GUL “I HOPE THE EU REPORT WILL BE OBJECTIVE, SINCE IT WILL AFFECT THE DECISION ON ANKARA’S ACCESSION TALKS”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with Loyola de Palacio, the European Commission’s vice president and EU transport commissioner, to discuss a number of issues. Speaking afterwards, Gul said that they had discussed such issues as Turkey’s EU membership bid. The foreign minister stated that Turkey constituted a bridge between the West and the East on issues such as communications and energy. He said that he believed the commission’s fall progress report on Turkey would be pivotal in the EU’s decision whether or not to begin accession talks with Ankara. “I hope the commission won’t disregard the reforms we recently passed,” added Gul. For her part, Palacio echoed that Ankara had a strategic importance for the EU on communications and energy issues. Touching on Ankara’s EU bid, she stated that the European Commission was currently preparing Ankara’s progress report. /Turkiye/
PALACIO: “TURKEY COULD BE A BRIDGE FOR ENERGY”
European Commission Vice President Loyola de Palacio yesterday met with Energy Minister Hilmi Guler in Ankara. Palacio said that Turkey could be a bridge in providing long-term energy security in the European Union. Stressing that the country has rich alternatives for providing energy, Palacio said that Turkey could transfer oil and natural gas from Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Azerbaijan. Palacio also stated that Turkey would be included in the west European electric network. /Sabah/
TOP FUGITIVE CAKICI NABBED IN AUSTRIA
Austrian police yesterday arrested one of Turkey’s most wanted fugitives, mafia kingpin Alaaddin Cakici. He was captured in the Austrian city of Graz where he was traveling under a fake Turkish passport in the name of Faik Meral. Cakici was involved in a 1998 scandal that brought down Turkey's government. In 1998, Cakici was netted by a similar operation in Nice, France, and extradited to Turkey but managed to escape. Ankara has applied to Vienna for his extradition. He had also been jailed in 2002 for inciting an attack on a journalist and for “forming and directing a gang established to commit crime.” /All papers/
TURKEY, ISRAEL SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR INCREASED TRADE
Turkish Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Sami Guclu and Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding reached by the Turkish-Israeli Joint Economic Commission (KEK). Speaking at the signing ceremony, Olmert hailed the accord as a turning point which would pave the way for the Turkish-Israeli trade volume to rise to $5 billion within three years. Guclu stressed that the memorandum had completed the legal groundwork for strengthening bilateral economic and commercial relations. Later speaking to reporters, Olmert said that third countries, for the time being, would have a minimal role in efforts to broker peace in the Middle East, adding however that Turkey would play an important and positive role in providing stability in the region in the future. Asked about Turkish plans to send troops to Gaza, Olmert said that these troops would be welcome in the region. /Hurriyet/
BOUCHER: “WE WELCOME A HEALTHY STATE OF TURKISH-ISRAELI RELATIONS”
Washington welcomes Turkey having good relations with Israel, said US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher yesterday. Asked by reporters about this week's visit to Ankara of Deputy Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Boucher said, "We have always encouraged nations to have good relations with Israel. We think they are an important part of the region. We've always welcomed people who have had good relations with Israel and have tried to be a positive force for moving forward in the region, moving forward on peace. If Turkey takes that role, if Turkey wants to do that, that's good." Asked about if recent tensions in Turkish-Israeli relations were a matter for concern, Boucher declined to comment on the issue. /Cumhuriyet/
BABACAN: “THE IMF BOARD COULD CONVENE AT MONTH’S END TO DISCUSS RELEASING A $670 MILLION CREDIT”
State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said yesterday that the International Monetary Fund Executive Board could convene at the end of this month in order to discuss releasing a $670 million credit to Turkey. In related news, IMF External Relations Director Thomas Dawson confirmed that the board could convene at month’s end. /Aksam/
KIRKUK’S ETHNIC MAKEUP UNDER ATTACK, WARNS FOREIGN MINISTRY
Turkey’s special representative in Iraq has warned that the demographic makeup of the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk is under siege, a development which the Iraqi people are concerned about, Foreign Ministry spokesmen Namik Tan told reporters yesterday. “There is a serious effort to change the demographic makeup of the city,” said Tan. In related news, Iraqi daily El Karar reported that US President George W. Bush had warned Kurdish leaders Jalal Talabani and Massoud Barzani not to increase the Kurdish population of the city. /Star/
SYRIAN PM VISITS ISTANBUL STOCK EXCHANGE
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Naji al-Otari, who is currently visiting Turkey, yesterday toured the Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) and met with IMKB Chairman Osman Birsen. Speaking afterwards, Birsen said that he had briefed al-Otari on the workings of the exchange, since Damascus hoped to soon establish its own stock market. /Aksam/