GUL TO VISIT KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN NEXT WEEK
President Abdullah Gul will start a tour of Central Asia next week, visiting Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Gul is scheduled to visit Kyrgyzstan next Friday, where he will meet with his Kyrgyz counterpart Kurmanbek Bakiyev and then proceed to Dushanbe, Tajikistan to meet with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon. Economic cooperation and expanding business ties are expected to be the main focus of Gul, who will be accompanied by a group of businessmen in his Central Asia trip. Gul and Rahmon will reportedly discuss ways to increase the existing trade volume between the two countries. He will also meet with Turkish businessmen operating in Tajikistan. /Today's Zaman/
FM DAVUTOGLU MEETS WITH TRNC'S OZGURGUN
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday met with his Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) counterpart Huseyin Ozgurgun in Ankara. During the gathering, Davutoglu reiterated Turkey's support to the TRNC and underlined the importance of intensifying the negotiation process and efforts to find a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem. Davutoglu criticized the relation of Turkey's European Union membership to the recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration, saying that the EU doesn't keep its promises. For his part, Ozgurgun said that "motherland" Turkey's guarantorship is a "sine qua non," for Turkish Cypriots. /Star/
FM DAVUTOGLU TO ATTEND OIC MEETING
A delegation headed by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will attend the 36th Session of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Foreign Ministers Council to be held in Damascus, Syria on Saturday. Regional and international issues will be discussed at the meeting. /Hurriyet Daily News/
SLOVENIAN TURK: "SLOVENIA WILL STRONGLY SUPPORT TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP"
The Turkey-Slovenian Business Forum, jointly organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) and the Turkish-Slovenian Business Council was held in Istanbul yesterday, with Slovenian President Danilo Turk also in attendance. Speaking at the meeting, Turk said that Turkey and Slovenia got closer in the recent past. Stating that Turkey strongly supported Slovenia's United Nations and NATO membership, he added, "We can never forget Turkey's support, and Slovenia will strongly support Turkey's EU membership." Stressing that Slovenia is currently a medium economic power in the EU, Turk said that they wanted to become one of the most developed countries in the EU. He expressed his hope to promote their relations with Turkey, and called Turkey a super power in terms of tourism. "Every year, the number of Slovenians visiting Turkey increases," Turk said. /Hurriyet/
LULA DA SILVA CALLS FOR STRONGER TURKISH-BRAZILIAN RELATIONS
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is paying a three-day official visit to Turkey, the first-ever of its kind, at the invitation his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, addressed a meeting of Turkish-Brazilian Business Council in Istanbul yesterday, which was held by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK). Stressing that Turkey is a country of the utmost importance for the world, Lula Da Silva called for stronger relations between Turkey and Brazil in all areas, including bilateral trade ties. Considering the huge trade potential of the two countries, the current Turkish-Brazilian bilateral trade volume is very low, and needs to be remarkably improved, he said. Talking about his country's social and welfare policies, he said, "Along with our policies to expand trade ties with the rest of the world, we also took decisions to take care of those in need in the country." Lula Da Silva also talked about the possible cooperation areas with Turkey, and saying that Brazil's state-owned oil drilling company Petrobras would invest in Turkey to explore oil in the Black Sea. Praising the potential of the two countries, he concluded his address with a message to Turkish businesspeople: "Turkey, with 72 million and Brazil, with 190 million people, are two emerging countries with many things that they still have to build, so let us do it together." Also speaking at the meeting, Brazilian Industry and Trade Minister Miguel Jorge said Brazil, the third largest jet aircraft producer in the world, could work with Turkey to produce jets. He said that bilateral trade volume between the two countries climbed from $22 million in 1999 to $1.5 billion in 2008, adding that Brazil was ready to become one of Turkey's leading trade partners. Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek addressed the meeting as well. Stating that Brazil is Turkey's biggest trade partner in Latin America, Simsek said, "But the current bilateral trade volume between the two countries was below the desired level." Calling on Brazilian businessmen to take advantage of Turkey's unique geographical location, he said Turkish and Brazilian firms could cooperate in several industries, particularly the automotive, household appliance, textile and agriculture sectors. In related news, Lula Da Silva is expected to proceed to Ankara today, where he will be welcomed by President Gul with an official ceremony at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. As well as holding official talks with his Brazilian counterpart, Gul will also host a dinner in honor of the visiting Brazilian president. Playing in leading Turkish football clubs such as Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Galatasaray, several Brazilian footballers are also expected to attend this dinner. /Turkiye-Hurriyet/
TURKEY IS AT 7TH PLACE ON THE EUROPEAN INTERNET LEAGUE
A recent report released by Internet World Stats revealed that 26.5 million people out of 75.7 million in Turkey are internet users. According to revealed figures 35% of Turkish people are shown as active internet users. These figures carried Turkey to seventh place on the European internet league. /Milliyet/
UKRAINE'S SHAKHTAR DONETSK WINS LAST UEFA CUP IN ISTANBUL
Brazilian Jadson struck an extra-time winner to secure Shakhtar Donetsk a 2-1 victory over Werder Bremen in the last UEFA Cup final at the Fenerbahçe Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Istanbul on Wednesday. Jadson's first-time shot from Darijo Srna's cross seven minutes into the first extra period squirmed under keeper Tim Wiese and Shakhtar became the first Ukrainian team to win a major European trophy since the break up of the Soviet Union. Shakhtar was the third former Soviet club to win the UEFA Cup in five seasons following victories for CSKA Moscow in 2005 and Zenit St. Petersburg last year. "It was important not to allow Werder to play to their style, we controlled the game and we created most of the chances," Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucesu told reporters. Also Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko were at the stadium to watch together the game. UEFA President Michel Platini joined them as well. The UEFA Cup will become the Europa League next season, a revamped competition UEFA hopes will enhance the image and profile of European soccer's second-tier tournament. /Today's Zaman/