ECEVIT, GUREL SEND LETTERS TO EU COUNTERPARTS
Both Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel on Monday reportedly sent multiple copies of a letter laying out Turkey’s recent progress towards European Union membership. Ecevit sent the letters to his EU member states’ counterparts, and Gurel to the EU members’ foreign ministers. Pointing out that Turkey recently passed a package of EU harmonization laws to fulfill the EU’s political criteria, the letters contend that now the EU should give a date to Turkey at December’s Copenhagen summit to start its membership negotiations. The letters also say that the harmonization laws are clear evidence of the Turkish nation’s desire for EU membership. In addition, Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi will reportedly send a letter to the EU Parliament on the same issue in the near future. /Milliyet/

CEM: “DERVIS IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE YT, NOT CONTROLLING IT”
Speaking to Milliyet yesterday, New Turkey (YT) leader Ismail Cem said that former State Minister Kemal Dervis was working with the YT but not setting its agenda. “Dervis’s participation will affect our party positively, but we are continuing our way as the YT,” he said. “Our formation doesn’t stand or fall on any one person. We want to make alliances with our farmers and villagers. Neither I, nor the nation cares about alliances between parties.” He also stated that the nation needed politicians who are self-reliant. Cem asserted that the YT was supported by a majority of people in the nation and that he would explain the YT’s goals to people living in suburbs, whom he said had been most affected by the country’s misrule. /Milliyet/

DERVIS CONTINUES TOUR SEEKING ALLIANCE
After stepping down from his post of economy minister over the weekend, Kemal Dervis yesterday continued his tour seeking an alliance on the left of the political spectrum. After a meeting with Dervis, Sisli Mayor Mustafa Sarigul, who recently resigned from the Democratic Left Party and joined New Turkey (YT), told reporters that in his view, Dervis had signaled that he would continue his activities together with the YT, and would declare a decision this Thursday. Dervis also met with Turk-Is Chairman Bayram Meral. Answering reporters’ questions, Dervis said that he was not pursuing a leadership position. “The important thing is not being elected as a deputy in Parliament, but rather modern, capable leaders taking Turkey’s helm,” Dervis added. /Turkiye/

ECONOMY MINISTER TURKER MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF LABOR UNIONS
State Minister for the Economy Masum Turker yesterday met with Hak-Is Chairman Salim Uslu, Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions (DISK) Chairman Suleyman Celebi and Turkish Confederation of Employers’ Union (TISK) Chairman Refik Baydur. Following the meetings, Turker said that he would introduce measures to boost the real economy without breaching the International Monetary Fund (IMF)-backed economic program. The minister added that he would continue to meet with representatives of labor and civil servants’ groups. “It’s no longer possible for the state to use its resources to make an economic recovery, but it may be possible to create a good environment,” Turker stated. He remarked that staying close to the citizenry while carrying out his duties was very important for him. Underlining that public support was very important to be a successful state minister, he pledged to never work against the public interest. Turker also noted that a production and finance advisory board would meet today. During the meetings, the unions’ representatives asked Turker to launch projects focused on the people. /Turkiye/

YILMAZ MEETS WITH ISPARTA DEPUTY MUMCU
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz yesterday met with ANAP Deputy for Isparta Erkan Mumcu. Yilmaz reportedly asked Mumcu not to leave ANAP, and he told reporters afterwards that he had no problems with Mumcu. In addition, former Labor Minister and ANAP Yalova Deputy Yasar Okuyan yesterday resigned from the ANAP deputy chairman post. This was Okuyan’s second resignation, after stepping down from his labor minister post last week in the wake of Yilmaz objecting to a job security bill. /Hurriyet/

BAYAR MEETS WITH AP LEADER
Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) leader Mehmet Ali Bayar yesterday met with Eurasia Party (AP) leader Husnu Dogan. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bayar said that his party was seeking alliances for the sake of democracy and trying to forge new solutions before this November’s elections. /Cumhuriyet/

MHP COLLECTS SIGNATURES FOR APPEAL OF EU PACKAGE
The Nationalist Action Party (MHP) announced yesterday that it had collected 124 deputies’ signature to appeal certain provisions of the recently passed European Union harmonization law package at the Constitutional Court. The measures targeted for annulment in the appeal, ones abolishing the death penalty and allowing broadcasting and education in mother tongue languages, have a history of controversy and fierce MHP opposition. /Star/

ERDOGAN: “A COALITION WITH THE CHP IS POSSIBLE”
Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters yesterday that if the AKP proved unable to attract enough votes to come to power on its own, a coalition government with the Republican People’s Party (CHP) might be possible. When asked whether a coalition between the Islamist AKP and the leftist CHP would create dissention within the AKP’s ranks, Erdogan said that the AKP could enter into a coalition with any party, leftist or rightist. “But we must reach an agreement on an inter-party protocol first,” he added. /Sabah/

US CONGRESS APPROVES SALE OF AWACS TO TURKEY
The US Congress yesterday approved the sale of six early warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft to Turkey. Under the sale, Turkey will buy four AWACS from US company Boeing in a $1.1 billion deal, with the option to buy an additional two. Since the contract was signed in June, no objections were made within the legally mandated 15-day period, so the US Congress’ approval officially seals the deal. /Hurriyet/

BALIKESIR FOREST FIRE BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL
A fire which broke out on Monday in the countryside near the western Anatolian city of Balikesir was brought under control yesterday. Before the successful intervention of firefighters, the blaze destroyed 1,500 hectares of forest and 43 houses in addition to killing two people. /All Papers/

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