SEZER IN KAZAKHSTAN FOR CONFERENCE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is continuing his visit to Central Asian countries. After completing his contacts in Mongolia yesterday, Sezer proceeded to Almaty, Kazakhstan to attend a conference for Cooperation and Confidence–Building Measures in Asia. He is expected to have bilateral meetings as part of the conference. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Sezer will meet with Pakistani head of state Pervez Musharraf today to find a settlement to the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan. /All Papers/
TURKISH MILITARY DELEGATION VISITS MACEDONIA
A delegation chaired by Gen. Cihangir Dumanli, head of the Defense, Planning and Resource Management Department at the Turkish Office of the Chief of General Staff, traveled to Macedonia yesterday to pay a two-day official visit. The delegation met with Macedonian Defense Minister Vlado Popovski and Macedonian Chief of General Staff Gen. Metodi Stamboliski. The officials of the two countries reportedly discussed ways to improve bilateral military cooperation. /Cumhuriyet/
KIVRIKOGLU GOES TO RUSSIA
Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu went to Moscow yesterday for an official four-day visit to negotiate with his Russian counterpart Anatoli Kvasnin. Kivrikoglu is bringing a number of important issues to discuss. Turkey’s top military official will also hold talks with Russian Defense Minister Igor Ivanov, and he is expected to bring up purchasing from Russia S-300 rockets, weapons which were also sold to Armenia and Greece in recent years. /Star/
GENERAL STAFF CANCELS MANEUVERS AS PEACE PROCESS ENTERS NEW PHASE
The Office of the Chief of General Staff yesterday announced that it had cancelled planned “EFES 2002” maneuvers in order to help facilitate the Turco-Greek peace process. Yesterday’s announcement marked the first such cancellation in 25 years, and it came just as traditional rivals Turkey and Greece sit down at the negotiating table for a third round of talks to resolve their differences. According to a General Staff statement, the maneuvers were cancelled due to “recent developments on the international stage.” /Milliyet/
GUREL: “ECEVIT IS CONTINUING HIS MISSION”
Addressing speculations on the state of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s health and the future of the government yesterday, State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel said that Ecevit would “continue with his mission.” Gurel made the comments while visiting the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. Asked by reporters about Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) leader Tuncay Ozilhan’s recent suggestion that Ecevit’s Democratic Left Party (DSP) should select a new leader, Gurel said that people should refrain from speaking of issues outside their area of responsibility. /Aksam/
US: “ECEVIT’S ILLNESS ISN’T CAUSING INSTABILITY”
US State Department spokesman Phil Reeker told reporters yesterday that the Bush administration wasn’t concerned that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s illness might cause instability in Turkey. At a State Department press briefing, Reeker characterized Ecevit’s health problems as “normal” and reaffirmed the US’ strong, deep ties with Turkey. /Aksam/
COUNCIL OF EUROPE OFFICIAL ADDRESSES OCALAN ISSUE
Hans-Christian Kruger, deputy secretary-general of the Council of Europe, yesterday visited Ankara and made a speech at the Foreign Ministry. In his address, Kruger spoke on the issue of the death penalty and imprisoned terrorist PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. Kruger pointed out that the death penalty hadn’t been carried out in Turkey for nearly two decades, adding he expected a decision on Ocalan’s punishment would be made soon. Some current proposals call for Ocalan’s death sentence to be changed into life in prison without parole. Kruger stressed in his speech that he didn’t believe Ocalan should escape punishment. /Aksam/
ANAP GIVES FULL SUPPORT TO ECEVIT
Motherland Party (ANAP) Deputy Chairman Bulent Akarcali said yesterday that ANAP supported Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s determination to continue his duty. Following his party’s administrative board meeting, Akarcali said, “ANAP has no doubt about Ecevit’s determination to continue his duty, and our party gives its full support to him.” /Turkiye/
CILLER: “I WON’T ATTEND LEADERS’ SUMMIT IF ECEVIT ISN’T THERE”
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said yesterday that she would not attend the leaders’ summit chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to be held on June 7 regarding Turkey’s EU membership bid if Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit does not attend. Answering journalists’ questions in Istanbul, Ciller stated that Turkey’s main concern was the “absence” of its prime minister. “Those who are hiding themselves behind an absent premier and clinging to their positions are accepting the power vacuum in Turkey and not being sincere,” Ciller said. Pointing to the varying stances of the coalition partners on Turkey’s EU membership bid, Ciller said that the partners should quit the coalition. Meanwhile, Ecevit’s spokesman Cem Avcý said yesterday that the prime minister is expected to attend the summit on Friday. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN TO ATTEND LEADERS’ SUMMIT
Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday visited Ankara Trade Chamber Chairman Sinan Aygun with a group of party members. During the meeting, Erdogan said that the leaders’ summit on June 7 regarding Turkey’s EU membership bid may be an opportunity to reach a new understanding on the issue. Stressing that his party would attend the meeting, Erdogan stated, “The AKP is not overly concerned with whether the prime minister attends or not, as the meeting will be held upon the invitation of the president, not the prime minister.” /Turkiye/
CSIS RELEASES REPORT ON TURKEY
The state of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s health has been followed with concern in the United States as well as Turkey. President George W. Bush’s administration is having difficulty seeing the future path of Turkish politics. A report on Turkey issued recently by US think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) predicts that Husamettin Ozkan may emerge as a new leader for Ecevit’s Democratic Left Party (DSP), rather than Kemal Dervis, as the latter has inadequate support. In the report, experts on Turkey stated that the US didn’t want to see the nation’s recent stability deteriorate and further hopes to see reformist ideas prevail. For this reason, it continues, Washington would rather not see early Turkish elections in the short term. /Turkiye/
ASAM PREPARES BOOK TO COUNTER “ARARAT”
The Eurasian Strategic Research Center (ASAM) has prepared a book to refute the view of the so-called Armenian genocide depicted in Canadian director Atom Egoyan’s new film, “Ararat.” ASAM Chairman Omer Engin Lutem held a press conference yesterday to promote the book entitled, “Ararat: Artistic Armenian Propaganda.” Remarking that the movie had failed to show the historical truth, Lutem argued that it was made in order to cover up the failures of the Armenian lobbies in defending their incorrect arguments on the international stage. He also stated that there were important differences between the movie and the book it is based on, “An American Doctor in Turkey” written by Dr. Clarance D. Ussher. /Cumhuriyet/
US AMBASSADOR MANN: “COOPERATION ON BAKU-CEYHAN IS GOING WELL”
United States Special Representative for the Caspian Basin Steven Mann held a press conference yesterday at the US Embassy in Ankara. Stating that Turkey had recently achieved great progress in the field of energy, Mann expressed his satisfaction with Turkey’s opening its energy markets to the private sector. “I have seen during my meetings with Turkish officials that the Turkish-US cooperation on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is also going well,” said Mann. /Cumhuriyet/
PARLIAMENT COMMISSION OKS SPACE RESEARCH COOPERATION WITH UKRAINE
Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission yesterday approved an agreement on improving cooperation between the Turkish Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian National Space Agency concerning space research. The agreement proposes that the two countries conduct joint projects on space, satellites, and related matters. /Cumhuriyet/
INFLATION FALLS IN MAY
The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced yesterday that the inflation rate had decreased below 1% in May on a monthly basis and below 50% on an annual basis. The DIE further stated that the wholesale price index (WPI) had increased by 0.4% when compared to the previous month and the consumer price index (CPI) had increased by 0.6% this year. These figures marked the lowest CPI increase in nearly in a decade. /Hurriyet/
SYMPOSIUM TO ADDRESS PROPERTY LAW AND THE EU
The second Galip Esmer Ownership Symposium began yesterday. During the two-day symposium, changes made to the public sector and real property possession as part of Turkey’s process of EU accession will be discussed. Title Deed and Cadastre Regional Chairman Nihat Kandal summarized the aims of the symposium as follows: “evaluating the dimension of the illegal building problem, ensuring the changes needed in the public sector in Turkey’s path to the EU, and changing regulations in order to sell much more real property to foreign buyers.” /Sabah/
ISTANBUL TO HOST JAYCEES’ EUROPEAN CONFERENCE
The Junior Chamber International (JCI), an association of young entrepreneurs widely known as the Jaycees, will hold its 40th European Conference at Istanbul’s Lütfi Kirdar Congress and Exhibit Hall on June 12-15. Istanbul’s hosting the conference is the culmination of more than eight years of efforts by the Jaycees, an organization which internationally has nearly half a million members. The conference is expected to be attended by nearly 3,000 businessmen and administrators from 34 countries and it will be opened by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. Famous sales guru Dr. Kerry L. Johnson, Euro Chambers Chairman Dr. Cristoph Leithl, Martin Shervington from the John Seymour Institute and Kevin Collenan, accounting firm Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year,” will give speeches during the conference. The conference’s training section will present 54 educational programs, including ones on entrepreneurship and leadership, marketing and sale techniques, and strategy and personal development. /Hurriyet/
TURKEY LOSES 2-1 TO BRAZIL ON PENALTY KICK
A penalty kick in the 86th minute of Turkey’s World Cup Group C opener yesterday resulted in the national team losing 2-1 to Brazil, a country which has won the World Cup four times. Speaking to reporters after the match, Turkish National Team Coach Senol Gunes refused to criticize the referee but described the penalty kick decision as “an injustice.” Turkey will next face Costa Rica on Sunday’s World Cup play. /All Papers/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION