ERDOGAN ATTENDS GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONY IN EDIRNE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended the ground-breaking ceremony for a new Ipekyol-Edirne Production Logistics Center in Edirne. Also present at the ceremony were Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan, Health Minister Recep Akdag, and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Gulen. Addressing the gathering, Erdogan said that he was bullish about Turkey’s European Union membership bid, adding that even if Ankara fails to get a date at next month’s EU summit to begin its accession talks, it would confidently continue its way. Erdogan also praised Turkish entrepreneurs, saying that their good reputation had spread the world over. /Aksam/

DENKTAS: “THE ANNAN PLAN IS DEAD”
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas over the weekend argued that efforts to revive talks on the Annan plan were futile as long as the Greek Cypriot administration is the only legally recognized government on the island. Warning that the idea of federation set out by the UN plan would never work, Denktas added that a confederation which would eventually be transformed into a federation was an idea that might hold promise. /Star/

YASAR OKUYAN ELECTED DTP LEADER
Yasar Okuyan, a former deputy of the Motherland Party (ANAP), was elected leader of the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) yesterday at the DTP’s fourth extraordinary congress. /Milliyet/

TWO TURKISH TRUCK DRIVERS KILLED IN IRAQ
Two Turkish drivers were killed in Beyci, northern Iraq yesterday. Police spokesman Hamid Alvan said that their trucks had been burned. /Milliyet/

TUZMEN VISITS AFGHANISTAN
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, who is currently paying a visit to Kabul, yesterday met with Afghan Trade Minister Seyit Kazimi. After their meeting, Tuzmen said that the two sides had agreed to boost bilateral trade relations as well as joint ventures. Tuzmen also met with the Afghan finance and public works ministers. In addition, he visited Turkish peacekeeping troops deployed in the country and NATO’s representative Hikmet Cetin. /Turkiye/

GONUL TRAVELS TO BELGIUM
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul is to attend a European Union defense ministers meeting starting today in Brussels and tomorrow’s European Defense Congress to be held in Berlin. In addition, Gonul is expected to represent Turkey at today’s Western Europe Armament Group/Western Europe Armament Organization Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels. /Star/

BABACAN: “TURKEY HAS CARRIED OUT CRUCIAL REFORMS”
At a meeting yesterday of G-20 Finance Ministers and national bank governors in Berlin, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan told reporters that in recent years Turkey had carried out a host of crucial reforms which had also been appreciated by other countries. The reforms, he said had enhanced Turkey’s reputation. “The value of a good reputation cannot be calculated,” said Babacan. Stressing that the finance leaders had discussed international economic developments, Babacan said that next year oil prices were expected to fluctuate or move higher while inflation would fall. The economy minister also held a number of bilateral contacts including ones with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Finance Minister Hans Eichel, as well as a meeting with Rodrigo Rato, managing director of the International Monetary Fund. /Turkiye/

IN GERMANY, 25,000 MARCH IN MUSLIM-ORGANIZED DEMONSTRATION AGAINST TERRORISM
Some 25,000 Turkish immigrants and Germans marched through Germany's fourth-largest city, Cologne, over the weekend to condemn terrorism and violence by and against Muslims. The demonstration was organized by a group called the Turkish-Islamic Union. The marchers had two starting points – a mosque and a cathedral – and converged in the middle of the city for the event, whose slogan was, "Hand in Hand for Peace and Against Terror." The interior minister of Bavaria, Guenther Beckstein, and Greens Co-Chair Claudia Roth as well as Marieluise Beck, a government expert on migration, refugees and integration, participated in the rally. Worries about how well Muslims are integrated in German society have resurfaced since the Nov. 2 killing of filmmaker Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands, allegedly by an Islamic radical. A wave of anti-Muslim attacks broke out following the incident, prompting fears that violence could spread over other European countries. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder over the weekend said that Europe must take care to avoid being “dragged into a clash of cultures” by such events. Germany has roughly 3.5 million Muslims, mostly of Turkish origin. /Hurriyet/

ISTANBUL TO HOST CONFERENCE OF EUROPEAN SMEs
The Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MUSIAD) is set to next month to host a meeting in Istanbul of the CEA-PME, the European Confederation of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). New models for SMEs will be discussed at the Dec. 2-4 meeting, which will be chaired by Small and Medium Industry Development Organization (KOSGEB) head Erkan Gurkan. As the government is taking determined steps on the issue, said MUSIAD Chairman Omer Polat, opportunities are rising for European businessmen to get to Turkey’s economy. /Star/

MUMCU WELCOMES 2 PLANNED ISTANBUL HOTELS
Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu yesterday attended a reception announcing plans for two new hotels to be built in Zeytinburnu, Istanbul by France’s Accord Hotel Group. Also present at the reception was Paul Poudade, France’s ambassador to Ankara. Addressing the gathering, Mumcu said that he welcomed the trend of rising foreign investments in Turkey. /Hurriyet/