THREE MORE TURKISH DRIVERS KILLED IN IRAQ
Three corpses found north of Baghdad yesterday are reportedly those of three Turkish truck drivers. Two of the bodies were identified as Mecit Yigitbas and Yahya Donmezbas, while the identity of the third has yet to be determined. /Turkiye/
FOREIGN MINISTRY DISCUSSES TURKISH WORKERS’ SECURITY IN IRAQ
Following a number of recent abductions and killings of Turkish workers in Iraq, a meeting of Foreign Ministry officials chaired by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul convened yesterday to discuss the terrorist threat in that country, including attacks on Turkish citizens. After the meeting, a statement condemned the recent wave of terrorist attacks on innocents. Stressing that the meeting had addressed all aspects of the issue, the Foreign Ministry said that a task force would be formed to deal with it in greater detail. The ministry also urged Turkish citizens traveling to Iraq take all available security measures. In addition, yesterday Gul was briefed about the issue of Sudan’s Darfur region by Foreign Ministry officials. Turkey plans to send two planes of humanitarian aid to the famine-stricken region in the near future. /Turkiye/
PUTIN POSTPONES VISIT TO TURKEY DUE TO HOSTAGE CRISIS
Due to the ongoing hostage crisis in his country, Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday postponed his planned three-day visit to Turkey. After a phone call yesterday to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Putin also spoke with Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Stressing his great regret at having to put off the long-planned visit, the Russian leader stated that he wanted to keep his pledge to visit Turkey soon. In addition, Erdogan expressed his sympathies over the hostage crisis at a school in north Ossetia. /Turkiye/
VERHEUGEN: “TURKEY’S PROGRESS REPORT WILL ASSESS WHETHER IT HAS FULFILLED THE COPENHAGEN CRITERIA”
Speaking to German daily Die Welt yesterday, European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, who is soon due to retire, said that this fall’s pivotal EU progress report on Turkey would be fair and objective, adding that the report would assess whether or not Ankara had fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria. He said that there was a variety of views on the European Commission, which issues the report, on Turkey’s EU membership bid, adding that some commission members had reservations about Turkey joining. In related news, Verheugen is due to arrive in Ankara on Sunday for an official visit, during which he is expected to meet with representatives of human rights organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. /Cumhuriyet/
FISCHER: “EUROPE WILL GROW STRONGER WITH TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP”
Speaking to German daily Bild yesterday, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer declared that Europe would be stronger with Turkey’s European Union membership, predicting however that it could take Ankara some 10-15 years to join the Union. “Turkey’s EU membership will contribute to our fight against terrorism,” said Fischer, adding that the nation belonged in Europe. Fischer further praised Ankara’s recent EU reforms and efforts towards membership. /Aksam/
DUTCH FM: “IF THE EU MAKES A POSITIVE DECISION THIS DECEMBER, ACCESSION TALKS SHOULD BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”
Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot said yesterday that if the European Union makes a positive decision on Turkey’s membership bid at its December summit, Ankara’s accession negotiations should begin as soon as possible. Bot stated that his country was waiting for the EU Commission to release its progress report and added that he hoped it would be fair and objective. Netherlands currently holds the EU rotating Term Presidency. /Aksam/
BABACAN BRIEFS GERMAN BUSINESSMEN ON ANKARA’S POLITICAL REFORMS
In Frankfurt yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan briefed a group of German businessmen on Ankara’s political reform process, stressing that the nation expected to get a date from the European Union this December to begin its accession talks. Babacan stated that in the last seven months Turkey had attracted $1.8 billion in foreign capital owing to its economic and political stability and positive investment climate. Also touching on an expected new standby agreement between Ankara and the International Monetary Fund, Babacan added that the program would include structural reforms to reduce inflation further. /Milliyet/
TRNC’S TALAT LAUDS HISTORIC CHURCH SERVICE
In the first Eastern Orthodox church service in Northern Cyprus since the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, some 2,000 Greek-Cypriot Orthodox pilgrims and various dignitaries yesterday packed the Aghios Mamas church in Guzelyurt, in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Despite security fears due to a bomb which exploded outside the church last week, causing minor damage but no injuries, the service went smoothly and peacefully. Over 600 Turkish-Cypriot policemen set up security checks and patted down people entering the venue. TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said that by giving permission to the service, his country had proven to the world that the TRNC is indeed a tolerant and democratic country, contrary to Greek Cypriot assertions. /Star/
UNAKITAN: “TURKEY WILL BE AN ENERGY BRIDGE”
Turkey will serve as an energy bridge between Europe and Asia, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said yesterday in his speech to the Seventh Eurasian Economy Summit. “With the energy markets’ recent focus on Eurasian supplies, Turkey’s importance as a bridge between the two continents is on the rise,” he declared. “Our country must act as a bridge between energy sector users and producers. Neither we nor our neighbors can afford to pass up this opportunity.” /Star/
TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS RETURN FROM MIDDLE EAST
After completing a three-day visit to Israel, a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) delegation yesterday returned to Turkey. Speaking to reporters on the group’s behalf, Omer Celik said that they had held a series of contacts with both Israeli and Palestinian officials. The two sides asked Turkey to play a more active role in the peace process in the region, said Celik, adding that Israeli officials had also conveyed their desire to host a visit of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to their country. /Turkiye/
TUSIAD’S SABANCI: “TURKEY AND RUSSIA MUST SEE EACH OTHER AS POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC PARTNERS”
In his address to Istanbul’s Seventh Eurasian Economy Summit, Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) Board of Directors’ head Omer Sabanci yesterday urged Turkey and Russia to see each other as political and economic partners. Sabanci underlined the importance of Eurasian markets in the world economy, arguing that economically speaking, Europe and Asia should not be considered separately. “The two continents are connected to each other through Eurasia,” he added. “Turkey and Russia, two Eurasian countries, must see each other as friends rather than rivals.” /Hurriyet/