ERDOGAN’S AFRICAN TRIP BEGINS TODAY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due today to travel to Ethiopia to pay an official visit. The premier is expected tomorrow to meet with his Ethiopian counterpart Meles Zenawi as well as President Girma Wolde-Georgis in the capital Addis Ababa to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. During meetings between the two countries’ delegations, a number of agreements are expected to be signed. After completing his contacts in Ethiopia, Erdogan will proceed to South Africa and meet with that nation’s President Thabo Mbeki and Deputy President Jacob Zuma. Erdogan will hold contacts in Cape Town on Friday and return to Turkey on Saturday. /Aksam/

GUL REJECTS CLAIMS OF TURKEY “DRAGGING ITS FEET” ON EU PREPARATION
Visiting European Union Term President Luxembourg’s Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Immigration Nicholas Schmit said yesterday that there had been “fatigue” in Turkey after last December’s landmark summit, where EU leaders agreed to open long-delayed accession talks with Turkey this October. After meeting with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Schmit urged Ankara not to lose the momentum in reforms aimed at preparing Turkey for eventual membership. For his part, Gul remarked that Ankara places great importance on its EU process. Stressing that the government is in a process of preparation and its reforms are ongoing, Gul said that EU-related matters were a top priority for the government. Addressing the matter of the appointment of a chief negotiator for Turkey’s talks, Gul said this negotiator would soon be named by the prime minister. /Turkiye/

CICEK: “WE’LL NAME OUR CHIEF EU NEGOTIATOR WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT”
Speaking at a press conference following yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that the government would name its chief negotiator for Turkey’s European Union accession talks when the time was right, adding that the issue wasn’t a priority for the government. “This is not very important for us,” said Cicek. He further criticized the EU, saying that it hasn’t yet conveyed documents on the negotiation framework to Ankara. Cicek also denied recent claims that the government hadn’t worked hard enough for the nation’s EU membership bid since last December’s EU summit, when it got a date for talks, reiterating that it was determined on the issue. /Aksam/

AKSU: “WE SHOULD HOLD SEMINARS TO TRAIN PERSONNEL ON THE NEW PENAL CODE”
Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu yesterday attended a ceremony marking the 46th anniversary of the Civil Defense Department. Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Aksu said that since there could be confusion in the implementation of the latest penal code reforms, the government should hold training seminars to educate security personnel on the changes. “Our ministry has already held informative sessions for the police chiefs,” he added. Responding to Justice Minister Cemil Cicek’s recent statement that security forces must work in line with the law instead of trying to find excuses, Aksu said that the police were not seeking excuses but were doing their utmost to serve the citizens in the best way possible. “Naturally there might be concerns over the new law, but I believe that state institutions must work to address these,” he added. Some policemen were recently reported to complain of the new legal procedures that whenever they arrest someone the courts order their release, whereupon Cicek urged them to act in line with the new law without “looking for excuses.” /Star/

BARROSO: “CYPRUS IS A PROBLEM OF THE EU”
European Union Commission Head Jose Manuel Barroso said yesterday that the Cyprus issue was a problem for the Union, signaling that the commission is ready to play a more active role on the issue. Speaking following his meeting with Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos in Brussels, Barroso said that a new situation for Cyprus arose after Turkey got a date last December from the Union to begin its EU accession talks. “We hope to see new developments for a resolution on the island,” he said. “I believe that Turkey’s EU talks process will help promote a resolution.” Barroso stressed that he had discussed the issue with Turkish officials, saying that a resolution would have a direct effect on the EU acquis communautaire. The commission head added that reaching a resolution required the cooperation of both parties and that both sides would benefit from a positive atmosphere. “An atmosphere of trust is needed in order to reach a resolution,” said Barroso. /Milliyet/

FRENCH PARLIAMENT OKAYS REFERENDUM ON TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP
France’s Parliament yesterday approved a constitutional harmonization package to eliminate contradictions between France’s decades-old Constitution and the proposed European Union Constitution. The package stipulates that referenda be held on the accession of all countries to the European Union after 2007, a clear reference to Turkey, the only EU candidate expected to accede after that date. Ankara is due to start accession talks on Oct. 3, but its negotiations are expected to last at least 10 years. /Turkiye/

EU: “THERE IS NO FATIGUE IN TURKISH-EU RELATIONS”
In the midst of recent rumors that Ankara is not moving fast enough to prepare for its upcoming European Union membership negotiations, yesterday the EU Commission in Brussels, however, said that it was unaware of any indication of “fatigue” in Turkey. Speaking at a press conference, EU Commission spokeswoman Francoise Le Bail said, “We have not seen any sign of fatigue in Turkish-EU relations. The atmosphere of our ties has not changed.” /Turkiye/

US STATE DEPT REPORT PRAISES TURKEY’S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE HUMAN RIGHTS
The US State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor yesterday released its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004. The annual reports are designed to provide a key framework for the US and other countries around the world to use in assessing the state of freedom and marshalling efforts to advance it. The 2004 edition of the report turns the world’s spotlight on nearly 200 countries including Turkey. “The [Turkish] government carried out extensive legal reforms during the year aimed at meeting the requirements for European Union membership,” says the report. “[T]he overall use of torture appeared to decrease during the year. Police and local authorities demonstrated more tolerance for controversial speech and were more flexible in handling nonviolent demonstrations. Kurdish language courses and news and cultural broadcasts began during the year, under tight restrictions.” However, the report also underlines that serious problems remained in such areas as “honor killings” and freedom of the press, although noting that the Turkish government generally respects human rights. “Parliament adopted a new penal code and approved a package of constitutional amendments,” it adds. “Sentences for torture convictions were increased; ‘honor killings’ were defined as aggravated homicides; and actions aimed at preventing free religious expression were defined as a crime punishable by 1 to 3 years in prison … International agreements were given precedence over national law; military and defense expenditures were placed under audit court review; the state was assigned responsibility for ensuring gender equality … [and] legislative amendments abolished the State Security Courts (DGMs).” /Aksam/