SEZER, ERDOGAN CONGRATULATE BUSH ON REELECTION
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday sent their congratulations to US President George W. Bush for winning a second term on Tuesday’s election. Pointing to healthy relations between Turkey and the US, the two top leaders stated that they expected those ties would grow stronger during Bush’s second term. They added that Ankara would continue to cooperate with the US in the fight against terrorism. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN TO VISIT LUXEMBOURG, NETHERLANDS SEEKING SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU TALKS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to travel to Luxembourg on Nov. 14 for an official visit. The visit is important since Luxembourg will assume the rotating European Union presidency on Jan. 1. During his stay, Erdogan is expected to meet with Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean Claude Junker and seek his support for Turkey beginning its EU accession talks. In related news, on Dec. 3-4 Erdogan is due to pay an official visit to the Netherlands, the current EU president. /Aksam/

ERDOGAN WARNS AKP COLLEAGUES AGAINST ANTAGONIZING CHIRAC IN LEADUP TO SUMMIT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday warned members of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to steer clear of any statements which might antagonize French President Jacques Chirac in the runup to Dec. 17, the day European Union decision-makers are set to decide on starting Turkey’s EU membership talks. “I believe Chirac will take a positive stance on our membership bid,” said Erdogan. “However, he asked me to understand the problems he’s facing due to domestic opposition to our joining the EU. Therefore, everybody should be careful not to make statements in this period that could bother him. We must show understanding for his problems.” /Hurriyet/

GUL MEETS WITH PORTUGUESE PRESIDENT
Visiting Lisbon yesterday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met with Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio. During their meeting, Sampio lent support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. At December’s EU summit, a date is expected for beginning Turkey’s accession talks. Turkey’s accession process may take as long as Portugual’s, but the important thing is not to be demoralized, counseled the president. Stressing that Turkey was ready for its negotiations, Gul asked the EU to treat Ankara the same as all other candidates. The Turkish foreign minister then met with Portuguese parliamentarians and businessmen and in the late afternoon saw Jose Socrates, the opposition Socialist Party leader. After completing his contacts in Lisbon, Gul proceeded to Brussels to attend EU meetings, where he is expected to see EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen. /Turkiye/

SUNGAR: “THERE ARE PARTS OF THE EU PROGRESS REPORT WHICH WILL COMPLICATE ANKARA’S EU TALKS”
Last month’s European Union Commission progress report on Turkey contains elements which could complicate Ankara’s EU accession talks, yesterday warned Murat Sungar, Turkey’s secretary-general for EU relations. Addressing a conference on Turkey’s EU bid, Sungar reiterated Turkey’s determination for membership. /Cumhuriyet/

FRENCH PARLIAMENT COMMISSION REJECTS EU “SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP” WITH TURKEY IN LIEU OF MEMBERSHIP
The French Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission yesterday rejected a proposal for a European Union “special partnership” with Turkey in lieu of full membership. The proposal, made by the Union for French Democracy (UFD), was voted down during debates on France’s contribution to EU financial aid for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). /Turkiye/

PAPADOPOULOS: “IF ANKARA DOESN’T RECOGNIZE GREEK CYPRUS BEFORE THE EU SUMMIT, WE’LL BLOCK THE START OF ITS TALKS”
Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos yesterday threatened that his government would veto Turkey beginning its European Union accession negotiations if Ankara doesn’t recognize Greek Cyprus by Dec. 16, one day before the EU summit when the Union is to decide on beginning talks. Speaking to reporters before flying to Brussels, Papadopoulos predicted that if Turkey doesn’t “fulfill its obligations” it won’t get a date. “Recognizing Greek Cyprus is Ankara’s obligation not only for us, but also for the EU,” said Papadopoulos, adding that he would discuss the issue in Brussels with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKEY TO TAKE OVER ISAF COMMAND IN FEBRUARY
NATO officials yesterday announced that Turkey is to take over command of the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Afghanistan next February, to be followed by a co-command of Italy, Britain and Spain. Currently the ISAF is commanded by the Eurocorps, an intervention force including troops from Belgium, Spain and Luxembourg. A number of countries including Turkey, the Czech Republic and Romania have agreed to take turns at the command of Kabul airport, said one NATO official. The number of troops to be sent to Afghanistan is to be determined at a NATO meeting on Nov. 23 in Brussels. /Hurriyet/

GERMAN GREENS LEADER ROTH VISITS SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIAN REGION
Germany’s visiting Greens Group leader Claudia Roth yesterday traveled to the southeastern Anatolian province of Sirnak. While there, Roth asked local mayors whether tanks that Turkey purchased from Germany some years ago had been used against civilians. “It’s very important to us that the German tanks were not used against the civilian population,” she added afterwards. Roth and her accompanying delegation then went to the Habur Border Gate where they listened to the complaints and problems of Turkish trucker drivers doing business in neighboring Iraq. /Hurriyet/