US GENS. FRANKS, RALSTON IN ANKARA TO CONFER WITH TURKISH OFFICIALS
Gen. Tommy Franks, the Us commander for the Persian Gulf region, and Joseph Ralston, who commands NATO’s forces in Europe, yesterday arrived in Ankara to meet with Turkish officials. The two military leaders, the likely commanders of a possible US operation in Iraq, are to leave Turkey this afternoon following their contacts at Turkish General Staff Headquarters. Plans for an Iraqi operation will reportedly be discussed during their meetings. /All Papers/
IKDP REPRESENTATIVES TO VISIT ANKARA
Two Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) representatives will pay a visit to Ankara this week. Hosyar Zebari, the IKDP’s foreign policy chief, and Necirvan Barzani, prime minister of the IKDP’s so-called regional government, are expected to discuss recent developments in northern Iraq with Turkish officials. /Turkiye/
ECEVIT: “THE DSP STANDS OPPOSED TO THE ENEMIES OF SECULARISM”
Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit yesterday characterized his party as a defender of secularism against those who both oppose it and exploit religion towards that end. Speaking at a campaign rally in Istanbul, Ecevit added that though his long tenure at the DSP helm was nearing its end, he would continue to serve the party in other capacities. /Milliyet/
YILMAZ: “ANAP HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO SOLVE TURKEY’S PROBLEMS”
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that his party’s staff and leadership were fully capable of tackling the nation’s most pressing issues. At a campaign stop in the central Anatolian city of Nevsehir, Yilmaz asserted that ANAP boasted an ability unparalleled among the other political parties of solving Turkey’s problems. He further pledged to establish two universities in the city. /Milliyet/
BAHCELI: OUR COALITION GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL
Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said yesterday that the current coalition government, of which the MHP is a partner, had been successful in its initiatives and policies over its three years in power. Speaking in the western Anatolian provinces of Bursa and Balikesir, Bahceli added that current conditions required holding early elections since they made it impossible for the government to continue its mission. /Milliyet/
CILLER, KUTAN, ERDOGAN SEEK VOTER SUPPORT
Over the weekend, Turkey’s political parties continued their individual election campaigns in full force, with the clock ticking fast towards Nov. 3 polls scarcely two weeks away. True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller visited the southern city of Hatay to seek voter support, and Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan did the same in Izmit, just east of Istanbul. Addressing a campaign rally in Izmir, Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan also asked for the citizens’ votes, saying that the AKP would make no promises that it wouldn’t be able to keep. /Milliyet/
TURKMENS HOLD DEMONSTRATION IN ISTANBUL
A group of Iraqi Turkmens held a demonstration in Istanbul yesterday to protest initiatives to establish a Kurdish state in northern Iraq. Addressing the crowd, Parliament Deputy Speaker Murat Sokmenoglu said that Kirkuk was a Turkish province, adding that Ankara should set its sights on helping to establish an autonomous Turkmen region called Kirkuk in the region. /Turkiye/
CLERIDES DECLARES “DIPLOMATIC WAR” AGAINST TURKEY ON CYPRUS ISSUE
Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides over the weekend declared a “diplomatic war” against Turkey on the Cyprus problem, claiming that now was the most critical period for the issue since 1974, referring to Turkey’s Peace Operation to save the lives of the island’s ethnic Turks. Stating that Greek Cypriot leaders were planning to do their utmost in their diplomatic war against their counterparts in Turkey, Clerides remarked that his nation would cooperate with Greece, the United Nations and other countries involved in the Cyprus issue. /Cumhuriyet/
VURAL CALLS ON LEADERS TO PROMOTE TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP BID
Appearing on CNN Turk over the weekend, Secretary-General for European Union Affairs Volkan Vural called on Turkey’s political party leaders to visit European Union member state capitals after the Nov. 3 elections in order to promote Turkey’s EU membership bid. “If such unified action can be taken by all the political parties in Parliament as a sign of Turkey’s determination and political will, I believe this would greatly help our quest to get a specific date for the beginning of accession negotiations,” said Vural. Turkey is hoping to get such a date at December’s EU Copenhagen summit. /Cumhuriyet/
TURKISH LEADERS MEET WITH EU AMBASSADORS
As the Nov. 3 early elections loom on the horizon, Turkish leaders are holding a series of meetings with ambassadors from European Union member states in order to discuss Turkey’s future and its EU membership bid. New Turkey Party (YTP) Chairman Ismail Cem and Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal yesterday met with a group of the EU ambassadors in Brussels. Today, Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Must Yilmaz and tomorrow, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller are also to meet with the ambassadors. Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chairman Tayyip Erdogan is also due to visit Brussels on Wednesday to meet with Ireland’s ambassador to the EU. Yesterday, Irish voters approved an initiative giving the green light to the EU’s expansion, an expansion which Turkey hopes to be a part of. /Sabah/
BLUE STREAM PIPELINE PROJECT COMPLETED
The construction of the Blue Stream, a natural gas pipeline project connecting the Russian Federation and Turkey, was completed over the weekend. The Russian-Samsun pipeline and Samsun-Ankara pipeline segments were yesterday linked to each other in Samsun, a Black Sea province, with a ceremony attended by Energy Minister Zeki Cakan. Under the project, a 501-kilometer long pipeline has been installed between Samsun and Ankara and a natural gas measuring station built in Samsun. Stating that Turkey’s natural gas needs would be largely met with Russian natural gas transported via the pipeline, Cakan said, “Thanks to the Blue Stream, Turkey will be able to transfer Russian natural gas directly without the help of any intermediary country. This natural gas will then be distributed throughout our country.” /Cumhuriyet/
CRISIS MANAGEMENT MANEUVERS TO BE HELD IN DECEMBER
Turkey is planning to hold National Crisis Management Maneuvers in December as part of its preparations for a possible US military operation in Iraq. The maneuvers will be held with the participation of the Prime Ministry, Office of the Chief of the General Staff and all other related institutions. Their chief aim will be to find optimum ways to handle a national crisis, evaluate all possible measures that might be taken in times of crisis and ensure full cooperation and coordination between all state institutions. /Star/
AGRICULTURAL SUMMIT HELD IN KUSADASI
The Eighth International Agricultural Mechanization and Energy Congress ended in Kusadasi on Saturday. The four-day event was attended by a host of agricultural sector experts from both home and abroad. /Turkiye/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION