GUL TRAVELS TO BAHRAIN
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday arrived in Manama for talks with Bahraini officials. During his two-day visit, Gul is expected to discuss bilateral and regional issues. Speaking to reporters en route to Bahrain, Gul said Parliament would decide on the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK), set to come into effect this Wednesday. As a democratic country, he added, everybody in Turkey should respect Parliament’s decisions. Commenting on State Minister Ali Babacan’s recent appointment as chief negotiator for Turkey’s European Union accession talks, Gul said that he believed that Babacan would carry out the talks with great success. /Turkiye/
ARINC IN CHICAGO ON LAST LEG OF US VISIT
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, on the last two days of his trip to the US, on Saturday attended a dinner hosted by the Chicago Union League Club. Speaking to the gathering, Arinc spoke about Turkey’s recent reforms and his contacts in the country. Stressing that during the three-year rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkey had taken great steps forward, Arinc said that recent reforms had improved Turkish citizens’ legal and democratic standards. He added that Turkish-US relations were very important and their cooperation in various areas would continue. /Star/
FRANCE REJECTS EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION
In yesterday’s landmark French referendum on the proposed European Union constitution, the nays had it, by about 55% to 45%. After the results were announced, French President Jacques Chirac said, “France rejected the constitution. We should continue to work for a better Europe. This result will make it harder for France to defend its interests within the EU.” According to analysts, the French public rejected the constitution due to such factors as rising unemployment, a desire to protect social rights, and opposition to enlargement and Turkey’s EU membership. Meanwhile, EU Commission President Manuel Barroso said that the issue of the EU constitution was not yet closed and that everybody would work hard for the future of Europe. Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said, “We can’t expect other countries to pay a price. I believe Turkey should become an EU member.” /Sabah/
552ND ANNIVERSARY OF OTTOMAN CONQUEST OF ISTANBUL CELEBRATED
The 552nd anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul by Fatih Sultan Mehmet yesterday was celebrated in the country with ceremonies. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Parliament Deputy Speaker Nevzat Pakdil and other party leaders issued messages marking the occasion. /Milliyet/
US CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO VISIT TRNC
A delegation from the US House of Representatives Turkish Caucus is set to arrive in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) today for talks with President Mehmet Ali Talat, Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas and representatives from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). After completing their contacts in the TRNC, the delegation led by Congressman Ed Whitfield will travel to Turkey to have talks with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok on Turkish-American relations. In related news, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told reporters that he welcomed the US delegation’s visit to the TRNC. /Turkiye/
FRIENDSHIP AWARDS GIVEN IN SOLINGEN
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal attended yesterday a friendship award ceremony in the German city of Solingen. The Turkish-German Friendship Federation handed out awards to help build a consensus against racism. Five relatives of the Genc family, which died after their house was set on fire by neo-Nazis in Solingen on May 29, 1993, were commemorated yesterday. Nearly 2,000 people attended the ceremony, including Baykal, former German President Johannes Rau, Turkish State Minister Mehmet Aydin, deputy CHP leader Onur Oymen, former Parliament Acting Speaker Yilmaz Ates, CHP Deputy Secretary-General Bihlul Tamayligil, Yozgat Deputy Emin Koc, Istanbul Deputy Ali Riza Gulcicek, True Path Party (DYP) deputy leader Nuzhet Kandemir, Solingen Mayor Franz Haug, North Rhine-Westphalia State Minister for the EU Wolfram Kuschke, members of the Turkish and German press, representatives of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and political parties, artists, and Solingen residents. Rau won the federation’s award in the field of politics, renowned pianist Fazil Say won the award for art, badminton player Avni Kertmen was awarded for sports, businessman Mustafa Baklan got the business world award, and Faruk Sen received the award in the field of science and research. /Cumhuriyet/
TOBB SEEKS POST OF DEPUTY EU CHIEF NEGOTIATOR
Turkish Union of Chamber of Stock Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu yesterday requested that the duty of deputy European Union chief negotiator be given to the TOBB. Stating that the TOBB had delivered its request to Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Hisarciklioglu said that Gul also agreed that the TOBB should be given an influential role in Turkey’s membership negotiations with the EU. /Cumhuriyet/
FRENCH BUSINESSMEN TO VISIT TURKEY
Turkish-French Business Council Co-Chairman Aldo Kaslowski said yesterday that a French Businessmen and Industrialists Association (MEDEF International) delegation would visit Turkey with high-ranking French businessmen on June 12-14. Kaslowski added that the MEDEF International’s visit to Turkey was very important for Turkish-French relations. “The French business world’s support for Turkey’s EU membership negotiations and full membership will be renewed during MEDEF’s visit,” he added. /Hurriyet/
CONSORTIUM WITH TURKISH FIRM WINS DUBAI METRO TENDER
A consortium including Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi Construction and Industry has won a tender to build the Dubai Metro in the United Arab Emirates. The metro is expected to be completed in five years and to cost $3.8 billion. The firm will also carry out the maintenance service for 15 years. /Hurriyet/