CHILEAN PRESIDENT MEETS SEZER
Visiting Chilean President Ricardo Lagos yesterday met with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Necdet Sezer. After their meeting, Lagos said that he was pleased to be the first Chilean president to visit Turkey. He also expressed best wishes for Ankara attaining its goal of European Union membership, adding that Turkey and Chile could cooperate in many fields despite the great geographical distance between the two. The visiting leader then met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. In addition, during an inter-delegationary meeting, an accord for cultural exchange was signed. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN: “CYPRUS IS NOT A PRECONDITION FOR EU MEMBERSHIP”
Commenting on Greek President Costis Stefanopoulos’ recent statement that Athens considers resolution of the Cyprus issue a precondition for Turkey’s European Union membership, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday, “The Copenhagen criteria do not include any condition on Cyprus. Such statements hold no interest.” Speaking to reporters before attending his Justice and Development Party’s Executive Board (MYK) meeting, Erdogan stated that Ankara was trying to fully implement the Copenhagen criteria and would continue to do so. /Turkiye/
US JEWISH LEADER: “ERDOGAN CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE QUEST FOR MIDEAST PEACE”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday received a delegation from the American Jewish Committee led by Executive Director David Harris and Strategic Affairs Director Barry Jacobs. During their one-and-a-half-hour meeting, Harris told Erdogan that his group saw Erdogan as a political leader worthy of trust in the quest to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli issue. Erdogan reportedly stated that Turkey attached great importance to forging peace in the Middle East, adding, however, “A psychological and political infrastructure needs to be built before a settlement can be reached.” Furthermore, stressing that Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul could pay a visit to the region when conditions become suitable, Erdogan remarked that the wall being constructed in the West Bank would in no way serve to the cause of peace. /Turkiye/
BAYKAL CRITICIZES PROGRESS REPORT, SAYING IT NEEDS “REALISTIC EVALUATION”
Speaking at his party’s group meeting yesterday, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal criticized last week’s European Union Commission progress report on Turkey, saying that it needs to be evaluated realistically. “The progress report puts obstacles in front of Turkey’s full membership,” he charged. Baykal reiterated that there were certain unacceptable conditions in the report, such as making Ankara’s accession talks open-ended. /Aksam/
AYDIN TOUTS NEW EU MEMBERSHIP INITIATIVE
State Minister Mehmet Aydin said yesterday that following the European Union Commission’s release of its historic Turkey report, Ankara had begun a landmark initiative to introduce Turkish culture and Islam to EU countries. Stressing that a 600-strong team was busy in intensive work in the leadup to the December EU Summit where Ankara expects a date to start negotiations, Aydin said that the prime minister and Cabinet in particular would pay visits to the EU countries to promote Turkey. “We must dispel prejudices,” added the state minister. /Turkiye/
DENKTAS: “MAKING TURKEY’S EU BID CONTINGENT ON CYPRUS IS UNACCEPTABLE”
Speaking to Turkish daily Cumhuriyet yesterday, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said that making a resolution on Cyprus a precondition for Turkey’s European Union membership was unacceptable. His comment followed statements from Greek Cyprus and Athens this week that the Cyprus issue must first be resolved before Turkey can join the EU. Asked how he would react if Turkey recognizes Greek Cyprus, another precondition stipulated by the Greeks, Denktas said that he would not accept this. He added that even though the Turkish Cypriots had accepted the UN’s Cyprus plan, the EU had not kept its promise to end the TRNC’s international isolation. /Cumhuriyet/
BELGIAN PM GIVES SUPPORT FOR BEGINNING TURKEY’S TALKS
Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt yesterday expressed support for Turkey beginning its accession talks with the European Union next year. Addressing his country’s Parliament, Verhofstadt said that he hoped the Union would decide at its December summit to begin talks. /Milliyet/
SCHROEDER: “THE ONLY GOAL OF ANKARA’S ACCESSION TALKS IS FULL EU MEMBERSHIP”
In a guest editorial for German daily Die Welt yesterday, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said that the only goal of Ankara’s expected accession talks with the European Union was the nation’s full EU membership. Schroeder stressed that since Ankara had fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria, last week’s historic EU Commission progress report had recommended beginning its accession talks, adding that his government shared this view and would support Turkey at the December EU summit. Schroeder added that the EU should keep its promise concerning Turkey’s EU bid if Ankara continues to implement its reform program. /Aksam/
GERMAN FM CRITICIZES CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS’ ANTI-TURKEY DRIVE
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer yesterday criticized opposition German Christian Democrat leaders’ recent announcement that they would initiate a petition drive against Turkey’s EU membership bid. “I find their Turkey policy irresponsible,” he said. “Such an initiative will also hurt Turkish citizens living in Germany. Ultra-rightist groups will probably take advantage of such anti-Turkey campaigns, as they pave the way for xenophobia and racism.” /Star/
BARZANI: “KIRKUK IS A SYMBOL OF PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE”
Speaking before leaving Turkey yesterday, Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Massoud Barzani characterized the northern Iraqi city Kirk as a Kurdish city, adding, however, that it was also a symbol of peaceful co-existence. Barzani stressed that he generally had a common stance with Ankara concerning the issue, despite some small differences. /Aksam/
BUREAUCRATS, BUSINESSMEN DISCUSS NATION’S ECONOMY
The Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) yesterday held its third Industry Congress entitled “Harmonization with Global Change.” Addressing the gathering, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said that this year Turkey’s growth was expected to exceed inflation. “The transformation of world markets is accelerating, so those who fail to adapt themselves to recent changes will not survive,” warned Sener. Underlining the importance of speed in business, ISO Executive Council head Tanil Kucuk said that not only the private sector but also the government and bureaucracy must keep pace with the latest developments. For his part, Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TUSIAD) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu underlined the importance of efficiency as the most important criterion for investments. “Ankara must promote home-grown entrepreneurs because we’re living in a new world now, one where local initiatives are more important than central investment programs,” he said. In addition, in an address on “The Impacts of Globalization on Developing Countries,” Martin Wolf of Britain’s Financial Times warned about the negative effects on Turkey of the rapidly growing Chinese economy. He urged Ankara to take advantage of opportunities to improve the nation’s economy in line with the European Union’s economic criteria. /Hurriyet/
EP’S GREENS TO HOLD ISTANBUL MEETING TO PROMOTE TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP BID
The European Parliament’s Greens Group is set to hold a meeting on Oct. 19-21 in Istanbul as a show of support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. The gathering is expected to convey a message to EU leaders that if it succeeds in meeting fully the Copenhagen criteria, Turkey must be accepted into the Union. Greens’ EP Chairman Daniel Cohn-Bendit will attend the meeting, where an “Istanbul Declaration” is expected to be released. Many EU officials, Turkish government ministers, writers and thinkers as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will come to Istanbul for the gathering. /Sabah/
GREEK PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS: “TURKISH ENTRY WILL PROMOTE PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE BALKANS”
Greek President Costis Stephanopoulos yesterday stated that Turkey’s entry into the European Union would be beneficial not only to the country itself but also to the neighboring Balkan region. “Turkey’s EU membership is very important because it will lend peace and stability to the Balkan countries,” he said. In related news, Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov suggested that his country should join forces with Turkey, Greece and Romania in a regional alliance to promote Balkan development. /Sabah/
GERMANY EXTRADITES ISLAMIC MILITANT KAPLAN TO TURKEY
German-based militant Muhammed Metin Kaplan, a longtime fugitive from Turkish justice, was extradited to Turkey yesterday, hours after a German court approved his extradition. Kaplan will face treason charges for allegedly trying to destroy Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. Germany has outlawed Kaplan's Caliphate State group, which calls for the overthrow of Turkey's secular government and its replacement with an Islamic state. Kaplan's extradition was made possible after Ankara abolished the death penalty and assured the German government that Kaplan would get a fair trial. /Sabah/