ERDOGAN ADDRESSES AKP DEPUTIES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday criticized groups opposed to government plans to give jurisdiction over all state-owned health facilities and services to the Health Ministry. Speaking at his Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) parliamentary group meeting, Erdogan said that under new reforms, all citizens would have health insurance. He added that education, health, justice and security were basic areas of state responsibility and that they should be strong. In related news, certain employee unions, including DISK, KESK, and Turk-Is, yesterday held a demonstration in Istanbul to protest the government’s recent decision regarding Social Security Authority (SSK) hospitals. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN MEETS WITH GERMAN GREENS LEADER
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with visiting German Greens Group Co-Chair Claudia Roth and an accompanying delegation. During their meeting, Erdogan thanked Germany for its positive stance on Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Roth’s Greens is a member of Berlin’s ruling coalition. He also told Roth about Ankara’s recent strides towards harmonization with the EU’s acquis communautaire and its efforts to reduce regional differences and protect the environment. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN, OZKOK VISIT VETERANS AT REHABILITATION CENTER
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday visited the head of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) Rehabilitation and Maintenance Center, Gen. Mehmet Ihsan Ongun. Following the meeting, Erdogan and Ozkok visited veterans receiving treatment at the center. /Turkiye/

GUL RECEIVES GERMANY’S ROTH, SEEKS SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU TALKS IN PORTUGAL
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday received Claudia Roth, German Greens Group co-chair, to discuss a number of issues, including a recent controversial government report on minorities. Gul stated that the report had been discussed by the Human Rights Advisory Board (IHDK). Later, Roth met with Parliament Human Rights Commission Chairman Mehmet Elkatmis. In related news, Gul later travelled to Portugal to seek support for Turkey beginning its European Union accession talks. During his visit, Gul is expected to discuss a number of issues with his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Monteiro, including Turkish-EU relations, bilateral relations, the Cyprus issue, and Iraq. Gul is also expected to meet with Portuguese Prime Minister Santana Lopes and Parliament Speaker Mota Amaral before returning to Ankara tomorrow. /Cumhuriyet/

PARLIAMENT COMMISSION CONTINUES WORK ON 2005 BUDGET
This week Parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission is continuing debates on the 2005 state budget. Yesterday the commission approved budgets for the Office of the President, Parliament, Court of Auditors and Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK). Budgets for the Prime Ministry and related institutions are expected to be taken up during the commission’s meeting today. /Turkiye/

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER KIRKUK
Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug yesterday held a press briefing to give the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TKS) views on recent domestic and foreign developments. Warning that Kurdish groups were trying to transform the Iraqi city of Kirkuk into a Kurdish-dominated province, Gen. Basbug said that Ankara had launched a diplomatic initiative to help resolve the oil-rich city’s problems, tensions which could, he said, spark a civil war in the region. Basbug also criticized the EU definition of “minority” contained in a recent European Commission report on Turkey’s membership bid, arguing that this definition contradicted the provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne. “Turkey is a unitary state,” he said. “This is not open for discussion.” /Sabah/

EU AMBASSADOR TO CYPRUS PLEDGES SUPPORT TO IMPROVE GREEN LINE COMMERCE
The European Union wants to boost commerce along Cyprus’ Green Line border, yesterday said Adrian Van Der Meer, the EU’s Ambassador to the island. “The EU is currently working on a number of regulations governing bilateral commerce between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot administrations along the Green Line,” he added. “I hope that this work will be completed by the end of the year.” Last year the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) unilaterally opened the Green Line border between itself and Greek Cyprus before the latter rejected a UN reunification plan and joined the EU. /Star/