ERDOGAN TO TRAVEL TO LEBANON
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan is set to travel to Beirut, Lebanon tomorrow to attend the Arab Countries Economy Forum. During an inauguration speech of the gathering, Erdogan will brief the representatives of 30 countries about Turkey’s recent economic developments. The premier is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with Lebanese officials during his two-day visit to this country. /Star/

ERDOGAN ORDERS HIS STAFF NOT TO GO TO GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered his staff not to accept Greek Cypriot opposition party Democratic Mobilization Party (DISI) leader Nicos Anastasiades’ invitation to the Greek Cypriot administration. Reportedly, the lack of solution to the problem of the way to be followed on the way to the Greek Cypriot administration and Greek Cypriots’ policy of deadlock had impacts on Erdogan’s decision. Greek Cypriots doesn’t let passages from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. /Aksam/

EU SIGNS ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL
Foreign Ministers of the European Union yesterday approved a protocol extending Turkey’s Customs Union to 10 new EU member countries including Greek Cyprus. The signing of the protocol is a precondition for Ankara to begin its accession talks on Oct. 3. The EU officials expect Ankara to sign the protocol before their meeting in Brussels on 16-17. Turkey and the EU previously agreed that signing of the protocol did not mean formal recognition of Greek Cypriot government by Ankara. In related news, Erdogan will not attend Brussels summit, and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Chief Negotiator Ali Babacan will represent Turkey at the gathering. /Star/

OZKOK ARRIVES IN KAZAKHSTAN
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok will pay official visits to Kazakhstan and Mongolia upon the invitation of these countries’ chiefs of general staff. Ozkok and the accompanying delegation yesterday left Etimesgut Military Airport for Kazakhstan. After holding official contacts in Kazakhstan for two days, Ozkok will go to Mongolia. He will be back to Turkey on Friday. /Sabah/

SCHWEITZER PRAISES TURKEY
French Enterprise Movement’s (MEDEF) international relations department MEDEF International Delegation Chairman Louis Schweitzer, currently visiting Turkey with high ranking officials from 40 French companies, said yesterday, “We came here to show our confidence in the Turkish economy which has improved great recently. We completely believe that the process of Turkey’s EU membership will be positive. Schweitzer said that Turkey would be the EU’s engine of growth and that the process of participation would be the process of improvement in Turkey. Speaking at the work breakfast held with State Minister and Chief Negotiator Ali Babacan, Schweitzer said that the rejection of the referendum on the EU Constitution had nothing to do with Turkey’s EU membership and added, “The theme of this referendum is about the political problems between France and the EU and the problems of economic growth and unemployment in France and the EU.” Recalling that it was decided to start membership negotiations with Turkey last December and that the process of negotiations might continue for 10-15 years, Schweitzer added, “Everything might change in this process. The EU doesn’t have sufficient information on the level of reforms implemented in Turkey. In this process of negotiation, the EU might understand the reforms and changes in Turkey in a better way.” Meanwhile, Babacan said that Turkey would enter a very important process of transformation as of Oct. 3. He added, “It will be a process in which a fair copy of our system will be made from A to Z.” /Cumhuriyet, Aksam/

CICEK: “EARLY ELECTIONS ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA”
The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened yesterday. Following the five-hour meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek told reporters that the ministers discussed the Turkish–US relations, the recent crisis with Russia concerning vegetable and fruit exports and privatization projects. Stressing that Ankara attached great importance to its relations with the US, Cicek said certain speculations were eliminated during Erdogan’s last week visit to this country. Commenting on the opposition parties’ recent calls for early elections, Cicek said elections were not on the government’s agenda. Stating that people harm Turkey with such disputes, the justice minister added, “We have a lot to do to serve Turkey.” /Turkiye/

BAYKAL: “FIRST ROUND IS OVER”
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that the first round had ended between the Turkish-European Union relations. Speaking to the Socialist International meeting in Madrid yesterday, Baykal said, “The first round ended between the Turkish-EU relations. This period ended negatively for both Turkey and the EU. I guest the situation will be the same in the next few years. The process of Turkey’s membership will be slow. Turkey and the EU will start the second round with a new point of view. We should talk about our mistakes. We should start the second round not by accepting all conditions, but with a new approach with our project of modernization.” /Aksam/

DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER ASSURES TURKEY TO BEGIN EU TALKS ON TIME
Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot said yesterday that he hoped the European Union would keep its promise to begin accession talks with Turkey on Oct. 3. Commenting on the rejection of EU Constitution in recent referendums both in France and his country, Bot remarked that the results would not affect Turkey’s membership. When Ankara signs the additional protocol and is ready for the talks, we will also be ready, said the Dutch minister, adding that the talks would be carried out as scheduled at the Dec. 17 summit. /Turkiye/

IMF DELEGATION MEETS WITH BABACAN
An International Monetary Fund delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Lorenzo Giorgianni is continuing its work at the Treasury Undersecretariat to review the economic developments as part of the new stand-by deal. State Minister Ali Babacan also held a meeting with the group later afternoon to exchange views on the work. /Star/