SEZER URGES PAKISTAN AND INDIA TO ENTER INTO DIALOGUE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday called on Pakistan and India to find a settlement to the Kashmir issue through dialogue. In bilateral meetings with both Pakistani head of state Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as part of the conference for Cooperation and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Sezer said that he talked with the leaders to contribute to the international peace efforts rather than as a mediator. Sezer also addressed the conference, saying that last September’s terrorist attacks showed that international cooperation was necessary in order to fight against terrorism with determination. In addition, Sezer answered journalists’ questions regarding his invitation to all party leaders in Parliament to discuss on Friday Turkey’s EU membership bid. The president said that he expected all party leaders to attend the meeting. If Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit is unable to attend the meeting for health reasons, Sezer stated that someone authorized by the Democratic Left Party (DSP) would be invited to represent the party. /All Papers/
US CALLS ON TURKEY TO HELP DECREASE INDIAN-PAKISTANI TENSIONS
US State Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker said yesterday that the Bush administration expects a message from Turkey to continue to do what it can to help decrease tensions between India and Pakistan. Saying that US Secretary of State Colin Powell made a phone call to his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem last Saturday, Reeker, told a press conference, “Turkey has acted very effectively in the fight against terrorism up to now. On the Kashmir issue, we expect Turkey to call on both countries to act with common sense.” /Turkiye/
KIVRIKOGLU HOLDS MEETINGS WITH RUSSIAN LEADERS
Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu, who is currently paying an official visit to Russia, met yesterday with his counterpart Gen. Anatoli Kvasnin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov in Moscow. Bilateral military relations and technical cooperation as well as Russian-NATO relations were taken up at the meetings. /Turkiye/
US DIPLOMAT VISITS OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF
United States Representative to the United Nations Ambassador John Negroponte, who is currently paying a two-day official visit to Turkey, yesterday met with Turkish military officials at the Office of the Chief of General Staff. During his meetings, Negroponte reportedly discussed a number of sensitive issues with Turkish officials such as recent developments concerning the international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan (ISAF) and the threat of weapons of mass destruction developed by Iran and Iraq. Negroponte is today scheduled to meet with officials from the Foreign Ministry to exchange views on the recent situation on Cyprus. /Cumhuriyet/
TROOP CONTINGENT ARRIVES FOR ISAF TAKEOVER
A contingent of 200 Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) troops arrived at Kabul’s airport yesterday in the leadup to Turkey’s taking the helm of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on June 20. The Turkish troops under the command of Brigadier Gen. Emin Alpman were welcomed by Col. Tuncer Erinmezler and British Col. Richard Barrons, the peacekeeping force’s current commander. Alpman told reporters that they were glad to be in Afghanistan to take over the ISAF command at the behest of the United Nations and the international community in order to ensure the security of the Afghan people. He also added that Turkish troops would complete the command transition by the end of this month. /Turkiye/
CILLER: “TURKEY NEEDS AN ACTIVE PRIME MINISTER”
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller yesterday attended a panel on “Danger in the Turkish Straits and its Environmental Effects” organized by her party in Istanbul. Answering reporters’ questions regarding the president’s invitation for a summit on Friday, Ciller said that if Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit attends the meeting, she will also be there. “Our stance is not against Ecevit, we neither want to upset him, nor force him to stand at the meeting for one or two hours. However, Turkey needs an active premier, as it has urgent issues waiting to be solved,” Ciller said. /Turkiye/
RAHSAN ECEVIT RECEIVES DSP DEPUTIES
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s wife and Democratic Left Party (DSP) Deputy Chairwoman Rahsan Ecevit yesterday received a group of her party’s deputies at Ecevit’s office in Oran. While leaving the office, the deputies told reporters that they had conveyed their best wishes to the premier through his wife. In a handwritten note, Ecevit said that he was fine and hoped to attend Friday’s all-party summit on the EU. In addition, Rahsan Ecevit reportedly will continue to receive other DSP deputies in groups in the coming days. /Turkiye/
KUTAN SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR EU BID
Speaking at his party’s group meeting yesterday, Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan said that despite all of Turkey’s problems, integration into the European Union was a great opportunity for the nation. “In the past when we called the EU a ‘Western club,’ it was accurate, but they have since changed significantly,” Kutan added. Kutan also said that today’s EU aims to be a more cosmopolitan, multicultural political union. Kutan called the current prohibition of broadcasting and education in mother tongue languages “meaningless” and suggested that the SP was opposed to the death penalty. /Star/
KRUGER: “I BELIEVE TURKEY WILL ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY”
Hans-Christian Kruger, deputy secretary-general of the Council of Europe, yesterday met with Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk and Supreme Court Chief Justice Sami Selcuk. Answering a question on Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli’s objectionS to lifting the death penalty, Kruger said, “I will not talk about Turkey’s internal politics but I am sure that Turkey will abolish the death penalty.” /Sabah/
BAHCELI CRITICIZES ANAP, TUSIAD AND THE MEDIA
Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli yesterday spoke at his party’s group meeting to offer his views on recent developments concerning Turkish-EU relations and the future of the current coalition government. Harshly criticizing Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz, opposition parties and the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’ Association (TUSIAD), Bahceli remarked that everybody should be very careful when deciding on certain sensitive issues such as abolishing the death penalty and education in mother tongue languages, which are, he thinks, of great importance for Turkey’s future. Accusing ANAP, the opposition parties and the TUSIAD of ignoring Turkey’s national interests for the sake of EU membership, Bahceli stated that Turkey should improve its relations with the EU without turning a blind eye to its own interests or making any concessions which would make the Turkish nation totally dependent upon other nations. /All Papers/
RTUK SELECTS NEW CHAIRMAN
The Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) gathered yesterday in order to select the body’s new chairman. Fatih Karaca, a RTUK member since 1995, was elected to the post. Karaca has worked for both the TV and movie industries and has twice served as the RTUK’s vice chairman. /Aksam/
NGOs TO TAKE COMMON STAND ON EU ACCESSION
A large gathering of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Istanbul today is set to put together a joint declaration of their common stance on the pace of Turkey’s EU accession. Nearly 200 NGOs are expected to call on the EU to set a timetable by the end of this year to begin negotiations with Turkey for its membership. /Aksam/
BOEING OFFICIAL: “OVER THE NEXT DECADE, TURKEY’S AIR FLEET COULD DOUBLE IN SIZE”
Speaking at Ankara’s Air Museum, a representative of US company Boeing predicted yesterday that Turkey’s civilian air fleet could double in less than 10 years’ time. Aldo Basile, Turkish sales manager for Boeing, said that Turkey’s current fleet of 150 planes could grow to 300 by 2010, depending on economic growth and development. Basile was optimistic on Turkey’s economic prospects, saying its EU candidacy and educated population would be its growth engines. He predicted tourism sector growth of 10% as well. Basile’s speech coincided with an announcement that Turkey’s military planned to buy several AWACS early warning planes from Boeing. /Milliyet/
TURKEY SIGNS AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE BOEING DEFENSE PLANES
An agreement finalizing the purchase of early warning defense planes was signed yesterday in Ankara by authorities from the Defense Industry Undersecretariat and representatives of US company Boeing. Turkey is expected to buy at least four Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) planes from US company Boeing. Turkey also has the option to increase the number of planes to six. Boeing Vice President Patrick Gill stated that they were now waiting the approval of the US Congress for the purchase to take place. /Star/
TURK TELEKOM AND KOC GROUP TO COOPERATE ON BULGARIAN TELECOM BID
A statement issued by Koc Holding yesterday announced that state landline monopoly Turk Telekom and Koc Group’s information, communication and technology services division had decided to jointly participate in a bid for 65% of the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company. The stake in question has been offered as part of the Bulgarian company’s privatization. /Milliyet/
GOOD NEWS FROM TOURISM AND AUTOMOTIVE SECTORS
The number of tourists visiting Antalya has increased by 10% compared to last year, a tourism sector representative said yesterday. Stating that Antalya was riding a boom tourism wave, Professional Hotel Managers Association Chairman Turgen Sevki Bulut said, “If we can keep up the current pace, we can overtake last year’s numbers by as much as 15%.” Mediterranean Tourist Hotels Association (AKTOB) Chairman Ahmet Barut also said that he expected the number of tourists visiting Antalya to reach 5 million by the end of the year. Barut stated, “We’ve boosted the number of tourists visiting Turkey by 10%, which is a great success.” He added that such countries as Spain, Greece, Tunisia and Egypt have recently experienced large losses in the tourism sector but that Turkey was leading the pack of profitable countries in the sector. In other rosy economic news, Turkish automotive sector exports increased by 5.1% this January-May to reach $1.77 billion, the State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced this week. The automotive sector exported automotive goods to 153 countries and autonomous regions, as well as 10 free zones in the January-May period. /Milliyet/
NEW CAMPAIGN FOR TURKISH TOURISM: “NOW IT’S TIME FOR TURKEY”
The Tourism Research and Strategy Center has launched a new campaign in Germany entitled “Now It’s Time for Turkey,” to help boost Turkish tourism. The campaign, which is also supported by the Turkish Tourism Ministry, aims to promote Turkey and its culture to millions of German citizens. /Cumhuriyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION