ERDOGAN TO ATTEND WORLD ECONOMY SUMMIT IN DAVOS, TO DISCUSS CYPRUS WITH BLAIR
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to travel to Davos, Switzerland on 26 Jan to attend the two days of the four-day World Economy Summit. Erdogan is due to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair to discuss recent developments on the Cyprus issue and Erdogan is expected to tell Blair that Cyprus negotiations should resume in order to reach a resolution on the island. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who Erdogan was expected to discuss Cyprus, could possibly be in South Asia which last month suffered devastating earthquake and tsunami. /Cumhuriyet/
CABINET DISCUSSES EU TALKS
The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened yesterday. The five-hour meeting focused on European Union accession talks scheduled to begin on Oct. 3, 2005. Afterwards, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek told reporters that certain laws and measures required to be taken for the EU were discussed at the cabinet meeting. He stated that a hard period was ahead of Turkey which needed an intense effort and work, adding that some 40,000 new personnel would be hired in the state institutions this year. In related news, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul reportedly would be the head of the negotiation delegation, while State Minister Ali Babacan is expected to be the chief negotiator. Meanwhile, a EU delegation of Joint Monitoring Committee is set to visit Ankara at the end of this month to discuss recent economic developments in Turkey with Turkish officials. EU delegations are expected to pay periodical visits to Turkey in the future to see the legal regulations and their implementations on the road to EU talks. /Turkiye/
BAYKAL: “THERE IS NO NEED FOR A EUROPEAN OBSERVER AT THE CHP CONGRESS”
In the runup to a key party congress to be held on Jan. 30, Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and his main rival Mayor of the Sisli district Mustafa Sarýgul continuing their efforts to seek the delegates’ support for CHP leadership. Baykal yesterday attended a party meeting held in Diyarbakir. Later, speaking to reporters, Baykal criticized Sarigul’s proposal for a European observer at the CHP’s congress, saying that there was no need for such an observer. “This is not the first congress of our party,” said Baykal, adding that the congress would be in accordance with the CHP’s regulations and laws. In related news, CHP’s Istanbul deputy Zulfu Livaneli said yesterday that he could announce his candidacy for CHP leadership next week. “I will determine the timing and method of the announcement with my friends,” he added. /Milliyet/
AKSIT LEAVES FOR UNITED STATES
State Minister Gurdal Aksit yesterday left for the US to attend the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, which convenes every four years. Before her departure, Aksit told reporters that Turkey would present its fourth and fifth term reports. “The aim of this committee is eliminating all forms of discrimination against women, and assure equality between women and men,” added Aksit. “Turkey’s report includes legal arrangements regarding education and health of women, and gender equality.” /Anadolu Agency/
AUSTRIAN FM: “WE’LL HOLD REFERENDUM ON TURKEY’S EU BID WHEN ACCESSION TALKS ARE COMPLETED”
Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said yesterday that a referendum would be held in his country on Turkey’s European Union membership, when Ankara’s EU accession talks are completed. Speaking after his meeting with his German counterpart Joschka Fischer in Berlin, Plassnik said that such referendum would determine the concrete result of accession talks. “We’ll benefit from cooperating with a European Turkey,” he added. /Cumhuriyet/
SCHROEDER: “TURKEY’S SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF REFORMS ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US”
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said yesterday that successful implementation of Turkey’s reforms were important for Germany. Speaking to reporters, Schroeder said that he was aware that the Turkish government was faced with a difficult task. “We are always monitoring constructively Turkey’s implementation of reforms,” he added. /Cumhuriyet/
MESUT PARLAK BECOMES ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY’S NEW RECTOR
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday appointed Prof. Mesut Parlak as the new rector of Istanbul University. Parlak had received the highest votes in the elections. New rector told reporters that he would make efforts to bring the university to best level in line with democracy and the principles of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. /Turkiye/
TURKISH RED CRESCENT SENDS MEDICAL TEAM TO SOUTH ASIA
A Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) medical team of 14 doctors and 15 nurses traveled to Indonesia over the weekend to contribute to the relief efforts in the region hit by last month’s earthquake and tsunami disaster. “Turkey will do its best to help the victims of the disaster,” said Talat Yilmaz, head of Turkish Red Crescent. In addition, a medical team consists of four doctors and six nurses from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) also joined the Turkish team. TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat stated that his government would provide financial aid for relief efforts in the region. /Turkiye/
OLLI REHN: “THE US SHOULD RESPECT EU’S DECISIONS ON TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP PROCESS”
The US must respect the European Union and let it advance at its own pace in EU membership talks with Turkey, said EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn yesterday. “I presume that the Americans are smart enough to understand that this really is an issue that concerns Europe, not the US,” Olli Rehn said in an interview with the Finnish state broadcaster YLE. “I hope that the US understands that this is a matter of EU decision making, and although we work with the US on this and on many other issues, the US should respect the EU’s own pace.” /Sabah/
TRNC PRESIDENT: “WE TRUST THE AKP GOVERNMENT”
We trust the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, said Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Rauf Denktas yesterday speaking to a conference in Hatay. “We appreciate their efforts and we consider their words as promissory not,” Denktas added. /Star/
FRENCH MINISTER MEETS WITH TALAT
French Minister Delegate for European Affairs Claudie Haignere yesterday met with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat. No statements were released regarding the meeting. After hiss meeting with Talat, Haignere met with Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos. /Hurriyet/
KURDISH PARTIES SUPPORTED BY PKK TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS
Two Iraqi Kurdish parties supported by the terrorist group PKK, the Kurdistan Democratic Solution Party and the Iraqi Democratic Restructuring Party, decided to participate in the elections scheduled end of this month in the country. Turkey has previously urged the US officials to take necessary measures to prevent their participation in the elections. In related news, election centers have been established in Istanbul and Ankara to enable Iraqi citizens living Turkey to cast ballots. /Turkiye/