ERDOGAN: "TURKEY SHOULDN'T WASTE ITS TIME ON USELESS DEBATES"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended the opening of the new headquarters of the Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO). Addressing the assembled business leaders, Erdogan said that recent positive developments in Turkey had provided it an atmosphere of reliability and stability. Decrying forces he said want to hold Turkey back and waste its time on useless debates and conspiracy theories, the premier said that the nation doesn't want politics involved in coups or organized crime, adding that his government would continue to unflaggingly serve the country. /Turkiye/
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT RAPPORTEUR OPPOSES AKP CLOSURE
Constitutional Court rapporteur Osman Can yesterday submitted a report to the court leadership stating his views on the case seeking the closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). In the report, Can said that as a jurist, he was opposed to the closure of political parties. The court's chief justice, Hasim Kilic, said that the report was handed out to the court members and asked reporters to leave the court alone to issue a sound ruling based on the law. /Turkiye/
PM ERDOGAN: "NO ONE SHOULD BELITTLE THE BENEFITS OF TURKEY'S EU ACCESSION"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday hosted a dinner for Turkish ambassadors from all over the world, who are now visiting Ankara for a Foreign Ministry conference. During the dinner, Erdogan said that Turkey has been pursuing a more active foreign policy in recent years, adding that it has played a key role in many important international issues. He said Turkey will continue to pursue this approach with the help of its ambassadors and other international representatives. Stressing that the government will maintain its determined efforts towards European Union accession, Erdogan said, "All Turkish diplomats should work towards this end." He also stressed that Turkey has no alternative to EU accession and that full EU membership is fully in line with Turkey's goal of becoming modern. Erdogan said no one should underestimate the contributions that joining the EU will make to Turkey's goal of reaching world-class standards in all areas. /Milliyet-Sabah
US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, IRANIAN FM BOTH DUE IN ANKARA
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday said that US President George W. Bush's National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley will visit Ankara today and, in a separate development, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will visit tomorrow. In an interview with news channel NTV, Babacan said that the two countries are trying to lay the groundwork for possible negotiations on Iran's nuclear program and that a new initiative on the issue could be announced. He also said that EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana was holding contacts on issue. Stating that Turkey is pursuing an impartial policy on Iran's nuclear program, Babacan said that he was opposed to nuclear weapons, but it was Tehran's right to pursue the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Hadley will meet with Babacan and be received by President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During their talks, Iran's nuclear program as well as the fight against terrorism and Iraq will be discussed. Mottaki's schedule has not yet been finalized, aside from his meeting with Babacan. /Cumhuriyet/
BAYKAL: "THE ERGENEKON INDICTMENT IS BASELESS"
Again criticizing the controversial Ergenekon case yesterday, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal dismissed the indictment as "nonsense." "The law is led by concrete evidence," he said. "If you are swayed by fairy tales, then you've left behind the seriousness of the law." He was referring to the indictment's claim that the alleged Ergenekon crime network is related to a legendary clandestine group dating back more than 600 years. Baykal maintained that the investigation and indictment had largely lost their bearings. Citing the indictment's claim that Ergenekon was behind the deadly 2006 attack on the Council of State, which left one judge dead, Baykal said, "The link between Ergenekon and the Council of State attack should be laid out clearly on the basis of sound evidence." Touching on the case seeking the closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Baykal said whatever verdict the Constitutional Court hands down, its reasoning should be made public at the same time. He also called on CHP officials to be ready for possible early elections. /Sabah/
FORMER US AMBASSADOR: "THE AKP CLOSURE CASE WILL BE CONCLUDED IN MID OR LATE AUGUST"
Speaking on Tuesday to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think-tank, former US Ambassador to Ankara Mark Parris spoke about what the center called "The Crisis in Turkey." Parris said that the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) would likely be concluded in mid or late August. Saying he believed the possibility the Constitutional Court would issue a closure order is quite high, he added, however, that recent developments hold out the prospect of a compromise solution to avoid closure. Parris also praised Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as an "irreplaceable and charismatic" leader, warning that closing down the AKP would send everybody involved "off a cliff together." /Aksam/