PRESIDENT GUL TO VISIT IRAQ NEXT MONTH
President Abdullah Gul is expected to visit Iraq next month, with the exact date undisclosed until the last minute for security reasons. Turkey's Special Envoy to Iraq Murat Ozcelik and Ambassador to Iraq Derya Kanbay met this week with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih to hammer down the details of the visit. Talabani reportedly said Gul's visit is very important for ties between the two countries, adding, "Iraqis see how Turkey places great importance on Iraq." An official Turkish delegation is expected to visit Iraq ahead of Gul's visit. /Cumhuriyet/

ERDOGAN ADDRESSES SIXTH SPORTS COUNCIL IN ANKARA
If young people are not allowed to channel their high spirits into sports, other undesirable alternatives will fill this void, said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday. Addressing the opening ceremony of the Sixth Sports Council, Erdogan stated that countries which have never hosted the Olympics have a disadvantage in the games, adding, "We hope to host 2010 Olympics, so we'll prepare well in terms of infrastructure and human resources." Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Justice Hasan Gerceker, Council of State head Mustafa Birden and Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin also attended the gathering. /Star/

BABACAN: "THE PKK IS ANXIOUS ABOUT OUR TALKS WITH THE N.IRAQI ADMINISTRATION"
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday arrived in Dushanbe, Tajikistan for an official visit. Babacan will meet today with his Tajik counterpart Hamrohon Zarifi to discuss bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments. Babacan will also meet with Turkish citizens and businessmen living and working in the country and later proceed to Kyrgyzstan. Speaking to reporters en route to Tajikistan, Babacan said that starting direct talks with the regional administration in northern Iraq is part of Turkey's strategy to isolate the terrorist PKK in the region, adding that this step is making the terrorist group anxious. He stressed that these talks signal that the issue isn't a Turkish-Kurdish conflict, or one with the regional administration, or about the ethnic origin of people living there. Babacan said what's important for Ankara is the terrorist PKK presence in northern Iraq and the regional administration's stance on this. He urged the regional administration to take more tangible steps and a firm stance against the terrorist group. He also said that the administration should be aware that their interests and the well-being of their people depend on establishing good ties with Turkey. /Turkiye/

ALBANIAN PRESIDENT VISITS ANKARA
Albanian President Bamir Topi yesterday met with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. Afterwards, Gul told a joint press conference that Parliament has just passed a protocol regarding Albania's membership to NATO and that he signed the protocol during his meeting with Topi. Stating that Turkey is working to promote Albania's NATO membership, Gul said, "I hope other countries will do their part before next year's summit so Albania can participate in the summit as a full member." Topi also met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Gul hosted a dinner in Topi's honor at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. /Star/

FORMER SHP LEADER KARAYALCIN MEETS WITH BAYKAL
Former Social Democratic Party (SHP) leader Murat Karayalcin, who gave up the post so he could run for Ankara mayor next March as the candidate of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), yesterday met with CHP leader Deniz Baykal. Afterwards, Baykal told a press conference that he hoped to present Karayalcin as the party's candidate for Ankara Greater Municipality mayor as soon as possible. For his part, Karayalcin said that he work hard to win next year's election. /Cumhuriyet/

TUZMEN: "GROWING FOREIGN TRADE AND INVESTMENTS ARE THE BEST WAY TO COUNTER THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS"
State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen, with his French counterpart Anne-Marie Idrac, yesterday attended a working meeting in Istanbul held by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK). Speaking at the meeting, Tuzmen said that rising foreign trade and investments were the best remedies to the global economic crisis, adding that Ankara recently signed free trade agreements with France, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Montenegro. "Given these agreements, we can say that Turkey is among the countries that will come out of the crisis with minimal damage," Tuzmen said. Turkey, as a safe harbor for investments with an economy in good condition, is one of the chief destinations for foreign investments, he added. Tuzmen and his French counterpart yesterday also attended a Turkish-French Commerce Association ceremony honoring several leading Turkish and French firms for their successful trade between the two countries. Stating that bilateral trade between Turkey and France has risen 70 percent over the last two years, Tuzmen added that trade could rise to $20 billion in the years to come. Touching on the trade deficit between the two countries, Tuzmen also said France is Turkey's sixth-biggest foreign trading partner but Turkey has only a one percent share in France's overall imports. Also speaking at the ceremony, Idrac said many French companies have investments in Turkey and employ thousands of people, adding that they do well in Turkey and expect new French entrepreneurs in the country. Idrac said this shows their confidence in Turkey. She also said that her country stands by Turkey's bid to join the European Union. /Turkiye/