GUL: “BEFORE ANY RECOGNITION OF GREEK CYPRUS, FIRST THE ISLAND’S ISSUES MUST BE RESOLVED”
In a press conference yesterday after returning from Slovenia, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that the Cyprus issue was a part of Turkey’s European Union membership process and that the government had a strategy on the issue. Gul stressed that it would be beneficial to evaluate the issue before this month’s EU summit in a meeting in Ankara next Tuesday, with Turkish Cypriot leaders in attendance, chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Gul further stated that first the Cyprus issue must be resolved before any recognition of Greek Cyprus could be considered. /Aksam/

PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE PENAL BILL; CHP PLEDGES SUPPORT
Following its passage by the Justice Commission, the full Parliament is set today and tomorrow to debate a crucial Penal Procedural Law (CMUK) bill with an eye to passing it prior to the Dec. 17 European Union summit. The government is citing the CMUK bill as a major improvement for Turkish law and a crucial step in Ankara’s process of harmonization with EU norms. In related news, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek yesterday visited opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal to seek his support for the bill. After the meeting, Baykal told reporters that his party would cooperate with the government to pass the measure. /Turkiye/

EP PRESIDENT, BELGIAN FM VISIT TURKEY
European Parliament President Josep Borrell and Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht yesterday arrived in Ankara to discuss Turkey’s European Union membership bid in the runup to the Dec. 17 EU summit, when the Union will decide whether or not to begin Turkey’s accession talks. Borrell is expected to meet with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. For his part, De Gucht is also expected to meet with Gul to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations, regional and international issues, and this month’s EU summit. /Cumhuriyet/

DUTCH FM: “ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS FOR TURKEY’S EU TALKS REFLECT POLITICAL REALITY”
Bernard Bot, the foreign minister of European Union Term President the Netherlands, said yesterday that he sees additional conditions for Turkey’s EU talks to go forward as “reflecting Europe’s political realities.” Speaking to daily Dutch NRC Handelsblad, Bot stated that even if the Union decides at its summit this month to begin Ankara’s accession talks, this wouldn’t mean that Turkey will join EU the anytime soon, adding that prudence should be the watchword on Ankara’s EU bid. /Milliyet/

IRAQ’S NEIGHBORS MEET IN IRAN
During a two-day meeting in Tehran, Iran earlier this week, the interior ministers of Iraq’s neighbors – Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan and Egypt – agreed to cooperate to help end the chaos and violence in Iraq. The gathering’s final declaration underlined the importance of Iraq’s territorial integrity, political freedom and national unity. Regarding border security, the ministers vowed to combat channels of financial support for terrorists, including the smuggling of weapons and drug. Representing Turkey at the gathering, Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu told reporters that Turkey was set to host the ministers’ next meeting. He added that that during the talks, he had conveyed Ankara’s concern over deadly attacks on Turkish truck drivers in Iraq and the continued presence of anti-Turkish terrorist groups on Iraqi soil. /Turkiye/

BABACAN PLEDGES FAITHFUL EXECUTION OF PRE-ACCESSION ECONOMIC PROGRAM
Addressing a finance conference yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that the government would faithfully fulfill its just-unveiled pre-European Union accession economic program. Touching on Turkey’s EU aspirations, Babacan stressed that the government was determined to see its membership bid through to fruition, adding that the EU’s decision at its Dec. 17 summit would be a political one. Turkey’s recent positive reform steps were confirmed by the EU’s fall progress report, he added. Also addressing the gathering, World Bank Turkey Director Andrew Vorkink criticized Turkey’s banks as failing to extend sufficient credit to the private sector. “If Turkey wants to bring its economy to EU standards, it must tackle this problem,” he added. /Aksam/

ARSLAN BECOMES APPEALS COURT CHIEF
Osman Arslan, director of the 16th Law Department, yesterday was elected to head the High Court of Appeals. Arslan, replacing the retiring Eraslan Ozkaya, is expected to serve for three years at the post. /Hurriyet/

CHIRAC, SCHROEDER REITERATE SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU BID
After meeting in Lubeck, Germany, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and visiting French President Jacques Chirac said that they wanted Turkey to be a European Union member. Chirac told reporters that Ankara’s EU membership would serve the interests of all sides. Stressing that Ankara’s implementation of the Copenhagen criteria would be monitored carefully, Chirac stated that the process of accession talks would be long and difficult, adding that a referendum would be held in France after 10-15 years to decide on Turkey’s full membership. He also remarked that the talks might be suspended if conditions were not fulfilled. Schroeder, for his part, said that he and Chirac shared the same view that the talks would be aimed at full membership. /Turkiye/

FRENCH MEP DEFENDS SUPPORTS FOR TURKEY
Ari Vatanen, a Finnish racecar driver elected to the European Parliament from France, yesterday defended his support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Critics from his party, France’s ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), will soon “fade away,” he predicted. “Turkey’s EU membership is needed in the fight against fundamentalism and terrorism,” added Vatanen. /Hurriyet/

BELGIAN PRESS WARNS OF TURKISH-EU CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE
A number of Belgian dailies yesterday warned of a possible “crisis of confidence” fracturing Turkish-European Union relations. Asking whether Ankara is preparing for such a prospect, Belgian daily Le Soir reported that the EU’s messages to Turkey were confusing, adding that permanently limiting the movement of Turkish workers would be a first in EU history. /Star/