TURKEY COMMEMORATES ATATURK
Republic of Turkey founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who died 66 years ago today at the age of 58, will be commemorated throughout the country and Turkey’s foreign missions abroad. The first state ceremony is set to be held at Ataturk’s mausoleum (Anitkabir) in Ankara, where his body has lain at rest for 51 years, with the attendance of top officials led by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The nation will observe a minute of silence at 9:05 a.m. along with air raid sirens. An open panel featuring speeches by Sezer and Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan will begin at the Turkish Language Institute Conference hall at 10:00 a.m. In addition, yesterday Sezer, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, and various party leaders, including opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, issued messages marking Ataturk’s passing. In his message, Sezer said that in order to protect and preserve Ataturk’s legacy, one needed to constantly guard the independence of the country and the secular republic, adding that Ataturk remained in the hearts and minds of all the citizens, and continued to light the nation’s way forward. /Turkiye/

GUL: “THE EU REPORT PROPOSING THE START OF ANKARA’S ACCESSION TALKS IS PARLIAMENT’S SUCCESS”
Addressing Parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission yesterday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul hailed last month’s historic European Commission progress report, which proposed beginning Ankara’s European Union accession talks, as Parliament’s success. “As a result of Parliament’s sterling performance, the commission proposed beginning our accession talks,” said Gul, adding that efforts were continuing to change unfavorable elements of the report. Touching on the Cyprus issue, Gul stated that Turkey recognizing the Greek Cypriot administration was out of the question. Also touching on the Armenian issue, Gul said that Ankara favored good relations with all countries, but that Armenia was currently occupying 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory. Later, Gul said that the US’ Greater Middle Eastern Initiative (GME) was a sensitive issue. He conceded that the project might have secret aims, but added that if Turkey doesn’t take part, then it could have unwanted results for Ankara. /Aksam/

PARLIAMENT SENDS FORMER STATE MINISTERS TO FACE SUPREME COURT
In separate votes yesterday, Parliament’s General Assembly decided to send two former public works and housing ministers, Koray Aydin and Yasar Topcu, to the State Supreme Court to face trial. Both ministers have been charged with corruption during their terms in office. /Turkiye/

PARLIAMENT COMMISSION WORKS ON NEW CMUK
Continuing its work yesterday on a Penal Procedural Law (CMUK) bill proposing a number of changes to the current law, a Parliament Justice Subcommission approved 182 articles of the bill. One of the controversial articles enables the justice minister to ask the republican prosecutor to open a case. /Turkiye/

TURKISH TRUCK DRIVER KILLED IN IRAQ
A Turkish truck driver was killed yesterday in an attack in Beyci, a town in northern Iraq. His death followed the killing of two other truck drivers last week. /Cumhuriyet/

CRASH REPORT SAYS TRAIN BROKE SPEED LIMIT
An Independent Science Council established by the government to investigate this summer’s train crash in Pamukova yesterday released its final report on the incident. At a press conference, council head Dr. Siddik Yarman said that the 400-page report was the result of three months of work. He said that the 80 kilometers per hour speed limit for trains in the region had been exceeded by the conductors. /Turkiye/

IHT: “EUROPEAN BUSINESS BACKS TURKEY’S EU BID”
European business is supporting the start of Turkey’s European Union membership talks, the International Herald Tribune reported yesterday. “If European business backs Turkey,” wrote the paper, “it does so because Turkey’s strong economic growth of the past three years and the government’s modernization programs, which are opening important trade and investment opportunities, are rooted in the drive for EU membership.” /Star/

ITALIAN OFFICIAL VISITS TURKEY, PREDICTS START TO EU TALKS
Mirko Tremaglis, Rome’s state minister responsible for Italians living abroad, yesterday paid a visit to Izmir. Meeting with Izmir Provincial Governor Yusuf Ziya Goksu and Municipality Mayor Aziz Kocaoglu, Tremaglia said that Italians living in Turkey are very happy and contribute to the nation’s economy. “I have no doubt that the European Union will give Turkey a date for accession talks at its summit next month,” added the Italian official. “Turkey is part of Europe.” /Star/

BARTOLOMEOS GIVES FAST-BREAKING DINNER AT ALMSHOUSE
Fener Greek Patriarch Bartolomeos on Monday gave a fast-breaking dinner for residents of Istanbul’s almshouse. Speaking at the dinner, which 700 people attended, Bartolomeos said that churches, mosques and synagogues coexisting side by side in Istanbul were a concrete symbol of Turkey’s religious tolerance. /Hurriyet/

BABACAN TOUTS RECORD YEAR FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan yesterday predicted that this year could be a record-breaking one for Turkey attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), adding that in the first nine months of 2004, incoming FDI had surpassed $2 billion. Speaking at a conference marking Toyota’s 10th production anniversary in Turkey, Babacan said, “Our government knows that we’re running a marathon,” adding that there were some circles working against it. “However, we’re determined to finish this race.” Babacan said that the government would continue its efforts to improve Turkey’s investment climate. /Aksam/