ERDOGAN, GEORGIAN PM STRESS IMPORTANCE OF BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN PIPELINE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, currently in Tbilisi for an official visit, yesterday met with his Georgian counterpart Zurab Zhvania to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline Project. During their meeting, Erdogan stressed the importance of the project for both countries and added that Georgia would attract more foreign investment after its completion. The two premiers resolved to see through the project’s completion as soon as possible. Erdogan stated that Georgia’s territorial integrity, stability, and domestic security were very important for Turkey. Later, Erdogan met with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. Speaking at a joint press conference, Saakashvili said that for years the Turkish nation had helped Georgians and that he appreciated this. For his part, Erdogan touted good relations between the two countries, adding that he believed these friendly relations would be further developed. /Turkiye/

TRAIN ACCIDENT KILLS 6, INJURES 85 NEAR ISTANBUL
A passenger train called the Baskent Express ignored a stop signal on its way from Ankara to Istanbul and rammed into the oncoming Adapazari Express yesterday, resulting in the deaths of six people and 85 injured. The trains crashed into each other near the village of Tavsancil in the northwest province of Kocaeli, some 50 miles east of Istanbul. Visiting the scene of the accident, Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu said all the injured had been rescued and taken to hospital for medical treatment. Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim said that an immediate investigation had begun and that he would keep the public up to date in order to head off speculation and rumors. “One of the trains ran a red light,” said Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. “When the engineer noticed, he tried to slow down but unfortunately the accident [still] occurred.” Conductor Hasan Yucedag said that the green light had suddenly turned red as the train was about to cross. Both President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arnic expressed condolences for those who lost their lives and wished rapid recoveries for the injured, stressing the importance of education in preventing such tragedies. The accident comes three weeks after a high-speed train from Istanbul to Ankara derailed, killing 37 people. /All Papers/

WOLFOWITZ: “TURKEY IS A STRONG ALLY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM”
US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said yesterday that regardless of Ankara’s views of US policies in Iraq and Afghanistan, Turkey remained a very strong ally in the fight against terrorism. Addressing the US House of Representatives’ Armed Services Committee, Wolfowitz stated that the US had developed close relations with several countries in the Islamic world, especially Indonesia and Turkey. /Aksam/

DYP LEADER CRITICIZES GOVERNMENT, SAYING REDUCING INFLATION AND MEETING SURPLUS TARGET AREN’T ENOUGH TO BOOST ECONOMY
True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday visited the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) to discuss recent economic developments. Speaking to reporters before his visit, Agar warned that the nation was facing serious problems and criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Party government, saying that reducing inflation and reaching the primary surplus target were not enough to boost the economy. Agar also criticized the government’s tax policy, urging it to adopt tax reforms as soon as possible. /Cumhuriyet/

IMF REPORT PRAISES TURKEY’S MACROECONOMIC CONDITIONS, BUT WARNS OF HIGH CURRENT ACCOUNTS DEFICIT
Following its Executive Board meeting, the International Monetary Fund yesterday released a report on Turkey praising the nation’s macroeconomic conditions, calling them the best in the last decade. The IMF report stated that it appreciated the government’s fiscal policies and efforts to reduce inflation and predicted that this year’s 12% inflation target and 5% growth target were both achievable. However, the report also warned about Turkey’s high debt stock and the rising current accounts deficit, which is expected to reach $10 billion by year’s-end. The report urged the government to continue to pursue its tight monetary policy in order to control the trade deficit. /Aksam/
NATO COMPONENT COMMAND AIR HEADQUARTERS ACTIVATED IN IZMIR
The NATO Headquarters Joint Command Southeast (JCSE) was deactivated and the Component Command Air Headquarters (CC Air HQ-Izmir) activated yesterday in a ceremony held in Izmir. US Naval Adm. Gregory G. Johnson led the ceremony, which was attended by Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and other high-ranking NATO officers. Lt. Gen. Glen W. Moorhead of the US Air Force assumed the command of the new headquarters, saying that the CC Air HQ-Izmir would provide Greece with air support during the Athens Olympics. /Milliyet/

UNESCO URGES MEASURES TO PROTECT NATURE IN ISTANBUL
Turkey has two years to take measures to protect Istanbul’s natural heritage before it is declared endangered, declared UNESCO at a recent conference. At its one-week World Heritage Committee meeting in Sushou, China, which concluded on July 4, UNESCO examined over 150 reports concerning conservation, including the condition of nature in Istanbul. Unless Turkey takes appropriate measures to protect Istanbul’s nature, warned the committee, the area will be considered for inclusion on UNESCO’s 2006 World Heritage list of endangered cultural heritage. Over 700 national delegates and nongovernmental organization (NGO) members attended the meeting, which added 29 cultural sites and five natural sites to the heritage list. /Hurriyet/

MODERATE QUAKE INJURES 11 IN ELAZIG
A moderate earthquake injured 11 in the city of Elazig in southeastern Turkey yesterday. The 5.5-magnitude quake caused panic but no casualties, and damaged a half-dozen homes and a mosque. /All Papers/