ERDOGAN OPENS TURKISH TRADE CENTER IN MOSCOW
On the last day of his three-day visit to Russia, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday opened a new Turkish Trade Center in Moscow. “There are many things Turkey and Russia can do jointly for the reconstruction of Iraq,” said Erdogan during the opening ceremony of the 11-story, 9,000-square-meter center that will service some 200 companies and provide 1,000 jobs. Stressing that Turkish and Russian companies both had extensive experience in Iraq, Erdogan said they should work together when conditions were convenient to invest in the country. Erdogan also called on Russian businessmen to build a Russian trade center also in Turkey. The premier then attended a meeting of the Turkish-Russian Business Council. Speaking to the gathering, Erdogan expressed his satisfaction at recent signs of progress in bilateral relations. After completing his contacts in Russia, Erdogan and his accompanying delegation returned to Ankara last night. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN CONGRATULATES PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT ABBAS
Prime Minisater Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday telephoned Mahmoud Abbas, the winner of this Sunday’s presidential elections in Palestine. Congratulating Abbas and wishing him all success, Erdogan invited the president-elect to visit Ankara in the near future. Underlining the importance of Abbas’ election for promoting peace in the Mideast, Erdogan reiterated Ankara’s willingness to actively contribute to peace efforts in the region, adding that a skilled technical team would soon be sent to Palestine to help construction in the country. /Aksam/

ANKARA REVIEWS TRILATERAL MEETING ON IRAQ
The details of this week’s trilateral security meeting between Turkey, the US and Iraq were discussed yesterday in separate bilateral meetings between Ankara and US and Iraqi officials. Meanwhile, Ankara submitted a list to the parties who took part in the meeting. This list included Ankara’s demands for ending the presence of the terrorist PKK in the region. The extradition of about 250 wanted PKK members including Osman Ocalan was also on the list. Iraqi officials said that a judicial assistance agreement signed between Ankara and Baghdad in 1989 was still valid. /Sabah/

NEW ENERGY VENTURES PLANNED WITH RUSSIA
During Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit this week to Russia, important steps were taken to develop new energy ventures. Under one project, Turkey would buy power from Russia through lines laid under the Black Sea, also enabling it to sell this power to third countries. The possibility of extending the Blue Stream natural gas pipeline to the south of Turkey was also taken up during meetings between Turkish and Russian officials. In addition, Turkish Pipeline Corporation BOTAS and Russia’s Gazprol agreed to work on two other plans, one proposing construction of a compressed natural gas terminal in Ceyhan, Adana, and its sales to third countries through tankers, while the other proposes selling this gas to Israel via undersea pipelines. /Turkiye/

BAYKAL: “DEPUTIES’ IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION SHOULD BE ABOLISHED”
Deputies’ immunity from prosecution should be abolished, said opposition Republican Peoples’ Party leader Deniz Baykal yesterday. Requesting that his own immunity be lifted, Baykal charged that the government wouldn’t do so because they are trying to hide cases of wrongdoing. “If ordinary citizens don’t have the choice of how they are tried, deputies shouldn’t have this choice either,” said Baykal. /Star/

AGAR CALLS RESULT OF ABIZAID’S VISIT TO TURKEY “GRAVE”
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar called the result of this week’s visit of Gen. John Abizaid, commander of US troops in Iraq, “grave.” Agar stressed that the US wanted to use Turkey’s Incirlik airbase, but that it hasn’t met Turkey’s needs concerning the fight against terrorism. Press reports said Abizaid had failed to make the commitment that Ankara sought to fight the PKK in northern Iraq. /Star/

DENKTAS CRITICIZES PUTIN’S SUPPORT FOR ANNAN PLAN, CHARGES PLAN IS NO LONGER VALID
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statement this week in support of the Annan Cyprus plan. “The plan is no longer valid,” said Denktas. “It has elements which both parties oppose.” He charged further that the plan would be “destructive” for Turkish cypriots. /Aksam/

TALAT: “IN THE INTERESTS OF A CYPRUS RESOLUTION, THE TRNC’S ISOLATION SHOULD BE ENDED”
Appearing on television yesterday, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat denied rumors that the European Union was preparing an alternative to the Annan plan, calling reports to this effect only rumors. “The EU lacks the power to reach a resolution on the island,” he said. Talat further stressed that the TRNC’s isolation should be brought to an end in order to help reach a resolution on the island. “Lifting this isolation is a strategic goal,” said Talat, adding that main objective was a resolution on the island. /Star/

CB RELEASES ECONOMIC REPORT ON DECEMBER 2004
The Central Bank yesterday released its economic report on last December, stating that falling inflation would also change pricing adjustments in the country. The report further said that in many sectors, price adjustments would be annual or semiannual rather than monthly. /Milliyet/