TOPTAN MEETS WITH CHILDREN VISITING TURKEY FOR APRIL 23 HOLIDAY
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan yesterday received children from all over the world, all visiting Turkey to participate in tomorrow`s April 23 National Sovereignty and Children`s Day celebrations. The children presented gifts native to their countries, and they got presents from Toptan in return. President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also received the children. Tomorrow, Toptan, Gul, Erdogan and other high-level state and government officials will ceremonially hand over their duties to Turkish children to honor the holiday. /Milliyet-Cumhuriyet/
MAY 1 TO BE LABOR DAY, BUT NOT HOLIDAY
After yesterday`s Cabinet meeting, government Spokesman and Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said the government had decided that May 1 would be celebrated as a labor and solidarity day in line with other practices worldwide, but it wouldn`t be an official holiday. Asked about trade unions` views on the issue, Cicek stressed the current world economic recession, saying, "The Cabinet considered the price tag of this decision, nearly 2 billion YTL." /Millliyet/
ERDOGAN TO ATTEND TURKEY-SYRIA ECONOMIC FORUM THIS WEEKEND
The Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), in partnership with the Turkish-Syrian Business Council, will host the Turkey-Syria Economic Forum in Damascus this weekend. The forum aims to initiate positive discussions on common problems. Held in the presence of Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Naji al-Otari, the conference will also be attended by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. /Turkish Daily News/
AUSTRIA`S FM VISITS TURKEY
After arriving in Ankara yesterday to pay an official visit, Austria`s Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik was received by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and then met with her Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan. Speaking at a joint press conference afterwards, Plassnik said, "There is no doubt that Austria is a firm partner in the fight against terrorism." Asked about the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Plassnik said that Turkey was capable of handling its issues by itself, adding that Europeans should not be expected to act as arbitrators or political policemen in this process. Concerning Turkey`s European Union membership process, she said that Austria had made clear its view that Turkey`s talks should not be automatic but open-ended. Plassnik said that she knew Turkey wants to become a full EU member, but stressed that this is not the only way. "We can explore the content of a future relationship," she added. For his part, Babacan said, "We are looking for more support from Austria in our fight against terrorism," calling for joint political efforts towards that end. /Hurriyet/
BABACAN CALLS ON ARMENIA TO PURSUE DIALOGUE
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that he had sent a letter to his newly elected Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandyan, congratulating him on his new post and saying that Turkey is ready to turn a new page. Stressing that the problems between the two countries can be overcome through dialogue, Babacan said that Turkey is ready to share its views with Armenian officials. /Turkiye/
CHP TO HOLD GENERAL CONGRESS THIS WEEKEND
The main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) will hold its 32nd general congress this weekend in Ankara. Deniz Baykal, the party`s current leader, is likely to retain his post in the chairmanship elections. Among his rivals, Samsun Deputy Haluk Koc and businessman Umut Oran are the only two with the slimmest hope of becoming official candidates, and they need the support of 243 out of some 1,250 party delegates. /Turkish Daily News/
TOP IRAQI GENERAL VISITS ANKARA
Iraqi Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Naseer al-Abadi yesterday paid an official visit to Ankara at the invitation of his counterpart Gen. Ergin Saygun. Abadi met yesterday with military officials at General Staff headquarters, and issues such as Turkey's cross-border operations into northern Iraq against the terrorist PKK, border safety and the training of Iraq`s armed forces were discussed. Abadi also will meet with Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and Saygun. /Aksam/
EP COMMISSION PASSES REPORT ON TURKEY
The European Parliament`s Foreign Affairs Commission yesterday passed a Turkey report prepared by Ria Oomen-Ruijten, the EP`s Turkey rapporteur. The report stressed that the government should respect pluralism, secularism and democracy while carrying out its European Union reform process, and urged the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to cooperate constructively with other political parties. The report also covered the case seeking the AKP`s closure, the controversial Turkish Penal Code (TCK) Article 301, the Ergenekon probe, and the Foundations Law. Following yesterday`s vote, the report will face the full EP next month. /Star/
If Turkey carries out its reform process decisively, it will be a member of European Union within 10-15 years, said European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn in a published interview yesterday. Speaking to Germany`s Die Welt, Rehn said that the EU is planning to open two more chapters with Turkey in June and that it is important that the EU extend support to Turkey while it is going through tough times. Asked about the case seeking the closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Rehn warned that this could harm the reform process. /Sabah/
AHEAD OF TRADE TRANSPORTERS` MEETING, HISARCIKLIOGLU TOUTS TURKEY
The 31st World Congress of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) is set to be held in Istanbul on May 15-16, with the theme of "Reviving the Silk Road." Stressing the boom in international trade over the last two decades, Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) head Rifat Hisarciklioglu said, "Rising international trade volume, especially between East and West, increases the need for improved land transportation, and Turkey has very big advantages in this area." Hisarciklioglu also stressed Turkey`s special geographic position along East-West trade routes and added that reviving the ancient trade road would benefit international trade relations immensely. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and many high-level figures will also attend the congress, as well as nearly 2,000 guests from 70 countries. /Milliyet/