MIDEAST COUNTRIES TO ATTEND IRAQ SUMMIT IN ANKARA
Five Middle Eastern countries responded positively over the weekend to Turkey’s invitation to an Ankara summit in a bid to peacefully resolve the Iraq issue. Syria, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt -- all nations bordering on Iraq save the last –- said they would attend the summit convened by Prime Minister Abdullah Gul set to begin on Thursday. Meanwhile, Syria launched a separate initiative to host a meeting of regional foreign ministers in the leadup to the Turkish summit. The foreign ministers of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan and Kuwait are expected to attend the Damascus meeting. In related news, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called Gul yesterday to thank him for his efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Iraq issue. /All Papers/
PEARSON: “THE US SUPPORTS TURKEY’S EFFORTS FOR PEACE”
US Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson yesterday met with ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Following their one-hour meeting, Pearson told reporters that the US administration appreciated Prime Minister Abdullah Gul’s recent call for a summit of regional countries in an effort to avert war in Iraq. Stressing that the US had supported every effort to persuade Iraq to take a more cooperative stance, Pearson said, “We hope that the meeting will be successful.” For his part, reiterating that Turkey was one of the countries with the most to lose in case of a war in Iraq, Erdogan asked the US administration to wait for the result of Turkey’s initiative. /Turkiye/
NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL ROBERTSON: “IN CASE OF AN ATTACK FROM IRAQ, THE ALLIANCE WILL STAND BY TURKEY”
NATO will stand firmly by its member Turkey in case Iraq attacks it during a war in the region, NATO Secretary-General George Robertson declared yesterday. Under the terms of the alliance, Robertson pointed out, an attack against one NATO member is an attack against all, adding that nothing would deter the alliance’s members from fulfilling their obligations. Addressing the causes for a possible war, which NATO has yet to take an official stance on, Robertson said the roots of conflict lay not in oil, as some have alleged, but rather in the world’s deep concern over Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. The NATO leader added that the alliance’s position on a war would be determined in line with the relevant United Nations resolutions. /Aksam/
GUL: “THE AKP IS DETERMINED TO CONTINUE TURKEY’S ECONOMIC PROGRAM”
Speaking at a meeting of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) yesterday, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government was determined to continue Turkey’s economic program and carry out needed structural reforms. Gul also said that the government’s number one goal was to bring down interest rates. “In order to achieve this, we first need to reduce public sector debt,” added Gul. Also speaking at the meeting, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that the government would soon hold a series of meetings with businessmen to listen to and hopefully solve their problems. Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan, addressing the gathering, defended tax amnesty programs as a valuable tool during past economic crises, but said that the AKP government had no such amnesties currently in the works. TOBB Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said that the economy should be the government’s priority, and further urged the government not to pursue populist policies. Hisarciklioglu added that it was important to take steps to ensure fiscal discipline, adding that in the absence of public sector reform, the state’s finances could not be sound. /Milliyet/
US JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN MYERS VISITS TURKEY
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Myers yesterday arrived in Turkey upon the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. In addition to Gen. Ozkok, Myers is scheduled to meet with Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul today. /Turkiye/
WESTON: “THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT HAS PROMISED TO DO ITS ALL TO HELP SOLVE THE CYPRUS PROBLEM”
Speaking to Greek Cypriot daily Fileleftheros over the weekend, US Special Representative to Cyprus Thomas Weston stated that Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) had promised to do its utmost to help the two sides on Cyprus reach a permanent solution. “Turkey’s prime minister, foreign minister and the ruling AKP leader have recently made statements indicating that Turkey needs to change its current ‘no-concession’ Cyprus policy,” said Weston. “They have all promised to strive very hard to help both sides on the island reach an agreement.” Meanwhile, Javier Solana, the EU’s high representative for common foreign and security policy, also spoke to Greek daily Ethnos over the weekend, remarking that he believed a little more effort from both sides might suffice to reach a permanent solution for the island. /Cumhuriyet/
TRNC PRIME MINISTER EROGLU: “ANNAN MIGHT PRESENT A NEW PLAN”
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu stated over the weekend that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was expected to soon present a new Cyprus plan to the leaders of the two nations on the island. Criticizing the EU for inviting the Greek Cypriot administration to join the Union on its own even in the absence of a permanent solution, Eroglu said that the Cyprus’ Turkish citizens should very calmly and carefully evaluate the UN’s current proposal. “Signing the UN document without negotiating on it would amount to digging our own graves,” said Eroglu. /Cumhuriyet/
BAYKAL WARNS ITALIAN LEFT NOT TO BE FOOLED BY KADEK
Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, in Rome for a meeting of the Socialist International, over the weekend met with Perio Fassino, the leader of Italy’s United Leftist Democratic Party. Baykal and Fassino reportedly discussed the latest developments in Iraq as well as KADEK, the successor to the PKK terrorist organization. Warning the Italian official about KADEK, Baykal stated that all European countries should be careful about terrorist organizations and in particular should steer clear of double standards on this issue. “Italy and all other European countries should revise their policies on KADEK,” added Baykal. “KADEK is the successor to the terrorist PKK group, which threatened Turkey’s territorial integrity for many years and murdered thousands of innocent people. If Italy wants to support Turkey’s efforts at further democratization and its EU membership bid, it should take a stance against KADEK. If European countries continue to turn a blind eye to such activities, these terrorist organizations will continue to take the blood of innocents.” /Sabah/
HIGHER PLANNING COUNCIL SETS 2003 ECONOMIC TARGETS
The Higher Planning Council held a meeting over the weekend to set the government’s economic targets for this calendar year. At the meeting, the council targeted Turkey’s annual growth rate at 5%, primary surplus at 6.5%, and inflation at 20%. New government measures to increase revenues and reduce expenditures are expected in order to reach these targets. /Milliyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION