GUL: “THE EU SHOULD KEEP ITS PROMISE TO END THE TRNC’S ISOLATION”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with his visiting Sudanese counterpart Mustafa Osman Ismail to discuss bilateral relations. Speaking afterwards, Gul said that Ankara would provide food aid for Sudan’s Darfur region, which is suffering from massive famine. Also touching on the Cyprus issue, Gul said that the European Union should keep its promise to bring the international isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to an end. In related news, the Foreign Ministry yesterday released a statement complaining that the European Union member states’ foreign ministers had made a commitment to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots but so far had done nothing. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN DUE IN IRAN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s three-day official visit to Iran is set to start today. During his trip, Erdogan is expected to ask Iran to reduce natural gas prices and, in return, the premier will offer cooperation in transporting Iranian natural gas to Europe. Other issues on the agenda will be boosting the countries’ bilateral trade volume, cooperation against the terrorist group PKK, and a joint stance to preserve Iraq’s territorial integrity. The Iranian government is reportedly expected to transfer the management of the Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA) to Turkish firm TAV, thus resolving a thorny dispute. /Hurriyet/
IRAN’S RAMAZANZADE: “ERDOGAN’S VISIT WILL STRENGTHEN BILATERAL RELATIONS”
Speaking at a press conference yesterday in the runup to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s arrival in Tehran, Iranian government spokesman Abdullah Ramazanzade said that Erdogan’s three-day official visit would help to strengthen the two countries’ relations, adding that both governments wanted this. “During the premier’s visit, economic and regional issues and border security will be discussed,” added Ramazanzade. /Turkiye/
CABINET TO FORM TEAMS TO INVESTIGATE CAUSE OF TRAIN CRASH
The Cabinet convened yesterday to discuss a number of issues, including last week’s deadly train crash in Sakarya. Speaking afterwards, government spokesman and Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that the Cabinet had decided to form three expert teams to investigate the cause of the crash. Cicek said that the German delegation which arrived in Turkey last week is due to release its report on the train crash tomorrow, adding that Dutch, Spanish, and South Korean delegations are also expected to help investigate the accident. /Aksam/
GERMAN AMBASSADOR VISITS BURSA
German Ambassador to Turkey Wolf Ruthart Born yesterday visited Bursa Governor Oguz Kagan Koksal. Born said that if the European Commission’s fall progress report on Turkey is positive, then he didn’t expect any problems at the December European Union summit, which could set a date for Turkey’s accession talks to begin. “Turkey has always been a reliable partner for Germany,” added Born. /Star/
EU TO PROVIDE 1 BILLION EUROS TO TURKEY OVER NEXT TWO YEARS
The European Union General Affairs and Foreign Relations Council yesterday convened in Brussels. During the meeting, the assembled foreign ministers discussed the Union’s budget for 2007-2013. Under the new budget, the foreign ministers decided to provide Turkey with 1 billion euros through 2006 in accession aid. /Cumhuriyet/