GUL TO ATTEND 63RD UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION
President Abdullah Gul yesterday traveled to New York to attend 63rd UN General Assembly session. During the assembly, Gul is expected to hold bilateral talks with fellow UN members to promote Turkey's bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2009-2010. Speaking to reporters en route to New York, Gul stated that he will highlight the importance of Turkey's European Union membership in his speech on the occasion of new legislative session. Touching on the significance of cooperation between ruling and opposition parties during Turkey's full membership process, Gul said that many radical changes will be done in areas such as education and economy. Pointing to his recent visit to Yerevan, Gul noted that a bilateral meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian can be held in New York. Expressing his hopes for solving the problems between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Gul stated that he will visit to Russia to help solving problems in the Caucasus. He added that trust is very important element to solve the disagreements and that the dialogue is a must to build an atmosphere of trust. Gul yesterday had a meeting with UN Development Program head Kemal Dervis, at Turkish House in New York, with Foreign Minister Ali Babacan also in attendance. /Turkiye/
IN ISTANBUL, PM ERDOGAN LAMBASTES CHP
Speaking at his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) regular congress yesterday in Istanbul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan harshly criticized main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. "They slander my name and my deputy Dengir Mir Mehmet Fyrat," said Erdogan. "Mr. Firat pledged to resign if the CHP proves its allegations. But there is no answer yet. This is the CHP's character. They slander first and taint a person." He said, "Those who don't believe in Turkey and trust in the nation see our goals as a vain dream," adding, "This isn't a vain dream." Calling on the CHP not to harm confidence in the country, the premier said, "Don't cast a shadow on the country's stability. If the confidence and stability is damaged, not the ruling party, but the country will lose." /Milliyet/
BABACAN TO MEET WITH RICE
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan is expected today to have a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in New York, where the two are attending the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly. Babacan will also have bilateral talks with a number of foreign ministers attending the gathering. In addition, a landmark trilateral meeting among the top diplomats of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey is also expected to take place in New York this week. /Today's Zaman/
ERGENEKON SUSPECT ERUYGUR RELEASED FOR HEALTH REASONS
One of the Ergenekon probe suspects, retired Gen. Sener Eruygur, who has been kept in a hospital for the last five days due to a hemorrhage in his brain was released yesterday in line with the decision of the Istanbul's 9th High Criminal Court for health reasons. Eruygur's condition is reported to be stable. Eruygur, the retired head of the Gendarmerie General Command and the chairman of the Kemalist Thought Association, was arrested in Istanbul in early July as part of a probe into the Ergenekon criminal network, which is believed to aim to overthrow the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). /Hurriyet/
TUZMEN: "TURKEY WILL BE A SAFE HARBOR FOR FOREIGN CAPITAL AT A TIME OF GLOBAL CRISIS"
Commenting on the impacts of the recent global economic crisis that had originated in the US and spread to the world markets, State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen yesterday said, "If it maintains economic stability, Turkey will be a safe haven for foreign capital at a time of the US-originated global economic crisis." Stressing that a cloud of foreign capital is wandering all around the world at the moment to find safe and reliable places, Tuzmen said, "Turkey is currently one of the safest havens for foreign capital. As long as we preserve our economic stability, we can draw more foreign capital and use this capital inflow to boost Turkey's exports and production." Pointing to the importance of human resources and brain power, the state minister added, "These powers are of great importance in our time. With these powers, we can considerably improve Turkey's exports." /Star/