MGK MEETING TODAY TO FOCUS ON IRAQ
The National Security Council (MGK) will convene today to discuss a number of important issues. The meeting will reportedly focus on a possible United States operation against Iraq and the cost such an operation might bring to Turkey. The participants will also discuss recent developments in northern Iraq. The current coalition government members will participate in the meeting for the last time before the Nov. 3 general elections, just over 10 days away. /Milliyet/
CHIEF OF STAFF OZKOK RECEIVES US GENERALS
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday received US Army Gen. Tommy Franks, the head US officer for the Persian Gulf region, and US Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston, commander of NATO forces in Europe, for talks at General Staff headquarters. Following the military leaders’ two-hour-plus meeting, a General Staff statement said that regional developments had been discussed, adding that Turkish-US cooperation would continue in the future. The two commanders also met other high-level military officials during their one-day visit to Ankara. Before departing, Gen. Franks, who would likely head any US attack on Iraq, told reporters that the US had not requested from Turkey the use of either its airspace or any of its airbases for an Iraqi operation. He added that US President W. George Bush had not made a final decision on an attack on Iraq. /Turkiye/
US CONGRESS PASSES BILL PRAISING TURKEY; SUPPORT PACKAGE IN THE WORKS
The US House of Representatives, the lower house of the US Congress, this week passed a bill praising Turkey for its steadfast support in the war against terrorism and its role in liberating and keeping the peace in Afghanistan, as well as its recent economic reforms. The bill said that Turkey, a longtime US ally, shared its goal of preserving global peace and stability and had given unwavering support to the campaign against terrorism. In related news, US Representative Robert Wexler (Democrat of Florida) has presented a bill to Congress supporting Turkey’s efforts to join the European Union. The bill calls on the EU to set a date for Turkey to begin membership talks during its December summit. Meanwhile, the US administration is reportedly preparing a financial support package for Turkey in case of a possible Iraqi operation. Sources said that work on the package is ongoing and that the support, either directly or indirectly, would amount to some $4-6 billion. /Turkiye/
YILMAZ MEETS WITH EU COUNTRIES’ AMBASSADORS TO TURKEY
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz yesterday met with the European Union member states’ ambassadors to Ankara at a banquet hosted by EU Term President Denmark’s ambassador to Turkey, Christian Hoppe, at the Danish Embassy. Following the meal, Yilmaz told reporters that he had warned the ambassadors that Turkish-EU relations would be seriously damaged if the EU did not set a date for Turkey’s accession talks for as early as 2004. “If the EU sincerely wants Turkey to be a member, it should set a date at December’s Copenhagen summit,” Yilmaz added. “The EU should take an impartial stance towards each candidate country.” /Cumhuriyet/
TURKISH NGOs TO URGE EU ON TURKEY’S ACCESSION TALKS
Representatives from more than 200 Turkish non-governmental organizations (NGO) are getting ready to travel to Brussels this Sunday to confer with their European counterparts on Turkey’s European Union membership bid, NGO spokesman said yesterday. There they will confer with the European groups and lobby for the EU to give Turkey a date at December’s EU summit in Copenhagen for its membership accession talks. /Hurriyet/
KUTAN: “I’M THE MOST HONEST LEADER IN TURKEY”
Speaking on the campaign trail yesterday, Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan boasted that he had never been involved in corruption, adding that he believed himself “the most honest leader” in Turkey. Kutan further pledged to stop government corruption after coming to power in next month’s elections. /Milliyet/
CILLER: “ERDOGAN IS AVOIDING FACING ME ON TELEVISION”
Speaking to rallies in the Black Sea cities of Samsun, Ordu and Giresun yesterday, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller charged that Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan was avoiding appearing alongside her on television for an open discussion of Turkey’s economic and political problems. Ciller also asked the voters in those cities to support the DYP in polls set for Nov. 3. /Milliyet/
JP MORGAN: “TURKEY WILL EXCEED ITS TARGETED ANNUAL GROWTH RATE”
Turkey will exceed its own targets for economic growth this year, according to a new report issued by prestigious international brokerage firm JP Morgan. Domestic political uncertainty and high interest rates notwithstanding, says the report, recent economic figures point to Turkey’s year-end 2002 growth hitting higher than 3%, the governments stated target. Sabah/
TOBB KICKS OFF “TURKEY’S FUTURE” CAMPAIGN
The Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) is set this week to begin an informational-advocacy campaign entitled “Turkey Wants Its Future.” Under the campaign, the TOBB plans to present its diagnosis of what Turkey’s chief economic and political problems are, and then lay out its proposed cures for these problems. During the campaign, the need for reforms in certain areas and sectors in particular will be stressed. /Milliyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION