WORLD LEADERS TO MEET IN DAVOS
This year’s annual meeting of the World Economic Forum is set to begin tomorrow in Davos, Switzerland. More than 2,250 participants from 96 countries including some 20 heads of state or government will convene in the Swiss resort. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accompanied by State Minister Ali Babacan will represent Turkey during the four-day meeting where the global issues will be taken up. In addition, Erdogan is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with British Premier Tony Blair to discuss the Cyprus issue. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN MEETS WITH TRNC OPPOSITION LEADERS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with opposition leaders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in Istanbul ahead of parliamentary elections on Feb. 20. After one hour of talks, National Unity Party (UBP) leader Dervis Eroglu said that the discussions focused on policies for a settlement on the island. Erdogan also met separately with Mustafa Akinci, leader of the Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH). The premier has recently pledged to take steps to revive the peace efforts in Cyprus. /Turkiye/
ARINC TO VISIT ITALY
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc is due today to travel to Italy for a three-day official visit. During his stay in Italy, Arinc is expected to meet with Pier Ferdinando Casini, speaker of the Italian Parliament to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. /Cumhuriyet/
GUL SENDS LETTER TO KOFI ANNAN ABOUT KIRKUK ISSUE
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul last week sent a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan complaining of “artificial” population shifts towards the strategic northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk in the runup to elections in Iraq. The letter underlined that the activities of some groups might lead to instability in the region. Tension in the oil-rich city runs high less than a week ahead of the Jan. 30 elections. Three groups -- Turkmens, Arabs and Kurds –are competing for control of the city. An Arab party said yesterday that it would boycott elections in Kirkuk in protest of electoral authorities’ decision to allow thousands of Kurdish migrants to vote. /Turkiye/
TRNC TO BE REPRESENTED AT THE PACE’S STRASBOURG SUMMIT
A winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) opened in Strasbourg yesterday with the approval of the session agenda. Deputy Chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Murat Mercan and an accompanying delegation are representing Turkey at the meetings. The parliamentarians of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will, for the first time, be allowed to attend the meetings where they are expected to deliver speeches. The TRNC will be represented by Republican Turkish Party (CTP) parliamentarian Ozdil Nami and National Unity Party (UBP) parliamentarian Huseyin Ozgurgun. The key item on the agenda is discussion of the Assembly proposals for the forthcoming third summit of the Council of Europe on May 16-17. The summit, in which the heads of state and government of the 46 member-states will take part, is due to decide on the role and functions of the organization in a rapidly changing Europe. /Star/
ERDOGAN TO ATTEND ISO MEETING TO DISCUSS TURKEY’S ECONOMY PROBLEMS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to attend tomorrow’s Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) meeting to discuss Turkey’s economy problems as well as investment and production priorities. In related news, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) has launched an initiative to support the small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) which have previously not occupied with exports. ITO Executive Council Chairman Mehmet Yildirim said that they would, first of all, determine 20 firms out of 1,000 to be trained on exports issues. /Star/
ERDOGAN VISITS KANDILLI SEISMIC OBSERVATORY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday visited Bosphorus University's Kandilli Seismic Observatory and Research Center in Istanbul. Director of the observatory, Gulay Barbarosoglu briefed the premier on Turkey’s quake statistics and the operation of Kandilli. “Turkey is located on an active quake zone, and thus we have to take every possible measure to protect our citizens against disasters,” Erdogan said. /Sabah/
TOBB HEAD: “IF WE START EU ACCESSION TALKS WITHOUT SUFFICIENT PREPARATION, THEN TALKS COULD LAST LONGER THAN WE EXPECT”
Addressing an opening ceremony of the European Union Communication Project organized by the Turkish Economy Politics Research Foundation yesterday, Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Head Rifat Hisarciklioglu said that Turkey needed to be prepared for its EU accession talks, which is scheduled to start on Oct. 3. “If we start EU talks without sufficient preparation, then these talks could last longer than we expect,” said Hisarciklioglu. He stressed that it was very important for the government to brief the public and the business world on the issues which would be discussed with the EU officials during the accession talks. Under the EU Communication Project, journalists working at various press institutions, will attend a training program concerning negotiation process with the EU. /Cumhuriyet/
JOURNALIST MUMCU COMMEMORATED
Journalist and writer Ugur Mumcu, who was murdered in Ankara in 1993, was commemorated on the 12th anniversary of his death by political parties and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) all over the country. Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal attended the ceremony, saying, “Now Turkey is in need of Mumcu more than ever. We commemorate him with more longing.” /Aksam/
SARIGUL: “THE CHP WILL COME TO POWER IF I’M ELECTED THE LEADER OF THE PARTY”
Sisli Mayor Mustafa Sarigul, who is expected to announce on Thursday his candidacy for the Republican people’s Party (CHP) leadership, yesterday sought support in Konya before this Saturday’s extraordinary congress. Addressing the gathering, Sarigul criticized CHP leader Deniz Baykal. He further pledged that the CHP would come to power if he is elected the CHP leader this Saturday. /Cumhuriyet/