GUL RECEIVES COUNCIL OF STATE CHAIRMAN
President Abdullah Gul yesterday received the newly-elected Council of State Chairman Mustafa Birden at Cankaya Palace. The meeting lasted nearly an hour. Afterwards, Birden said that he paid a courtesy visit to Gul, and that there was no tension between the government and judiciary. /Star/
GUL DUE TO JAPAN
President Abdullah Gul will depart for Japan today as the official guest of Japanese Emperor Akihito. Gul's visit will focus on economy and aim to strengthen bilateral trade ties between the two countries and to draw Japanese investors' attention to the opportunities in Turkey. Towards this end, Turkish-Japanese Business Forum will be held in Tokyo and an investment forum will take place in Osaka. Turkish delegation will brief Japanese businessmen about investment opportunities in Turkey. Turkish-Japanese relations started after Turkish Ertugrul Frigate sank on September 16, 1890 on its return from Japan. Ertugrul Frigate had been sent to Japan to present a medal of Ottoman Empire to Japanese emperor. Year 2003 was celebrated as "Turkish Year" in Japan. Turkey also declared 2010 "Japanese Year." /Hurriyet/
PARLIAMENT SPEAKER RECEIVES HIS ALGERIAN COUNTERPART
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan yesterday met with his visiting Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Ziaris and accompanying delegation. Afterwards, Toptan said that the relations between the two countries are perfect and due to Ziraris' visit the good relations would be strengthened. For his part, Ziari thanked for the hospitality of Turkish officials and said, "I feel honored for being at Parliament, where Turkey's history was written." /Milliyet/
BABACAN TO HOLD TALKS IN US
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan went to the US yesterday for a nine-day official visit. Babacan is set to meet with Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman, and Treasury of Secretary Henry Paulson, as well as his US counterpart Condoleezza Rice. Babacan will meet with member of the US Congress, opinion leaders and media representatives as a part of his visit. Issues such as fighting the terrorist PKK, Armenian's so-called genocide allegations, energy links is expected to be discussed during his visit. Babacan will also inform US officials about indirect negotiations between Syria and Israel through Turkey's mediation in Istanbul last month. Babacan also will urge the US to support Turkey's candidacy for a temporary seat on the UN Security Council. Ankara praised for Bush Administration to add the PKK to the list of groups making drug trafficking ahead of his visit. /Aksam-Star/
GOVT DECIDES TO ADOPT KYOTO PROTOCOL
Cabinet ministers chaired by Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened yesterday. Afterwards, speaking to reporters, State Minister Cemil Cicek said that they discussed the water shortage issue and the Kyoto Protocol which aims at tackling climate change. "Parliament will place the protocol on the agenda in the near future," Cicek said, adding that the protocol has been ratified so far by 176 countries. He also stated that the government will establish an action plan including local administrations and the Public Waterworks Administration (DSI) to end water shortage in near future in certain provinces. /Turkiye/
GOVT'S ACTION PLAN FOR GAP AROUSES INTEREST IN SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA
After Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the government's Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Action Plan last week, other politicians also began to show more interest in the region. While main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal is getting ready to visit two important southeastern provinces, Grand Unity Party (BBP) leader Muhsin Yazicioglu yesterday visited Diyarbakir. Yazicioglu stressed that if Turkey had spent the money on GAP, nearly $200 billion, rather than using it to finance the fight against the terrorist PKK, the project could have been completed. Harshly criticizing Democratic Society Party (DTP), Yazicioglu said that terrorism shouldn't be used as a political instrument by political parties. /Star/
TOP COURT TO DECIDE ON HEADSCARF BAN AT UNIVERSITIES THIS WEEK
The Constitutional Court is expected to take up the law which ends headscarf ban at universities on Thursday. Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Democratic Left Party (DSP) had applied to the court asking annulment of the changes in the Constitution meant to lift headscarf ban at the universities, passed by Parliament in February by votes of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputies. Osman Can, rapporteur of the top court, completed his report on the case and submitted it to Chief Justice Hasim Kilic last month. Can gave his opinion on the dismissal of the case. The report is not binding, and 11 members of the court will rule on it. /Turkiye/