IN VISIT TO SYRIA, ERDOGAN MEETS WITH ASSAD AND AL-OTARI
Beginning his two-day official visit to Damascus, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad as well as his Syrian counterpart Muhammad Naji al-Otari. During his talks with Assad, Turkey’s EU bid and stability in the Middle East were discussed. “We want to further strengthen our relations with Turkey,” said Assad. “We place great importance on activities that bring our two peoples closer together. The positive political cooperation between our countries should continue.” He added, “If we can eliminate economic red tape, this will provide new openings.” Assad and his wife Esma hosted a luncheon in the honor of Erdogan and his wife Emine, with State Ministers Mehmet Aydin and Kursad Tuzmen, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler, and Turkish Ambassador to Damascus Halit Cevik also in attendance. Erdogan and al-Otari signed a free trade agreement and discussed possible Turkish investments in Syria and joint agricultural projects. “The economic and trade ties between our two countries will henceforth be governed by the agreements we signed today,” Erdogan told a joint press conference. For his part al-Otari said, “We also discussed the issue of taking water from the Dicle [Tigris] River. Erdogan’s approach to the issue is positive, and he said necessary technical support could be provided.” Stating that they also discussed the Mideast peace process, Erdogan said, “We talked about finding just and permanent solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and what we can do to ensure stability and peace in our region.” At a Turkish-Syrian Business Council meeting, Erdogan also said that businessmen of both countries played a key role in improving relations. /All papers/

ERDOGAN, ARINC ISSUE MESSAGES MARKING OBSERVANCE OF CHRISTMAS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday issued messages marking Saturday’s observance of Christmas by Turkey’s non-Orthodox Christian citizens. In his message Arinc emphasized the significant of the holiday in Christianity, while Erdogan said that he shared the enthusiasm of Christian citizens. /Hurriyet/

ERDOGAN: “THE TURKISH SIDE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT FOR A SETTLEMENT ON CYPRUS”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled yesterday that the Turkish side would soon begin initiatives to reach a settlement on Cyprus, an issue recently put before Turkey as an obstacle to its European Union membership. Before leaving for Syria to pay an official visit, Erdogan told reporters at Esenboga Airport that the Turkish side would make every effort to bring peace to the island. Stressing that the coming days and months would see the start of new initiatives, Erdogan said Turkey had always sought peace and a settlement on Cyprus. The premier underlined that the fourth round of negotiations in line with the UN’s Cyprus plan also came about through the Turkish side’s initiative. Those talks ended in failure this spring with Greek Cyprus’ rejection of the plan. /Turkiye/

ARINC CRITICIZES OPPOSITION STANCE ON TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION TALKS
Addressing the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) yesterday, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc criticized the opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) stance on Turkey recently winning a date to begin its accession talks, calling it both insincere and jealous. “Everybody should see the government’s success,” he said. “Nobody has the right to minimize this success.” Arinc also criticized the European Union’s stance on the Cyprus issue, adding that it would do better by helping efforts to reach a resolution on the island. /Aksam/

FOREIGN MINISTRY: “WE WANT TO BEGIN OUR SCREENING PROCESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”
Responding yesterday to European Commission head Jose Barrasso’s statement this week that Ankara’s legislative screening process could be completed by Oct. 3, 2005, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan stressed that Ankara also wanted to begin the process as soon as possible. “Our efforts are directed towards this goal,” said Tan. “A definite date for beginning the screening process has yet to be set, but it will soon.” /Cumhuriyet/

DENKTAS BLASTS EU PUSH FOR RECOGNITION OF GREEK CYPRUS
Addressing a panel discussion yesterday on “The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Turkey, and the European Union after Dec. 17” held at Istanbul’s Yildiz Technical University, TRNC President Rauf Denktas blasted the EU’s stance on Cyprus in bargaining over Ankara’s membership bid. “What Turkey is being asked to do in advance in this bargaining is to recognize a terrorist administration which they call 'the government of the Cyprus republic’,” said Denktas. He warned that the Mediterranean would be closed to Turkey if it lost Cyprus, adding, “Where is the ‘partnership republic’ which was founded [in 1960] together with and guaranteed by Turkey, Greece, and Britain? There is no such republic today. It was ended for the sake of enosis [political union with Greece].” Denktas further asked, “As for those telling Turkey to come to the EU after settling the Cyprus issue, don’t they know that it wasn’t Turkey which started the problem, but the Greek Cypriots and Greece? Don’t they know they are violating international agreements by calling the Greek Cypriot administration the 'legitimate government of Cyprus'?” /Hurriyet/

TRNC HEADS TOWARD FEBRUARY EARLY ELECTIONS
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is set to hold early general elections on Feb. 20, 2005. The official period of the elections will begin tomorrow after the decision to hold them is published in the Official Gazette. The coalition government formed by the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and Democratic Party (DP) lost its majority in Parliament in April, and then resigned in October. /Turkiye/

TRNC’S TALAT SAYS GREEK SIDE STILL UNDECIDED ON ANNAN’S PLAN
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said yesterday that the ball was in the Greek side now. “The game will begin if Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopulos puts the ball into play,” said Talat. “He sat on the ball, but didn’t kick it.” Appearing on television, Talat said that Turkish side had accepted UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s plan, but the Greek side was as yet undecided yet on the matter. Stressing that Greek Cypriot politicians wanted Annan’s plan to be a basis for a resolution, Talat said, “However, they aren’t making any concrete proposals telling what they actually want.” Through active policies, we should urge Papadopulos to start the game, added the TRNC premier. /Turkiye/