SEZER APPROVES STUDENT AMNESTY BILL
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday approved a controversial bill concerning student amnesty which he had previously vetoed. The bill enabling some 700,000 students who were dismissed from university since June 29, 2000 to return was passed by Parliament this week and then sent for the president’s approval. The bill will go into effect after its publication in the Official Gazette. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN VOICES SUPPORT FOR SEZER’S SYRIA VISIT
Speaking to reporters following his meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday expressed support for Sezer’s upcoming visit to Syria, saying that Sezer’s decision to go ahead with the trip was appropriate. Asked whether the visit would hurt Turkish-US relations, Erdogan dismissed the possibility. “There is no problem in our relations with the US,” he added. In related news, speaking at a press conference yesterday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said that Ankara would decide by itself about its relations with its neighbors, adding, “We conduct our foreign policy and foreign relations of our own free will.” Tan added that Sezer would travel to Damascus for his official visit in the second week of April. /Aksam/

GUL: “THERE IS NO PROBLEM BETWEEN ANKARA AND WASHINGTON”
Speaking at his party’s Central Decision and Executive Board (MKYK) meeting yesterday, Foreign Minister Abdulah Gul briefed participants on relations between Ankara and Washington, which recently experienced tension due to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s visit to Syria scheduled for next month, saying that there was no problem between the two countries. “There are some circles which are trying to say that there is a problem between Turkey and the US, and that Turkey was approving Syria’s actions,” he said. “But we did our best for Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon and took necessary steps on the matter. We told Syrian officials that not withdrawing their troops could create problems.” /Aksam/

FOREIGN MINISTRY: “THE EU DECISION ON CROATIA WILL NOT AFFECT ANKARA”
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan yesterday predicted that this week’s European Union decision to delay its negotiations with Croatia would not affect Ankara beginning its own accession talks. He added that he hoped Croatia would meet the EU’s expectations as soon as possible and begin its accession talks. /Aksam/

KRETSCHMER: “THE EU DECISION TO DELAY NEGOTIATIONS WITH CROATIA IS SEPARATE FROM TURKEY”
Attending a meeting yesterday at the Customs Undersecretariat with State Minister Kursat Tuzmen, European Commission Representative in Ankara Hansjoerg Kretschemer said that the European Union decision to delay its negotiations with Croatia was separate from Turkey, adding that the accession talks with Ankara would begin on Oct. 3, as planned. German Ambassador to Ankara Wolf-Ruthart Born, who was also present at the meeting, also reiterated Germany’s full support for Ankara beginning its EU accession talks in October. In related news, EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Commission Co-Chairman Joost Lagendijk said that Ankara should learn from the EU decision on Croatia, adding that Turkey should first sign the Ankara protocol with the EU to begin its accession talks. He added that there was no other condition for the talks. In related news, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that there was no connection between Ankara and the EU decision on Croatia, adding that Zagreb only recently got involved in the EU process. “The EU decision on Croatia isn’t about the Copenhagen criteria, but war crimes,” he added. /Cumhuriyet/

90TH ANNIVERSARY OF GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN COMMEMORATED TODAY
The 90th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign, a victory by Turkish troops defending the Dardanelles during World War I, is being commemorated today. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, State Minister Besir Atalay, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Chief of General Staff Gen Hilmi Ozkok and the Australian and New Zealand ambassadors to Turkey will all attend the ceremonies. /Hurriyet/

LANDSLIDE SWALLOWS SIVAS DISTRICT
A landslide yesterday in the central Anatolian city of Sivas’ Koyulhisar district swallowed 21 houses, leaving 17 people missing. Sivas Governor Hasan Canpolat said that search and rescue operations were continuing, adding that though housing was prohibited in the area, people had not heeded the safety warnings. /Star/

SARIGUL TO DEFEND HIMSELF AT CHP DISCIPLINARY BOARD
Opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) Istanbul Sisli district Mayor Mustafa Sarigul will testify today before the CHP Disciplinary Board. Sarigul was sent to the board by the party’s Central Executive Council (MYK) last November with a formal request to expel him from the party due to corruption allegations. /Turkiye/

MUMCU JOINS ANAP
Independent Isparta Deputies Erkan Mumcu and Mehmet Sait Armagan, as well as Malatya independent Deputy Suleyman Saribas and Yozgat independent Deputy Mehmet Erdemir, yesterday joined the Motherland Party (ANAP). A ceremony to mark the event will be held tomorrow, said officials, adding that Mumcu, a former ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy and ex-culture and tourism minister, will announce his candidacy for ANAP leadership during the ceremony. ANAP, which failed to enter Parliament after the 2002 November elections, now has four seats in Parliament. The latest situation in Parliament is as follows: the Justice and Development Party (AKP): 361, Republican People’s Party (CHP): 168, True Path Party (DYP): 6, Motherland Party (ANAP): 4, People’s Ascent Party (HYP): 1, independent: 9 and vacant: 1. /Turkiye/

US STATE DEPT: “SEZER’S VISIT TO DAMASCUS IS SOMETHING BETWEEN TURKEY AND SYRIA”
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s upcoming official visit to Damascus is a decision between Turkey and Syria, said US State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli yesterday. Reiterating the US position on Syria, Ereli said, “We would certainly hope that Turkey as well as others send Syria a clear message that the international community is of one mind in wanting and calling on Syria to get all its forces and intelligence operatives out of Lebanon.” /Hurriyet/

COURT: “REQUESTING EDUCATION IN KURDISH IS NOT A THREAT TO THE STATE”
In a case seeking the closure of education labor union Egitim-Sen because it advocates education in native languages, a judge yesterday ruled against the closure. In the text of his decision, Judge Kudret Kurt said that it is natural that language is a component of differences in a state rather than an element of separatism. “Education in native languages is not against the law,” said Kurt. “On the contrary, it is an indication that the state is looking after its citizens.” /Sabah/

DEHAP TO HOLD NEVRUZ CELEBRATIONS IN DIYARBAKIR
The Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP) on Monday will organize celebrations of Nevruz, a day marking the advent of spring. Stating that the Nevruz has been celebrated peacefully in recent years, DEHAP Diyarbakir head Mesut Bektas said that he had invited about 1,000 guests for the celebrations including President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iraqi Kurdish Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Massoud Barzani and Iraqi Kurdish Patriotic Union (IPUK) leader Jalal Talabani. /Sabah/