ERDOGAN: “TURKEY IS SPREADING ITS FOREIGN POLICY HORIZONS”
Speaking at the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) parliamentary group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that it was the conviction of his government that ruling the country only from offices in Ankara was not the best approach. “We’re expanding the horizons of our foreign policy. For this reason, we’re paying visits abroad at every opportunity to seek new dynamics and new markets,” said Erdogan. Pointing to recent positive news concerning Turkey, the premier stated that the nation was becoming a shining star. /Sabah/

ERDOGAN TRAVELS TO ETHIOPIA
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday flew to Ethiopia, the first stop of his mini five-day African tour. Before his departure, speaking to reporters at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, Erdogan reiterated his government’s declaration of 2005 as the “Year of Africa.” He stressed that a rich potential for trade lies in certain African countries and that his visit aimed at developing bilateral economic relations with them. Asked about the recent controversial closing of Izmit’s SEKA paper factory and the resistance of its workers to the government’s decision, Erdogan said that the facility had run its economic course and that the closure would save the state some TL 30 trillion in losses. “A U-turn on this decision is out of the question,” added the premier. /Turkiye/

GONUL: “THERE’S NO AGREEMENT ON INCIRLIK”
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said yesterday that no agreement had been signed between Ankara and Washington regarding the use of Incirlik Airbase or other facilities for the US’ Iraq operation. Speaking in Parliament, Gonul stated that in line with UN Security Council resolutions on promoting Iraq’s stability and security, last June the government had extended the allowance of its military bases for some uses for another year. He added, “However, Incirlik Airbase has not been used for military personnel or supplies.” /Turkiye/

GEN. BASBUG VISITS US COMMAND IN GERMANY
Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug yesterday paid a visit to the US European Commandership (USEUCOM) in Stuttgart, Germany. During his two-day stay, Basbug is expected to meet with top-level US officials to discuss general and regional security issues. In addition, he will tour US training facilities. /Turkiye/

ANOTHER AKP DEPUTY RESIGNS
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Istanbul Deputy Goksal Kucukali yesterday resigned from the party. Kucukali had been sent to the AKP Disciplinary Board for involvement in alleged irregularities. With his resignation, the AKP now has 363 seats in Parliament, while the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) follows it with 170 seats. /Milliyet/

BAYKAL: “THE EU IS TRYING TO MAKE ‘GENOCIDE’ RECOGNITION A PRECONDITION FOR OUR ACCESSION TALKS”
Addressing his party’s parliamentary group meeting yesterday, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal evaluated recent domestic and foreign developments. Touching on the so-called Armenian genocide issue, Baykal said that the European Union was trying to make recognizing the “genocide” a precondition for Turkey’s EU membership, adding that such recognition had been passed by the Parliaments of several EU member states. “The EU is trying to make it a condition for Ankara to recognize the ‘genocide’ before we can begin our accession talks,” he said. Baykal criticized what he called the government’s inaction on the issue. “We’ll soon bring up the issue in Parliament,” he stressed. Also touching on the Cyprus issue, Baykal said that a report prepared by the Turkish-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission had labeled Turkish Cypriots a “minority,” a term he called unacceptable. /Cumhuriyet/

TUZMEN VISITS BELARUS
State Minister Kursat Tuzmen, who is currently in Belarus for an official visit, yesterday met with the nation’s President Alexander Lukashenko in the capital Minsk. During their meeting, Tuzmen said that realizing even 1% of the trade potential between Turkey and Belarus would result in a trade volume of $1.9 billion. For his part, Lukashenko said that he would do his best to boost cooperation between the two countries. /Turkish Daily News/

SERDAR DENKTAS: “OUR ELECTIONS PROVED THAT THE NATION WANTS THE CTP-DP COALITION TO CONTINUE”
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas said yesterday that the nation’s recent elections proved that the people want to see the continuation of the current Republican Turkish Party (CTP)-Democrat Party (DP) coalition government. “The DP respects the nation’s will as expressed in the elections,” he said. “Negotiations to establish a new government are due to begin on Friday.” Also touching on TRNC presidential elections scheduled for April, Denktas said that his party believed that all parties should agree on one candidate, preferably a figure without a partisan political identity. /Star/

CELIK: “TURKEY’S YOUNG POPULATION, IF EDUCATED, CAN BE A TREMENDOUS ASSET”
Education Minister Huseyin Celik said yesterday that Turkey’s young population served as a tremendous asset, warning, however, that this could change if their education is not adequate. Addressing a conference at Ankara University, Celik emphasized the importance of teachers in the education system, saying that libraries and laboratories were useless without them. “We place great importance on the training of educators, since we want to raise teaching standards,” he said. Celik stressed that the education system faced serious problems just like other areas, but that there is no need to pessimism. /Star/

TIM CHAIRMAN: “LAST MONTH’S EXPORTS REACHED NEARLY $6 BILLION, AN INCREASE OF OVER 50%”
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) Chairman Oguz Satici touted improved export figures for February, saying that exports last month reached nearly $6 billion, an increase of over 50%. “This figure exceeded our expectations,” he added. But Satici warned the government about the high current accounts deficit. /Aksam/