CHILEAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT TURKEY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is set to host his Chilean counterpart Ricardo Lagos, who is scheduled to arrive in Ankara today to pay an official visit. Lagos’ visit will be the first-ever from Chile at this level. During his four-day stay, bilateral and international issues are expected to be taken up with Turkish officials. /Hurriyet/

ERDOGAN: “TURKEY IS PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN CIVILIZATIONS”
There is one road that Turkey can choose as a modern and developed nation, said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an address at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace to the Bogazici University Association over the weekend. “The real struggle is now upon us,” he said. “Turkey is working hard to promote understanding between civilizations. We must cooperate to take the necessary steps on our path, because the cost of failure would be grave not only for us but indeed for all of humanity. We’re trying to prevent any possible clash of civilizations.” /Star/

BARZANI ARRIVES IN ANKARA
In the runup to a population census in Iraq expected to begin soon, Turkish officials called on Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Massoud Barzani to visit Ankara to hold a series of meetings on the situation in Iraq. Barzani arrived in the capital last evening and is set to meet today with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Barzani is expected to be warned mainly about attempts to change the demographic makeup of Kirkuk and recent intelligence concerning cooperation between Kurdish peshmerga and the terrorist group PKK/Kongra-Gel in northern Iraq. /Turkiye/

BAYKAL: “MISGUIDED GOVERNMENT POLICY HAS OPENED UP THE FLOODGATES TO FOREIGN PRODUCERS”
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal over the weekend lashed out at the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) economic policy, accusing the government of opening Turkey’s markets so much that foreign manufacturers can now sell whatever they want without any restrictions, hurting Turkish producers in the process. Baykal said that those who voted for the AKP were now disappointed with it. “The government has failed to find solutions to the problems of farmers, tradesmen and pensioners,” he added. /Sabah

WARRANT ISSUED FOR PEKER’S ARREST
Hours after ordering his release due to lack of evidence, a court issued an arrest warrant for alleged mafia boss Sedat Peker, his brother Atilla Peker and 22 other individuals. Peker and several of his men were arrested last week under charges of forming and being members of criminal organization, aiding and abetting, kidnapping, seizing goods with force, and making false documentation. After a lengthy interrogation, the judge of the 12th Night Court decided to release him early Saturday morning. The police search to find Peker and his associates after the new warrant was issued is continuing. /All Papers/

10 TURKISH HOSTAGES RELEASED IN IRAQ
Arab news network Al Jazeera yesterday reported that 10 Turkish workers taken hostage in Iraq 40 days ago have been set free. It stated that the 10 employees of construction company Vinsan had been released after company officials announced that it was suspending operations in Iraq. /Turkiye/

GREEK CYPRIOT LEADER: “BLOCKING TURKEY’S EU BID WOULDN’T BE EASY”
Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos said yesterday that it wouldn’t be easy to block Turkey’s European Union membership bid. “We will decide at the December EU summit whether or not to veto Turkey beginning its accession talks,” said Papadopoulos, adding that while Greek Cyprus could support Ankara’s EU bid, first certain obligations had to be fulfilled. /Cumhuriyet/

STEFANOPOULOS: “TO GAIN EU MEMBERSHIP, ANAKRA MUST FIRST RECOGNIZE GREEK CYPRUS”
Greek President Costis Stefanopoulos said yesterday that Athens would support Turkey’s European Union membership, adding, however, that there were obligations it had to fulfill under international law, including recognizing Greek Cyprus. “When Turkey becomes an EU member, it will act in accordance with international law,” he said. “Under international law, first Turkey needs to recognize Greek Cyprus.” /Cumhuriyet/

VERHEUGEN: “DESPITE SOME RISKS, TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WILL BE BENEFICIAL”
Speaking to German magazine Der Spiegel for this week’s issue, European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said that despite some risks, Turkey’s EU membership would be beneficial to the Union. “With Turkey’s membership, the EU will play an important role in world politics,” he predicted. Verheugen stressed that the Cyprus issue should be resolved for Turkey to join the Union, adding that the Turkish Cypriots should not be punished for accepting a UN reunification plan earlier this year. /Milliyet/

CHIRAC: “FRANCE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO VETO TURKEY’S ENTRY INTO THE EU”
France reserves the right to veto Turkey's entry into the European Union, French President Jacques Chirac told French state television over the weekend. “The French Parliament would be consulted on the issue of Turkey's membership,” said Chirac. “At any moment France can withdraw, apply a veto, or refuse. We are totally free. It is the French people who have the last say through the method of referendum.” In related news, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said over the weekend that his government was in favor of having a parliamentary debate on Turkey's entry. /Hurriyet/

AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR: “TURKEY’S EU ENTRY MUST BE CONSIDERED VERY CAREFULLY”
In a guest op-ed written for Austrian daily Kornen, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel yesterday urged his fellow European Union leaders to very carefully consider Turkey’s possible entry into the European Union. Schuessel argued that the current data on Turkey was insufficient to fully analyze the impact of its entry, stressing in particular the migration issue and the price tag of Turkish integration. “The cost of Turkey’s entry has been calculated at 10-28 million euros, but nobody knows how to pay for this,” wrote the chancellor. “Turkey’s qualifications are inadequate to start its membership talks but if the EU decides to do so, then the talks must be very open and clear.” Schuessel had previously said that his party would favor beginning talks only if the outcome was something less than full membership. /Sabah/

SENER: “ECONOMIC GROWTH HAS BEGUN TO CREATE JOBS”
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said yesterday that the nation’s high growth rate had recently begun creating new jobs and bringing down unemployment. “Unemployment began to fall in the second half this year,” he stated. “If this trend continues, we will have fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria concerning unemployment.” Sener stated that Turkey was among the world’s 20 largest economies. Touching on the current accounts deficit, Sener predicted that it would fall by the end of this year. He also predicted that Turkey would attract $2 billion in foreign capital by year’s-end. /Turkiye/

ANTALYA HOSTING WATER CONFERENCE
Water issues in the Middle East will be the subject of an international conference beginning today in Antalya. In addition to Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Güler, over 150 experts from Middle Eastern countries, Turkey and Europe are expected to attend the meeting. /Turkiye/

“YAZI TURA” WINS GOLDEN ORANGE AWARD
The 41st Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival concluded yesterday with an awards ceremony. Director Uger Yucel’s “Yazi Tura” (Heads or Tails) was chosen the best full-length film of the year.

100,000 RUN ISTANBUL MARATHON
The 26th Eurasian Marathon was held in Istanbul over the weekend with the participation of some 100,000 runners from around the world. Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin and Greater Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas started the race. Kenyan runner David Kiptanui and Russian Swetlana Demidenko won the marathon in the respective men’s and women’s categories. /Sabah/