GUL RECEIVES MEMBERS OF INDEPENDENT COMMISSION ON TURKEY
President Abdullah Gul yesterday received members of the Independent Commission on Turkey, a group of senior European policymakers currently preparing a report on Turkey's European Union membership bid. Chaired by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, the commission also includes former German State of Saxony Prime Minister Kurt Biedenkopf, Italy's former European Minister Emma Bonino, former Dutch Foreign Minister Hans Vanden Broek, former London School of Economics Dean Anthony Giddens, former Spanish Foreign Minister Marcelino Oreja Aguirre, former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard and former Austrian Foreign Undersecretary Albert Rohan. Turkey's newly appointed State Minister and chief EU talks negotiator Egemen Bagis also attended the luncheon, where Turkey's EU bid and reform process were discussed. /Milliyet/
PM ERDOGAN: "TURKEY'S REACTION AGAINST ISRAEL'S ATTACKS REFLECTS ITS HUMANITARIAN SENSITIVITY"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nebih Berri, who was in Turkey to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (PUOICM) Executive Board convened to discuss the human tragedy in Gaza in the face of Israeli attacks. Erdogan's meeting with Berri focused on the situation in Gaza. During the meeting, the premier said that Turkey's strong reaction against the Israeli air and ground attacks on Gaza reflects its humanitarian sensitivity, adding that Turkey has shown similar sensitivity towards, for instance, the humanitarian crises in Georgia and Sudan. Stressing that Israel is continuing to devastate Gaza despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, Erdogan said Israel airstrikes recently targeted a UN building where hundreds of civilians had taken shelter and a Palestinian Red Crescent hospital providing treatment for hundreds of wounded. "As a nation which faced a similar humanitarian tragedy due to Israeli attacks in 2006, I'm sure the Lebanese people now deeply feel Gaza people's sorrow," he added. Briefing Berri on Turkey's peace efforts, Erdogan said that a privately led Turkish delegation is continuing talks in Cairo with an eye towards reaching a cease-fire as soon as possible. For his part, Berri said Lebanon welcomes Turkey's peace efforts. He thanked Turkey for its 2006 assistance to Lebanon, and for its diplomatic initiatives to end the tragedy in Gaza. In related news, Foreign Ministry officials yesterday expressed Turkey's deep concern over the escalating violence and Israel's latest attacks in Gaza. They said Turkey had noted with great concern Israeli attacks on offices of international organizations and media representatives. While Israel's offensive on Gaza went into its 21st day today, the death toll there topped 1,100, including 355 children, with at least 5,130 people wounded, 400 of them in serious condition. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN TO DISCUSS TURKEY'S EU ACCESSION IN BRUSSELS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to go Brussels on Sunday to discuss Turkey's European Union accession process. His trip, at the invitation of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, will be Erdogan's first visit to Brussels since 1994. Erdogan, who is expected to stay in Brussels until Tuesday, will likely also meet with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering, and other officials from the European Parliament. In addition to Turkey's EU accession process, they will discuss regional and international issues. /Today's Zaman/
BABACAN: "AS LONG AS SOME COUNTRIES TOLERATE IT, ISRAEL'S ATTACK ON GAZA SEEM SET TO CONTINUE"
Israel seems set to continue its attacks in Gaza as long as some countries tolerate this situation, said Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday, on a two-day official visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Speaking to reporters yesterday, Babacan urged the international community as a whole to work to end Israel's attacks. Underlining the importance of a UN resolution for a cease-fire to bring peace between the two sides, he criticized Israel for using weapons indiscriminately during its operation. /Aksam/
UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN DUE IN TURKEY
Amid Israel's continuing attack in Gaza, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is set to visit Turkey today as part of his Middle East tour. Ban will meet separately with President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss recent developments in Middle East. /Star/
GOVT TO ANNOUNCE NEW MEASURES TO FIGHT ECONOMIC CRISIS
The government will announce a new package of measures to help reduce the impact of the global economic crisis, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said yesterday. Among the new measures, Unakitan said, are "unemployment aid," or deliveries of cash to private-sector companies if they keep their workers instead of dismissing them amid the economic downturn. "We will give money to companies instead of encouraging employment by indirect measures, such as a reduction in social security insurance premiums," he said, adding that the funds will be outright grants, not loans. He said specific help will also be announced to support the automotive industry, the engine of Turkey's manufacturing industry, which has been hit by falling foreign demand due to the crisis. Unakitan declined to say more about the new package, but said details would be forthcoming later this month. /Sabah/