LEBANESE PRESIDENT SULEIMAN VISITS ANKARA
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman yesterday visited Turkey, in the first such visit in 54 years. After meeting with Suleiman, President Abdullah Gul told a joint press conference that Turkey supports Lebanon in the areas of education and health. Saying that Turkey will send election observers for Lebanon's June 7 general elections, he added that they had discussed the Palestine issue and regional issues. Afterwards, Suleiman met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with Public Works and Housing Minister Faruk Ozak also in attendance. /Cumhuriyet/
ERDOGAN: "STIRRING UP THE JUDICIAL PROCESS ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING"
Speaking at his ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke about the ongoing Ergenekon probe, saying, "Let the judiciary and the legal system operate." He added, "Stirring up the process accomplishes nothing. It's irresponsible to paint this process as tied to politics and the government." Touching on Turkish-Azeri relations, Erdogan said, "Unfortunately, some in Turkey have tried to exploit our talks with Armenia. This is very regrettable. The ruling AK Party's views on Azerbaijan are clear. It is a national cause." /Milliyet/
SWEDISH PM REITERATES FIRM SUPPORT FOR TURKEY'S EU ACCESSION BID
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt arrived in Ankara yesterday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. After being welcomed by Erdogan by an official ceremony at the Prime Ministry, Reinfeldt and Erdogan spoke on issues such as Turkey's European Union accession bid, the global economic crisis and environmental issues. Speaking to a joint press conference afterwards, Reinfeldt said that his country fully supports Turkey's EU accession bid. "Turkey, an important part of Europe, carries great importance for the EU," he said. For his part, Erdogan said, "Nearly 100,000 Turks live in Sweden, more than one-fourth of them from the Kulu district of the central Anatolian province of Konya. As part of his visit, my friend Reinfeldt first visited Kulu, and this brought a different meaning to his visit to Turkey." Erdogan also urged EU countries to give more support to Turkey's EU accession bid. In Kulu, where almost everyone has a relative living in Sweden, Reinfeldt had stressed that the EU cannot ignore Turkey's power, adding that the 27-member bloc needs Turkey as much as Turkey needs the EU. There is a great distance between Turkey and Sweden, but we have elements in common and sound ties, he said. Many Turkish migrants from Kulu immigrated to Sweden in the 1960s to find work. Reinfeldt's visit comes ahead of Sweden's assumption in July of the EU's rotating term presidency. Erdogan yesterday hosted a dinner in honor of his Swedish counterpart, who is expected to meet with President Abdullah Gul today. /Sabah/
ERDOGAN VISITS TOPTAN TO PUSH FOR CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday visited Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan to speak about proposed constitutional changes in the wake of last month's local elections. Toptan is expected to visit political parties in Parliament to seek their support for the changes. Toptan will also reportedly form a commission including all the parties in Parliament as part of this initiative. /Star/
TURKEY-EU TROIKA MEETING HELD
A semi-annual Turkey-European Union Troika meeting was held yesterday in Prague, the Czech Republic, which holds the EU's rotating term presidency. Chaired by Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, the meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, chief negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country next holds the Union's term presidency. The meeting focused on Turkey's EU reform process and membership talks, energy security, regional and international issues such as the Middle East peace process, the South Caucasus, Pakistan and India. Speaking to a joint press conference after the meeting, Rehn said that they are aware of the strategic interests the EU and Turkey share, adding that they had the chance to discuss those interests during the meeting. /Turkiye/
BAYKAL URGES PRESIDENT GUL TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN
Speaking at his party's parliamentary group meeting, main opposition Republican People Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday continued to criticize the government on recent detentions and arrests under the Ergenekon probe. Also touching on recent tension between Turkey and Azerbaijan over the prospect of normalized relations with Armenia, Baykal urged President Abdullah Gul to visit his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev. He also said that he too is ready to go to Azerbaijan to ease the tension between the two countries. "Solving the problems between our countries is very important for Turkey," he added. /Aksam/
BAHCELI: "THE MHP WILL CONTINUE TO DEFEND THE TRNC IN EVERY AREA"
Speaking at his party's parliamentary group meeting yesterday, opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli spoke about economic woes and last Sunday's parliamentary elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Bahceli said the MHP will continue to defend the TRNC in every area. Criticizing government economic policies, he claimed that the government has lost control of the economy and that unemployment will soar. In related news, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matt Bryza and US Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey yesterday paid a surprise visit to MHP Deputy Chairman Oktay Vural. They talked about Organization for Cooperation and Development's (OSCE) Minsk process, which aims to find a solution to the Nagorno-Karabagh issue, as well as US President Barack Obama's recent visit to Turkey. /Star-Milliyet/