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Turkish Press Review, 08-07-18
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
18.07.2008
CONTENTS
[01] TURKISH LEG OF BAKU-TBILISI-KARS RAILWAY SET TO OPEN NEXT WEDNESDAY
[02] PM ERDOGAN MEETS WITH US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
[03] ERDOGAN TO ATTEND JULY 20TH CELEBRATIONS IN TRNC
[04] CLOSER TURKISH TIES TO AFRICA PLEDGED
[05] FM BABACAN: "TURKEY WILL ALL IT CAN TO SOLVE THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR ISSUE THROUGH DIALOGUE"
[06] IRAN'S MOTTAKI VISITS ANKARA
[07] FRENCH SENATE VOTES TO EASE REFERENDUM REQUIREMENT FOR NEW EU MEMBERS
[01] TURKISH LEG OF BAKU-TBILISI-KARS RAILWAY SET TO OPEN NEXT WEDNESDAY
President Abdullah Gul will go to Kars next Wednesday to attend the
groundbreaking ceremony of the Turkish leg of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway
project. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Azeri President Haydar
Aliyev will also be present at the ceremony. Afterwards, Gul, Saakashvili,
and Aliyev will proceed to Istanbul to attend the commencement ceremony at
the Turkish War Colleges Command. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] PM ERDOGAN MEETS WITH US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday received Stephen Hadley, US
President George W. Bush's national security adviser, at the Prime Ministry
headquarters. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Hadley said Turkey and the
US cooperate with each other in the fight against terrorism. "Our two
nations are united in the fight against terrorism, and the US is committed
to working with Turkey both in the Iraq issue and the fight against our
common enemy, the terrorist PKK," he said. Touching on accomplishments in
Turkey 's reform slate, Hadley said, " Turkey has made some important
democratic, political reforms, and free market reforms, in the last several
years. The US believes such reforms should continue." He also said that
countries enjoy a strong strategic partnership and that Washington hopes to
further strengthen these ties in the future. Commenting on Turkey's
European Union accession bid, Hadley said the US strongly supports Turkey's
EU aspirations. Regarding the recent attack on a police post outside the US
Consulate in Istanbul, Hadley expressed appreciation for the government's
defense of the consulate, and added, "I offer my condolences to the
families of the brave Turkish policemen who lost their lives in the
attack." Hadley was also received by President Abdullah Gul at the Cankaya
Presidential Palace. /Star/
[03] ERDOGAN TO ATTEND JULY 20TH CELEBRATIONS IN TRNC
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will travel today to the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to attend weekend July 20th Peace and
Freedom Celebrations accompanied by a large delegation, including Deputy
Prime Minister Cemil Cicek and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan. Erdogan will
also hold talks with TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat, Prime Minister Ferdi
Sabit Soyer, opposition leaders, and representatives of non-governmental
organizations. Erdogan is expected to reiterate Turkey 's firm support to
the TRNC and to urge the European Union to keep its promises concerning the
TRNC and the Cyprus issue. /Turkiye/
[04] CLOSER TURKISH TIES TO AFRICA PLEDGED
Turkey and the 53-nation African Union yesterday reaffirmed their readiness
to improve ties, saying that cooperation benefits both sides. Foreign
Minister Ali Babacan, speaking at a joint press conference with African
Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping in Ankara, said that Turkey wants to
further develop relations with African countries. "We're looking at the
continent of Africa from a long-term, lasting approach, not a short-term
perspective," he said. Babacan stated that he is hopeful that Turkey and
Africa will cooperate in many fields thanks to the fast-growing Turkish
economy and Turkey's rising international influence, as well as the large
potential for cooperation in several areas in the African continent.
/Today's Zaman/
[05] FM BABACAN: "TURKEY WILL ALL IT CAN TO SOLVE THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR ISSUE
THROUGH DIALOGUE"
At a joint press conference yesterday with African Union Commission
Chairman Jean Ping in Ankara, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that Turkey
was ready to do everything necessary to solve the controversy over Iran's
nuclear program through dialogue. "Turkey has good dialogue with six
countries that have presented a new package of proposals to Iran, and also
it has a good dialogue with its neighbor Iran ," he said. "Turkey has
always supported solving Iran's nuclear program controversy through
dialogue, and so it is continuing talks with all parties." /Aksam/
[06] IRAN'S MOTTAKI VISITS ANKARA
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki yesterday arrived in Ankara in
the runup to this weekend's European Union-Iran summit in Geneva,
Switzerland . Mottaki met with his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan and
later is set to be received by Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan. /Aksam/
[07] FRENCH SENATE VOTES TO EASE REFERENDUM REQUIREMENT FOR NEW EU MEMBERS
The French Senate on Wednesday voted to ease a proposed requirement that
some new European Union member countries would have to be approved by a
public referendum in France. The measure, part of a package of
constitutional changes, would require a referendum on new members whose
population exceeds 5 percent of the EU's total population, but would also
allow the president to ask the Senate and National Assembly to bypass this.
To do so, a three-fifths supermajority of both houses would be needed. The
whole package is next set to face a vote in a joint session of the Senate
and lower house. /Sabah/
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