MGK DISCUSSES TURKEY TAKING ISAF COMMAND

The National Security Board (MGK) chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer met yesterday at the Presidential Palace. A statement released following the regular monthly meeting, which lasted for five-and-a-half-hours, said that recent domestic and foreign developments concerning Turkey's security had been discussed. The MGK also decided to advise the government to extend the State Emergency Rule (OHAL) in the southeastern provinces of Diyarbakir, Hakkari, Sirnak and Tunceli for four more months. Additionally, a proposal for Turkey's command of the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan was evaluated with the board deciding to continue examining the matter. /All Papers/

GEORGIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT ECEVIT

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday received a delegation from the Georgian Parliament. Stressing that the security in the region was very important for both countries, Georgian Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze said that Turkey should play a more active role in the Caucasus region. During the meeting, the Caucasus-Tbilisi railway and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline projects were taken up with a consensus that implementations of the two would have positive effects on bilateral relations. Additionally, problems between Georgia and Abkhazya were also discussed. /Turkiye/

BILL ON TURKEY PRESENTED TO US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A bill was recently presented to the US House of Representatives proposing measures to improve US economic relations with Turkey. The bill was prepared by the members of a US delegation which visited Turkey earlier this month, which included Democratic Party Representative Robert Wexler and Republican Party Representatives Kay Granger and Edward Whitfeld. The bill reiterated that the US should take such measures as a token of its appreciation for Turkey's support in the war against terrorism. It underlined that the Turkish economy could achieve recovery only by attracting more foreign investments to the country, adding that the US should improve its commercial relations with Turkey in this respect. /Cumhuriyet/

FRENCH PARLIAMENTARIANS: "CAPITAL PUNISHMENT MUST BE ABOLISHED"

A delegation of French parliamentarians yesterday visited State Minister for Human Rights Nejat Arseven. Following the one-hour-plus meeting, French Parliament EU Commission member Pierre Brana said that the abolition of capital punishment was a sine qua non for EU membership both for Turkey and other candidate countries. He underlined that if the political criteria were implemented soon and the death penalty lifted, Turkish-EU membership negotiations might begin at the end of this year. Stressing that he would prepare a report and present it to the French Parliament when he returned to his country, Brana said, "The report will be positive in general. However, uncertainty about the abolition of capital punishment may raise question marks." /Turkiye/

TURK: "CAPITAL PUNISHMENT COULD BE DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT NEXT WEEK"

Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said yesterday that a bill dealing with capital punishment in a manner in line with the Turkish Constitution could be presented to Parliament next week. Turk added that Turkey's EU Accession Partnership Document and its National Programme stipulated a suspension of capital punishment and that its abolishing it was a medium target. /Milliyet/

NORTHERN CYPRUS ECONOMIC GROUPS ASK DENKTAS, CLERIDES TO COMPROMISE

A number of economic organizations in Northern Cyprus yesterday called on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides to compromise on the problems of the island. The organizations released a statement evaluating the pessimistic atmosphere dominating both sides of the island in the period following the first round of the recent Denktas-Clerides meetings as a "dangerous development" for the future of the two nations. They also stressed that EU membership was of great importance for Cyprus and that the opportunity to join the Union should not be missed. /Cumhuriyet/

YILMAZ TRAVELS TO BRUSSELS

Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday traveled to Brussels to attend the opening ceremony of a convention, which is considered a platform to discuss the future of the EU. Yilmaz and an accompanying delegation including Interior Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen will represent Turkey at the convention. Yilmaz is expected to attend a breakfast as the guest of British Deputy Minister for European Affairs Peter Hain today. /Cumhuriyet/

DEVLET BAHCELI ANNOUNCES TRIPS ABROAD

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli announced a series of trips abroad that he will take through the end of this year. His first such visits will be in March, to Kazakhstan, Austria, and China. He is also expected to visit the United States near the end of year. /Star/

TURKISH-US ECONOMIC COMMISSION WRAPS UP FIRST MEETING

The Turkish-US Joint Economic Commission, the foundation for which was laid during Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to Washington last month, yesterday completed its first meeting held at Ankara's State Guesthouse. At a meeting, Turkey and the US reached a consensus that a Qualified Industrial Zone (QIZ) would be established through amending an already-existing US-Israeli QIZ agreement, and under which exports would be made to the US tax-free. Reportedly Israeli companies will be eligible to participate in the QIZ. The US also withdrew a request that the QIZ be based on high-tech products. At a press conference held at the meeting's end by Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and US Deputy Secretary of State Alan Larson, it was announced that Turkey would determine the locale for the QIZ, which would constitute a first step to bring Turkish-US bilateral economic relations to the level of strategic partnership, a status already reached in the political and security realms. Focused, task-based sub commission meetings will be held in March in Washington and the second official meeting of the full Joint Commission is scheduled for this fall. Following the second meeting, issues such as the QIZ and trade agreement are expected to be concluded. /Sabah, Milliyet/

GEORGE SOROS VISITING ISTANBUL

International financier George Soros arrived in Istanbul yesterday. He is set to attend a meeting of the Open Society Institute, a group he founded, where the Caucasus and the Central Asian regions will be discussed. In addition he scheduled to give speeches at Bilgi and Sabanci Universities. /Star/

ITALIAN BANK ACQUIRES STAKE IN ISTANBUL FIRM

One of Italy's largest investment banks, Meliorbanca, announced yesterday that it had bought 7.12% of the HC Istanbul Investment Holding Company. Speaking at a press conference in Milan, Meliorbanca Chairman Pier Domenico Gallo said that the company had bought the minority stake since it believed in the power of the Turkish market. Saying that Turkey had made significant strides towards overcoming last year's economic crisis, Gallo added, "Turkey's economy is getting well on the eve of its EU membership." /Milliyet/

NAZIM HIKMET COMMEMORATED ON MT. AGRI

Fifteen mountaineers from the Middle East Technical University (METU) Search and Rescue, Mountaineering and Nature Sports Association (ORDOS) recently completed an ascent of Mt. Agri in order to commemorate famous Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet. The team started its climb in the village of Gomuk on Feb. 15 and reached the summit five days later. The young mountaineers left on the peak a portrait of the poet and a plaque bearing one of his poems. /Hurriyet/

NEW CAMPAIGN BEGINS TO PROMOTE TURKISH TOURISM

Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar announced yesterday in Istanbul that he was kicking off a new campaign to promote Turkish tourism in foreign countries. The Tourism Ministry plans to promote Turkey in over 50 countries, he said. /Cumhuriyet/

FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...

FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE EU BY A. SAVAS AKAT (SABAH)

Columnist A.Savas Akat writes on Turkey's goal of becoming a member of the EU. A summary of his column is as follows: "It is a well-known fact that the Turkish economy is easily influenced by political developments. It is still fresh in our memory that last February's crisis was sparked off by politicians. The question on the minds of the majority of the public is if the Ecevit government will be able to continue. It is always difficult for coalition governments to carry on without any hitches arising between the partners. Notwithstanding all difficulties, this coalition government has been in power for three years. Still there seem to be serious problems looming in the future. I believe that the key to Turkey's long-term economic and political future passes through full membership in the European Union. However, the lobby against our EU membership is escalating its activities. My own views have not changed since a column I wrote one a year ago, excerpts from which follow: 'It is known that those opposed Turkey's EU membership hold immense power. This is not surprising as authoritarian regimes are built on the privileges of its rulers. Democratization and transparency restrict arbitrary rule, and compel those in power to account for their deeds. The freedom of the rulers decreases as the freedom of the civil society increases when arbitrary rule gives way to the rule of law. From the 1970s onwards, I have strongly defended the argument that Turkey should integrate with Europe unconditionally. If we had attained full membership in 1978, today our national per capita income would not be languishing at a quarter of Greece's and would have instead increased twofold or more. I believe that the only meaningful future for a free, stable and prosperous Turkey lies in full membership in the EU. If you don't want your children to live in closed society perpetually at odds with the world, and in a poor environment, you must begin to support full EU membership for Turkey.'"

DEATH PENALTY DISCUSSED BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)

Columnist Fikret Bila writes on the recent discussions over the abolition of the death penalty. A summary of his column is as follows: "In its meeting yesterday, the National Security Council (MGK) discussed the abolition of capital punishment and the Ocalan issue. No final decision was taken on the subjects. The civilan and military members of the Council have repeated their well-known views regarding the issue and it has been opened for discussion. Reportedly, Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz voiced his opinion that the death penalty should be abolished and that Turkey had nothing to fear from this at the MGK meeting. Yilmaz noted that Turkey was obliged to abolish this punishment during its EU accession period and tried hard to persuade the members of the MGK. Yilmaz recalled concerns regarding the ban on native language expression and pointed out that no unpleasant incidents had occurred with the lifting of this ban. In response to Yilmaz' views, Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli repeated his arguments against death penalty abolition, saying that it was impossible for the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) to support such an initiative. The military stated that the politicians and judiciary must decide on the issue and that their own opinion should not be asked regarding the subject. Education and broadcasting in Kurdish were also taken up during the MGK meeting yesterday. It is known that Prime Minister Ecevit, while opposing education in Kurdish, is in favor of allowing broadcasts in that language. Yilmaz expressed views similar to that of the prime minister, while Bahceli reiterated the concerns he had openly voiced before. In consequence we can say that it is not realistic to expect Turkey, which has confronted problems such as the PKK and Ocalan, to act quickly on the subject. The issue has been opened to discussion in view of the possible developments and Turkey's future in detail. It is clear that the abolishing the death penalty is not confined to changing a legal rule regarding the lives of one or two people. The issue is directly concerned with Turkey's national security. Therefore, it must be discussed and decided upon by taking Turkey's future into consideration within the rubric national security. With this awareness, political parties must agree on an meta-parties approach and must not exploit the issue for political purposes."