SEZER APPROVES NEW TCK
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday approved the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and sent it to the Prime Ministry for approval. The recently passed code includes sweeping reforms to the previous, 78-year-old one. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN HERALDS “NEW BEGINNING” FOR THE NATION
The nation stands on the threshold of a new beginning, said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday at a conference on “Turkish Local Administrations and the EU” organized by the Ankara Greater Municipality. “We want the European Union to consider Turkey a future member, not a burden,” Erdogan added. “We believe the EU’s December summit will be a beginning not only for Turkish-EU relations, but also for a new world.” Erdogan stressed that some elements in the European Commission’s Progress Report on Turkey violate the principle of equal treatment of candidate states. “We expect the EU to correct those elements in its decision in December, and we want to believe that Turkey will not face any discrimination,” he added. /Hurriyet/

CICEK: “WE’VE FULFILLED THE EU POLITICAL CRITERIA AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR NOT BEGINNING OUR TALKS”
Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that since Turkey had fulfilled all of the political criteria of the European Union, there was no reason for the EU not to begin Ankara’s accession talks. /Turkiye/

BAYKAL: “BEFORE THE DECEMBER EU SUMMIT, THE GOVT AND OPPOSITION SHOULD WORK HARD AND HAVE A SERIOUS PLAN”
Speaking in Trabzon yesterday, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that before the December European Union summit, where it is to decide on starting Turkey’s accession talks, the government and the opposition should work very hard and formulate a serious plan. Last week Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan proposed that Baykal accompany him to the Brussels summit, a proposal which the CHP leader welcomed. “Everyone should do their best for Turkey’s EU bid,” said Baykal. He stressed that he believed they should work to change certain EU positions intended to stifle Turkey’s bid. /Milliyet/

BRITISH EU MINISTER: “I’M SURE THE EU WILL DECIDE THIS DECEMBER TO BEGIN ANKARA’S ACCESSION TALKS”
British Minister for European Affairs Dennis MacShane said yesterday that he was sure that the European Union would decide at its December summit to begin Ankara’s accession talks. “Our government has no doubt that Turkey will be given a date to begin talks,” said MacShane, adding that the atmosphere concerning Turkey’s EU bid was positive. /Milliyet/

CHIRAC PREDICTS TURKEY WILL JOIN THE EU WITHIN 10-15 YEARS
French President Jacques Chirac Jacques Chirac yesterday predicted that Turkey would join the European Union within 10 or 15 years, adding that the EU Commission’s recent progress report would weigh heavily on the December decision whether or not to begin Ankara’s accession talks. Chirac added, however, that the French nation would weigh in on Turkey’s EU bid in a referendum. /Turkiye/

EU’S PATTEN: “I WELCOME THE EU REPORT PROPOSING BEGINNING ANKARA’S ACCESSION TALKS”
Chris Patten, the commissioner for external relations of the European Union, said yesterday that he had welcomed last week’s historic European Union Commission report proposing beginning Ankara’s accession talks. He predicted that with Turkey’s membership, Europe would become more influential in the Middle East and Asia. Patten also criticized French proposals to subject Turkey’s bid to a referendum. /Turkiye/

ANKARA WARNS BARZANI
Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani yesterday met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Ankara. Gul and Erdogan cautioned Barzani to be more careful what he says, citing in particular his statements that he believes the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk is the heart of “Kurdistan” and that he is ready to contend over this. The Turkish side also reiterated warnings over attempts to upset the delicate demography of Kirkuk. During the meetings, Turkish officials also warned Barzani not to give shelter to the terrorist group PKK in northern Iraq and not to prevent the opening of a second Turkish-Iraqi border gate. /Hurriyet/

ANOTHER TURKISH WORKER SLAIN IN IRAQ
An Iraqi group with ties to Al Qaeda yesterday killed a Turkish worker, Mahir Kemal, who was kidnapped last week in Iraq. In addition, another group calling itself Tawhid and Jihad threatened yesterday to behead a Turkish hostage unless the United States releases all Iraqi prisoners and all Turkish nationals leave Iraq. /Turkiye/

PEKER SURRENDERS
Sedat Peker and his brother, who have been wanted since Saturday, surrendered yesterday in Istanbul. Alleged mafia boss 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, but he was later released by a Night Court judge before a new warrant was issued hours later. /All Papers/

CEM UZAN SENTENCED TO PRISON
Young Party (GP) leader Cem Uzan was sentenced yesterday by the Bursa Third Criminal Court to serve eight months in prison and pay TL 694 million for insulting Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a campaign rally last year in Bursa. Uzan’s lawyer said that he had filed an appeal against the court decision. /Turkiye/

TURKISH BUSINESSMEN VISIT TRNC
A delegation from the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) is currently paying a visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to hold a series of contacts with TRNC officials, including Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat, Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas and TRNC business leaders, in order to boost trade relations. Furthermore, another 50-member delegation from the Istanbul Chamber of Trade (ISO) returned yesterday to Turkey from a TRNC visit. Stressing that the TRNC had a bright future in the construction and tourism sectors especially, ISO Chairman Tanil Kucuk told reporters that many opportunities awaited Turkish businessmen in the TRNC. /Turkiye/

IMF DELEGATION ARRIVES IN ANKARA TO DISCUSS TAX REFORM, BUDGET, AND STANDBY AGREEMENT
A visiting delegation from the International Monetary Fund led by IMF Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam arrived in Ankara over the weekend to discuss a number of issues, including next year’s budget, tax reform and a possible standby agreement between Turkey and the Fund. The delegation yesterday met with Finance Ministry Undersecretary Hasan Basri Aktan and State Planning Organization (DPT) Undersecretary Ahmet Tiktik and discussed a number of issues. The delegation is expected to leave Turkey on Oct. 26. /Aksam/