ERDOGAN TO ADDRESS COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to travel to Strasbourg, France today at the invitation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). During his three-day visit, he is expected to address PACE’s General Assembly and meet with representatives of the Turkish community in France. In related news, Erdogan met yesterday with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and bureaucrats dealing with the European Union to discuss the EU Commission progress report on Turkey set for release tomorrow. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN: “THE OSCE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO WORLD PEACE”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that cooperation between the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) with NATO, the European Union and the United Nations could contribute to both regional and world peace. During his meeting with US Congressman Alcee Hastings, who also serves as president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Erdogan said that the situation in Iraq was deteriorating and urged the OSCE to work more closely with other international organizations in the region. Stressing that Turkey’s relations with the US were not limited to just the issues of Iraq and terrorism, the premier underlined that it would be wrong to associate terrorism with any one religion. For his part, Hastings stated that the US had lent support for Turkey’s EU membership for a decade, adding that the Bush administration’s support would continue. /Turkiye/
TRNC TO BE REPRESENTED AT COUNCIL OF EUROPE ASSEMBLY
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution yesterday allowing Turkish Cypriot parliamentarians to participate in all of its sessions. The decision came a day before Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s scheduled address to the PACE General Assembly in Starsbourg. Though political circles said that that decision didn’t amount to recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), they added that it was still politically important as it enables Turkish Cypriots for the first time to be represented independently via their own elected representatives in a European institution. TRNC Premier Mehmet Ali Talat hailed the decision, saying, “This is an important step towards the world understanding Turkish Cypriots.” /Turkiye/
GUL: “THERE SHOULD BE NO SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR TURKEY’S EU BID”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul reiterated yesterday that there should be no special condition for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Speaking at a press conference, Gul said, “There are current conditions for all members. There should be no special conditions for Turkey.” He stressed that he believed the EU Commission progress report on Turkey set for release tomorrow would take into account Ankara’s recent reforms. “We cannot accept unfairness,” added Gul. /Aksam/
CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF: “THE MILITARY MUST CHANGE IN LINE WITH THE DEMANDS OF THE MODERN ERA”
Addressing yesterday’s new school year ceremony at the War Academies Command, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok stated that the military must develop new strategies and keep pace with developments of the modern era in order to be able to deal with newly emerging global threats. “We must educate our soldiers in line with the requirements of the information society,” said Gen. Ozkok. “Old methods and strategies are obsolote. We must adopt new ones to tackle new threats which are spreading around the globe like viruses.” /Star/
SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER: “WE’LL WELCOME TURKEY INTO THE EUROPEAN UNION”
Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds, who is set to pay an official visit to Turkey tomorrow, yesterday stated that Oslo was pushing for Turkey’s EU membership bid. “Turkey has recently made significant reforms on its path towards EU membership,” said Freivalds. “I’ll discuss with my counterpart Abdullah Gul such important issues as the Middle East, Cyprus and Iraq. Although Turkey still has certain shortcomings in human rights, and particularly women’s rights, the Turkish government has managed to make good progress towards its goals. Therefore, we welcome Turkey’s accession to the Union.” /Star/
GERMAN CHANCELLOR SCHROEDER: “TURKEY WILL FULLY ADOPT EUROPEAN VALUES”
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder yesterday said that Turkey would become an indispensable part of European security policy in the future by fully adopting European values. Reiterating that he supported Turkey’s membership bid, the chancellor added that the European Commission must keep the promises that it made to Ankara. /Star/
INCOMING ENLARGEMENT COMMISSIONER: “THE EU SHOULD MONITOR TURKEY DURING MEMBERSHIP TALKS”
Olli Rehn, the incoming European Union commissioner for enlargement, said yesterday during any membership talks the EU should closely monitor Turkey on a number of issues, including human and minority rights and the rule of law. Addressing the European Parliament, Rehn said that if Ankara fulfills the Copenhagen criteria, it should be admitted to the EU. “We should keep our promise about Turkey,” he said. In related news, new EU Commission President Manuel Barroso said yesterday that Turkey’s EU membership should be the subject of serious discussion. /Milliyet/
FILORI: “THE EU COMMISSION WILL LAY DOWN A VERY CLEAR PROPOSAL FOR TURKEY”
Christophe Filori, the spokesman for outgoing European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, said yesterday that the European Commission’s progress report on Turkey due out tomorrow would include a very clear and detailed proposal for Turkey. Asked if another proposal in the draft report to limit an influx of Turkish immigrants to Europe was in line with EU law, Filori said, “I have no idea. I’m not an expert on this matter.” /Aksam/
CAKICI TO BE EXTRADITED TO TURKEY
An Austrian district court ruled yesterday to extradite Alaattin Cakici, an indicted organized crime leader, to Turkey. Cakici said that he would not exercise his right to appeal the decision. Cakici, 51, was captured in his car near the southern Austrian city of Graz on July 14 in a joint operation by Turkish intelligence and the Austrian police. He has since been incarcerated in a cell for criminals slated for extradition. /All papers/
AGAR: “THE EU SHOULD KEEP ITS PROMISE ON TURKEY’S EU BID”
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar said that the European Union should keep its promise on Turkey’s EU membership bid. “The criteria for Ankara shouldn’t be different from those for other candidates,” he added. “Ankara has done its best for the nation’s EU bid.” /Turkiye/
ARINC RENOMINATED FOR PARLIAMENT SPEAKER POST
On the fourth day of applications for the post of Parliament speaker, current Speaker Bulent Arinc was renominated by ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies. Under parliamentary regulations, applications for the post can be filed until tonight at midnight. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN: “THE EU WILL BRING HISTORIC OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPORTERS”
Addressing the opening of Istanbul’s Seventh Foreign Trade Week via videoconferencing, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday expressed his belief that the December EU summit would be a milestone for the Turkish business world. “The EU will bring historic opportunities to everyone in the business world,” he said. “You should use these opportunities well. Our government is currently making an all-out effort to improve our foreign trade policy in line with our country’s strategic interests.” Stating that Turkey had fulfilled almost all the Copenhagen criteria, Erdogan added, “We now have only one goal and expectation, namely starting membership negotiations as soon as possible and becoming a full EU member.” The EU is set to decide on starting Ankara’s talks at its December summit. /Hurriyet/
BABACAN MEETS WITH WB PRESIDENT WOLFHENSON
State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan, who is currently visiting Washington to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, yesterday met with WB President James Wolfenshon. Babacan later told a press conference that Turkey was planning to submit its three-year economic program to the European Union before Dec. 1. “We’re aiming to reach a standby deal with the IMF before the December EU summit where a decision on Turkey’s membership negotiations is to be announced,” he said. ”The ninth and 10th reviews [of Ankara’s program] by the IMF were cancelled. The loan will be transferred to a new standby deal to be concluded with the Fund.” /Sabah/