ECEVIT HAS IMPORTANT MEETINGS ON US VISIT
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit had a busy schedule on the first day of his US visit. Yesterday, Ecevit first received World Bank President James Wolfensohn at the Blair House which is near Washington's White House grounds. After the 40-minute meeting, Wolfensohn told reporters that talks between the two had been very fruitful. Then Ecevit and his accompanying delegation met with US Vice President Dick Cheney at the White House. At the meeting's outset, Cheney said that the US administration heartily welcomed the Turkish premier's US visit and also supported the Turkish government. Pointing to the importance of Turkish-US strategic relations, Cheney said that the US administration admired Turkey's role in NATO. Concerning Afghanistan, Cheney said they appreciated Turkey's decision to send troops to Afghanistan. Ecevit replied that Turkey was ready to help Afghanistan to reconstruct itself and to establish a modern army. Ecevit stated that in addition to the strategic cooperation between Turkey and the US, economic relations should also be developed. Cheney said that the US supported the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project, and he was briefed on the pipeline and other energy projects by Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan. The Cyprus issue was also taken up during the meeting. Additionally, Cheney stated that the agreement between Turkey, the US and Great Britain concerning the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) was very sound and important and that they had conveyed this to Greece. After the meeting with Cheney, Ecevit received members of the American-Turkish Council (ATC), and then US Assistant Secretary of State Marc Grossman, a former US ambassador to Turkey and IMF Chairman Horst Kohler. As part of Ecevit's meetings today, he will meet with US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Acting Secretary of State Richard Armitage and finally US President George W. Bush. US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill is also expected to be received by Ecevit at the Blair House today. Meanwhile, Rahsan Ecevit, wife of Bulent Ecevit, and US first lady Laura Bush will meet together at a tea party in the morning. /All Papers/
WOLFENSOHN: "DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR PROGRAM"
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit had his first meeting yesterday on his current United States visit by holding talks with World Bank President James Wolfensohn. Also present at the gathering were Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis, State Minister Tunca Toskay, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan, Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak, Central Bank President Sureyya Serdengecti, Undersecretary for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen and Turkey's US Ambassador Faruk Logoglu. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Wolfensohn said "We give full support to the current economic program that is being applied by Turkey and we believe that Turkey should continue its program without making any concessions." The meeting was a very constructive one, Wolfensohn added. He said that the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline project has also been discussed and declared, "This is an important project, and the World Bank should support it." /Hürriyet/
BAHCELI: "TURKISH-US COOPERATION MUST BE IMPROVED"
In a speech yesterday at the group meeting of his party the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli offered his views of Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's current visit to the US. Stating that Ecevit's visit was of great importance to both countries, Bahceli said that Turkey and the US had been faithful allies for years. "We believe that Ecevit's visit to the US is very important to improve our bilateral cooperation against terrorism," said Bahceli. "Furthermore, I believe that Ecevit's visit will pave way to new opportunities to improve our commercial and economic ties." /Cumhuriyet/
DERVIS SPEAKS ON TURKISH AND ARGENTINEAN ECONOMIES
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis said yesterday Turkey had been successful in its economic policies but regretfully added that Argentina had not been. Dervis, who is currently in the US as part of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to that country, spoke about recent developments in Turkey and Argentina during a Washington conference on "Fighting World Poverty" held by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. "We have achieved much in addition to our successful implementation of fiscal policies in Turkey, but Argentina unfortunately fell short," he said. "The lesson to be taken from Turkey and Argentina's situations is that the stable foreign exchange currency systems can fail in countries whose banking sectors are weak and who do not pursue successful fiscal policies." /Milliyet/
TURKISH MILITARY DELEGATION TO GO TO AFGHANISTAN THIS WEEK
Last week, Turkey announced that it would send 261 soldiers to the International Security and Assitance Force (ISAF), which is being established within the context of Operation Enduring Freedom, carried out by the US in Afghanistan. New plans call for a 12-person military delegation from Turkey to go to Afghanistan on Friday from Etimesgut Military Airport. The Office of the General Staff had previously announced that the delegation would be in Afghanistan on Jan. 15-22. A colonel will command the delegation, which consists of six members of the land forces and six forces of the air forces, and coordinate their efforts. The delegation will travel to the capital Kabul first, with the air force personnel going to nearby Bagram Airport. There they will coordinate flights and ground services. The land forces contingent will carry out their duties at the ISAF's headquarters. /Aksam/
WASHINGTON TIMES: "TURKEY SHOULD BE REWARDED"
In an opinion piece published in US daily the Washington Times yesterday, a public interest lawyer argued that Turkey's firm and unwavering support for the US on the foreign policy stage made it incumbent that the US make an equal demonstration of support. "Turkey has set the gold standard for cooperating with the United States in its pivotal foreign policy gambits, including our war against the Taleban, al-Qaeda, and terrorism generally," wrote Bruce Fein. "It should be rewarded accordingly." Fein, general counsel for the Center for Law and Accountability, a US public interest group, recalled that Turkey had been a longtime and faithful ally of the United States from its early entry into NATO underlining that its sympathies with the United States are enduring and deep. "Moreover, Turkey is the sole example in the history of Islam that supports a secular and strengthening democratic dispensation and covets Western free market and human rights ideals," said the piece. "To reward Turkey would encourage other Middle Eastern and Asian nations to enlist more eagerly in our counter-terrorism ranks and to shed their trappings of autocracy for more democratic garb." Fein also enumerated a number of measures that might be taken by the Bush administration to support Turkey. Among those measures are relaxing tariff barriers and quotas for Turkish exports, voicing unequivocal support for Turkey's admission to the EU and announcing financial support for the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline. /Cumhuriyet/
LORD WALLACE'S CYPRUS REPORT
British Economy Professor Lord William Wallace presented a Cyprus report to the press yesterday at the Office of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen Association (TUSIAD) in Brussels. In his report, Lord Wallace evaluated the recent meetings between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides as representing a "historic opportunity." He called on Turkey and Greece as well as Greek and Turkish Cypriots not to miss this opportunity, which is unlikely to be offered again. Remarking that Greek Cypriots seemed likely to join the European Union in four years whether a permanent solution is reached on the island or not, Lord Wallace said that such a development would be a tragedy for both nations on Cyprus. The report listed a number of problems which are likely to emerge if the EU admits Greek Cypriots without a permanent solution being reached. Lord Wallace argued that relations among Turkey, Greece, the EU and the two nations on Cyprus would face a serious crisis if the Greek Cypriots join the Union. He added that since Cyprus was a problem in the EU's enlargement process, the Union had to play a more active and productive role in negotiations over the island. /Cumhuriyet/
DOSTUM TO ARRIVE IN ANKARA
Uzbek Gen. Rashid Dostum, the deputy defense minister in the new Afghan interim government Uzbek general Rasid Dostum will travel to Ankara today. Following an opening ceremony for the Uzbek Consulate General in Mezar-i Sherif, Dostum will travel to Turkey through Uzbekistan. Dostum will visit his family living in Ankara, and he is additionally expected to hold official meetings with Turkish authorities. /Turkiye/
NEW CYPRUS TALKS PROCESS BEGINS TODAY
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President and Greek Cyriot leader Glafcos Clerides will begin to direct talks today at 10:00 a.m. with a view to reaching a lasting settlement on the Cyprus issue. The meetings are expected to continue until a result is obtained. The Turkish and Greek sides will attend the meetings with delegations of four each and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Cyprus Special Envoy Alvaro de Soto as an observer. This new period got its start following Denktas and Clerides' face-to-face meeting last month -the first such meeting in four years, where the two leaders decided to begin direct talks on Jan. 16. /All Papers/
KOHLER: "IMF WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TURKEY"
After meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit in Washington yesterday, International Monetary Fund (IMF) President Horst Kohler gave positive signals concerning $14 billion in additional IMF financing for the country. "Turkey has shown a very good performance, its inflation is falling, and now it is time for growth," he said. Kohler added that Turkey had made significant progress under its economic program and the IMF looks forward to supporting Turkey's continued efforts under a new standby agreement. The IMF Executive board is due to discuss the agreement and the additional financing later this month. /Sabah/
CHHIBBER BRIEFED ON DOWNSIZING OF STATE
World Bank Turkey Representative Ajay Chhibber met yesterday with State Minister Mehmet Kececiler and representatives from the Finance Ministry. He asked Kececiler questions on the current situation concerning downsizing the state structure and decreasing the number of public employees. /Cumhuriyet/
IRISH PARLIAMENTARIAN BECOMES EP HEAD
The European Parliament (EP) has elected its new chairman. With Nicole Fontaine's term of duty as EP chairman at an end, Liberal Group member Irish parliamentarian Patrick Cox yesterday won the election to fill that post. Cox's candidacy was favored by Ankara as a welcome change. Whereas Fontaine had asserted that Turkey is far from EU membership and had praised the possible EU membership for Greek Cyprus, Cox has issued warm messages to Ankara as well as constructive criticisms. Another point in Cox's favor in Ankara's eyes is that he has met with both sides in Cyprus and has said that the EU should lend its ear to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as well. /Milliyet/
ACCORD CALLS FOR TURKISH-RUSSIAN OFFICER EXCHANGES
Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu and his Russian counterpart Gen. Anatoliy Kvashnin yesterday signed a Military Cooperation Agreement on behalf of their respective countries. Under this agreement, Turkey and Russia are to participate in exchanges of officers for training. Ankara and Moscow will also cooperate in military defense projects. Additionally, this agreement calls on Russia not to allow any terrorist organizations on their soil to act against Turkey. /Hürriyet/
MOODY'S UP GRADES TURKEY'S OUTLOOK TO STABLE
International credit rating agency Moody's yesterday announced that Turkey's outlook had been raised to stable. The agency says that the likelihood of ratings downgrades for the country has diminished for the next year because of improved refinancing and pricing prospects for domestic as well as external debt. The agency also reiterated that additional efforts to lower inflation and interest rates were crucial to regain momentum for growth and to ensure the sustainability of the public debt dynamic. /All Papers/
US TRAVEL AGENTS TO VISIT ISTANBUL
A delegation from the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) will come to Istanbul today to lay the groundwork for this year's ASTA World Convention to be held in that city. The Turkish Association of Travel Agencies (TURSAB) announced yesterday that following ASTA's decision to hold their meeting in Istanbul, a seven-person committee from that group would visit Turkey in order to make preparations. The delegation will leave Istanbul on Jan. 20 and before its departure, it will attend a performance of the "Sultans of the Dance." /Aksam/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION