PM ERDOGAN ATTENDS DOHA FORUM ON DEMOCRACY, DEVELOPMENT, AND FREE TRADE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday went to Qatar, to attend the Eighth Doha Forum on Democracy, Development, and Free Trade as an honored guest. Speaking at the forum, Erdogan said that Turkey's democratic experience has a long history. Stressing that the process of democratization isn't easy, he added, "Sometimes we have faced tough times in democratization, but we have never made concessions." Saying that democracy and the economy are interconnected, he added, "As Turkey makes progress in democracy, it will also continue to develop economically." Speaking about the Alliance of Civilizations project, he added, "It a period in which Islamophobia has recently been spread widely and made some countries feel paranoia, Turkey is working to refute the clash of civilizations." Erdogan also met with Qatari Emir Khalifa Al Thani. /Sabah/
ERDOGAN: "ONLY IN BAYKAL'S MIND IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH SECULARISM"
At the weekend youth branches congress of the ruling Justice and Development Party in Ankara, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. He said that outside of Baykal's condescending view, the nation doesn't have a problem with secularism. "Nobody in Turkey wants secularism put to a vote," he added. /Aksam/
PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TOPTAN DUE IN SLOVENIA
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan will visit Ljubljana today as the guest of his Slovenian counterpart France Cukjati. On Wednesday, Toptan will proceed to Germany to attend a Turkish night sponsored by the State Parliament of North Rhine Westfalia. /Cumhuriyet/
CHANGES TO ARTICLE 301 FACE DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT
Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin yesterday said proposed changes to Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) would be debated by Parliament's Justice Commission this week. Asked about criticisms of a separate proposal under which only the president could file a case to close a political party, so as to make closures harder, Sahin said several Western countries have the same policy. In addition, the full Parliament will continue three weeks of debates on the social security bill before its expected passage later this week. /Turkiye/
BUYUKANIT VISITING EGYPT THIS WEEK
Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit today is set to travel to Cairo, Egypt today a four-day official visit. Buyukanit will meet with his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Hussein Tantawi Soliman and also visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the tomb of late Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat, and the Turkish Soldiers' Cemetery. /Sabah/
WILSON PRAISES TURKISH INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD OF CONFERENCE
A three-day trade conference sponsored by US and Turkish companies and business institutions and the US Commerce Department is set to begin today in Istanbul. Nearly 60 US companies are expected to attend the Trade Winds Europe conference. Before the event, US Ambassador to Ankara Ross Wilson wrote an article for Commercial News USA magazine saying that Turkey's economy has grown steadily and remarkably for the last six years thanks to government reforms. "Turkey's commitment to the reform process and political stability make it a very important economic magnet that has drawn approximately $50 worth of foreign capital for the last three years," he wrote. Wilson also stressed that Turkey's growing prosperity is raising its demand for products, services and business partners from the US. On the last day of the conference, Turkish and US companies will hold bilateral talks to evaluate investment and cooperation opportunities. /Hurriyet/
IRAN'S DEPUTY INTERIOR MINISTER TO VISIT ANKARA
Abbas Mohtaj, Iran's deputy interior minister in charge of security, is expected to pay a visit Turkey tomorrow or Wednesday to discuss joint military operation possibilities against the terrorist PKK and its Iranian branch PJAK. Mohtaj's delegation will meet with a group of top security officials led by Interior Ministry Undersecretary Osman Gunes. One Turkish official said that Turkey and Iran have had significant security cooperation against the terrorist PKK for four years now, adding that 150 Turkish members of the terrorist group have been caught and delivered to Turkey by Iranian security forces. /Hurriyet/
MURDER OF ITALIAN ARTIST SPARKS SORROW, CONDEMNATION
The murder in Turkey of an Italian artist who was traveling to promote peace has produced widespread outrage and sorrow. Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the murder of Giuseppina Pasqualino di Marineo, 33, also known as Pippa Bacca. "I offer my condolences to her family and to the Italian people," he said, adding that the murderer will be punished in line with Turkish law. /All Papers/
ISTANBUL WINS BID TO HOST 2012 SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP
Turkey will host a World Championship in swimming for the first time in history, after the sport's ruling body, the International Swimming Federation (FINA), declared Saturday that Istanbul will stage the 2012 world short course championships. Turkey will also host the European short course championships in 2009 as well, and those two events could play important roles in increasing interest in swimming in Turkey. The events will be held at the 17,000-capacity Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in Atakoy, which is still under construction. /Turkish Daily News/