ERDOGAN MEETS WITH SYRIAN PM, DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATIONS, REGIONAL ISSUES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with his visiting Syrian counterpart Mohammed Naji al-Otari to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. This is al-Otari’s first ever official visit to Turkey. Later, speaking at a press conference, Erdogan said that the two had discussed regional issues, including the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. He called their meeting very positive, adding that he believed economic and trade ties between the two countries would be further developed. Erdogan added that Ankara and Damascus could make joint investments. Following the meeting, the two premiers signed a cooperation agreement concerning communications, highways and bridges. Later, al-Otari met with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Foreign Minister Abdulah Gul, and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc. /Turkiye/

CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF OZKOK MEETS WITH ERDOGAN
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting, which was not scheduled, lasted for about two hours. Ozkok reportedly briefed Erdogan on the fight against terrorism in southeastern Turkey. Developments in Afghanistan and Iraq and on Cyprus, and decisions taken at last month’s NATO summit in Istanbul were also reportedly discussed. /Aksam/

ISRAELI DEPUTY PM VISITS ANKARA
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday arrived in Ankara to hold contacts with Turkish officials. During his visit, Olmert is expected to meet today with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, State Ministers Kursat Tuzmen and Ali Babacan, Agriculture Minister Sami Guclu, and Communications Minister Binali Yildirim. Olmert is not expected to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan due to a scheduling conflict. /Cumhuriyet/

BAYKAL CRITICIZES CHP DEFECTORS TO AKP
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday harshly criticized two deputies, Atilla Basoglu and Necdet Budak, who this week resigned from the CHP and moved to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). “They were pioneers in leading the CHP to power, but now they’ve brought themselves to power,” said Baykal. /Hurriyet/

TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER ATTENDS OPENING CEREMONY OF TURKISH-GREEK BUSINESS CENTER IN GERMANY
Trade and Industry Minister Ali Coskun yesterday attended the opening ceremony of a Turkish-German Business Center in Stuttgart, Germany. Touching on Turkey’s European Union membership bid, Coskun said that Ankara had fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria and predicted that it would begin its accession talks with the Union after December, when the EU’s year-end summit will be held. Coskun stated that Turkey had overcome its economic crisis and achieved macroeconomic balance and sustainable growth. The minister further said that he appreciated Germany’s support for Turkey’s EU bid. /Turkiye/

INCOMING EC CHIEF BARROSO: “I’M PERSONALLY IN FAVOR OF TURKEY JOINING THE EU, PROVIDED IT MEETS THE CRITERIA”
The future head of the European Commission, Portuguese Premier Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, said yesterday that he was personally in favor of Turkey joining the European Union, provided it had met all the necessary criteria. The commission is expected to release a progress report on Turkey before the EU’s December summit, when the Union is due to decide whether or not to begin accession talks with Ankara. “It will be a precise and fair report as far as I am aware,” said Barroso. “Turkey will be assessed on its merits. But it’s too early to predict what will be in the report.” /Turkiye/

YILMAZ TO FACE SUPREME COURT PROSECUTION
Parliament yesterday voted by an overwhelming margin to allow the Supreme Court to prosecute former Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz on corruption charges. Yilmaz and his former Cabinet members Gunes Taner, Cumhur Ersumer and Zeki Cakan are charged with rigging the privatization of state-owned Turkbank. The scandal resulted in the collapse of Yilmaz’s government in 1998, but he was never charged. He has repeatedly denied the accusations. The case is part of a wider parliamentary investigation of corruption. /Sabah/

TURKISH-IRANIAN JOINT SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS IN ANKARA
The Turkish-Iranian Joint Security Council yesterday met in Ankara. During the meeting, the Iranian delegation was led by Deputy Interior Minister Ali Ashgar Ahmedi, and the Turkish contingent by Interior Undersecretary Sahabettin Harput. The two delegations decided to sign an agreement on security cooperation. /Turkiye/