GUL HONORS STATE INSTITUTIONS WITH BEST INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USAGE
The Cankaya Presidential Palace yesterday hosted a ceremony honoring state institutions making the best use of information technology and the Internet. Jointly organized by the Turkish Industrialists` and Businessmen`s Association (TUSIAD) and the Turkish Information Technology Foundation (TBV), the Seventh eTR (e-Turkey) awards were presented to the Customs Undersecretariat, Prime Ministry Social Aid and Solidarity Foundation (SYDV), and Soke Municipality, a district in the Aegean province of Aydin, among other recipients. The Customs Undersecretariat was awarded for its Customs Collection System, while the SYDV was honored for its Social Aid Information System, and the Soke Municipality for its Smart City Automation System. Officials from these institutions got their prizes from President Abdullah Gul. Addressing the awards ceremony, Gul said the eTR awards were a good tool for promoting effective use of information technology, especially among young Turks, which is why the awards are now handed out at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. Also speaking at the meeting, TUSIAD head Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag thanked Gul for his support, calling growing interest in the event promising. TUSIAD board member Hamdi Akyn told the ceremony that Turkey becoming an information-savvy society would boost its prosperity. The Turkish Presidency`s official website has recently enjoyed remarkable popularity, and last year attracted 2.5 million visitors to become the number three such site, behind only the official websites of US President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Efficient use of Internet technologies in public services can boost the efficiency of public services, enabling state institutions to cut costs and red tape. Under a major Turkish e-state project, all state institutions are working to effectively incorporate the Internet and information technology into their work. /Milliyet/

IN MOSCOW, ERDOGAN ENVISIONS $100 BLN IN BILATERAL TRADE TIES
Turkey and Russia could reach $100 billion in bilateral trade volume four years from now, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Moscow yesterday, following a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Accompanying Erdogan, Energy and Natural Sources Minister Taner Yildiz signed a declaration on cooperating to establishing a nuclear power plant in Turkey , and Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Mehdi Eker signed a separate pact. The nuclear declaration has started a process that if agreeable to both sides, could lead to a concrete deal. On the last day of a two-day visit to Moscow , Erdogan reiterated his proposal to end visa requirements between the two countries, and Putin said work on doing this had already begun. / Sabah , Aksam, Turkiye/

GREEK PM PAPANDREOU: "I WANT TO MEET WITH ERDOGAN"
At a press conference reviewing the first 100 days of his government, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou yesterday said that he wants to meet with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in order to discuss issues between Turkey and Greece . He said that he had no reservations about meeting with Erdogan, adding that he would respond positively to a letter from Erdogan speaking of ways to improve bilateral ties. /Cumhuriyet/

ISRAELI DEPUTY FM APOLOGIZES TO TURKISH AMBASSADOR
Moving to defuse a crisis in bilateral relations, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon yesterday sent a letter to Turkish Ambassador Oguz Celikkol apologizing for treating him discourteously at a meeting on Monday. "In his letter, Ayalon apologized to me for his discourteous behavior and asked for his apology to be conveyed to the Turkish people," Celikkol told Hurriyet daily. /Hurriyet/

BAGIS: "THIS YEAR WE CAN CONCENTRATE ON THE EU PROCESS"
As there will be no elections this year, Turkey will be able to concentrate on its European Union accession process, said State Minister and Head EU talks Negotiator Egemen Bagis. At a dinner for members of Parliament`s European Union Harmonization Commission and Turkey-EU Interparliamentary Commission at the EU Secretariat General, Bagis underlined that the EU process is a common goal shared by all. "I believe that we will take necessary steps to reform laws and will eliminate double standards against us by raising Turkey `s standards," Bagis said. /Turkiye/

ALTERNATIVE BAND MANGA TO REPRESENT TURKEY IN EUROVISION
Alternative rock band maNga will represent Turkey in this year`s Eurovision song contest, the state Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) confirmed yesterday. The five-member maNga, formed in Ankara in 2001, won the Best European Act Award at November`s MTV Music Awards. Vocalist and frontman Ferman Akgul is joined by Yagmur Sarigul on electric guitar, Ozgur Can Oney on drums, Cem Bahtiyar on bass guitar, and Efe Yilmaz on the turntable. Turkey was represented by Belgian-born Turkish pop singer Hadise Acikgoz in last year`s Eurovision, held in Moscow , and her dance song "Dum Tek Tek" came in fourth. Turkey won its only Eurovision title to date in 2003 with Sertab Erener`s "Everyway That I Can." The 55th Eurovision Song Contest will be held on May 25-29 in Norway . /Today`s Zaman/