NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL TO MEET
The National Security Council (MGK) presided over by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will meet today in Istanbul. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will also attend the meeting at the War Academy Commandership. Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will not participate in the meeting, as he is scheduled to inspect damage in the flood-stricken province of Rize due to recent heavy rains and flooding. Before chairing the MGK meeting, Sezer will attend ship, plane and helicopter handover ceremonies in Golcuk to be held by the Naval Forces Commandership. /Turkiye/
YILMAZ CALLS ON PARTY LEADERS TO SUPPORT EU ACCESSION LAWS
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz yesterday held a series of meeting with the leaders of parties represented in Parliament, asking them to support the European Union harmonization laws. Speaking to reporters after these meetings, Yilmaz said that an EU law package prepared by his party would not hinder early elections expected this fall. Yilmaz told the reporters that Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli had said he would support these laws, excepting education and broadcasting in mother tongues and eliminating the death penalty. /Star/
FOREIGN MINISTER GUREL TO MEET WITH PAPANDREOU
Turkey is preparing to put diplomatic pressure on the Greek government to crack down on the activities of terrorist group the DHKP-C in Greece. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel yesterday stated that he would soon meet with Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou to discuss the issue of the DHKP-C. The Turkish government is disappointed with the lack of attention the Greek government has shown on the issue to date. "We have been aware for some time that members of certain terrorist groups threatening Turkey's democratic regime have taken shelter with some of our neighbors," said Gurel. "Unfortunately, Greece is one of those countries which has failed to crack down on those terrorists." /Cumhuriyet/
FLOOD WREAKS HAVOC IN FIVE PROVINCES
A total of 22 people have died due to two straight days of heavy rain and flooding which cut a swathe through five different provinces in the Black Sea region and eastern-central Anatolia, Rize, Yozgat, Corum, Kayseri and Tokat. Some 19 people are still missing due to Tuesday and Wednesday's flooding which also damaged hundreds of houses, destroyed farmers' fields and killed livestock. The State Meteorology Institute is forecasting the heavy rainfall in the region to continue through tomorrow. The Cabinet yesterday resolved to provide financial aid to the affected regions. /Cumhuriyet/
VERHEUGEN: "COPENHAGEN CRITERIA SHOULD BE FULFILLED IN ORDER TO START MEMBERSHIP NEGOTIATIONS"
Speaking at the European Parliament yesterday, European Commissioner for Enlargement Gunter Verheugen spoke on Turkey's European Union accession process. "If the Copenhagen criteria are fulfilled, we could immediately start the negotiations process," the commissioner said. "The commission could make this happen." Meanwhile, Verheugen stated yesterday in an interview with German daily Die Zeit that the two parties on Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots, might reach a settlement before the EU's Copenhagen summit this December. "Turkey might suggest a new model for a solution in order to obtain a political award from the Union," said Verheugen. "It might even begin its accession negotiation process earlier then expected. However, the Turkish government should place a high premium of the implementation of political reforms for its EU accession." /Cumhuriyet, Hurriyet/
CABINET MINISTERS SUPPORT FORMULA ONE HOSTING BID
The Cabinet ministers chaired by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit met yesterday. During its meeting, the Cabinet decided to support the Turkish Federation of Automotive and Motor Sports' (TOMSFED) bid to host the Formula One racing competition in 2005. Health Minister Osman Durmus initially opposed the move, as previous Formula One races have carried cigarette advertising. "While we are trying people to stop smoking, those races encourage it," he argued. However, he was eventually persuaded when TOMSFED pledged that this race would not carry tobacco ads. State Minister Fikret Unlu was appointed to the work on the topic. /All Papers/
CILLER VISITS BAHCELI, DISCUSSES EU AND ELECTIONS LAWS
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller yesterday visited Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader in order to seek support for the European Union harmonization laws, as well as amendments to the Elections Law. After the meeting, Ciller told reporters that the Parliament should reconvene in order to make a decision on early elections. Ciller also said that her party had submitted a proposal to Parliament that the elections be held on Nov. 3. /Star/
MUMTAZ SOYSAL ESTABLISHES INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC PARTY
A new political party called the Independent Republic Party (BCP) was officially established yesterday. Mumtaz Soysal, Ismail Sina Aksin and Cevat Ismail Geray are among the founding members of the party. The application for formation of this new party has been submitted to the Interior Ministry. According to a statement released by the BCP, the party currently has 67 members. /Star/
BAYKAL: "ELECTIONS ARE THE ONLY WAY OUT"
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday received a delegation from the Turkish Young Businessmen's Association (TUGIAD) at his party's headquarters in Ankara. Baykal said that a consensus had finally been reached that elections were the only way out. Stressing that Turkey's economy had paid a great price before reaching this point, Baykal said that Nov. 4 was an important date for Turkey to establish a strong, effective Parliament. Regarding a possible US operation in Iraq, Baykal stated, "We don't want war. Such an operation would harm Turkey's economy and political life." /Turkiye/
DTP LEADER: "A FAIR SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED"
Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) leader Mehmet Ali Bayar yesterday said that changes were needed to Turkey's election system. Speaking to the Turkish Journalists Association, Bayar stated, "You have listened to the discussions over the European Union. But the vision of the EU, which points to our nation's future, has been lost in the shuffle of day-to-day political concerns. If this situation persists, either a single-party government or a ruling coalition will emerge. Whatever the result, Turkey needs new hope. Elections will give the Turkish people a chance to make their voices heard. However, we need to ensure a level playing field for elections. Parliament should prepare measures to establish fairer elections." /Sabah/
HISARCIKLIOGLU: "PARTIES SHOULD CLARIFY THEIR STANCE ON EU ISSUE"
Speaking to the Istanbul Union of Commerce yesterday, Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said that Turkey was witnessing a great divide over the issue of its European Union membership bid. "The EU issue shouldn't be used as a political tool," he stated. "Turkey is now heading for early elections. Those parties seeking to lead the country should either state clearly that they favor our EU reforms, or else lay out what they plan to do instead." /Milliyet/
TUSIAD URGES QUICK ACTION ON EU ACCESSION LAWS
The Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) yesterday urged Parliament to pass the laws needed for Turkey's European Union membership bid at its extraordinary session next Monday. A statement issued by the group said that all EU candidate countries were required to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria, and that Turkey wasn't being singled out. The statement added that fixing a date for early elections would boost the nation's economy. /Milliyet/
FITCH ANALYST: "TURKEY CAN OVERCOME ITS POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY"
A senior analyst at international ratings agency Fitch yesterday told Reuters there were currently no plans to alter Turkey's credit rating. "It is still possible for Turkey to overcome its political uncertainty," said Nick Eisinger, director of sovereign ratings. "We will see how this turns out in the months to come." Three weeks ago Fitch affirmed Turkey's rating as B and stable. /Aksam/
TIM CHAIRMAN: "TURKEY IS LOSING TIME"
Turkish Exporters' Union (TIM) Chairman Oguz Satici said yesterday that the current climate was making Turkey lose valuable time, time that it needed to spend on its European Union membership bid and other important matters. "We hope all the political parties and politicians can feel the problems of both exporters and the nation at large," he stated. "If they ignore these problems, then sooner or later elections will be held, and only this will dispel the uncertainty hanging over us." /Sabah/
94TH ANNIVERSARY OF ABOLITION OF CENSORSHIP CELEBRATED
Yesterday, the 94th anniversary of the abolition of press censorship in Turkey was celebrated. In a message to mark the occasion, Turkish Journalists' Association Chairman Nazmi Bilgin remarked that freedom of expression was a fundamental human right and freedom. "Left unexpressed, thoughts lack sense and definition," he said. "Thoughts are abstract; they gain meaning and reality only when aired." There is no censorship in Turkey, he stressed, but added that increasing media monopolization could carry an equal danger. /Turkiye/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION