SEZER VISITS IRAN
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer went to Tehran, Iran yesterday to pay a two-day official visit upon the invitation of Iranian President Muhammed Khatami. Before his departure, Sezer stated that he would search for ways to improve economic, trade and security relations between the two countries. He said that the Turkish-Iranian Joint Business Council (KEK) would start work as a result of this visit, and that Turkish literature would be taught in Iranian universities. Sezer then left for Tehran. After a welcoming ceremony at the Sadabat Palace, the two leaders met face-to-face and then interdelegationary meetings were held. At a joint press conference, Sezer said that Turkey wanted to improve its relations with all its neighbors, including Iran on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. He also emphasized the importance of cooperation in the fight against terrorism, especially in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The Turkish president also met with Iranian Vice President Muhammed Riza Arif and then attended a dinner hosted by Khatami in his and the delegation's honour. /All Papers/
SEZER POINTS TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
Before leaving for Iran for an official visit, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer attended a ceremony held in the province of Igdir to initiate a project to prevent wind erosion. Addressing the ceremony, Sezer said that activities to preserve Turkey's natural beauty and work to increase the nation's prosperity were both going well. He remarked that Turkey should follow the articles of the United Nations Accord for Struggle Against Deforestation to which it is a signatory. /Turkiye/
BUYUKANIT: "TURKEY'S FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY"
Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said yesterday that new methods and new arrangements were needed to fight the changed face of terrorism. Speaking at the opening ceremony of "Silk Road-2002 General-Admiral Seminar," Buyukanit characterized terrorism as "the plague of our age." Buyukanit said that Turkey's struggle against terrorism should be supported by all international platforms, including the UN, NATO and the EU. Arguing that terrorism respects no boundaries and thus is a very serious problem for all countries, Buyukanit remarked that international cooperation girded with great determination was vitally important. He praised the European Union's adding the PKK to its list of terrorist groups, but urged it to also include KADEK, which he said was a clear continuation of the terrorist group under a different name. /Turkiye/
SP GIVES CONDITIONAL SUPPORT TO DSP
The Felicity Party (SP) yesterday indicated provisional support for the Democratic Left Party's (DSP) death penalty abolition push in the context of the DSP's tour to support its initiative. The SP suggested yesterday that arrangements concerning the broadcasts and education in mother tongue languages should be made together with the issue of the death penalty. While the True Path Party (DYP) has announced that it can't support abolishing the death penalty, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has asked that a constitutional amendment on abolition of the death penalty be submitted. The DSP staff, which is continuing to work on a bill concerning the abolition of the death penalty, visited the SP group yesterday and requested its support. The SP staff had previously evaluated the issue at the Prime Ministry Council and now decided to support the decision to lift the death penalty. However, the SP decided not to announce its full support before the bill, which the DSP is to submit, becomes definite. During the visit, the SP group stated that it didn't ask for any preconditions concerning lifting the death penalty and asked the DSP what sort of a change it requested. The DSP group replied that work was underway and changes would be made in four separate laws, but it didn't give detailed information. The SP group also suggested that an interparty commission be established in which such issues as broadcasting and education in mother tongues can be discussed. /Hurriyet/
THIRD PETITION FILED AGAINST RTUK LAW
Deputies from the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), Felicity Party (SP), Justice and Development (AKP), Socialist Democratic Party (TDP) and Great Union Party (BBP) yesterday filed a petition at the Constitutional Court asking it to annul certain sections of Article 2 of the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) Law. Their petition follows the one filed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and a previous one they themselves filed. Justice and Development Party (AKP) group deputy leader Mehmet Ali Sahin and the Felicity Party's (SP) deputy Mustafa Kamalak presented a petition to Constitutional Court Secretary General Ahmet Hamdi Yapýcý. Speaking to reporters yesterday, Yapýcý said that it was impossible to amend the RTUK law through petitions and that it needed to be revised to be amended. /Cumhuriyet/
GUREL: "GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION CANNOT BE AN EU MEMBER BEFORE TURKEY"
Speaking to a key Turkish-European Union body yesterday, State Minister for EU Relations Sukru Sina Gurel made a firm stance on Cyprus and Turkey vis-à-vis their respective EU membership bids. Addressing the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission in Brussels Gurel said, "If the EU takes a final mistaken decision and causes separation on the island, Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus [TRNC] will do what integration process requires." He added, "Whether there is a solution or not, Cyprus cannot be a member of the EU before Turkey." Gurel contended that statements saying that the Greek Cypriot administration would join the EU regardless of a solution, which certain EU figures have been making, were both hindering a solution and, if carried through, would violate international law. /Milliyet/
LEADERS' SUMMIT TODAY TO DISCUSS THE ECONOMY
