ANKARA REJECTS ISRAEL'S UNILATERAL PROBE OF ITS DEADLY ATTACK ON GAZA-BOUND AID FLOTILLA
Turkey will not accept an investigation commission unilaterally established by Israel to probe its deadly attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday said, adding that Ankara wouldn't recognize decisions taken by such a commission. Meeting with the US, British, German and French ambassadors in Ankara to discuss new UN sanctions on Iran and other subjects, Davutoglu told the diplomats how Turkey expects an independent commission to be set up under UN auspices to investigate the attack, which left nine Turkish humanitarian aid workers dead. Stating that Israel's proposed commission is to be headed by a former Israeli judge and is dominated by pro-Israel figures, and that it lacks transparency and is unlikely to ensure accountability, Davutoglu said this was unacceptable. Turkey will accept neither this commission nor its decisions, he said, and asked the ambassadors to ensure that their countries support a UN commission instead. /Hurriyet/

FM DAVUTOGLU RECEIVES WOODROW WILSON AWARD
At a ceremony in Istanbul, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service, while Dogus Holding Chairman Ferit Sahenk received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship, both honors bestowed by the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Speaking at the award ceremony, Davutoglu said, "A new world is being established . The basic power center of this world is the US, but this power will survive not through the methods of Caesar, but those of Marcus Aurelius." Touching on accusations that Turkey is undergoing an axis shift - an accusation which Turkey firmly denies - he said, "If the ground of the world is shifting, we cannot stand firm on this ground." /Milliyet/

EP CONDEMNS ISRAELI ATTACK, ILLEGAL SIEGE OF GAZA STRIP
In a 470-56 vote yesterday, the European Parliament condemned last month's deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, which left nine Turkish peace activists dead, as well as the blockade imposed on Gaza by Israel. The resolution, drafted jointly by political groups in the EP, called the Israeli attack a breach of international law, and urged all European countries to support a prompt international and impartial inquiry into the raid. In related news, Israel yesterday announced that it was easing its land blockade of Gaza in the face of heightened international criticism since the attack. Commenting on the move, a Turkish Foreign Ministry official said Ankara wants to see the effect it will have on the ground. "But our attitude on the issue is clear: we expect the blockade to be lifted altogether," he added. /Today's Zaman/

INTL BANKING SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL STRESSES GROWING TIES BETWEEN TURKEY, ARAB WORLD
This week's two-day International Arab Banking Summit in Istanbul will help strengthen financial relations between Turkey and the Arab world, said Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan yesterday. Addressing the opening of the summit, Babacan said Turkey and the Arab world have a great potential to boost economic ties, citing as evidence how Turkey's trade with Arab countries climbed from $7 billion in 2002 to $37 billion in 2008. Babacan said 1.5 million Arab tourists visit Turkey annually, while over 2,000 Arab companies have investments in the country. He said the fact that the Union of Arab Banks, which has 400 members with total assets over $2 trillion, organized the event in Istanbul illustrates Arab investors' interest in the Turkish market. Pointing to Ankara's action plan to turn Istanbul into a global financial hub, Babacan said the country boasts a crisis-proof banking sector. "Turkey was the only Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member that didn't have to intervene in its banking industry during the 2009 global credit crunch," he said. He stated that thanks to Ankara's sound economic policies, Turkish financial markets have a lower risk of failure compared to a number of EU countries. Also addressing the audience, Union of Arab Banks Chairman Adnan Ahmad Youssef said several Saudi banks as well as banks from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are interested in investing in the Turkish market. Youssef called relations between Turkish and Arab banks "very good," adding that they expect these ties to get better still. /Today's Zaman/

DEFENSE MINISTER GONUL RECEIVES QATARI CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF
Visiting Qatari Chief of General Staff Gen. Hamad bin Ali Al-Attiyah yesterday met with Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul. During the meeting, defense industry cooperation between the two countries was discussed. Afterwards, Gonul and Al-Attiyah attended a meeting to publicize the first Turkish homebred advanced ballistic shield, the T-shield, manufactured by Nurol Technology. /Milliyet/

US ASSISTANT SEC'Y OF STATE: "TURKEY HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST TERRORIST GROUPS"
Turkey has the right to defend itself against terrorists, and the US understands it conducting military pursuit into northern Iraq towards this end, said US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Crowley on Wednesday. Asked by a reporter about the level of US intelligence-sharing with Turkey in its recent military forays into northern Iraq in pursuit of PKK terrorists, Crowley said, "The US and Turkey are NATO allies, so we share information and cooperate on an ongoing and continual basis." He added, "I can't say that the United States is directly involved in the action that Turkey has taken. These are security matters that directly affect the Turkish government and the Turkish people. The PKK challenge for Turkey is a longstanding one. Turkey, like any country, has the right to defend itself against terrorist organizations, and we will continue to work with Turkey depending on how this goes. But we certainly understand the reasons behind the action." /Turkiye/