TOP STATE OFFICIALS UNDERLINE IMPORTANCE OF RULE OF LAW AND DEMOCRACY
As part of his constitutional duty to ensure the regular and harmonious functioning of the organs of the state, President Abdullah Gul yesterday hosted a luncheon for the heads of the legislative, executive and judicial branches at the Foreign Ministry Residence in Ankara. In attendance were Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Deputy Premier Cemil Cicek, Constitutional Court Chief Justice Hasim Kilic, Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Justice Hasan Gerceker, Council of State head Mustafa Birden, Court of Accounts head Mehmet Damar, Court of Jurisdictional Disputes head Ahmet Akyalcin, Military High Court of Appeals head Ahmet Alkis, Military Supreme Administrative Court head Turgut Aribal and Mustafa Ysen, the secretary-general of the president's office. Afterwards, a presidential statement said the top officials had exchanged views on issues related to their respective branches as well as regional and international developments in a sincere atmosphere. "It was emphasized at the meeting that the deepening of democracy, in line with the principle of the rule of law, as well as with basic principles, showing maximum care towards the implementation of procedural legal arrangements, will strengthen Turkey, and ease the overcoming of the challenges we face and enhance the atmosphere of public confidence," the statement said. It also said that president was planning to hold such meetings regularly, as all the participants had found it helpful. /Sabah/
ERDOGAN TO HOLD WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF BASBUG
From now on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug will hold regular weekly meetings, the Prime Ministry announced yesterday. Starting today, Erdogan will meet with Basbug every Thursday to discuss recent developments in Turkey. After completing his weekly meeting with President Abdullah Gul, Basbug will proceed to the Prime Ministry to meet with Erdogan. /Aksam/
BAYKAL CRITICIZES GUL'S LUNCHEON WITH TOP STATE OFFICIALS
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday criticized President Abdullah Gul's luncheon with top state officials, which Gul has pledged to make a regular event. "The heads of judicial bodies meeting with the government violates the division of powers and judicial independence," Baykal told his party's Central Executive Committee (MYK). "Judicial bodies should keep their distance from the government." Baykal also said Gul's initiative was without precedent. /Cumhuriyet/
IN BRUSSELS, CHIEF NEGOTIATOR BAGIS OPTIMISTIC ON TURKISH-EU TIES
At a press conference following his meetings in Brussels, Chief European Union negotiator Egemen Bagis yesterday said Turkish-European Union relations were gaining momentum. Stating that Turkey's EU membership is everyone's project, Bagis said, "I have asked to meet with the leaders of (Turkey's) opposition parties. I will seek their support." He added, "Certainly we cannot be of the same opinion on every issue (with the opposition). After all, the EU is based on a culture of discussion and reaching compromises." /Milliyet/
UN'S BAN URGES EUROPEAN OR TURKISH PRESENCE ON GAZA BORDER
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon believes European Union or Turkish forces should police Gaza border crossings to ensure that weapons cannot be smuggled to Hamas, Britain's Financial Times reported yesterday. "In the absence of Palestinians manning the crossing, then the idea of having a European or Turkish presence (on the border) has to be discussed," said Ban, who was promoting the idea among political leaders in Israel, the Palestinian territories and the other countries. "I think this should happen." /Star/
TUZMEN IN EGYPT TO BOOST TRADE TIES
Accompanied by a large business delegation, State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen yesterday traveled to Egypt as part of efforts to boost trade ties with the country. On his way to Egypt, Tuzmen said that Turkey has been increasingly working to establish new trade connections in alternative markets to recover its losses from falling demand in Europe due to the global economic crisis. "We will strengthen our connections with this country and bring trade relations to higher levels," he said. "Our exports to Egypt have increased fivefold since 2002. We will consolidate and improve upon our success." More than 100 businesspeople from Turkey will hold as many as 2,000 meetings with their Egyptian counterparts in the hope of striking business deals, partnerships and joint ventures. /Turkiye/