GUL HOLDS A SERIES OF MEETINGS IN NEW YORK
President Abdullah Gul, currently in New York, yesterday met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Among those who attended the meeting were UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe, Turkey's Permanent representative to UN Ambassador Baki Ilkin and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan. Gul met with President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Lebanese President Michel Sleiman at the UN Headquarters. Gul attended the opening session of the High-Level Meeting of the Millennium Development Goals and delivered a speech on a round-table meeting on hunger and poverty. Gul said that Turkey decided to create a strategic fund of $50 million to support the World Food Program of the UN and other assistance programs. In related news, Gul attended a reception hosted by Ilkin at the Turkish House. Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu attended the reception. Gul also met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the Turkish House.
/Turkiye-Milliyet/
BAYKAL MEETS WITH TOPTAN
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday met with Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan. Baykal reportedly explained the reasons why the CHP won't assign members for the conciliation committees to be set up, and said that CHP can support some constitutional changes as long as they are convinced. Pointing to resignation of Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) head Zahid Akman coming up in a fraud case involving the Lighthouse Foundation, a German-based Turkish charity group, Baykal said that CHP has expected Akman would resign. /Aksam/
KILICDAROGLU, FIRAT DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy leader Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat defended himself against claims regarding his trade affairs made by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) parliamentary group deputy leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu in a live debate yesterday in Parliament. Journalist Ugur Dundar moderated the debate, where neither side could claim a clear victory. Following the debate, Kilicdaroglu reiterated that Firat must resign, and Firat repeated that Kilicdaroglu must call himself a slanderer. /Hurriyet/
AKP DEPUTY RESIGNS
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Yozgat Deputy Yasar Ozturk resigned from his party yesterday. Ozturk was known with his close ties with former AKP Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener who resigned from his party to form a new political establishment. Following Ozturk's move, AKP's number of seat in Parliament fell to 338. /Cumhuriyet/
BASBUG HOSTS FAST-BREAKING DINNER FOR MARTYR FAMILIES
Chief of General Staff Ilker Basbug, with his wife Sevil Basbug, yesterday hosted an iftar fast-breaking dinner for martyr families residing in Ankara at the Gazi Officer's club. Many high-ranking military officers, including commanding officers of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), were also in attendance at the dinner. During the dinner, Basbug had conversations with families and also showed close interest in martyrs' children and talked to them. A statement by the General Staff said, "Our martyrs who lost their lives for the Turkish homeland and nation were commemorated with respect and gratitude at the dinner." In related news, as part of the new communication strategy of the General Staff to provide regular and correct information on military issues for media members, the first weekly information briefing for defense reporters of the media will be held today at the General Staff headquarters. /Turkiye-Sabah/
SIMSEK: "TURKEY'S ECONOMY IS LIKELY TO GROW BELOW TREND 2008 AND 2009"
Turkey's economy is likely to grow below trend this year and next mostly as a result of the global financial crisis, State Minister Mehmet Simsek told Reuters on Wednesday. Stating that the impact of the financial crisis on the economy had been diminished by a combination of economic reforms and fiscal discipline, he added, "But it will not escape unscathed. Quite clearly for this year, like last year and possibly next year we may have somewhat sub-trend growth. It is not the end of the world." Simsek defined trend economic growth as being around six percent over the medium to long-term. "In the first half of 2008, the economy grew 4.2 percent, he said. In the second half of the year, he believes growth will be around 4 percent," he added. /Star/
THE FIRST TURKISH-MADE WARSHIP TO BE LAUNCHED TOMORROW
The first Turkish-made warship Heybeliada will be put to sea tomorrow with an official ceremony at Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command. Heybealiada will be launched by Navy Commander Admiral Metin Aytac. The ship was built as part of MILGEM (Milli Gemi) project, Turkish corvette program. It aims to build modern littoral combat warships with indigenous capability and highest technologies. Heybeliada is scheduled to be operational by 2010, when it will start undergoing full sea trials before being officially commissioned. As part of the project, a total of twelve warships (eight corvettes and four frigates) will be built for the Turkish Navy. Some of the warships are also planned to be exported. /Sabah/