NSC CONVENES
The National Security Court (NSC) chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer convened yesterday. During the three-and-half-an-hour meeting, top political and military officials reportedly discussed recent developments in Turkey and its region including Turkish-European Union relations, as well as the recent increase in terrorist PKK attacks in eastern and southeastern Anatolia. A statement released by the NSC Secretariat General said that the gathering had also focused on the implementation of the National Science and Technology Strategy and called on all institutions to cooperate on the matter. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN: “TURKEY WILL BE DIFFERENT ON OCT. 3”
Addressing the upcoming Turkey’s start of European Union accession talks, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that Turkey would be different on Oct. 3. Stressing that Ankara was closely following developments in the EU, Erdogan said that Turkey should begin its accession talks on Oct. 3 as scheduled. Speaking at his Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Central Executive Board meeting, Erdogan spoke about recent developments. Commenting on the German Parliament’s approval of an Armenian resolution last week, Erdogan said that the decision had surprised him. He stated that his recent visit to the US had been fruitful and had given him the opportunity to hold talks with officials and representatives of various groups. We tried to convince US President George W. Bush that Syria should be won over, said Erdogan, adding that he was pleased that Bush’s policy on the matter had seemed to soften. /Turkiye/

GUL: “THE EU IS KEEPING ITS PROMISES”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that the European Union had kept its promises during a critical period and reaffirmed that it would carry through last December’s decisions on the start of Turkey’s EU talks. Speaking at Esenboga Airport before his departure to Brussels to attend a conference on Iraq’s future, Gul said that the government was very clear and determined about its EU membership goal and that it would never cease its reform efforts. Gul added that he would deliver a speech to the first session of the conference sharing his insights into Iraq. /Turkiye/

BAYKAL URGES ERDOGAN NOT TO BE “TRAPPED” INTO RECOGNIZING GREEK CYPRUS
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday called on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan not to sign the Customs Union Additional Protocol, warning that the signature would signal that Turkey recognizes the Greek Cypriot administration. Baykal stated that before signing the protocol, Turkey should stipulate clearly on the document that it doesn’t mean recognition. “We don’t want to be trapped by the Greek Cypriot administration here,” he added. “Has the issue of a signature ever been used against a country before? Of course not. If we sign it, this would be followed by other concessions.” /Turkiye/

BAHCELI: “OUR EU MEMBERSHIP TALKS MIGHT BE POSTPONED”
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli yesterday predicted that Turkey’s European Union membership talks set to start on Oct. 3 might be postponed, or else begin “just for show.” Saying that signing the supplement to the Ankara Protocol would mean recognizing the Greek Cypriot administration, Bahceli said, “Such a move in the current atmosphere, in which the future of relations with the EU is uncertain, would mean political suicide for Turkey.” Bahceli added that the winds of early elections were in the air and that they will probably be held. /Hurriyet, Turkiye/

RTUK AMENDMENT AGAIN PASSED BY PARLIAMENT
Parliament yesterday again passed a constitutional amendment regulating the selection of Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) members. The amendment had previously been vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. In the vote of 421 deputies, 397 voted in favor and 23 against, with one abstention. /Aksam/

SARIGUL SCORES JUDICIAL TRIUMPH OVER CHP EXPULSION
The Ankara 24th Administrative Court ruled yesterday that the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Supreme Disciplinary Board decision to dismiss Istanbul’s Sisli Mayor Mustafa Sarigul from the party had been improper. He had been accused by the party board of instigating violence at the CHP Congress in late January. /Sabah/

CHP LOSES ANOTHER DEPUTY
Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul Deputy Memduh Hacioglu yesterday resigned from the party. In a written statement criticizing CHP leader Deniz Baykal and the party administrators, Hacioglu charged that there was no democracy within the party. With his resignation, the number of CHP seats in Parliament fell to 159. /Aksam/

IMF: “BEFORE LOWER TAXES, THE INFORMAL ECONOMY SHOULD BE CURBED”
International Monetary Fund Turkey Director Hugh Bredenkamp gave a speech about “The New IMF Program and the Turkish Economy” at a dinner given by the Turkish-American Businessmen’s Association (TABA) yesterday. In his speech, he stated that before lowering tax rates, first the informal economy should be curbed. Also he said that in order not to interrupt the structural reform process, public expenditure reforms should not be delayed. Moreover, he reassured businessmen that they need not to worry about the rising share of foreign capital in the banking sector. /Milliyet/

SABANCI STRESSES TRANSFORMATION OF TURKISH AGRICULTURE
One cannot talk about growth, stability or social welfare without transforming and restructuring the agricultural sector, said Omer Sabanci, chairman of the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) at a meeting yesterday. Sabanci was promoting a study conducted by TUSIAD on “Turkish Agriculture in the 21st Century.” The report states that Turkey has to transform and restructure the agricultural sector regardless of whether or not Turkey joins the European Union. According to the report, although Turkey doesn’t want to reduce its protection for domestic agricultural products, it has to do this because boosting competitiveness may also create opportunities for its farmers. At the same meeting, Turkey’s new Agriculture Minister Mehmet Mehdi Eker added that in order to encourage competitiveness, Turkey needs to implement a national agriculture program. /Milliyet/

ISTANBUL TO HOST EURASIA SUMMIT NEXT MONTH
The Eight Eurasia Economy Summit is planned to be held in Istanbul on July 6-8. The gathering, organized by the Marmara Group Foundation, aims at improving relations between Turkey and Central Asian countries as well as neighboring countries. Ministers and businessmen from some 30 countries are expected to attend the meeting. /Turkiye/

ZEUGMA MOSAIC MUSEUM TO OPEN TOMORROW
The new Zeugma Mosaic Museum will be opened tomorrow. Mosaics which were uncovered following excavations carried out in ancient city of Zeugma in Gaziantep’s Nizip district will be exhibited in the museum. The museum will be the largest mosaic museum in the world after the Bardo Museum in Tunisia. /Cumhuriyet/