GUL: "A STRONG TURKEY IS IN THE WORLD'S BEST INTEREST"
Turkey's powerful economy, improving democracy, and higher legal standards are making it stronger, and this strong Turkey will benefit its neighbors, Europe, and the entire world, said President Abdullah Gul yesterday. Speaking at the Turkish-German Economy Forum yesterday in Kayseri, alongside his visiting German counterpart Christian Wulff, Gul said Wulff's five-day visit will add momentum to the already good relations between the two nations, stressing the role of Germany's 3 million-plus Turks as a bridge between the two peoples. Citing Germany's past support for Turkey's European Union membership bid, Gul asked the "engine of the EU" to continue this support. Gul also touted the Turkish economy's recent success and the structural reforms that helped protect it from the impact of the global economic crisis and instead reach new heights. "In 2008 trade between Turkey and Germany exceeded $30 billion, but our exports fell as European markets took heavy damage from the economic crisis," he said. If Turkey joins the EU, it will help expand the economic pie while taking a larger slice of it, he added. /Today's Zaman/
ERDOGAN IN FINLAND, FOR FIRST TURKISH PREMIER'S VISIT IN 32 YEARS
Turkey expects the European Union to take steps to help relieve an impasse over direct trade with Turkish Cypriots, said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday. He made the remarks in Finland, for the first visit there by a Turkish premier in 32 years, just two days after a European Parliament Legal Affairs Committee ruling that EU trade with the Turkish Cypriots should be governed directly by EU single market and customs union rules, not the EU's international trade rules. Calling the ruling non-binding for EU member states, Erdogan said, "Two commitments were made to us when Grek Cyprus joined the EU (in 2004); one on free movement, and the other on financial issues. Since then, no steps have been taken on these two issues." For his part, Finnish President Arja Halonen said his country supports Turkey's EU accession to the EU and added: "We are two old friends, as countries and peoples. I was in the Middle East last week. I heard praise for you (Erdogan) and your country. We support Turkey's EU accession. We continue to follow the process with enthusiasm and support." /Hurriyet Daily News/
PM ERDOGAN DUE IN ATHENS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit Athens tomorrow for the second time in less than six months, a frequency unprecedented for a Turkish premier. Accompanied by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Erdogan will be in the Greek capital to attend a conference held as part of the Mediterranean Climate Change Initiative. On the sidelines of the conference, Erdogan is also expected to hold bilateral talks with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou to evaluate over 20 bilateral cooperation agreements signed when he visited Athens in May. In a Greek TV interview earlier this week, Erdogan called for an end to dogfights between Turkish and Greek fighter jets over the Aegean Sea. He also proposed that the two neighbors conduct joint oil explorations in the Aegean. /Hurriyet/
DAVUTOGLU PAYS POST-ELECTION VISIT TO BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a one-day visit to meet with the country's political leaders following the Oct. 3 general elections. Davutoglu is expected to exchange views on future deliberations by Bosnia and Herzegovina, reaffirming Turkey's support. Davutoglu will have talks with all three members of the Presidential Council, as well as Prime Minister Nikola Spiric and High Representative Valentin Inzko, who is tasked with overseeing civilian implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement. According to the Foreign Ministry, Davutoglu's visit is expected to boost the already excellent bilateral relations between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina, further strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina's perspective for integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, and reiterate Turkey's commitment to contribute to the country's peace, prosperity and stability. /Today's Zaman/
US NATL SECURITY ADVISER: "TURKEY AND THE US ARE CLOSER THAN EVER BEFORE"
Amid recent tensions in bilateral ties, outgoing US National Security Adviser James Jones yesterday said that Turkish-US defense and security cooperation is closer and needed now more than ever. Speaking at the 29th annual meeting of the American- Turkish Council in Washington, Jones said, "To succeed, we must stand up for each other as NATO allies, strategic partners, and friends, as we have for years." Pointing to Turkey's recent economic success, Jones said, "Turkey's rising economic strength gives the US, which faces many global economic challenges, an opportunity to make headway side by side with Turkey on a partnership basis." Jones is stepping down from his post later this month. /Sabah/
IRAQ'S TALABANI URGES TERRORIST PKK TO GIVE UP
Failing to recognize the value of Turkish democracy is the biggest mistake of the terrorist PKK, and pursuing unattainable dreams is meaningless, said Iraqi President Jalal Talabani yesterday. "Dreaming of a Kurdish state is unrealistic," Talabani told Al Turkiya, the Arabic-language channel of Turkish state-run TRT,. "Let's suppose that the Kurdish Parliament in northern Iraq declared independence, and the three surrounding countries (Turkey, Syria and Iraq) don't declare a war, but only close their borders," he said. "How could this state continue its existence? With its closed borders, how could it import or export? How could it establish contact with the outside world?" /Hurriyet/
ANKARA EXPRESSES CONCERNS OVER NEW DUTCH GOVERNMENT
The Foreign Ministry on Monday called in the Dutch Embassy undersecretary to explain their concerns over the new government in the Netherlands, which has had to rely on an anti-Islam party for support. Foreign Ministry officials downplayed the exchange and described the invitation as routine, stressing that it doesn't signal any rift in relations. "We underlined that we want to continue cooperating with the Dutch, but we also made it a point that the acquired rights of Turkish citizens who are living in the Netherlands are extremely important and that any steps that might be construed as infringing on their rights would be unacceptable," said a Turkish diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. A minority Dutch coalition made up of Liberals and Christian Democrats took office last week, aiming to curb immigration in exchange for support for its austerity agenda from the anti-immigration Freedom Party. Turks, along with Moroccans, make up a large part of the 1 million Muslims living in the Netherlands. /Today's Zaman/
OBAMA MEETS TURKISH SCHOOL'S AWARD-WINNING STUDENTS
US President Barack Obama on Monday met with four Turkish students from the Pinnacle Academy, a private Washington, DC school. The students visited the White House to present their project, which took first place in the National Engineers Week Future City Competition in February. Hosting the White House Science Fair to honor the winners of science, technology, engineering and mathematics contests, Obama viewed the winning students' projects and took the time to congratulate the students on their hard work. Pinnacle Academy Principal Mustafa Akpinar called their presence at such an important event an honor for the students and the school, demonstrating its success in providing a quality education grounded in math, science and technology. /Today's Zaman/
TURKEY'S TPAO WINS TWO OIL BIDS IN IRAQ
The Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) won two out of three bids to Iraqi oil fields at an international auction yesterday. Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said the sales are very important in boosting the country's war-ravaged economy. A consortium of TPAO, Kuwait Energy and the Korean Gas Corporation won the contract to develop the Mansuriyah field in Diyala province of northeast Baghdad, which has estimated reserves of 127 billion cubic meters. TPAO has a 50 percent stake, Kuwait Energy has a 30 percent stake, and Korean Gas has a 20 percent stake in the joint venture. /Hurriyet Daily News/
ORHAN PAMUK WINS NORMAN MAILER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Turkish author and Nobel Prize Laureate Orhan Pamuk on Tuesday received the 2010 Norman Mailer Lifetime Achievement Award for challenging conventional views in his contributions to literature. Pamuk told reporters before the award ceremony that it was an honor for him to receive it. "Norman Mailer was a democratic writer who stood against the established American system for 60 years," he added, calling Mailer the US' own Victor Hugo. In a press release, the Norman Mailer Society said, "Pamuk is a writer whom Mailer admired, a writer who has opened up a window so all can better understand the culture and society in which he lives and has inspired literary students the world over to visit Turkey." /Hurriyet Daily News/