PRESIDENT GUL: "SILK ROAD MUST BE REVIVED"
Speaking at the 31st World Congress of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) in Istanbul, President Abdullah Gul yesterday said that he wanted Silk Road to be revived again, adding, "Turkey places importance on this. I believe that this road will be completed in 10 years to become a highway. Everyone will get his own share from this." He said, "Turkey has become a leading country in Europe and in the world in terms of transportation," and added, "Transportation will never lose its importance. Although transportation on ships, trains and airplanes continue, the fastest and door to door transportation will take place on land." Gul said, "New roads will be constructed on and around the Black Sea. I believe that the Silk Road will be revived and reach the heartland of Asia." /Milliyet/
BRITAIN`S QUEEN ELIZABETH IN ISTANBUL
Paying a four-day official landmark visit to Turkey, Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip yesterday evening hosted a reception in honor of President Abdullah Gul and his wife First Lady Hayrunnisa, aboard the British Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious in Istanbul, on the third day of her visit. Many leading figures from politics and business circles also attended the reception. On the Istanbul leg of her visit, the queen firstly visited Kabatas High School and met with British and Turkish students and also attended an activity called "Joint Science Project between Schools." She also visited the British-Turkish design exhibition at Istanbul Modern Museum. The queen and the prince later took a boat tour along the Bosphorus. Gul and his wife Hayrunnisa, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and his wife, and British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband also joined the cruise. On the last day of her visit, today, the queen will attend a garden party at the British Embassy. /Turkiye/
BABACAN DESCRIBES TURKEY`S TIES WITH AFRICA AS WIN-WIN RELATION
Speaking to the 3rd Meeting of Africa-Turkey Foreign Trade Bridge, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday stressed that the meeting would highly contribute to the improvement of cultural, economic and commercial ties between Turkey and African countries and said, "Turkey places great importance on its relations with Africa, which has a great potential. Turkey`s relations with African countries are based on principles of sharing, friendship, partnership and brotherhood. These relations can be characterized as the win-win relation." Saying that Turkey would host Turkey-African Summit in August and that Turkey would open new 15 embassies in the continent, Babacan also underlined Turkey`s rising aid efforts to Africa and said that those efforts would increasingly continue in the future. President Abdullah Gul also met with the African businessmen as part of the meeting. In related news, Turkey`s membership application for African Development Bank (AFDB) was accepted. Thanks to this membership, Turkish companies investing in Africa can join all kinds of economic projects in the continent. /Turkiye/
BRITAIN`S MILIBAND MET WITH BAYKAL, BAHCELI
British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband, accompanying Queen Elizabeth on her visit to Turkey, yesterday separately met with main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli. Miliband reportedly said that Britain would continue to support Turkey`s EU bid, and that Turkey`s EU membership is of utmost importance both for Turkey and the EU. Stating that they are worrying about the possibility of a ban on a party getting 47% of the votes in the last election, Miliband said that the EU wouldn`t urge Turkey to move away form it. If the constitutional court decides to ban the Justice and Development Party (AKP), EU will certainly give harsh response, and the consequences will be very serious," he added. Baykal told Miliband that the CHP favors Turkey`s EU membership, and that the first step into the EU road was taken by the CHP. Accusing the EU countries of having double standards against Turkey, Bahceli also defined recent criticisms from the EU as unacceptable. /Sabah/
CHP TO OPEN EU BUREAUS IN EUROPE
Upon European Union officials` criticisms against his party, main opposition Republican People`s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal started an initiative to open representative offices abroad. The offices will cooperate with socialist and social democrat parties in Europe. CHP`s evaluations on the EU will be conveyed to EU member countries` leaders. The bureaus will be opened in EU cities where Turks live intensely as well as in Brussels. /Hurriyet/
US AMBASSADOR WILSON: "THE US FOLLOWS CLOSURE CASE AGAINST THE AKP WITH CONCERN"
US Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson yesterday attended an opening ceremony in Eskisehir and said that the United States followed closely and with concern the developments regarding closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Wilson said he didn`t want to talk much about the issue and added, Turkey had strong democratic institutions and traditions and would settle this matter through those institutions and traditions. /Sabah/
CB INCREASES INTEREST RATES
During a meeting yesterday, the Monetary Policy Committee, chaired by Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz, increased the policy rates 50 base points. Accordingly, overnight borrowing rate increased from 15.25 percent to 15.75 percent, and lending rate from 19.25 to 19.75 percent. A report released by the committee said, "The CB will continue to take necessary measures to prevent the potential second-round effects of the adverse developments in food and energy prices. Accordingly, the committee will consider the possibility of a further measured rate hike in the next meeting. The extent and timing of possible future rate hike will depend on developments in global markets, external demand, fiscal policy implementation, and other factors affecting the medium term inflation outlook." /Aksam/
LEGENDARY SOPRANO GENCER`S ASHES TO BE SCATTERED IN BOSPHORUS TODAY
Ashes of Turkish soprano Leyla Gencer were brought to Istanbul yesterday. Gencer, one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century, died of heart failure in Milan, Italy last Friday. Following a commemorative ceremony for Gencer in Milan, her body was cremated. In line with Gencer`s wishes, her ashes will be scattered over the Bosphorus at a ceremony today. /Cumhuriyet/