SEZER TO VISIT LITHUANIA, ESTONIA AND LATVIA
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is today scheduled to begin a five-day official visit to the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. Sezer is first to travel to Latvia as the official guest of his Latvian counterpart Vaira Vike Freiberga. He will then visit Lithuania on April 16-18 and Estonia on April 18-19. Among the issues to be addressed during Sezer’s meetings are bilateral relations as well as recent international and regional developments concerning European countries. /Star/
PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL TO DISCUSS TURKEY’S PROGRESS TOWARDS EU ACCESSION
The Partnership Council, one of the most important institutions in Turkish-European Union relations, will meet tomorrow in Luxembourg. The council is set to discuss a report on Turkey’s progress towards EU accession which addresses such matters as changes to harmonize Turkey’s Constitution with EU standards. The report reportedly also says that Turkey should do move to advance reforms in freedom of expression, cultural rights, and human rights. Sources also said that the council will express the EU’s satisfaction with Turkey’s economic program and urge it to continue its reforms. /Milliyet/
CEM, PAPANDREOU’S MIDEAST VISIT SET TO FOLLOW POWELL’S
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his Greek counterpart George Papandreou are expected to travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories this week. Ankara and Athens will establish a calendar for the two ministers after evaluating the results of US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s visit to the region, which is due to proceed to Lebanon and Syria today. In addition, Cem will pay an official visit to Luxembourg today to chair a Turkish delegation at the Turkish-EU Partnership Council meeting. /Cumhuriyet/
YILMAZ HEADS TO BRUSSELS FOR EU CONVENTION
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz is scheduled to visit the Olympic Stadium in Istanbul today. After touring the facility, Yilmaz will leave for Brussels to attend meetings of the EU Convention on Europe’s Future. /Anatolia News Agency/
CHINESE PRIME MINISTER, US DIPLOMAT BOUND FOR ANKARA TODAY
Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji and US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Marc Grossman are both to arrive in Turkey today to make contacts with Turkish officials. The Middle East conflict is expected to be a major topic on the agenda of the Chinese leader and the US diplomat during their visits. Turkish officials will convey the message to Rongji and Grossman that a united front must be formed by the international community in the interests of achieving peace and stability in the region. Ankara is expected to propose that a conference bringing all the involved parties together should be held as soon as possible. Rongji’s meetings are very important to Turkey, since he will be the first Chinese prime minister to visit Turkey in over 15 years. In addition to the Middle East conflict, Rongji is also expected to discuss other important issues with Turkish officials such as improving bilateral relations, regional developments and the situation of Cyprus. Since Rongji is a member of the United Nations Security Council, Turkey places a high premium on Rongji’s views concerning the Cyprus issue. The visit today of Grossman, a former US ambassador in Ankara, counts as one of the stops on his nine-nation European tour in the leadup to NATO’s Prague summit. /Cumhuriyet/
PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE MEDIA ISSUES
Parliament is set to debate tomorrow an investigation motion forwarded by deputies of various parties concerning certain issues and problems of the Turkish media. Following its debate, an investigation commission is expected to be established. Additionally, this week Parliament will continue to debate a bill which proposes limiting some of the powers of the president, prime minister and other government ministers. /Cumhuriyet/
NEW PARTY GOES OFFICIAL ON APRIL 26
The Social Democratic Nation Party (SHP), led by former Deputies Murat Karayalcin and Fikri Saglar, is set to join Turkey’s political life on April 26. The petition to establish the new party is expected to be forwarded to the Interior Ministry on April 26, and the following day its founding members will begin official operations. /Cumhuriyet/
DERVIS INVITES GREEK INVESTORS TO INVEST IN TURKEY
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis yesterday visited Salonika, Greece to attend a meeting of the Black Sea Improvement and Trade Bank. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Dervis invited Greek investors to invest in public bids, the Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) and privatization in Turkey. Dervis added that the financial crisis and panic in Turkey had largely come to an end but that the nation still had hurdles to overcome. /Milliyet/
IMF EXPECTED TO RELEASE $1.1 BILLION IN LOANS TODAY
The International Monetary Fund Executive Board will meet today to discuss its first review of the Turkish economy. Since Turkey has met all of the conditions set by the IMF during the review period, the executive board is expected to approve the extension of a $1.1 billion loan tranche to Turkey. Meanwhile, the World Bank Executive Board is scheduled to meet tomorrow to take up a $1.3 billion civil and financial sector adjustment loan (PFSAL2). That loan is to be granted to Turkey in three tranches, the first totalling $450 million. /Turkiye/
OECD SAYS COUNCIL OF STATE SHOULD NOT HANDLE ENERGY LAWSUITS
A new Organisation Of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report on Turkey says that in order for energy sector decisions to be made quickly and efficiently, Turkey’s Council Of State should not handle energy-related lawsuits. The report, due to be released today in Paris, also calls the Energy Markets law and a new Energy Sector Regulation Board “vital measures” for Turkey to overcome its economic crisis. The report says that existing energy sector lawsuits need to be addressed quickly but have not received the proper urgent attention. Since the sector’s problems have unique technical aspects which necessitate quick handling, it continues, these delays in the suits are causing problems. The report contends that the Council Of State is unsuited as a court of appeal since it lacks the technical expertise for such suits. /Milliyet/
62ND ANNIVERSARY OF VILLAGE INSTITUTES CELEBRATED
The 62nd anniversary of the Village Institutes is being celebrated with various activities throughout the country beginning tomorrow. The institutes were educational centers established in the early years of the Republic of Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION