LEADERS’ SUMMIT CONVENES TO DISCUSS TURKEY’S FOREIGN POLICY
A group of top-level Turkish officials including President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal is due to hold a summit at the Cankaya Presidential Summit in Ankara today to discuss recent developments on foreign relations issues. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas is also to participate in the second session of the summit, where the Cyprus problem is to be discussed. Denktas is expected to tell the Turkish officials that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s revised Cyprus plan should not be accepted as a basis for future negotiations. /Cumhuriyet/

SEZER: “CULTURE IS SOCIETY’S GREATEST TREASURE”
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said yesterday that culture constituted a vital bridge between society’s past and its possibilities for the future. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Fifth Turkish Culture Congress, Sezer said, “Culture lies at the foundation of society, and moreover is its greatest treasure.” Stressing that the Turkish nation enjoyed a rich cultural heritage, the president added, “To possess, protect and advance our cultural values, this is our fundamental responsibility.” /Turkiye/

GUL: “THERE IS NO SECRET DEAL FOR CYPRUS”
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday briefed Parliament deputies about last week’s European Union summit in Copenhagen as well as recent developments on the Cyprus issue. “We haven’t made any commitment, nor is there any ‘secret deal’ for Cyprus,” stated Gul. Stressing that during the EU summit the main topic had not been the Cyprus issue, Gul said that the issue had not been taken up during Turkey’s bilateral meetings either. “The Cyprus issue was not a party or government issue, but rather a national case,” said the prime minister. “This government and its foreign minister will never swerve from their duty to protect and preserve the rights of both Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus [TRNC].” /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN: “THE COPENHAGEN SUMMIT WAS A NATIONAL SUCCESS”
Speaking at his party’s group meeting yesterday, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that last week’s historic European Union Copenhagen had been a success for Turkey. At the summit, the EU leaders pledged to review Turkey’s accession progress in December 2004 with an aim to then starting membership negotiations “as soon as possible,” should the Union like what it sees. Erdogan said that the AKP government would swiftly implement the Copenhagen criteria in order to push forward Turkey’s membership bid. Also touching on the Cyprus issue, Erdogan expressed optimism that negotiations on Cyprus would produce a solution and said that the government believes the talks should continue. “The Cyprus issue should be solved before Feb. 28 [an EU and United Nations deadline], and the entire island should become part of the EU,” he said. Erdogan added that time was of the essence and that the negotiations should be focused on an equitable, just and permanent solution. /Milliyet/

ARINC MEETS WITH INDIAN PRESIDENT
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, who is currently on an official visit to India, yesterday met with Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. During their talks, Abdul Kalam praised Turkey’s secular, democratic system as established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic, and asked Arinc how the nation had maintained this institution for nearly 80 years. “Our nation has assimilated this system,” replied Arinc. “There is an atmosphere of tolerance in our country.” Abdul Kalam then said that his brother had been given the name Mustafa Kemal by their father, one of Ataturk’s admirers. /Milliyet/

FOREIGN MINISTRY UNDERSECRETARY ZIYAL TO VISIT ATHENS
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ambassador Ugur Ziyal is to pay an official visit to Athens tomorrow in order to hold meetings with Greek officials concerning problems of the Aegean region. According to diplomatic sources, Ziyal’s visit could be a key one for Turkey, particularly in light of the European Union’s insistence at last week’s Copenhagen summit that Turkey make progress on the Turkish-Greek Aegean issues in order to advance its membership bid. The EU has said it will review Turkey’s accession progress in December 2004, but Turkish officials have pledged to fulfill the necessary requirements before that. /Cumhuriyet/

SERDENGECTI: “THE CENTRAL BANK IS PREPARED FOR THE EFFECTS OF AN IRAQ OPERATION”
Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti said yesterday that the CB was fully prepared for the possible economic fallout of a possible United States operation against Iraq. “Such an operation could impact Turkey’s economy negatively, but we should continue our current economic program,” he said. “Our main target is to provide domestic price stability, and we would take the necessary measures in case of such an operation. We will continue to implement the economic program.” /Hurriyet/

GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE PASSPORTS AVAILABLE TO TURKISH CYPRIOTS CITIZENS
Under a plan announced yesterday by Andreas Panayotu, the interior minister of Greek Cyprus, citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will be eligible for passports to visit the southern, Greek half of the island. The passport plan was one of a number of measures discussed yesterday by Greek Cypriot officials in the wake of last week’s European Union green light for southern Cypriot membership, even in the absence of a settlement for the island. In related news, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Parliament is to convene tomorrow to discuss recent developments. Meanwhile, Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides yesterday announced that he would not seek a third consecutive term as president, and so will end his tenure in office on Feb. 28, 2003. The United Nations and the EU have set a deadline for a settlement for the island on the same date. /Aksam/

TOBB PRESENTS ECONOMIC REPORT TO GOVERNMENT
Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchange (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu yesterday led a TOBB delegation on a visit to ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. Hisarciklioglu presented to the leaders a TOBB-prepared report entitled, “Turkey’s Economy: Problems and Solutions.” The leaders thanked the delegation for the report, calling it was a serious and valuable document which the government would use in formulating economic policy. /Turkiye/

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