TURKISH, BULGARIAN AND ROMANIAN PRESIDENTS' SUMMIT ENDS
The trilateral summit between Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Bulgarian President Georgi Pirvanov and Romanian President Ion Iliescu ended yesterday in Cesme. During the meeting, the leaders resolved to strengthen peace, stability and cooperation in the Balkans and to put up a determined front in the fight against terrorism. The three presidents also signed an "Urgent Humanitarian Aid Cooperation Protocol" aimed at mitigating the harm done by natural disasters. At a joint press conference, President Sezer stated that opportunities for cooperation vis-à-vis integration with European and European-Atlantic institutions were discussed during the meeting. He said that Turkey considered Bulgaria and Romania its partners among European Union candidates and its allies within NATO. Remarking that the three nations' security was also evaluated at the meeting, Sezer added that Romania and Bulgaria were reliable allies in standing against the terrorist organization PKK, no matter what new label it gave itself. /Aksam/

ANNAN ENCOURAGES DENKTAS AND CLERIDES FOR A SOLUTION ON CYPRUS
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan ended his two-day visit to Cyprus to help encourage negotiations there on a positive note yesterday. Annan first visited Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides, after which Clerides called their talks "helpful," but declined to provide any further details. UN Cyprus Envoy Alvaro de Soto was also present at that meeting. In the afternoon Annan visited the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the first UN secretary general to visit the Turkish north since 1979. Denktas, TRNC Foreign and Defense Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu, his undersecretary Ergun Olgun, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Resat Caglar and Constitutional Advisor Mumtaz Soysal received Annan. Following their talks, Denktas and Annan said that they had both been very pleased with the meeting. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKEY SETS CONDITIONS FOR NORMALIZATION WITH ARMENIA AT NATO SUMMIT
The Turkish, Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers yesterday met in Reykjavik, Iceland during a NATO meeting attended by the foreign ministers of the alliance's member countries. Ismail Cem, foreign minister for NATO member Turkey, and his counterparts from non-members Azerbaijan and Armenia, Vilayet Guliyev and Vartan Ozkanyan, held a joint press conference after the meeting. The three ministers stated that their meeting was a remarkable step which would pave the way to new positive developments between Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Cem stated that Turkey had four conditions to normalize its relations with Armenia. These conditions go along the following lines: 1) The Yerevan administration should stop lobbying against Turkey in the international community and should give up its allegations of a so-called Armenian genocide. 2) Armenia should cease demanding territory from Turkey and cut the demands to that effect from its Constitution. 3) The problem of Nagorno- Karabagh should be solved as soon as possible. 4) A security corridor should be established between Nachichevan and Azerbaijan. Stressing that improvement of bilateral relations would help both Turkey and Armenia in overcoming their economic problems, Cem also remarked that NATO's functions should be revised so as to include the problems of the Caucasus. /Hurriyet/

RTUK BILL RETURNED TO PRESIDENT
The bill on the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) was returned to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday without any changes. The bill had previously been vetoed by the president, but it was approved with 202 votes at the Parliament's Plenary Session yesterday. Under the Constitution, Sezer does not have the authority to veto the bill again. /Sabah/

SEZER COMMEMORATES AIR MARTYRS
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday issued a message yesterday to mark Turkey's "Air Martyrs' Commemoration Day." The Presidential Press Office announced that Sezer had declared the Turkish army was the best safeguard and protector of the nation's territory with its discipline and firm resolve and that it had contributed to world peace with its role as the most developed armed force in the region. Sezer added that Air Force bolstered the high caliber of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and was a source of pride in its achievements for international cooperation and the protection of world peace. /Turkiye/

SYRIAN VICE PRESIDENT: "TURKISH-SYRIAN DISPUTE OVER PKK IS NO MORE"
Syrian Vice President Abdulhalim Haddam yesterday told a visiting Turkish delegation that differences between his nation and Turkey regarding the terrorist PKK were a thing of the past and predicted that the two countries' disputes over water would also soon be resolved. Receiving former Turkish Foreign Minister Ilter Turkmen and a delegation in Damascus, the two sides reportedly had wide-ranging discussions. Regarding the terrorist PKK, Haddam said, "From now on this group is not an issue. We are on a positive track now, and there is no sense in revisiting a closed issue. This matter has been brought to a definitive close, and our negotatiations on bilateral security issues are very well indeed." /Turkiye/

WALL STREET JOURNAL: "THREE CHEERS FOR TURKEY, STALWART ALLY AND MUSLIM EXEMPLAR"
Urging New York region residents to take to the streets in this Saturday's annual Turkish-American parade, Wall Street Journal Editor Tunku Varadarajan praised Turkey as the US' most "loyal, consistent and principled" ally in a signed editorial this week. "If I were marooned on an uninhabited island with a single human companion," Varadarajan wrote, "I'd regard myself as fortunate if he or she turned out to be a Turk. I like the Turks not just individuals but also because I admire their country." The Indian-born editor, a former Oxford law professor, lauded Republic founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk as "one of the great politicians of the 20th century." Reminding his US readers that "Turkey's security affects our security," he exhorted then to make the connections "plain and obvious," and to "march with Turkey on Saturday, and after." The Turkish Parade is an annual celebratory event for New York City area Turks and friends of Turkey. /Sabah/

IMF DELEGATION MEETS PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES
An International Monetary Fund delegation chaired by the Fund's Turkey Director Juha Kahkonen yesterday met with a number of representatives of the Turkish private sector in Istanbul. Kahkonen stated that the IMF was satisfied with Turkey's policies on inflation and industrial production. He also underlined the importance of the continuance of the government's economic program. Stating that Turkey had a very successfully drawn-up economic program, Kahkonen added that in order to protect economic stability the government still had to proceed carefully on certain problems that might come up. /Hurriyet/

BDDK: "BANK COMMISSION REVIEWS ARE UNDERWAY"
Banking Supervision and Regulatory Agency (BDDK) head Engin Akcakoca released a statement yesterday saying that the commissions established on the basis of individual banks had started their review and evaluation work. "The two-stage inspections carried out by independent auditing firms under contract have been completed after a short period of delay," the statement said. "Now, after that lag, our bank commissions have begun their work to review those inspections." /Star/

CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR: "ELECTIONS WON'T AFFECT THE CB"
Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti yesterday commented on recent discussions and concerns about possible early elections, saying 'politics and the economy must be separated in Turkey." Serdengecti declared that Treasury incurring more debt was out of the question and that the Central Bank Law does not allow for it to use additional resources during an election period. The governor added that elections could affect public expectations but that the CB would definitely stick to its targets and the current monetary program. "The better we do our homework the less we'll be affected by the elections' he commented. /Star/

ISTANBUL CHURCH HOSTS MOZART CELEBRATION
The Greek Orthodox Hagia Eirene Church in Istanbul will host a series of performances of famed Mozart interpreters on May 19-30 as sponsored by the Ulker Company. The first concert will be given by the Capella Istropolitana Orchestra. In addition, five young performers from the renowned Yehudi Menuhin Music Conservatory will give a joint concert with the Romanian Radio Chamber Orchestra. Pianist Aleksei Lubimov will treat music lovers to a recital on the pianoforte, a popular instrument from Mozart's time. The church will also host panels and seminars on Mozart during the event. /Aksam/

BILKENT UNIVERSITY HOSTS KEMAL SYMPOSIUM
A symposium on famous Turkish writer Yasar Kemal begins today at the Mithat Coruh Conference Hall at Bilkent University. Suha Oguzertem will give the opening presentation entitled "Yasar Kemal: From the Past to the Future". Presentations about Kemal's body of work, language and narrative style will also be given. In addition actors Ayten Gokcer, Cuneyt Gokcer, Olcay Poyraz, Hidayet Das and Rustu Asyali and others will perform readings from Kemal's work along with the author himself. The symposium will conclude on Saturday with the awarding of an hononary doctorate to the writer.

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