ERDOGAN: “THE CURRENT PARLIAMENT WILL ELECT THE PRESIDENT”
Addressing his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) group meeting, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday criticized the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) and Turkey’s 9th President Suleyman Demirel’s recent comments on presidential elections and stressed that the current parliament would elect the president, not a new one. CHP head Deniz Baykal had previously proposed that a new parliament should elect the president. “Baykal’s statement is disrespectful of the Turkish nation and its parliament,” Erdogan said. In related news, the premier held a banquet yesterday at the Prime Ministry Residence in honor of the ambassadors of the European Union countries. Ambassadors urged Erdogan to continue reforms towards Turkey’s EU membership bid. “We want to support your membership bid in Europe, but Turkey has yet to fulfill the required criteria,” they reportedly said. “You should go on making new reforms.” /Milliyet/
ERDOGAN TO TRAVEL TO LEBANON TODAY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will leave for Lebanon today to attend the Arab Countries Economy Forum in Beirut. During his opening speech at the gathering, Erdogan is expected to point to the importance of stability and peace in the Middle East and express Turkey’s readiness to contribute to the efforts for reaching a settlement in the region. /Turkiye/
GUL: “WE WILL RESOLVE THE HEADSCARF ISSUE”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul harshly reacted to the incident in Erzurum’s Ataturk University where some students’ mothers wearing headscarves were not allowed to attend the graduation ceremony. Responding the questions of the reporters before yesterday’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) group meeting, Gul argued that those who are responsible for the incident should be ashamed of what they did. Remarking that such an incident could only take place in primitive societies where democracy and individual rights do not exist, Gul pledged that the government would deal with this issue and solve it soon. In related news, Gul also stated that Turkey would sign the additional protocol of Ankara Agreement extending Turkey’s Customs Union to 10 new EU members after the translation process is completed. “The EU was late in signing the text, so Brussels will have to wait for our signature too,” he said. “The summer recess of the parliament will begin in the following days, and there are other important laws on our agenda. We’ll of course sign it but we don’t have to rush.” /Aksam/
SWEDEN’S CROWN PRINCESS VICTORIA MEETS ERDOGAN
Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria yesterday met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opened the exhibition of a photograph showing the grandfather of his father with the founder of the Republic of Turkey, M. Kemal Ataturk at the Swedish Embassy. Princess Victoria also presented two Turkish students, Zeliha Aydin and Ozge Yucel, scholarship certificates in honor of former Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, who was killed in 2003 and was well known for her support to Turkey’s EU membership bid. /Star, Aksam/
FISCHER WARNS OF HIGH PRICE OF CLOSING DOORS TO TURKEY
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said the price of EU’s closing its doors to Turkey would be very high. Speaking at a security conference in Berlin, Fischer said the alternative to Turkey becoming a modern Western society was “crises, or even worse.” Doors can be closed to Turkey, but the price of this will be very high, stated the German minister. In addition, European Union Commissioner Guenter Verheugen said that if Turkey’s EU membership became uncertain, democratic reforms would be in danger and promises made to this country would not be kept. In an interview to German Suddeutsche Zeitung, Verheugen pointed to Turkey’s importance as an ally and security gate for the Mideast. Stressing that the decision on Ankara’s membership would be made after at least 10 years, Verheugen said that Turkey would then be completely different with reforms. Europeans will decide on Turkey at that time, added the EU commissioner. /Turkiye/
GREEK CYPRIOTS SUPPORT TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP
Greek Cypriot administration’s representative in Washington Euripides Evriviades said yesterday that Greek Cypriots supported Turkey’s European Union membership. Evriviades expressed his hope that the results of the referendums in France and the Netherlands would not block Turkey’s schedule for accession talks. Delivering a speech at a gathering organized by The Nixon Center, Evriviades pointed out that for a settlement on Cyprus, Turkey’s EU membership process needed to go further. /Turkiye/
GREEK CYPRIOTS WANT TO OPEN AN EMBASSY IN ANKARA
The Greek Cypriot Administration wants to open an embassy or a representation in Ankara after Turkey signs the additional protocol extending Turkey’s Customs Union to 10 new members. The Greek Cypriots have conveyed their request to Brussels and underlined that their priority is to put pressure on Turkey to open its air space and ports to Greek Cypriot-flagged planes and ships. /All Papers/
LAGENDJIK: “THE ONLY GOAL OF TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP NEGOTIATIONS IS FULL MEMBERSHIP”
Turkey-European Union Joint Parliamentary Commission Co-Chairman Joos Lagendjik stated that most of the members of the European Parliament believe that the only goal of Turkey’s membership negotiations should be full membership. “The French and Dutch ‘no’ to the EU constitution is not directly related to Turkey’s membership process,” he said. “Recent discussions primarily focus on 10 new members of the bloc.” /Sabah/
TURKEY, KAZAKHSTAN AGREE TO FURTHER DEVELOP MILITARY COOPERATION
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok who is currently visiting Kazakhstan, yesterday met with Defense Minister Muhtar Altunbayev in Astana. During their talks, the two top officials agreed to further develop military relations. Ozkok stressed that the support of the Turkish military to Kazakhstan would continue. For his part, Altunbayev pointed out that Turkey had sent his country military vehicles and equipments and trained over 300 Kazakh military students, moreover, lent support for establishing their flee on the Caspian Sea. /Turkiye/
TURKEY, US SIGN AGREEMENT ON MASS DESTRUCTION WEAPONS
Turkey and the US yesterday signed an agreement to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and take under control the materials and technology used to develop such weapons. A Foreign Ministry statement said that Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ali Tuygan and US Ambassador to Ankara Eric Edelman signed the agreement for a period of three years. /Turkiye/
BABACAN TO TRAVEL TO BRUSSELS
Chief Negotiator Ali Babacan is set to travel to Brussels today to meet with European Union officials. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will also go to Brussels tomorrow, and they will both meet with EU officials to discuss Turkey’s membership bid and lobby for the beginning of the country’s membership negotiations on Oct. 3 as scheduled. /Cumhuriyet/