ERDOGAN VISITS RIZE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to the Black Sea city of Rize over the weekend to attend a series of openings. Addressing a crowd, Erdogan stated that his Justice and Ruling Party (AKP) government was working to provide equal health services to the entire country. He stressed that general health insurance and family medicine were on track for next year. Concerning Turkey’s European Union bid, the premier said that the December EU summit where Ankara’s EU accession is to be discussed would be a turning point for the nation. /Turkiye/
PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON SENDING FORMER MINISTERS TO STATE SUPREME COURT
Parliament is set tomorrow to debate whether to send former Public Works and Housing Ministers Koray Aydin and Yasar Topcu to the State Supreme Court. The General Assembly will vote individually on a Parliament investigation commission’s recommendation that the ministers be tried at the Supreme Court over corruption allegations during their terms in office. /Turkiye/
SYRIAN FM TO MEET WITH SEZER, GUL IN ANKARA
Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara is due to arrive today in Ankara for a two-day official visit. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul are expected to meet separately with al-Shara to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations, regional issues, the Middle East peace process, and an Iraq summit to be held in Eygpt on Nov. 23-24. /Cumhuriyet/
TWO TURKISH DRIVERS KILLED IN IRAQ
In an attack yesterday in Samara, northern Iraq, a Turkish truck driver was burned to death in his tanker. Another was killed on Saturday on the Mosul-Baghdad highway. /Turkiye/
GREEK DEPUTY FM: “WE STAND WITH GREEK CYPRUS, AND WILL SUPPORT TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP BID”
Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yannis Valinakis said yesterday that Athens and the Greek Cypriot government were as one concerning their stance on Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Speaking to Greek daily Elestheros Tipos, Valinakis said that last month’s EU progress report on Turkey had discussed some issues concerning Greece, adding that the Dec. 17 EU summit would mark the beginning of a long process. At that summit the EU is to decide whether or not to begin Ankara’s accession talks. “We will support Turkey’s EU membership bid,” stated Valinakis. He added that he believed that the EU was a catalyst which would radically change the region. /Cumhuriyet/
GERMAN AMBASSADOR SEES ALAWITE RITES
German Ambassador to Ankara Wolf-Ruthart Born yesterday witnessed two ceremonies of Turkey’s Alawite sect, the Cem Rituals and the Semah Dance. Born said it was his first time seeing these rites. “You [Alawites] see yourselves as one of Turkey’s fundamental elements, so you’re not a minority,” said the ambassador, perhaps alluding to the recent controversy over minorities in Turkey. “Germany and Europe both support you,” he added. /Star/
BABACAN CONFIDENT ON INFLATION TARGETS
Turkey is confident about meeting its inflation targets, said Economy Minister Ali Babacan yesterday. “Energy and agriculture prices were high in October,” added Babacan. “This inflation data should be seen as natural.” Babacan predicted that the government wouldn’t have any problem achieving its inflation target for this year. /Turkish Daily News/
UNAKITAN: “THE NEW LIRA WON’T FUEL INFLATION”
Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan yesterday predicted that the new lira set to begin circulating next year would not lead to higher inflation, but he also urged the nation not to be overly exuberant in using the new currency. “I hope people won’t be spendthrift when the new lira begins to circulate,” added Unakitan. /Aksam/