GUL ADDRESSES KYRGYZ PARLIAMENT
As part of his three-day official visit to Kyrgyzstan, President Abdullah Gul yesterday addressed the Jokorgu Kenesh, the Kyrgyz Parliament in Bishkek. In his speech, President Gul said that Kyrgyzstan and Turkey should act as a team in Central Asia and boost their cooperation in all areas. Stressing that the Eurasian geopolitics will determine global balances in the 21st century, Gul said, "On the western end of this geopolitics is Turkey, while Kyrgyzstan is situated on the northern end of this region. Turkey is a NATO member and currently continuing accession talks with the EU. Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). We consider such connections between the two countries as the characteristics highly conducive to boosting and deepening cooperation ties between Turkey and Kyrgyzstan, not limiting them. You are represented in Europe through us, and we're represented in the CIS and the SCO through you. I believe this is important. Turkey and Kyrgyzstan together can play a key role in integration of Europe and Asia." Gul praised the Jokorgu Kenesh, which he said had the potential to lead the democratic development of Central Asia. Gul yesterday also visited the Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Manas University, where he was greeted by a group of students wearing traditional clothes, and attended a ceremony to open a new building at the International Ataturk-Alatoo University (IAAU), where he was greeted by Rector Erol Oral and a group of students. Gul opened up the building for service at a ceremony accompanied by Kyrgyz State Secretary Nuruulu Dosbol and Education Minister Abdilda Musayev. "Kyrgyzstan is our ancestral homeland. We felt home and in our ancestral homeland, while we have been in Kyrgyzstan," Gul said in a speech he delivered at the IAAU, which was founded in 1996. "What matters is not only opening universities, schools, but being in a big competition in education with other schools, and everyone should compete with each other in this competition. It should be a means for reaching a higher educational standard. I'm greatly happy to see that the Ataturk-Alatoo University has an important place in this competition. I congratulate the university administration." After completing his talks in Bishkek, Gul proceeded to Tajikistan for another official visit. /Turkiye/

STATE MINISTER ARINC VISITS ICELAND
State Minister Bulent Arinc yesterday met with Turkish citizens in Reykjavik, Iceland. Arinc will attend the first Media and New Communication Services Ministers Conference held by the European Council today. /Hurriyet Daily News/

GEN. BASBUG TO VISIT US
Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug will visit the US over the weekend as the official guest of his US counterpart Gen. Michael Mullen. Basbug will also attend the 28th Annual Conference on US-Turkish Relations which is set to begin on Sunday. /Cumhuriyet/

BABACAN: "TURKEY WILL BE A MAJOR ECONOMIC POWER BY 2023"
Speaking at a conference entitled "Toward the Turkey of 2023 from the Global Financial and Economic Crisis," organized by the Forum Istanbul yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said, "Signs of recovery in the global economy have become more obvious recently but it is still too early to know whether these signs will be permanent." Stating that the world economy is passing through one of the hardest times it has ever seen, Babacan said, "The problems in international financial markets accompanied by a slowing global economy, sharp drops in demand and production, and contraction in liquidity are affecting Turkey's economy as well. This was unavoidable, considering the level of Turkey's integration with the global economy." But Babacan spoke very hopeful about Turkey's economic performance for the post-crisis period. "When all this mess is over, Turkey will be among the countries with the least amount of debt and the lowest ratio of debt over gross domestic product. Most probably, Turkey will be one of the ten most developed economies of the world by 2023," Babacan said. Touching on the government's efforts to cushion the impact of crisis on Turkey's economy, Babacan said all the relevant institutions are carefully watching the reflections of the global crisis on the Turkish economy, and added that the central bank and the government have not hesitated to take the necessary steps to alleviate the effects of crisis, whenever necessary. The government has launched numerous measures to boost production, employment and consumption and to ensure the continued operation of credit markets, he stressed. Former First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Anne Krueger, Kemal Dervis, the head of the Akbank international advisory board and the former head of the UN Development Program, and high-level economy officials and business figures also attended the meeting. /Sabah/

YILDIZ ATTENDS THE ENERGY MEETING IN IRAQ
Energy Minister Taner Yildiz yesterday attended the meeting in Baghdad, Iraq, with Iranian Energy Minister Parviz Fatah and Iraqi Electricity Minister Karim Wahid al-Hasan also in attendance. Regional cooperation on energy and electricity, and oil and gas deals between the countries were discussed during the meeting. /Today's Zaman/

TURKISH BUSINESS DELEGATION HOLDS TALKS IN KOSOVA
A delegation, led by State Minister for Foreign Trade Zafer Caglayan, yesterday proceeded to Pristina, Kosova after completing their talks in Macedonia. Speaking to reporters after holding talks with Kosovar enterprisers, Caglayan defined their visit as fruitful and said that they made important trade connections. /Aksam/

TUSIAD DELEGATION TOURS CABINET MEMBERS
A Turkish Businessmen's and Industrialists' Association (TUSIAD) delegation led by Chairwoman Arzuhan Yalcyndag yesterday held talks with Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Education Minister Nimet Cubukcu and Labor and Social Security Minister Omer Dincer, first Afterwards, Yalcyndag said that they had discussed the latest developments on economy, domestic and international issues. /Milliyet/