STATE CEREMONY HELD FOR SECURITY GUARDS SLAIN IN MOSUL
A state ceremony with the attendance of top state officials, including President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, government leaders and military officials, was held in Ankara yesterday for five security guards murdered late last week during an attack on an official escort in Mosul, Iraq. “Turkey will demand to the very end that the coalition forces in Iraq, and the Iraqi interim government and all Iraqis find the murderers,” Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said at the ceremony. For his part, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “The price for Turkey and the Turkish nation for working so hard for the integrity of the Iraqi nation should not have been the loss of some 80 of its sons.” /Hurriyet/

GOVT, OPPOSITION EXCHANGE WORDS OVER EU SUMMIT
During Parliament’s General Assembly session yesterday on the fiscal 2005 budget, opposition parties stepped up their criticism of the outcome of last week’s historic European Union summit. Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that the deal reached in Brussels would not lead Turkey to EU membership and attacked the government for celebrating the result. “The prime minister says, ‘Happy bayram.’ We don’t see anything to celebrate,” said Baykal. “What this will lead us to is not full membership but to being a second-class country.” He claimed that the government had not returned with a victory but rather a defeat. Asserting that the government had made a commitment to recognize the Greek Cypriot administration by Oct. 3, 2005, the day its Union entry talks are to begin, Baykal stated that the EU states would urge Ankara to make concessions in a number of areas in the months and years to come, adding that the end result would not even be full membership. Also speaking at the session, junior opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar charged that the government had accepted EU demands in Brussels which it had previously called unacceptable. Addressing the Parliament, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rebuffed the charges, saying the opposition was misinformed on what the summit’s outcome meant. He said the Brussels summit had put Turkey’s 41-year quest to become part of Europe onto firmer ground. A clear date was submitted to Turkey to begin accession talks, stated Erdogan, adding that Ankara’s recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration before a resolution is reached on the island was out of the question. Also answering the opposition’s criticism, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul pointed to the government’s enormous efforts during the summit to protect Turkey’s interests and then called on Baykal to act more reasonably. /Turkiye/

EP PRESIDENT: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WOULD FOSTER NOT HOSTILITY, BUT UNDERSTANDING”
Turkey’s future European Union membership would not create a conflict between civilizations, but rather contribute to their coming together, European Parliament President Josep Borrell wrote yesterday in an editorial in French daily Liberation. Borrell stressed that last week the EP had unanimously supported the beginning of Ankara’s EU accession talks, adding, “We see Turkey as a guarantor of peace.” Borrell further wrote that Turkey was a bridge between Europe and Asia and that the majority of the Turkish nation supported Ankara’s EU bid. /Aksam/

DENKTAS: “THE GOVT VOWED NO RECOGNITION WITHOUT A RESOLUTION”
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said yesterday that he appreciated Ankara’s pledge not to recognize Greek Cyprus until a resolution is reached on the island. “Cyprus is made up of two nations, and Greek Cyprus doesn’t represent the Turkish Cypriots,” he stated, adding that details of this policy were contained in a May Turkish Foreign Ministry statement. Denktas said further that conditions for new Cyprus negotiations along with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan needed to be determined. /Cumhuriyet/

BERLUSCONI: “WE’LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TURKEY’S EU BID”
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi yesterday touted his country’s friendly relations with Turkey, adding that he would continue to support Ankara’s European Union membership bid. Berlusconi also criticized a protest yesterday by Italy’s Northern League against Ankara beginning its accession talks. “In light of our good relations, we won’t retreat on Turkey’s EU membership bid,” said Berlusconi. /Aksam/

FRENCH FM: “A NUMBER OF ISSUES, INCLUDING THE ‘GENOCIDE’ CLAIMS, WILL BE DISCUSSED DURING TURKEY’S EU TALKS”
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said yesterday that a number of issues, including the so-called Armenian genocide, would come up for discussion during Ankara’s European Union accession talks. Speaking to French radio, Barnier said that the negotiations would be difficult and could last for years. In related news, France’s Parliament is expected today to discuss Turkey’s EU membership bid. /Cumhuriyet/

GREEK CYPRUS CALLS OCT. 2005 A “TURNING POINT,” RENEWS VETO THREAT
Greek Cypriot government spokesman Kipros Hrisostomidis said yesterday that Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos had sent a letter to the leaders of fellow European Union member states warning that if Ankara doesn’t recognize Greek Cyprus by Oct. 3, 2005, when it is to begin its EU accession talks, then he could veto those talks. Hrisostomidis added that Oct. 3 would be a turning point for Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/

BLAIR REITERATES SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU BID
Setting a definite date for starting Turkey’s European Union accession talks was a hugely important and welcome moment, said British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday. Speaking to Britain’s Parliament, Blair told the MPs that Turkey lay in a vital strategic area encompassing the Middle East, the Balkans and Central Asia, and that it was in Britain’s interests to have a “stable and democratic Turkey.” Blair also said those fearing a clash between Christian and Muslim countries would be proven wrong by Turkey’s new status within Europe. “Turkey’s membership of the European Union is fundamental to the future peace and security of Britain, Europe and the wider world,” he added. In related news, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a telephone call to Blair thanking him for Britain’s support. For his part, Blair congratulated Erdogan for getting a date for EU accession talks. /Turkiye/

CHIRAC CONGRATULATES ERDOGAN
French President Jacques Chirac yesterday telephoned Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to express his congratulations on Turkey receiving a date for its European Union accession talks. Chirac reportedly expressed his pleasure about Ankara getting a date and his belief that it will successfully see through this process. Erdogan, for his part, thanked Chirac for his support. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat also contacted Erdogan to give their congratulations. /Hurriyet/

MIDEAST COUNTRIES CONGRATULATE, SUPPORT TURKEY’S EU BID
Israel yesterday congratulated Turkey for the green light it received last week to start membership talks with the European Union. “Israel congratulated the Turkish government and people on the European Council’s decision to start accession talks,” said a statement released by the Israeli Embassy in Ankara. “Israel sees in the EU’s enlargement and Turkey’s accession to the EU a contribution to strengthening regional stability, democracy, cooperation and socio-economic prosperity,” the statement added. In related news, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ebul Geyt welcomed Turkey’s move forward in its EU membership bid saying, “Turkey’s EU membership will bring the borders of Europe to Arab countries, and it will be the only Muslim country in the Union.” Iranian Foreign Minister Hamid Riza Asefi also hailed Turkey’s EU bid, stating, “We are pleased with every development serving the interest of our neighbor.” /Hurriyet/

ERDOGAN TO VISIT SYRIA TO DISCUSS IRAQ
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is heading this week to Syria for talks expected to focus on the situation in Iraq. His visit follows a landmark January trip by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Ankara that cemented a rapprochement in ties dominated for decades by hostility. /Turkish Daily news/

DEBATES OVER 2005 BUDGET BEGIN IN PARLIAMENT
Debates over the 2005 budget began yesterday in Parliament. Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan presented the fiscal year 2005 budget draft to the General Assembly for its approval. Unakitan stated that the basic priority of the government’s budgetary policy was bringing the public debt stock to a reasonable level by ensuring fiscal discipline and creating an environment for stable growth. He stressed that the government was determined to further bring down inflation and the public debt stock, maintain increased production and exports, boost employment and maintain stable growth. The budget, with expenditures set at YTL 155.6 billion and revenues at YTL 126.5 billion, will allocate more resources to education, health, the judiciary and infrastructure needs in comparison to previous years’ budgets, added the finance minister. /Turkish Daily News/