensure citizens’ peace and safety. The Second Army region includes the provinces of Hakkari, Sirnak, Diyarbakir, Van and Sanliurfa. /Aksam/

GOVERNMENT PLANS TO APPOINT CIVILIAN SECRETARY GENERAL TO NSC
In line with recent reforms approved in Parliament, the government plans to appoint a civilian secretary general to the National Security Council. The figure reportedly named for the position is Turkey’s current permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Umit Pamir. The appointment is expected to be made following the Higher Military Council’s meeting at the beginning of August. Commenting on the matter, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters that the government would keep its word to the European Union to appoint a civilian to the position. /Star/

IN MIDST OF PARTY TURMOIL, DEPUTY QUITS CHP
In the midst of rumors that the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) administration is planning to expel a number of inter-party dissidents, one of those dissidents, Edirne Deputy Necdet Budak, has tendered his resignation from the party. In his resignation, Budak cited his loss of faith and confidence in the CHP’s capability to develop effective policies as reasons for stepping down. /Milliyet/

TRNC FACES LIKELY ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) Republican Turkish Party (CTP) yesterday presented a bill to Parliament proposing that early elections be held on Sept. 26. CTP Secretary General Ferdi Sabit Soyer told reporters that early elections were inevitable to overcome the country’s political crisis. He added that his party wanted the bill to be debated this week. /Turkiye/

RUSSIAN COMMANDER MAKES HISTORIC VISIT TO TURKEY
Russian Air Force Commander Gen. Vladimir Mikhailov yesterday arrived in Turkey as the guest of Gen. Ibrahim Firtina. Mikhailov is the first Russian Air Force commander to visit Turkey in 13 years. “I believe that this visit will be a first step in improving our military relations,” said Firtina. “This is a historic day for our countries.” For his part, Mikhailov said that Turkey and Russia must improve their relations as two neighboring countries. /Aksam/

FORMER IRANIAN PRESIDENT: “TURKEY, IRAN AND SYRIA SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT IRAQ’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY”
Former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani yesterday stated that Turkey, Iran and Syria should work together in order to protect Iraq’s territorial integrity. “Iraq’s neighbors must assume a common stance to establish peace and stability in the region without harming the nation’s territorial integrity,” said Rafsanjani. /Aksam/

BARZANI: “TURKEY SHOULD NOT INTERFERE IN OUR AFFAIRS”
Iraqi Kurdistan Democracy Party (IKDP) leader Massud Barzani is continuing to make statements sure to draw criticism from Ankara. In an interview published yesterday in German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Barzani said that his group wanted to have friendly relations with all of Iraq’s neighbors, but that he opposed troops being deployed from any of them. “We share a common border with Turkey. For both sides, it is better to have good relations,” said Barzani. “Turkey should not interfere in our local affairs.” He claimed that Kirkuk was a Kurdish province, adding that he would make no concessions on the issue. /Turkiye/

OLYMPIC FLAME TO ARRIVE IN ISTANBUL TODAY
In the final days of its worldwide odyssey, the Athens Olympic Torch Relay is set today to visit Istanbul. The torch will first be handed over to Turkish referee Lale Orta and then 125 other runners, including Miss Universe Azra Akin and Board of Higher Education (YOK) head Erdogan Tezic, to travel around the city. Sofia, Bulgaria and Nicosia, Greek Cyprus will be the flame’s last stops before it returns to Athens on July 9 in time for the August Olympics. /Sabah/