ECEVIT TO ATTEND SUMMIT IN SPAIN THIS WEEKEND
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will travel to Barcelona, Spain late this week to attend a summit which will host discussions of measures for economic reform and increased employment in EU member states and candidate countries. EU member Spain currently holds the rotating EU presidency. In a letter on the summit to the candidate and member countries’ prime ministers, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar wrote that the candidate countries have been very successful in implementing economic reforms. The “Lisbon Strategy,” an EU plan for economic reform, increased employment and social welfare for the entire continent, will be discussed during the March 15-16 summit. Also expected to attend the summit are Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and Finance Minister Sumer Oral. Prime Minister Ecevit will also likely give a speech to the summit outlining the steps Turkey has taken for economic reform and touting the nation’s success in overcoming its recent economic crisis. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKEY’S ISAF COMMAND IN DOUBT PENDING FULFILLMENT OF CONDITIONS
Turkish officials signaled yesterday that in view of the fact that Turkey’s conditions for taking over the command of the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan had not yet been fulfilled, the country could withdraw its ISAF leadership bid. A final decision is expected after a third round of meetings with the Turkish, US and British delegations at the end of this week or early next week. Turkey has put forward certain conditions to take over the ISAF command from Great Britain, namely that the operation’s cost be met by international funds, a clear definition of the force’s duties, and full support for Turkey and the force under any contingencies. /Turkiye/

BUSH PRAISES TURKEY AT SEPT. 11 COMMEMORATION CEREMONY
A commemoration ceremony was held at the White House yesterday to mark the passage of six months since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The ambassadors of 100 coalition countries, including Turkish Ambassador to Washington Faruk Logoglu, were invited to the event. During the emotional ceremony, US President George W. Bush expressed gratitude to a number of countries for supporting the war against terrorism, including Turkey. Bush told how the Turkish Air Force had provided refueling to US jets and thanked Turkey for this service. Speaking at the ceremony just before Mr. Bush, Logoglu pointed out that Turkish soldiers were on duty in Afghanistan. He added that Turkey was the best example of Islam’s compatibility with democracy. /Aksam/

BAHCELI TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN
Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli is scheduled to visit Kazakhstan on March 18-23 as an official guest of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. State Minister Resat Dogru, Industry and Commerce Minister Ahmet Kenan Tanrikulu and Health Minister Osman Durmus are to accompany Bahceli on his visit. /Hurriyet/

KIVRIKOGLU MAKES MILITARY CONTACTS IN TURKMENISTAN
Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu yesterday travelled to Turkmenistan for a three-day official visit. Kivrikoglu was received by Turkmenistan Defense Minister Gurbandurdi Begencov in the capital of Ashgabat. /Star/

BAYKAL: “TURKEY IS CONCERNED ABOUT A LIKELY US OPERATION IN IRAQ”
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that the increasing likelihood of US intervention in Iraq was worrying Turkey. Iraqi Turkmen Front Director General Sana Ahmet Aga and its representative to Turkey Mustafa Ziya, visited Baykal yesterday. During the meeting, a possible US operation in Iraq and its consequences were discussed. Baykal underlined that a conflict in the region would not serve Turkey’s interests, “However, Turkey should ready itself for such a possibility,” he added. /Turkiye/

KAHKONEN: “TURKEY WILL VERY SOON RETURN TO GROWTH”
An International Monetary Fund delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen yesterday met with Union of Turkish Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarcikoglu. After the meeting, Kahkonen said that Turkey’s economy would very soon return to growth. He added that a 35% year-on-year inflation rate for this February was both achievable and favorable. /Milliyet/

TUSIAD DELEGATION VISITS BERLIN
A Turkish Association of Industrialists and Businessmen (TUSIAD) delegation yesterday went to Berlin to meet with leading German business circles and to make official contacts. The delegation, chaired by TUSIAD Executive Board Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan, will meet today with Michael Rogowski, a member of the Union of Industrial and Employers’ Confederations of Europe (UNICE) and chairman of the German Industrial Federation (BDI) Chairman today. /Cumhuriyet/

FORD: “WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TURKEY”
Ford Motor Company Board of Directors Chairman Rolf Zimmerman said yesterday that Turkey was achieving recovery from its economic crisis and that the carmaker would continue to support and invest in Turkey. “Whatever Ford produces in Belgium, we will also produce in Turkey, he added” /Hurriyet/

CHENEY BEGINS 10-DAY REGIONAL TOUR
US Vice President Dick Cheney met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday on the first stop of his 10-day tour of 12 countries, including Turkey. Cheney will seek support for a possible US operation in Iraq and for US anti-terrorism efforts. He is expected to arrive in Ankara on March 19. During his visit, tight security measures will reportedly be taken. /Turkiye/

TUBE PASSAGE AWAITS JAPAN BANK’S GO-AHEAD
Turkey is waiting for the green light from Japanese financing institution Japan Bank for International Cooperation to start engineering and consultancy work on a planned “Marmaray” 1.3 km underwater tube crossing, Transportation Ministry officials said yesterday. A bidding process for the project to unite Istanbul’s Asian and European sides beneath the Bosphorus is expected by year’s end. /Aksam/

WORLD YOUTH TO MEET IN ANKARA
Nearly 100,000 young people from countries worldwide will gather together during the “International Youth Platform” to be held in Ankara on April 24-28. 100,000 young people from over 75 universities from Turkey, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Italy, Austria, Germany, the US, England, France, Holland, Australia, China, Japan and Canada, will discuss the problems of young people during the platform to be held at the capital’s Gazi University. /Cumhuriyet/

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION