NSC MEETS
The National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer convened yesterday at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. During the six-hour meeting, top officials, including Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, Cabinet ministers and military commanders, discussed Turkish-European Union relations, the Cyprus issue and recent developments in Iraq. /Milliyet/
ERDOGAN TO VISIT DIYARBAKIR IN MID-JANUARY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to pay a visit to the southeastern province of Diyarbakir in mid-January. During his one-day visit, the premier will meet with businessmen to urge them to more invest in the region, and he is also expected to reemphasize, in the wake of the recent historic European Union summit, that all citizens of the nation are both equal and equally valued by the state. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN PAYS GET-WELL VISIT TO FORMER PRESIDENT DEMIREL
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by the state health and defense ministers, yesterday paid a call to former President Suleyman Demirel, who recently broke his leg. Afterwards, Erdogan told reporters that he had conveyed get-well and New Year’s wishes to the elder statesman. /Cumhuriyet/
GUL: “STATE BODIES’ ROLES IN THE EU PROCESS WILL BE DECIDED LEGISLATIVELY”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday issued a written statement saying that before this month’s historic European Union summit, all state institutions had independently carried out preliminary work towards Ankara beginning its EU talks. “The government will assess this work in making decisions about its EU accession negotiations” set to begin in October, added Gul. “The State Planning Organization [DPT] is one such institution which will contribute to these talks.” He added that the roles of all state bodies in the process would be determined using relevant legislation. /Turkiye/
SCHROEDER: “TURKEY’S EU REFORMS HELP FUEL ITS DYNAMIC ECONOMY”
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said yesterday that Turkey was a dynamic country particularly in its economy, adding that continuing its reforms towards its European Union membership would further boost this dynamism. Schroeder predicted that Ankara beginning its European Union accession talks would accelerate the economy, saying that since Turkey is Germany’s biggest trade partner this would also spur job growth in his own country. /Cumhuriyet/
DENKTAS CRITICIZES KOC’S REMARKS; GREEK CYPRIOT LEADER URGES TROOP WITHDRAWAL
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday criticized businessmen Rahmi Koc’s recent remarks that the Cyprus issue had hampered Turkish foreign policy for some three decades. “Koc sounds like the Greek Cypriots,” said Denktas, calling the remarks “disappointing.” In related news, Greek Cypriot Parliament Speaker Dimitris Hristofyas said yesterday that Ankara should “prove its good will” by unilaterally withdrawing its troops from Cyprus. He added that the UN Cyprus plan should be altered in line with Greek Cypriots’ expectations in order to reach a resolution on the island. /Aksam/
US ORDERS DEPORTATION OF PKK MILITANT
A US immigration court in Detroit, Michigan yesterday ordered the deportation to Turkey of Ibrahim Parlak, a PKK militant. During a 1988 firefight, Parlak killed two Turkish soldiers. Parlak’s lawyers said they would appeal the ruling. /Star/
TALAT: “WE WON’T DELAY IN SEEKING A SOLUTION”
We want a solution on Cyprus and so shouldn’t lose time waiting for April’s election results to tackle the problem, said Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday. “We’re not resting on our laurels and hoping for a state of no-resolution, unlike Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopulos,” added Talat. “We’re ready to take every step for a solution without making concessions on our political equality or earned rights.” /Star/
WASHINGTON POST: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WILL STRENGTHEN THE UNION”
In an editorial yesterday, US daily The Washington Post said that a democratic Turkey would greatly contribute to the European Union. Praising Ankara’s recent reforms to harmonize with EU norms, the newspaper said that German and French leaders had displayed “political courage” by supporting Turkey’s beginning accession talks despite public opposition in both countries. /Turkiye/
NEW TURKISH LIRA TO USHER IN 2005
The government will introduce the new Turkish lira at midnight tonight, thereby dropping six zeros from the nation’s currency. Officials hope that the new money will facilitate international trade, which often involves trillions of old liras, and will also boost confidence in the economy as Ankara pushes for European Union membership. /All papers/