The Cabinet and the generals agreed that terror was a problem not just for the government or the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), but for the state as a whole. During the briefing Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ stressed that Turkey has had the most success in the world in fighting terrorism in comparison with other countries dealing with similar problems. In the past 28 years the PKK has lost five times as many people as the TSK in clashes, Başbuğ said, noting that this was indicative of success because, as a general rule, regular armies usually lose more people then terrorist organizations using guerilla tactics. Taking measures against terrorists who use northern Iraq as a launch pad for their attacks in Turkey was a priority issue at the meeting. The government said maintaining talks with the Kurdish leaders of northern Iraq would be one of the most effective measures against the PKK presence in that area. It was also noted in the meeting that the TSK, which had been given a mandate for cross-border operations against terrorist camps in northern Iraq, has carried out 30 such operations since this authorization was given and that not a single civilian has been killed in these strikes. During the meeting, the General Staff also made a presentation on a report prepared by the Malatya-based Second Army Corps Command on whether security flaws had played a role in the Aktütün attack, which claimed the lives of 17 soldiers on Oct.3 in the eastern province of Hakkari. The number of questions the Cabinet members asked about the report, however, suggested that the government was not completely satisfied with the military's account.
Oct. 25
The commander of US forces in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, met with a senior military official in Turkey to discuss the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) launching attacks into Turkey from northern Iraq, the US military said. The meeting on Friday with Gen. Hasan Iğsız, deputy chief of the Turkish General Staff, "centered on US forces' ongoing assistance to Turkey in its effort to defeat the PKK," the military said in a statement.
Two Turkish engineers were kidnapped in southeastern Afghanistan, Afghan and Turkish officials said. Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, on a visit to the Afghan capital, said he had brought up the subject of the two missing engineers in a meeting with his Afghan counterpart, Rangeen Dadfar Spanta. "I expressed our worries over our citizens who were kidnapped a few days ago and from whom we have not been able to get news, in my meeting today with Dr. Spanta, and we are sure that Afghan officials will exert all the necessary efforts in this case," Babacan told a news conference.
Former Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) leader Erkan Mumcu was replaced by Salih Uzun, one of the deputy chairmen of the party, at the party's sixth extraordinary congress.
Oct. 26
Four more individuals, including a journalist, were detained in operations in Ankara and İstanbul conducted as part of an investigation into Ergenekon -- a shadowy network with dark links to individuals and groups nested within the state that is accused of murders and attacks over time to serve its purpose of social engineering and a possible takeover of the government. The journalist detained was identified as Merdan Yanardağ by the police. The other three, Anet Sahakyan, Fuat Garip and Şener Özgürk, are assistants of former Kanaltürk owner and Ergenekon suspect Tuncay Özkan, the police said.
Former Felicity Party (SP) Deputy Chairman Numan Kurtulmuş was elected his party's new leader. Kurtulmuş, who was the only candidate in the challenge to become the new SP chief, took over the position from Recai Kutan.
Turkish Airlines (THY) resumed flights to Baghdad after a hiatus of 17 years -- since the start of the Gulf War at the beginning of the 1990s. A THY passenger jet departed from İstanbul Atatürk International Airport to Baghdad with Foreign Trade Minister Kürşad Tüzmen, Minister of Transportation Binali Yildirim and many businessmen and journalists on board.
Oct. 27
During a meeting about problems in Turkish higher education, President Abdullah Gül said he would relinquish his authority to appoint university rectors if a new process suggested by a recent report is implemented. "Do not leave the duty of appointing rectors to the president," he said at a Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD) meeting in Ankara, where TÜSİAD released a report on higher education titled "Higher Education in Turkey: Trends, Problems and Opportunities."
Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ attended a regular Cabinet meeting to brief the prime minister and ministers on counterterrorism efforts, a first in the history of government-military relations.
A bomb disposal expert dismantled a bomb that had been left in a package in the busy district of Aksaray, İstanbul.
President Gül stated at a press conference that he and his Ukrainian counterpart, Victor Yushchenko, had discussed ways to improve economic cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine, in addition to other bilateral, regional and international cooperation. The Ukrainian president paid a visit to Gül at the Çankaya Presidential Palace. The two later held a press conference at which Gül said they touched upon various topics ranging from economic cooperation between the two countries to the security of the Black Sea and Ukraine's bid to become a NATO member.
