GUL CALLS FOR UNITY AMONG BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA'S THREE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES
Beginning an official visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina, President Abdullah Gul yesterday was welcomed with full military honors in Sarajevo by Haris Siladzic, the Bosnian Muslim member of the country's tripartite presidency council. Later addressing deputies at the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Gul urged unity among the country's Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian groups, saying, "Nothing is gained by division." On Turkey's Balkans policy, Gul said, "We want to see a Balkan region which is at the center of Europe, not the periphery of the continent, is not associated with conflict and enmity but rather with friendship, harmony and cooperation, one that has internalized cultural pluralism and an atmosphere of tolerance, and where the best examples of living together in peace are found." Gul also addressed a meeting of the Turkey-Bosnia Herzegovina Business Council, and along his wife Hayrunnisa visited Bas Carsi, a historic bazaar, and spoke with shopkeepers there. Speaking to Turkish and Bosnian businesspeople at the meeting, Gul said, "We're very close to each other. This closeness should be translated into economic and trade cooperation between our countries as well." Gul also stressed the untapped business opportunities in the Bosnian energy sector. First lady Hayrunnisa Gul also visited an orphanage and a university hospital. Accompanying Gul are Industry and Trade Ministry Nihat Ergun, nearly 70 businesspeople, and many academics and journalists. Speaking to reporters in Ankara before his departure, Gul said that during his visit, which comes in the runup to Oct. 3 general elections, he would encourage all sectors of the country to act in solidarity and mutual understanding. /Aksam, Hurriyet, Turkiye/
DAVUTOGLU: "TURKEY'S TIES WITH THE US CONTINUE ON NORMAL COURSE"
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said ties with the US are continuing as normal, dismissing allegations that the powerful US-based Jewish lobby has made it difficult for Turkey to purchase US military hardware. "Turkey's US ambassador, Namik Tan, has already made a statement and said there was a misunderstanding," Davutoglu said during his visit to the border province of Iğdır on Wednesday, while campaigning for the constitutional reform package referendum slated for Sept. 12. While speaking to reporters in Washington on Monday, Tan said claims suggesting the imposition of an "arms embargo" by the US against Turkey were "groundless." Davutoglu also said the efforts of Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu were continuing in Congress regarding Turkey's defense requirements. Speaking about peace and stability in the Caucasus, Davutoglu said had he talked on the phone with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Elmar Mammadyarov, and Nakhchivan Parliament Speaker Vasif Talibov, and they all expressed a desire for peace in the region. The foreign minister later on Wednesday passed through the Dilucu border gate, connecting Turkey and Azerbaijan along an 11 kilometer border, to Nakhchivan to have talks with Nakhchivan officials. Davutoğlu told reporters that Nakhchivan shares the same fate as Turkey and that Turkey will always stand by the autonomous republic. After returning from Nakhchivan to Igdir, Davutoglu told reporters that Igdir is a strategic province in that it sits at the nexus of four countries (Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey). "Once peace and stability is maintained in the Caucasus, the Igdir gate will be the most important door in Asia," Davutoglu said. Asked about Tuesday's deadly skirmish between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Davutoglu said Turkey was doing its best to avert a similar incident occurring. "We are closely following the developments and we will have a meeting with Azerbaijan. For a lasting peace in the Caucasus, the restitution of occupied Azerbaijani territories and the solution of the Karabakh conflict are necessary," Davutoglu stated. Azerbaijan said three Armenian and two Azerbaijani soldiers were killed in an exchange of gunfire along the northern Nagorno-Karabakh frontline on Tuesday in the latest skirmish between the two warring sides. /Today's Zaman/
US MILITARY CHIEF MULLEN DUE IN TURKEY TODAY FOR LANDMARK VISIT
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and President Barack Obama's top military advisor, today will begin a landmark visit to Turkey. "The purpose is to make a courtesy visit to Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Isik Kosaner," who assumed the post just this week, said US Embassy spokesperson Deborah Guido. "We haven't set any agenda items. They will talk about issues in the region," Guido said. The visit comes just days after US political and military leaders marked the official end of combat operations in neighboring Iraq. Ankara recently said negotiations with Washington are continuing over the possible use of Turkish soil to transfer remaining US troops, arms and equipment out of Iraq. Mullen's visit also comes amid concern that the US Congress could derail arms sales to Turkey due to the problems in Turkish-Israeli ties. Reported US plans to establish a radar ground station in Turkey as part of a partial missile shield over southern Europe against a perceived threat from Iran's missiles may also be at risk. Some recent media reports claimed that Washington may no longer be considering Turkey as a venue due to its voting at the United Nations Security Council against new sanctions on Iran. /Hurriyet Daily News/
PM'S WIFE VISITS PAKISTAN TO DISTRIBUTE AID TO FLOOD VICTIMS
Emine Erdogan, the wife of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, yesterday concluded a two-day visit to Pakistan to present TL 3.5 million raised at a recent fundraising dinner of Turkish businesswomen for Pakistani flood victims. Mrs. Erdogan yesterday coordinated efforts for TL 1 million worth of humanitarian aid, including medicine, to be distributed to people in need in Islamabad. She also traveled to the Nowshera region, the area worst affected by the floods. She met with flood victims in houses built by the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) in the region. She later returned to Islamabad to visit the National Disaster Management Authority in the city. In the evening, Mrs. Erdogan met with Pakistani Parliament Speaker Fehmida Mirza. She also paid a visit to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and had dinner with Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani. /Today's Zaman/
FORMER BRITISH PM BLAIR PRAISES GUL, ERDOGAN
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair praises President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in his new memoir, "A Journey," published this week. In the book, Blair recounts the decade spanning 1997 to 2007, when he was prime minister. Writing about 2005, when Ankara finally entered membership accession negotiations with the European Union, Blair said Turkey was taking important steps toward Europe. He called Erdogan and then Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul sensitive and foresighted, adding that it was easier for him to engage with them than other Turkish politicians he knew. Erdogan and Gul are wise and know what they want, he added, and they view the Cyprus issue rationally. Blair said Turkey's EU membership would take time. "The EU has already enlarged and [more] time is needed to digest this [potential further] enlargement," he wrote. Stressing that he favors Turkey's EU membership, Blair said it would be dangerous to push Turkey away from Europe, as doing so would signal that Judeo-Christian and Muslim civilizations cannot coexist. In a footnote, Blair said global power and influence have been shifting to the east. Countries like Turkey and Brazil occupy important positions in global affairs, he added. /Hurriyet Daily News/
KEY EU POLITICIANS URGE PARTICIPATION IN SEPT. 12 REFERENDUM ON CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
Approval of the constitutional reform package in this month's referendum will be a great stride forward for Turkey's democratization and modernization, said European Parliament Turkey rapporteur Ria Oomen-Ruijten in a statement on Wednesday, urging every Turkish citizen to vote on the package on Sept. 12. Decrying reports that some Turkish political parties have been urging a boycott of the referendum - apparently referring to the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) -she said, "Everybody having the opportunity to express themselves is a principle of democracy." In related news, Johannes Swoboda, vice president of the EP's Party of European Socialists group, dismissed concerns that approval of the reform package would lead to a "civilian dictatorship" in Turkey. Speaking to Austrian newspaper Der Standard, Swoboda said he was unconvinced by allegations that the package is aimed at putting pressure on the high judiciary. "I hope the CHP [main opposition Republican People's Party] will reach reconciliation with the government by suggesting alternatives instead of making such claims," he said. Since the package has already been passed by Parliament and reviewed by the Constitutional Court, Oomen-Ruijten added that "now every citizen should clearly send a message. Every citizen should take the opportunity to say either yes or no."/Today's Zaman/
BRITISH TRAVELERS PICK TURKEY AS TOP SPOT FOR HOLIDAYS
British travel lovers chose Turkey as the best holiday destination in a new survey by travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller. At a ceremony yesterday, Turkey's Ambassador in London Unal Cevikoz got the prize honoring Turkey. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Cevikoz said, "This prize can be called the Oscar of vacations, in a sense. We're proud of Turkey being selected the best country for holidays by the readers of such a prestigious travel magazine." He also touted how Turkey also ranked high in many other categories, and even came in second in the number of awards per country. In the same survey, Istanbul came in number five in the top 10 "must see" cities in the world. /Aksam/
TROUNCING CHINA, TURKEY MAKES ROUND TWO IN WORLD BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Turkey yesterday qualified for the second round in the World Basketball Championship by roundly defeating China, 87-40. The game took place at Ankara's newly constructed sports hall, Ankara Arena, before a jam-packed crowd of Turkish and foreign basketball lovers. Turkish player Oguz Savas was the game's top scorer with 20 goals. The victory was Turkey's fifth in a row in Group C, making it the group leader. In the second round, Turkey will take on its powerful rival France. Speaking to reporters after the victory, Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) head Turgay Demirel said that France would be a tough nut to crack, but that ultimately Turkey would prevail. In related news, all the championship's quarter-, semi- and final games hosted by Turkey are sold out. Foreign spectators have been snapping up record numbers of seats. During the last championship hosted by Japan, only 9 percent of the tickets were bought by foreign spectators, compared to a whopping 27 percent in Turkey. Total ticket revenues are expected to hit _8 million. /Star, Hurriyet/
FIBA BOSS: 2010 WORLDS MOST COMPETITIVE CHAMPIONSHIP EVER
FIBA Secretary-General Patrick Baumann has said that 2010 World Basketball Championship is the most competitive championship ever. Turkey is currently hosting the championship in four of its cities -- Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and Kayseri. At a news conference at Istanbul's Abdi Ipekci Arena, Baumann said that second round games have ended successfully, adding that there was a strong competition and physical defense in the championship, and that the results of the games are expected to be close. Baumann said that it was difficult to determine the ranking before the ongoing tournament ended. Despite the rough and tumble games in the courts, basketball players have been "performing very elegantly," he added. Commenting on the Group C thriller between Turkey and Greece, Baumann said, "Friendship prevailed in the court and in the stands." The championship now moves to Istanbul for the single-elimination (knockout). The United States beat Iran at Abdi Ipekci Arena on Wednesday in a match in which sportsmanship triumphed over animosity. /Today's Zaman/