ASSUMING CICA HELM, TURKEY RENEWS CONDEMNATION OF ISRAELI ATTACK
On the second day of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Turkey yesterday took the group's rotating chairmanship. After the meeting, President Abdullah Gul made a statement condemning last week's deadly Israeli raid on a Turkish aid flotilla to Gaza. Gul also hosted a luncheon at Istanbul's Ciragan Palace in honor of the heads of states who attended the summit. Prior to the meeting, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the nuclear swap deal recently brokered for Tehran by Turkey and Brazil an unprecedented opportunity for the US and its allies. In related news, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stated that he understood the Turkish public's revulsion at Israel's attack on the aid flotilla, which left nine Turks dead, and added, "Unfortunately this attack took place in international waters and it constitutes a special concern. Thus, the issue must be handled carefully." /Turkiye/
GUL, ESTONIA'S ILVES PRESENT ISTANBUL FESTIVAL'S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TO COMPOSER
As part of the 38th International Istanbul Music Festival, Estonian Arvo Part on Monday was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award by President Abdullah Gul and Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves on behalf of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and the Arts (IKSV). The awards ceremony included the world premiere of "Adam's Lament," a piece Part composed for Istanbul which was co-commissioned by the European Capital of Culture agencies for Istanbul and Tallinn, Estonia's capital. The ceremony at the Hagia Irene Museum was attended by such distinguished guests as State Minister Hayati Yazici, Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay, Istanbul's Beyoglu district Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan, and Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency Chairman Sekip Avdagic. "This is a special day," Gul declared, saying he was proud to present the award to Ilves. "He is a truly exciting composer. It makes us excited that he dedicated his 'Adam's Lament' to Istanbul. Turkey will pass on the title of European Capital of Culture to Tallinn in 2011. We all know that the language of art and music is universal. We see this universality once again tonight." Ilves said Part's work made him proud to be an Estonian. "I am very happy to be in the spiritual capital of Europe, Istanbul, and to present this award to Part, one of greatest spiritual composers of our time," added the Estonian leader. /Hurriyet Daily News/
TURKEY, RUSSIA SIGN NUCLEAR COOPERATION DEAL
The Turkish Atomic Energy Agency (TAEK) and Russia's Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (ROSTECHNADZOR) yesterday signed a nuclear cooperation deal at Istanbul's Ciragan Palace under the auspices of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The agreement, signed by Energy Minister Taner Yildiz and Russian Deputy Premier Igor Sechin, foresees the exchange of information and know-how on licensing nuclear facilities and activities. Under the deal, TAEK and ROSTECHNADZOR will cooperate in the areas of regulations for licensing and supervision, protection from radiation, management of the quality of nuclear facilities, radioactive fuels and fuel waste management, and safety regulations for nuclear/radioactive materials and radioactive waste, and finally emergency response and readiness training for supervisory personnel. /Turkiye/
MARKING BYEGM'S 90TH ANNIVERSARY, ARINC STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
As part of celebrations marking the 90th anniversary of the Prime Ministry Directorate General of Press and Information (BYEGM), a photo exhibit covering BYEGM's history from the 1920s onwards opened at Parliament yesterday with a ceremony attended by Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, BYEGM head Murat Karakaya, Turkish Association of Journalists (TGC) head Orhan Erinç, and Anatolia News Agency head Hilmi Bengi, as well as journalists who placed in a BYEGM contest to encourage local media and the directorate staff. Speaking at the ceremony, Arinc praised BYEGM's efforts to promote Turkey around the world and to counter negative propaganda against the country. Stressing the importance of public diplomacy in the modern world as a tool to sway international opinion in line with a country's foreign policy goals, as well as to improve dialogue and understanding between nations, Arinc said Ataturk and his colleagues had foreseen this in establishing BYEGM back in the 1920s. Pointing to a major transformation of the need for promotion and spreading information throughout the world over the last 90 years, Arinc said that activities such as news bulletins and brochures had become professionalized due to globalization and advances in media technology. "Multi-page bulletins have come to be replaced by hundreds of kinds of professional works such as advertising clips, promotional films, books, magazines, materials produced by think-tanks, lobbying efforts, and the activities of non-governmental organizations," he said. Expressing faith that the directorate will continue to provide vital services to Turkey and keep up with its Western counterparts amid rapid change, Arinc said, "BYEGM is one of the Republic of Turkey's most strongly rooted institutions. Its history, experience and qualified staff will be key advantages in its efforts to revamp itself to serve the country more actively." The exhibit shows BYEGM's deep-rooted history and sound institutional traditions, Arinc added. /Sabah-Star/