The governor of the Turkish Central Bank said there is a serious dollar liquidity problem in the Turkish markets and that it is urgent to take measures, but he ruled out a stand-by deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). "Turkey doesn't really need resources from the IMF at the current stage," said the governor, Durmuş Yılmaz.
Oct. 28
The Diyarbakır Prosecutor's Office announced it was preparing to request that the parliamentary immunity granted to pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) Chairman Ahmet Türk be lifted over charges that he disseminated the propaganda of the outlawed PKK.
European Union ambassadors in Ankara called on the government to initiate reforms and speed up progress toward membership in the 27-nation bloc, days before the EU Commission is due to release a key report on Turkish efforts. The implementation of a revised version of Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), regulating freedom of expression, and a surge in the number of court orders blocking access to popular Internet sites were topics raised during a luncheon French Ambassador to Turkey Bernard Emie hosted for Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and fellow EU ambassadors in Ankara. "We very much hope that some further progress will be registered in terms of freedom of expression [inter alia on the Internet, on the implementation of the revised 301]," Emie told the gathering.
Yerevan has the courage to make "extraordinary decisions" concerning the improvement of relations with Turkey for the sake of its people, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said, suggesting there were no real barriers standing in the way of ties between his country and Turkey. Nalbandian's remarks came in an interview with the BBC Turkish service while he was in London this past week.
Days before the EU is set to release a report on Turkey's progress toward entry into the European Union, President Gül hosted senior-level talks to discuss ways to revitalize membership efforts. Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan and Foreign Minister Babacan attended the meeting at the presidential palace. Deputies from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) as well as the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) -- all members of Parliament's EU Harmonization Commission -- also joined the talks.
Turkish warplanes bombed targets belonging to the outlawed PKK in northern Iraq with the backing of artillery fire from Turkey, the military said.
Twenty-nine out of 72 individuals detained in İstanbul on suspicion of involvement in the arson of automobiles and participation in illegal activities were arrested, the İstanbul Police Department announced.
Oct. 29
CHP leader Deniz Baykal, most CHP deputies, Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Zeki Sezer and all deputies of the DSP were absent at Parliament as President Gül received visitors following ceremonies marking the 85th anniversary of the day the nation became a republic. The CHP deputies said they were continuing to boycott Gül in a fashion similar to last year's Republic Day celebrations, saying that Gül's candidacy poses a danger to the secular order of the state. The only CHP deputy who was present at a later reception at the presidential palace in Çankaya was Şükrü Elekdağ, a retired ambassador.
The president's office announced that the annual President's Culture and Art Grand Award for 2008 was bestowed upon internationally renowned Turkish author Yaşar Kemal.
A report titled "Investing in Turkey's Future Generations: Transition from School to Job and Turkey's Development," prepared by the Human Development Dialogue, operating in Turkey under the supervision of the World Bank, showed that 40 percent of Turkey's youth are neither economically active nor in education. Another 40 percent are in education, while only 30 percent are employed and contributing to the economy.
Oct. 30
The World Economic Forum on Europe and Central Asia kicked off in İstanbul, bringing together regional political and business leaders as well as academics and civil society representatives, to discuss the social, economic and political implications of the ongoing global financial turmoil and seek ways to address them.
The leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan discussed efforts to bring peace to their region, on the sidelines of a meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in İstanbul. The two leaders met hours after officials reported that Taliban militants had stormed a government building in Kabul. Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani also had talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose government wants to help mediate regional issues.
A Turkish ship was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia, and NATO forces deployed in the area joined rescue efforts at the request of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, officials said. The freighter M/V Yasa Neslihan was hijacked on Wednesday near the Gulf of Aden, Turkish officials explained.
Oct. 31
Turkey's economic program for 2009 was published in the Official Gazette. The Turkish government set its economic growth target at 4 percent and forecasts an inflation rate of 7.5 percent for 2009. The government estimated that Turkey's gross domestic product (GDP) would reach $788.4 billion. The budget was prepared in Turkish lira (TL) because the TL will replace the new Turkish lira (YTL) as of the beginning of 2009.
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