PM ERDOGAN URGES US CONGRESS TO TURN BACK "GENOCIDE" RESOLUTION
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had already cautioned both the US Congress and the US administration not to take any steps that would undermine ongoing normalization efforts between Ankara and Yerevan , alluding to a resolution on the so-called Armenian "genocide" allegations now pending before a key US House committee. Asked about dialogue between Ankara and Washington over the issue, Erdogan said that there has been constant senior-level contact, adding that two separate parliamentary delegations are now in Washington ahead of Thursday's committee vote. A group from Parliament's Foreign Affairs Commission led by its chairman, Murat Mercan, and members of the Turkish-US Interparliamentary Friendship Group led by its head, Suat Kiniklioglu, will meet with US officials and legislators this week. "Our stance is clear," said Erdogan. "There is a process that began in Switzerland (last year with normalization protocols signed by Turkey and Armenia ). Our stance is also continuing on this process. That is to say, I believe that we will get results if this stance is maintained on both sides." But he warned, "If a misstep is taken there (in the US ) on March 4, or on April 24, it will torpedo this process. It would be a misstep. I believe members of Congress will, in all possible ways, consider the sensitivity of this." /Today's Zaman/
ERDOGAN: "A CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PACKAGE WILL REACH PARLIAMENT THIS MONTH"
The government plans to submit a comprehensive constitutional reform package to Parliament as part of Turkey 's European Union reform efforts, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced over the weekend. Established to oversee the country's EU reforms, the Reform Monitoring Group (RIG), made up of Interior Minister Besir Atalay, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin, and Chief Negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis, convened at the Prime Ministry Office in Istanbul 's Dolmabahce Palace to discuss planned reform steps in Turkey 's EU accession process. Speaking at a press conference following the group's meeting, which was chaired by Erdogan for the first time, the prime minister said, "A partial constitutional amendment package will be presented to Parliament soon, and a comprehensive constitutional reform package will be submitted by the end of March." Erdogan stressed that Turkey has to swiftly adopt constitutional amendments in order to continue moving forward in the areas of democracy, the rule of law and human rights. Erdogan said the structure of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) should be overhauled in line with a new system of wider representation to ensure its objectivity, impartiality and transparency. "We're not talking about an A-to-Z change of the Constitution," Erdodan said, adding that the changes would focus on areas such as the judiciary and political parties. The package is expected to make closing parties more difficult under the Council of Europe's Venice criteria, which allows closures only in extreme cases where a party is actively promoting violence. The package would also ease the current five-year political ban on leaders of closed parties. elections. Another change would require a unanimous decision by the Constitutional Court on closure cases, as opposed to the current two-thirds majority standard. Erdodan also said an ombudsman law, of crucial importance in the EU harmonization process, will also be included in the package. The law is necessary since Turkey currently has no separate institution to inspect public services. Other topics likely to be covered in the package include a new committee on political ethics, civil servants' right to engage in collective bargaining and go on strike, and the protection of personal information. /Today's Zaman/
OFFICIALS WARN OF POTENTIAL FALLOUT OF "GENOCIDE" RESOLUTION BEFORE US CONGRESS
Turkey expects the US House Foreign Relations Committee to defeat a resolution calling the incidents of 1915 a "genocide," Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin said yesterday, warning that passing the resolution would not only harm Turkish-US relations but also threaten the ongoing Turkish-Armenian rapprochement process. Turkey regrets that the resolution which supports the baseless "genocide" allegations will be discussed by the committee, Ozugergin said, adding that they have conveyed Turkey 's concerns over the resolution to US officials. "We would like to believe that members of the committee are well aware of the fact that passing such a resolution would deal a serious blow to not only Turkish-US relations but also to efforts to bring peace and stability to the Southern Caucasus," he added. "We want to believe that members of the committee will act with common sense and responsibility." Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek echoed Ozugergin, warning of the negative fallout on Turkish-US ties that passage of the resolution would have. "It would also ruin efforts to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia , thus undermining peace and stability in the Caucasus ," Cicek said, calling on US lawmakers to consider this when they vote. /Turkiye/
IN DAMASCUS , DEPUTY PM ARINC MEETS WITH HIS SYRIAN COUNTERPART DARDARI
On an official visit to Damascus , Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc was received yesterday by Syrian President Bashar Assad and Mahmout al-Abrash, the speaker of Syria 's People's Assembly. He also met with his Syrian counterpart Abdullah Dardari and ruling Baath Party Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed Said Boukheitan. After completing his meetings, Arinc returned to Ankara . Hurriyet/
INDUSTRY AND TRADE MINISTER ERGUN DUE IN IRAN
Industry and Trade Minister Nihat Ergun will visit Tehran to attend today's D-8 industry ministers' meeting. The D-8, which stands for the Developing Eight, includes Turkey , Iran and other developing countries from Nigeria to Indonesia . Ergun will deliver a speech at the gathering, during which the countries' industrial development strategies will be discussed. Ergun will also meet with his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Mehrabian. /Hurriyet Daily News/
GEORGIAN PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI VISITS ISTANBUL
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili yesterday made a stopover in Istanbul following his meeting with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan. During his four-hour stay, Saakashvili met with businessmen and reportedly touted investments in Georgia . /Aksam/
PAKISTANI ENTREPRENEURS SEEK INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN TURKEY
Accompanied by a large business delegation, Pakistani State Minister Saleem H. Mandviwalla, who also heads the country's Investment Board, is now in Turkey to seek new investment opportunities. Mandviwalla and the delegation yesterday attended a business development meeting of the Turkish-Pakistani Business Council in Istanbul . During the meeting, representatives on both sides from sectors such as textile, construction, health care, pharmaceuticals, dairy products, energy and banking had the opportunity to make business contacts. President Abdullah Gul is slated to make an official visit to Pakistan later this month. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Pakistan last October, and Mandviwalla's visit aims to follow up on cooperation decisions taken during that visit as well as tout Pakistan 's investment opportunities to Turkish entrepreneurs. /Cumhuriyet/
FEB. EXPORTS RISE 20.3 PCT YEAR-ON-YEAR
Turkey's exports in February totaled $8.2 billion, a 20.3% rise year-on-year, the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) said yesterday. Announcing the figures in Ordu, TIM Chairman Mehmet Buyukeksi said Turkey 's exports rose 16.3 percent over the first two months of the year to $16.1 billion. On the other hand, Turkish exports have fallen 18 percent to $99.3 billion over the past 12 months, according to TIM figures. Assembly members' exports, which made up 83.9% of Turkey 's total exports in February, came to $6.9 billion, a rise of 20.5 percent. /Hurriyet Daily News/
TURKISH CULTURAL CENTER IN KAZAKHSTAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY ONES IN EGYPT , EUROPE
The Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center , built as part of a program to promote Turkey , Turkish culture, and the Turkish language under the auspices of the Yunus Emre Foundation, has opened its doors in Astana , Kazakhstan . The first such center opened in Sarajevo last October, and another is being inaugurated in Egypt today. Turkey also plans to open Yunus Emre cultural centers in Macedonia , Spain , Germany and France . Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TYKA) Kazakhstan Coordinator Omer Kocaman said that President Abdullah Gul will officially inaugurate the center during his visit to the country on May 24-26. Stating that books will be brought from Turkey to the center, which will serve as a reference center, Kocaman said, "In addition, Kazakhs will be able to take courses for minimal fees." /Today's Zaman/