The government coalition leaders' summit will convene today in order to discuss the economy, which has been feeling the effects of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's illness and the debate on lifting the death penalty. The summit is planned to be held at Ecevit's home so that he can participate or at the Office of the Prime Minister. If Ecevit is unable to participate, Ecevit's Democratic Left Party (DSP) will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan. Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis would participate in the summit as well and brief the participants on Turkey's economic situation. /Hurriyet/
ECHR GRAND CHAMBER TO HEAR RP CLOSURE CASE
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is scheduled to hear tomorrow an appeal filed by the ex-leaders of the defunct Welfare Party (RP). Last year a five-member EHCR court decided the case should be heard by the 17-member Grand Chamber. The court in Strasbourg will hear from both the Turkish government and lawyers representing the RP administrators, Necmettin Erbakan, Sevket Kazan, and Ahmet Tekdal, and will issue a decision some time thereafter. Turkey's Constitutional Court closed down the RP in 1998. /Cumhuriyet/
COOPERATIVE BEST EFFORT-2002 MANEUVERS BEGIN IN GEORGIA
The first NATO maneuvers on Georgian soil since Georgia's independence from the Soviet Union a decade ago started yesterday under the leadership of NATO Southeastern European Common Forces Commander Gen. Oktar Ataman. The Vaziyani military base near Tblisi is the headquarters of "Cooperative Best Effort-2002" maneuvers, which are being participated in by Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova and Russia, all signatories of a partnership agreement with NATO, along with six NATO members, Turkey, Canada, Greece, Hungary, United Kingdom and the US. The maneuvers will last for 10 days. /Hurriyet/
THREE COUNTRIES' JOURNALISTS MEET IN ANKARA
The "Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey: Journalists Initiative 2002" met in Ankara yesterday. After the meeting, Armenian reporters visited Anitkabir, Ataturk's mausoleum, and the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM). The meeting was sponsored by Turkey's Diplomatic Correspondents' Association (DMD), the Turkish Democracy Foundation (TDV), Azerbaijan's "Yeni Nesil" and Armenia's Yerevan Press Association. /Cumhuriyet/
ECEVIT MEETS WITH ECONOMY OFFICIALS
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday was briefed by economy officials about the current state of the economy. Attending the 40-minute meeting were State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis, Central Bank Governor Süreyya Serdengecti, Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak, Treasury Vice Undersecretary Hakan Özyýldýz and Banking Regulation and Supervision Board (BDDK) Chairman Engin Akcakoca. Dervis stated at the meeting that current uncertainty in Turkish politics was casting a shadow over the economic program. He warned that continuation of this uncertainty in the long term would harm the program and jeopardize all the government's efforts. The state minister also suggested a leaders' summit to address economic issues. Ecevit reacted positively to this suggestion, and asked Dervis to prepare a detailed report on the economy for the coalition partners' leaders. /Cumhuriyet/
IFC: "WE HAVE BELIEF AND CONFIDENCE IN TURKEY"
International Finance Cooperation's (IFC) Turkey Director Sujata Lamba said yesterday that the financial support which the IFC had provided for Turkey since its economic crisis began last February totaled $350 million. Stating that the amount of financing that it extended to Turkey last year was $150 million and this year so far was $200 million, Lamba said that this showed that the IFC believes in Turkey's future and has confidence in its economy. Lamba added that Turkey was the fourth-largest recipient of IFC support, that it had a share of 4.5% in the IFC's global portfolio, and that Turkey's portfolio surpassed $1 billion together with the resources given to its commercial banks. The IFC is the World's Bank's private sector leading arm. /Aksam/
BREKK: "TURKEY CAN REACH ITS TARGETS FOR THIS YEAR"
In an interview yesterday, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Representative to Turkey Odd Per Brekk told Reuters that Turkey had succeeded in reducing inflation and restarting its growth and predicted that Turkey could reach its targeted 3% growth rate at the end of this year. Brekk added, "Financial indicators have been hurt due to political uncertainty but we hope that everything will be all right in a few days." Brekk said that the IMF Executive Board was expected to convene this month to discuss the second review of Turkey's economic program, but that the exact date of the meeting hadn't been determined yet. Brekk said that the IMF was waiting for Turkey to send its Letter of Intent (LOI) concerning the second review soon and added, "An IMF delegation is planning to come to Turkey for the third review in the second or third week of July." When the IMF Executive Board approves the LOI on the second review, a loan tranche amounting to $1.1 billion is to be released. /Hurriyet/
HARVARD TURCOLOGY JOURNAL PRESENTED TO HACETTEPE
The 25th issue of Harvard University's "Journal of Turkish Studies," North America's first and only journal of Turcology, was presented yesterday to Hacettepe University Philosophy Department head Ionna Kucuradi, to which the issue is dedicated. The presentation at Hacettepe's Ankara campus was attended by Sivas deputy Cengiz Gulec, Hacettepe Rector Tuncalp Ozgen, Anatolian University's Dr. Sýtký Erinc, Bogazici University's Dr. Zeynep Davran, and Harvard University's Dr. Þinasi Tekin. The journal has been issued annually since 1977 by Harvard's Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilization. /Milliyet/
CARDINAL MARTINI TO VISIT SELJUK
A group of some 700 Catholic believers, led by Milan Archbishop Carlo Maria Martini, will hold a ceremony at the Saint Jean Church in Seljuk today. The ceremony will be conducted by Archbishop Martini, who is considered a leading contender to succeed Pope John Paul II. Martini and the accompanying group were welcomed with a great interest in Seljuk today. The group will go to the church early in the morning and then will hold a ceremony at the House of the Virgin Mary in the evening. The Catholics will also visit Selcuk Municipality and then listen to a classical music concert given by the Izmir State Symphony Orchestra in Ephesus. Then the group will leave Seljuk. /Aksam/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION