SEZER CALLS FOR COOPERATION AGAINST TERRORISM AT NATO SUMMIT
Speaking at the NATO-Russia summit in Rome yesterday, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer stated that Turkey places great importance on the fight against terrorism, one of the priorities of the summit, and that there should be more concrete international cooperation to combat terrorism. “Through the loss of many of its citizens, Turkey has learned much about the threat of terrorism,” Sezer said, adding that now Turkey’s American friends had been similarly affected by last September’s terrorist attacks. “We don’t see Russia as an antagonist but rather as a cooperative partner,” Sezer remarked. /Hurriyet/

ECEVIT: “THIS GOVERNMENT WILL STAY IN CHARGE THROUGH ITS FULL TERM”
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit declared yesterday that the current 57th government was continuing to rule the country with harmony and determination. ”This government will be in charge until the elections to be held at their normally scheduled date, and it will strive to keep its promises to the public.” Ecevit, who left the hospital on Monday after more than 10 days of treatment, held a press conference yesterday. At the one-and-a-half-hour conference, Ecevit evaluated the coalition government’s performance from over the last three years. Regarding his health condition, Ecevit said, “Some circles have been trying to convince me to quit politics. Politics doesn’t mean everything to me. I have various hobbies other than politics that I wish I had time for. However, Turkey is passing through a very sensitive period. Reform laws are still being enacted one by one. Since stepping down could harm Turkey, for the time being I prefer to be in charge and not to resign.” /Turkiye/

TURKEY WARNS THE EU ON ESDP INCLUSION
One of Turkey’s top military officials yesterday warned the European Union that peace and stability can be established through Europe if and only if the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) includes all European countries. Gen. Resat Turgut, head of planning and principles at the Office of the Chief of the General Staff, yesterday criticized the EU for failing to support its important allies, such as Turkey, which have undertaken so many responsibilities for the sake of Europe’s security. Arguing that the EU was practicing discrimination against Turkey, Turgut stated that the disputes between NATO and the EU also stemmed from this discrimination. /Cumhuriyet/

BAHCELI SETS CONDITIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF EU REFORMS
Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said yesterday that reforms for Turkey’s European Union membership could not be accepted before the nation had succeeded in ending terrorism. Bahceli set out five conditions for the EU reforms to be implemented: One, the file of terrorist Abdullah Ocalan should immediately be forwarded to Parliament for ratification, regardless of what the European Court of Human Rights decides; two, there is no reason and obligation to incarcerate Ocalan in Imrali, since according to the law he should be transferred to an F-type prison; three, the EU should be more sincere and decisive, and a first step could be the inclusion of KADEK (the PKK’s new label) on its list of terrorist groups; four, the PKK’s so-called representatives and militants should quickly and unconditionally surrender to the Turkish government; and five, the heads of terrorist organizations should pledge loyalty to the basic principles of the Turkish Constitution. /Hurriyet/

GEN. BUYUKANIT: “EUROPEANS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TERRORISTS”
Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said yesterday that Turkey was a model country in its own region and should be supported by Western countries. He made the remarks while addressing a symposium in Ankara entitled “World and Domestic Developments in the Wake of the Sept. 11 Attacks.” Stating that he had serious doubts that Europe had learned the lessons of the Sept. 11 attacks, Buyukanit commented that European countries still had double standards since they were still continuing to support in various ways the PKK acting under its new name of KADEK. Pointing to Turkey’s democratic secular system, Buyukanit remarked that Turkey should be supported by Western nations since it plays an important role as the only modern country to be a model for other Islamic countries. /Turkiye/

IZGI: “WE SHOULD WAIT FOR THE ECHR’S DECISION”
Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi said yesterday that Turkey should wait for a verdict from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) before asking the Parliament to ratify a death penalty verdict on terrorist Abdullah Ocalan. It would be wrong not to wait for the decision of the ECHR, Izgi added. /Hurriyet/

YILMAZ: “EU MEMBERSHIP IS A NATIONAL GOAL”
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday at his party’s parliamentary group meeting that Turkey’s EU membership was a national goal and this aim should be defended by the parties representing the people. Yilmaz stated that he was reiterating and underlining the point as Turkey was rapidly entering a critical stage regarding its EU membership process and that everyone had to work hand-in-hand to achieve this goal. /Sabah/

CILLER: “THE EU IS OUR CHOICE”
Main opposition party leader Tansu Ciller yesterday appeared to soften her stance on carrying out the death penalty passed on terrorist Abdullah Ocalan. In a conversation with journalists, Ciller said, “If Turkey is left with a choice between membership in the EU or the execution of Ocalan, the DYP will choose the EU.” /Hurrýyet/

KUTAN: “THE MHP USES THE DEATH PENALTY ISSUE FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES”
Reacting to recent statements by Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli regarding the death penalty issue, opposition pro-Islamist Felicity Party (SP) leader Reaci Kutan yesterday accused Bahceli of using the issue for political purposes. Kutan also said that the capital punishment issue should not be a matter for gaining political advantage. /Sabah/

PEARSON: “EARLY ELECTIONS WOULDN’T ADVERSELY AFFECT THE TURKISH ECONOMY”
US Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson on Monday stated that he did not believe that early elections would adversely affect the Turkish economy since the nation has a well-established state structure. During a meeting with three visiting US senators, Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and State Minister for Economy Kemal Dervis, Pearson conveyed the message to the Turkish officials that he believed in Turkey’s resolve to continue its current economic program. The American and Turkish officials discussed the current economic conditions in Turkey as well as the ongoing implementation of the stabilization program and the possibility of early elections. In addition, in a speech at a symposium entitled “World and Domestic Developments in the Wake of the Sept. 11 Attacks,” Pearson stated that Turkey was one of the most important allies of the US as had been proven by the Turkish government’s full support in the recent US war against terrorism after last September’s attacks. /Cumhuriyet/

ISRAELI DELEGATION EXPLORES BUYING TURKISH WATER
An Israeli government delegation is currently in Turkey on a final visit before Israel makes a decision on a possible purchase of Turkish water. The five-person delegation from Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Finance Ministry and Water Commission arrived in Ankara two days ago. Following a resolution in favor of such purchases made by Israel’s Economy Cabinet earlier this year, Israeli Prime Ministry Undersecretary Avigdor Itzchaki dispatched the delegation. The water would come from Manavgat Falls, near Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Turkish State Water Works (DSI) Director General Mumtaz Turfan said that the delegation had held a meeting with bureaucrats from the Energy Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Foreign Trade Undersecretariat. “The delegation told us that they would make their final decision by the end of June,” he added. “We told them that we were willing to sell them water and that we would work to make the deal possible.” /Milliyet/

OZEN: “GARANTI BANK’S INVESTMENTS WILL CONTINUE IN EASTERN EUROPE”
Garanti Bank Director General Ergun Ozen said yesterday that the bank was doing well in the Eastern European market and that it would increase its investments there. Stating that Amsterdam-based Garanti Bank International, which oversees the bank’s activities abroad, had branches in Germany, the Netherlands and Romania, Ozen said, “Garanti Bank is doing well in Eastern Europe. We will continue to increase our investments there. These countries are taking very serious steps towards EU membership, and so we think it is a wise decision to have a presence in them. We are investing in Bulgaria, and if necessary, we will open a branch there. We are also active in Romania, and we have been for four or five years. We’re planning to be the first Turkish bank to be active in Bulgaria.” /Milliyet/

MILAN CIRCUS COMES TO ANKARA
Italy’s beloved Milan Circus is set to begin a full month of performances in Ankara tomorrow. The circus, whose act is hailed throughout Europe, was established in 1930. It suspended operations during World War II, but in 1946 picked up where it had left off. The Milan Circus’ appearance in Ankara sponsored by the Cankaya Municipality will begin tomorrow and run through June 30. /Aksam/

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