GUL TO ADDRESS COUNCIL OF EUROPE LAWMAKERS

President Abdullah Gul will address the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) during a visit to Strasbourg next week. Gul will also have talks with officials from the Council of Europe (CoE). The visit comes as Turkey holds the rotating chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, the decision-making body of the 47-nation CoE, a post it assumed last November and is due to hold through mid-May. The PACE presidency is also held by a Turkish deputy, Mevlut Cavusoglu. Gul, himself a member of PACE from 1992 to 2001, visited PACE as prime minister in 2003 and then in 2007 addressed it as president. During its six months at the Committee of Ministers helm, Turkey says it aims to reinforce the CoE’s political role, visibility and influence. Its program focuses on five priorities: CoE reform, reform of the European Court of Human Rights, strengthening independent monitoring mechanisms, EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights, and meeting the challenges of multicultural societies in Europe . Earlier this week Turkey also hosted a two-day anti-discrimination conference in cooperation with the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), a CoE body, as part of its chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. In a statement on Monday, the Foreign Ministry said Turkey that made a $50,000 voluntary contribution to the ECRI as the holder of the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. /Today’s Zaman/

ERDOGAN: "OUR VISA-FREE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO THE EU"

Turkey’s moves to create a visa-free zone in its neighborhood aren’t meant as an alternative to its European Union membership bid, said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday. Speaking to reporters en route from Kuwait to Qatar, both of which he is visiting this week, Erdogan commented on how Turkey and Yemen mutually lifted visa requirements during President Abdullah Gul’s visit there yesterday, and how a similar move with Kuwait is being considered. "I don’t see this as an alternative to the EU," Erdogan said. "The main aspect of the issue is economic, but of course it also has a political aspect in terms of solidarity. We should show the courage to take joint steps." After lifting visa entry requirements for nationals of Jordan , Libya , Syria and Lebanon , Ankara has expressed willingness to extend this free trade and visa-free zone to other countries. Last year Turkey and Syria , Jordan and Lebanon agreed set up a council to create "a zone of free movement of goods and persons" between them and urged others to join. While doing so, Turkish leaders stressed that this should not be seen as an alternative to the EU, while also telling the EU that it cannot and should not restrict Turkey ’s relations with its neighbors. /Today’s Zaman/

NEW PORTUGUESE AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH BAGIS

State Minister and EU Talks Negotiator Egemen Bagis yesterday received Portuguese Ambassador to Ankara Luisa Margarida de Carvalho Bastos de Almeida, who began her tenure in Turkey last November. "There are no political problems between Turkey and Portugal ," said Bagis during the meeting at the Secretariat General for EU Affairs. "( Portugal ) supports Turkey ’s membership. I sincerely believe that Ambassador Almeida will provide important services; I wish her my best." /Turkiye/

TURKEY EXTENDS VISA-FREE REGIME TO YEMEN

On the occasion of the first-ever presidential level visit from Turkey to Yemen , the two countries have secured cooperation through the signing of several bilateral agreements, including one to abolish visa requirements between the two nations. President Abdullah Gul’s two-day visit, which ended yesterday, came as Yemen is facing a series of major threats, including rising al-Qaeda militancy spreading beyond its borders, violence from southern secessionists, and sporadic clashes with Shiite rebels. "The fight against terrorism is a shared problem for the world," Gul told a press conference in Sana’a alongside his Yemeni counterpart Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Anatolia news agency reported. "International cooperation is very important in this matter. Turkey will stand with Yemen on this issue." He added, " Turkey will continue making a wide range of kinds of contributions to Yemen ’s democratic and economic development." Gul said Ankara has been closely following the reforms implemented by Yemen , apparently referring to reforms aimed at addressing the prospect of lower oil revenues while boosting public investment and social spending. /Today’s Zaman/

ANKARA SLAMS ISRAEL OVER HOTEL DEMOLITION

Turkey yesterday strongly condemned Israel ’s demolition of a historic hotel in east Jerusalem to make way for new settler homes, slamming it as a "serious blow" to peace efforts. The move shows Israel ’s "disregard" of international calls to stop expanding Jewish settlements and "deals a serious blow to efforts to establish an atmosphere of confidence" with the Palestinians, said the Foreign Ministry. Israel ’s action "further deepens existing suspicions over its commitment to peace," it added, calling on the international community "to fulfill its responsibilities in the face of such provocative acts by Israel ." /Hurriyet Daily News/

EU’S FULE PRAISES PM’S COUNTER-TERRORIST STANCE

European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule yesterday praised Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stance on counter-terrorism. Asked by MEPs how the EU Commission sees Erdogan’s view that Europe supports terrorist groups, and so holds some responsibility for a terrorist attack last October in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, which injured 32, Fule said that the commission can’t make assessments based on news reports, and added, "Erdogan strongly condemned the terror attack in Istanbul on Oct. 31 as an attack on humanity." Referring to similar attacks in London , Madrid and New York , Fule stressed that as a democracy, Turkey is opposed to such attacks. /Turkiye/

TURKEY BACKS SUDANESE UNITY, VOWS SUPPORT FOR PLEBISCITE

With an ongoing referendum likely to split Sudan along its Arab-African fault line, Turkey said it favors a unified country, while adding that diplomats will try to maintain good relations with both sides. "We are pursuing two principles in regards to our relations with Sudan ," said a Foreign Ministry official yesterday. "First, we want the continuity of Sudan ’s territorial integrity and unity. Our desire is in this direction. Secondly, we want the referendum result to serve peace and stability in the country regardless of the outcome." The official added that it is too early to comment on the independence vote, since the results have not been finalized. Turkey would pursue good relations with southern Sudan if it splits off from the north, said another Turkish diplomat who wished to remain anonymous. Speaking on the phone on the eve of the referendum, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told his Sudanese counterpart Ali Ahmed Karti that Turkey values Sudan ’s territorial integrity, but that Ankara will respect whatever decision comes from the vote, according to diplomatic sources. /Hurriyet Daily News/

WITH CHINESE ADDITION, MARDIN NOW HAS A DOZEN SISTER CITIES

With its latest protocol signed with Golmud, China, the city of Mardin in Turkey’s southeast can now claim 12 sister cities. Mardin officials say many other cities are in touch with them towards becoming sister cities. The protocol with Golmud was signed late last month during a ceremony held at Promotion Foundation of Turkey (TUTAV) headquarters and was overseen by the Turkey-People’s Republic of China Friendship Association and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC). Mardin Mayor Mehmet Besir Ayanoglu signed the protocol on behalf of the city. Speaking at the ceremony, the mayor said 7,000-year-old Mardin, a popular faith tourism destination with its many mosques and churches, is one of the world’s most important cities. " Tokyo and New York are next," he added. "I believe we will sign sister city protocols with cities in five or six countries by this June." /Today’s Zaman/