ERDOGAN, GUL ATTEND SEECP SUMMIT IN BELGRADE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accompanied by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and a delegation yesterday traveled to Belgrade, Serbia-Montenegro to attend a heads of state and government summit of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP). Speaking to reporters before his departure, Erdogan said that a meeting scheduled with Greek leaders during the summit would be a positive step for the future. “Our government is sincere in its efforts to find a just solution to the Cyprus issue,” added Erdogan. After arriving in Belgrade, the Turkish premier was first received by Svetozar Marovic and then Zoran Zivkovic, the president and prime minister, respectively, of Serbia-Montenegro, the successor to the former Yugoslavia. During their meetings, the leaders resolved to work to develop bilateral relations and cooperation. Later, Gul met with the foreign ministers of Serbia-Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina to discuss bilateral relations and the war in Iraq. In addition, the Turkish leaders are expected today to meet with their Greek counterparts, Costas Simitis and George Papandreou, in the gathering Erdogan spoke of earlier. Turkey, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia-Montenegro, and Romania are the permanent members of the SEECP, while Croatia is an observer country. Bosnia-Herzegovina is set to take over the group’s term presidency from Serbia-Montenegro at this summit. The SEECP is the sole Balkan cooperation forum that reflects the common and original voice of the entire region. /All Papers/
US CONGRESS CONSIDERING PRECONDITIONS FOR $1 BILLION PACKAGE TO TURKEY
A joint US Congress committee currently drafting the final version of President George W. Bush’s supplemental war budget is considering attaching conditions to $1 billion in aid proposed for Turkey, reports said yesterday. The US House and Senate last week passed separate versions of the budget bill, and the joint conference committee’s task is to reconcile the two bills and craft a final version which then can be re-passed and signed into law by Bush. The provision on $1 billion to Turkey overcame some opposition to appear in both versions, but both the Senate and House have reportedly proposed conditions to the aid. The Senate version would cancel the aid if Turkey “deploys its troops in northern Iraq unilaterally,” and the House would tie the aid to cooperation with the US on delivering humanitarian aid. A final version is expected some time this week. In related news, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told reporters yesterday that any preconditions were out of the question and that Turkey had declared its northern Iraq policy before the US aid was even proposed. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN: “WE WILL DETERMINEDLY IMPLEMENT THE ECONOMIC PROGRAM”
Speaking at his party’s group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged that the AKP government would continue to determinedly implement the nation’s economic program. He added, however, that the AKP held no “magic wand” which could reestablish economic balances. “Our government took into consideration the reality of Turkey’s situation when preparing this year’s budget and signing the new letter of intent [LOI],” stated Erdogan. “I reiterate that the AKP government will determinedly carry out the program and do whatever it requires.” Also touching on the Iraq war, Erdogan said that Turkey was at the center of the storm of war and that the AKP government was doing its utmost to find a way out without the country suffering any harm. /Aksam/
PAPANDREOU: “APRIL 16 ISN’T A DEADLINE FOR THE CYPRUS PROBLEM”
April 16 is not a deadline to reach a permanent solution to the Cyprus problem, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou said yesterday. Speaking after arriving in Belgrade for the South Eastern European Cooperation Process (SEECP) summit, he stated that a meeting between the Turkish and Greek foreign ministers set for today would be a good chance to throw fresh light on the problem. “I don’t believe anybody should expect an immediate solution,” added the Greek official. “However, this doesn’t mean that I’m pessimistic. We’ve been working hard on this issue for the last three years, and I believe that the two sides will finally find a way to reach settlement in line with the UN resolutions.” April 16 is the date Greek Cyprus is set to sign accession papers with the European Union, mistakenly on behalf of the entire island, including the sovereign Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). /Hurriyet/
EU REPORT: “TURKEY’S ECONOMY IS ON A COURSE FOR GROWTH”
Turkey should keep a close eye on the economic impact of the war in Iraq, but overall its economy is headed in the right direction, said a European Union report released yesterday on the EU candidate countries’ economies. Turkey should continue to grow over the next two years, the report added, but to do so it needs to maintain fiscal discipline and continue to implement needed reforms. Growth this year should be 3.7% and next year 4.5, the report projected. /Milliyet/
RED CROSS TO OPEN TEMPORARY OFFICE IN ANKARA TO DELIVER AID TO IRAQ
A statement issued yesterday by the Foreign Ministry said that the International Red Cross is set to open a temporary office in Ankara to deliver humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people. The statement added that the office would act in accordance with Turkish guidelines while providing the aid. /Cumhuriyet/
G-7 LAUDS AKP GOVERNMENT’S ECONOMIC COMMITMENT
The G-7 countries fully support the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government’s determination to carry out the nation’s economic program, including its signing the new letter of intent (LOI) and its commitment to stability and further reform, Turkey’s Treasury Undersecretariat announced yesterday. “The G-7 countries believe that determined implementation of the program will lead to lowered inflation, reduced public sector debt, and sustainable growth,” the undersecretariat added. /Sabah/
TRNC NATIONAL UNION PARTY: “TURKS DO NOT WANT MINORITY STATUS IN CYPRUS”
The National Union Party (UBP), the senior coalition partner in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) government, said yesterday that the Turkish side’s determination to find a just, lasting, and sustainable settlement to the Cyprus issue had been misinterpreted by the Greeks as weakness. A statement released after a UBP party group meeting remarked that the Turkish Cypriots would always stand opposed to resolution proposals which aim to turn the island’s Turks into a minority. /Turkiye/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION