GUL IN KARS FOR START OF "IRON SILK ROAD" CONSTRUCTION
President Abdullah Gul yesterday arrived in Kars to attend a ceremony marking the beginning of construction of the Turkish leg of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, also known as the "Iron Silk Road." The ceremony will take place today, and the Azerbaijani and Georgian presidents will also be in attendance. Gul yesterday tended to other official duties and visited the ruins of the Medieval-era city of Ani. Asked about the Armenian president's invitation for him to come to the capital Yerevan to witness a World Cup qualifying match between the Turkish and Armenian national soccer teams, Gul said, "I thank my Armenian counterpart for his invitation. We're evaluating his offer. Turkey's foreign policy on relations with its neighbors is very clear: We want good neighborly relations with our neighbors." /Aksam-Turkiye/
IN NEW YORK, BABACAN LOBBIES FOR TURKEY'S UNSC BID
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, currently in New York, yesterday said that Turkey's chances of winning a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council were good, but like every election, efforts would be needed until the very last minute. He made the remarks at a reception for international ambassadors serving at UN headquarters given by Baki Ilkin, Turkey's ambassador to the UN. Babacan added that over the last 10 months he had met with the foreign ministers of 130 countries and pointed out to them that Turkey hadn't had a seat on the Security Council since 1961. "Turkey's UNSC membership would boost its profile," he said. "It would benefit both Turkey and its region, as well as contribute to world peace." /Star/
EYEING DIRECT PEACE TALKS, TRNC'S TALAT TO MEET TOMORROW WITH GREEK CYPRIOT LEADER
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat will meet with Greek Cypriot administration leader Dimitris Christofias tomorrow. Talat yesterday said that they were planning to announce that direct peace negotiations will start in September. He said that comprehensive negotiations will start a very important new process. Underlining the importance of political equality with the Greek Cypriots, Talat said that this should be the case in all decision-making mechanisms. He added that they would not compromise on the presidential system. Ending the guarantorship of nations such as Turkey is out of the question, he said, as this system rests on international agreements, not pacts between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides. /Star/
IRAN'S AHMEDINEJAD TO VISIT TURKEY
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad is expected to visit Turkey next month. During Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki's recent visit to Ankara, President Abdullah Gul said that he hoped to welcome Ahmedinejad to the Cankaya Presidential Palace in August. The Foreign Ministry later officially told Iranian officials that Gul's August schedule would accommodate such a visit, and they are now evaluating this invitation. Details of the visit are set to be clarified later. /Milliyet/