ATHENS (A.A) - Turkey's state minister for the European Union(EU) and chief negotiator said on Monday that Turkey and Greece had a historicand golden opportunity to better their relations.Egemen Bagis said Turkey and Greece had prime ministers who were eager forsettlement of bilateral problems."We have learned to stand firm on our feet, and we want to undertakeEuropean Union's (EU) burden to to be a burden on the union,"Bagis toldreporters in Athens, Greece.Bagis said 70 percent of energy resources Europe needed was in Turkey, andit was still not opening energy chapter to negotiations, which he defined asagainst Europe's interests.On Cyprus issue, Bagis said Turkey had showed its sincerity throughinitiatives it had exerted and supported so far, but the promises made to Turkeyhad not been kept and the world was still imposing embargoes on Turkish Republicof Northern Cyprus (TRNC).Bagis said Turkey was ready for a solution, and expected the EU to implementits decision to end isolation of TRNC.In such a case, Turkey would be ready to open its ports and airports toGreek Cypriot ships and planes, Bagis said.Bagis said he would receive an award at the European Parliament on Tuesdayfor the initiaties Turkey had done regarding freedom of religion.Minister Bagis gave religious ceremonies at the Sumela Monastery in northernprovince of Trabzon and Akdamar Island in the eastern province of Van, and returnof orphanage at Istanbul's Buyukada to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate asexamples to Turkey's initiatives."We have showed our good will and determination for many times. Will a groupfrom Turkey see the same sincerity and tolerance if they want to perform theirprayer in Athens during a religious feast,"Bagis also said.Bagis met Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou, Greek alternate minister of foreignaffairs; former Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyianni; former Greek deputyforeign minister Giannis Valinakis; and main opposition New Democracy Partydeputy chairperson Dimitris Avramopoulos.Minister Bagis later attended a round-table meeting on"Creating Bridges:Investments as a tool of Greek Turkish Cooperation."Bagis then left Athens for Brussels.(BRC-AY)

UNITED NATIONS (A.A) - Associate Spokesperson for the UNSecretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday that the secretary general will meetwith President Dervis Eroglu of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias on November 18.Associate Spokesperson Farhan Haq said the UN Secretary General was expectedto meet with the two Cypriot leaders for two times in the UN HQ.Haq said the first meeting would take place in the morning and the second inthe afternoon and added that the Secretary General would also meet his specialenvoy Alexander Downer the same day.In an earlier statement, the UN said the meeting would take place within theframework of the ongoing negotiations between the two Cypriot parties aiming tofind a comprehensive solution to Cyprus question.Ban had called the two leaders in Cyprus on October 21 on the phone andcomplained about the slow pace in Cyprus negotiation process in the recent weeks.TRNC President Eroglu and an accompanying delegation are expected to be in New York on November 17. (AY)

PARIS (A.A) - Turkey's main opposition leader said on Mondaythat mass groups, including laborers, farmers, the retired, tradesmen andunemployed, had been affected the most by economic policies implemented in Turkeyin the last decade.Republican People's Party (CHP) chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu said cruelcompetition brought up by global economy had turned unemployment and poverty intoa chronic problem and caused the recession of the social state that could be asolution to the competition."It also harmed family and increased unhappy people,"Kilicdaroglu saidduring the meeting of the Council of the Socialist International in Paris,France.Kilicdaroglu said only 5 percent of 40 billion USD, i.e 2 billion USD, ofthe Unemployment Insurance Fund had been given to the unemployed people in thelast decade."My party is willing to correct it, bring up a social assistance system,implement family insurance,"he said.Kilicdaroglu also said CHP was eager to invest on humanitarian developmentmeans such as health and education, support place of women in social and businesslife, develop union rights, and restructure social state system.The agenda for this Council meeting includes three main themes, focussing onThe Global Economy, Climate Change and the forthcoming COP16, and Resolution ofConflicts.(BRC-AY)

ANKARA (A.A) - According to the Turkish State MeteorologicalServices, three-day weather conditions and forecasts for highest and lowesttemperatures in Celsius for provinces in Turkey beginning on Tuesday are asfollows:PROVINCE 16.11.2010 17.11.2010 18.11.2010 ADANA PB 14 31 PB 15 30 AB 14 30 ADIYAMAN AB 12 25 AB 11 24 AB 10 23 AFYONKARAHISAR S 9 20 S 7 19 S7 19 AGRI S -5 15 S -6 14 S -6 14 AKSARAY S 6 19 S 5 18 S 4 19 AMASYA S 3 20 S 2 19 S 3 20 ANKARA S 621 S 7 21 S 7 22 ANTALYA PB 19 24 GSY 17 23 AB 17 24 ARDAHAN S -6 13 S -7 12 S -6 12 ARTVIN AB 8 19 AB 9 18 AB 9 18AYDIN GSY 11 24 GSY 12 23 PB 12 23 BALIKESIR S 9 21 PB 10 20 PB 12 19 BARTIN S 7 24 S 8 24 S 9 23 BATMAN AB 3 23AB 4 22 AB 3 21 BAYBURT S -1 15 S -1 14 S 0 14 BILECIK S 13 20 PB 10 19 PB 9 19 BINGOL S 3 22 S 2 21 S 2 20 BITLISS 0 14 S 1 13 S 0 13 BOLU S 6 21 S 4 20 S 5 20 BOZCAADA PB 14 20 GSY 13 20 GSY 15 19 BURDUR PB 9 20 PB8 19 AB 6 20 BURSA S 11 22 PB 10 21 PB 10 21 CANAKKALE S 13 20 GSY 11 20 GSY 14 19 CANKIRI S 1 19 S 2 18 S 2 19 CORUM S0 20 S 2 19 S 1 20 DENIZLI PB 10 21 PB 9 21 PB 9 22 DIYARBAKIR AB 3 22 AB 4 22 AB 3 22 DUZCE PB 9 21 PB 8 22 PB8 22 EDIRNE PB 10 22 GSY 9 21 GSY 13 21 ELAZIG S 0 19 S 0 18 S -1 17 ERZINCAN S -3 17 S -3 16 S -2 16 ERZURUM S -815 S -7 14 S -7 15 ESKISEHIR S 9 20 S 7 20 S 7 19 GAZIANTEP AB 8 24 AB 7 24 AB 6 23 GIRESUN AB 13 19 AB 12 18 AB 13 18GOKCEADA PB 14 20 GSY 13 21 GSY 13 21 GUMUSHANE S 1 16 S 1 15 S 2 15 HAKKARI S 3 17 S 2 16 S 2 17 HATAY PB 14 26GSY 13 25 AB 12 25 IGDIR S 0 19 S -1 18 S -2 18 ISPARTA PB 7 19 PB 6 16 AB 4 18 ISTANBUL S 13 21 PB 12 21 PB 14 22 IZMIRGSY 14 23 GSY 14 22 GSY 15 22 KAHRAMANMARAS PB 10 24 PB 11 22 AB 10 23 KARABUK S 6 20 S 7 19 S 7 20 KARAMAN GSY 3 19 S2 19 S 2 20 KARS S -7 15 S -7 14 S -6 15 KASTAMONU S 3 19 S 4 17 S 3 17 KAYSERI S 1 19 S 2 19 S 1 18 KILIS AB16 26 AB 15 24 AB 15 24 KIRIKKALE S 5 19 S 6 18 S 5 18 KIRKLARELI PB 12 21 PB 11 20 GSY 12 20 KIRSEHIR S 5 20 S 4 20 S4 19 KOCAELI PB 14 24 PB 10 24 PB 11 24 KONYA GSY 6 18 S 7 19 S 6 20 KUTAHYA S 7 19 S 5 18 S 5 19 MALATYA S 619 S 5 18 S 5 18 MANISA PB 11 21 PB 11 20 PB 12 21 MARDIN AB 13 22 AB 13 21 AB 12 21 MERSIN PB 18 29 PB 16 29 AB 16 28MUGLA GSY 9 20 GSY 9 18 PB 7 20 MUS S 0 16 S 1 15 S 2 15 NEVSEHIR S 10 20 S 8 17 S 7 19 NIGDE S 5 20S 5 18 S 3 19 ORDU AB 11 21 AB 12 20 AB 11 21 OSMANIYE PB 9 29 GSY 10 27 AB 10 28 RIZE AB 9 21 AB 10 20 AB 11 20 SAKARYAPB 14 24 PB 10 24 PB 11 23 SAMSUN AB 11 21 AB 10 20 AB 11 20 SANLIURFA AB 15 27 AB 13 25 AB 12 25 SIIRT AB 10 23 AB9 22 AB 10 22 SINOP PB 13 21 PB 12 21 PB 13 20 SIRNAK S 8 18 S 7 17 S 6 17 SIVAS S 0 21 S 1 17 S 1 19 TEKIRDAG PB12 21 PB 11 18 PB 12 21 TOKAT S 3 17 S 3 16 S 4 17 TRABZON AB 12 19 AB 12 18 AB 11 18 TUNCELI S 1 20 S 1 19 S2 19 USAK S 10 19 S 8 18 S 8 18 VAN S -2 13 S -1 12 S -1 11 YALOVA PB 13 20 PB 12 20 PB 12 21 YOZGAT S 521 S 4 17 S 3 18 ZONGULDAK S 15 22 S 14 20 S 13 20 A - Clear AB - Decreasing Cloudy CB - Mostly Cloudy DMN - Smog DY - Hail GSY - Heavy Showers HKY - Light Snow HSY - Light Showers HY - Light Rain K - Snowy KF - Dust or Sand Storm KKY - Sleet KSY - Heavy Showers MSY - Partly Showers PB - Overcast R - Windy S - Foggy SCK - Hot SGK - Cold SY - Showers Y - Rainy YKY - Heavy Snow (AY)

ANKARA (A.A) - These are some of the major headlines and theirsummaries in Turkish press on November 16, 2010. The Anadolu Agency does notverify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.TURKIYE-------DECISIONS LIKE REFORMThe government has prepared a draft law and facilitated repayment of publicdebts. The draft erases interests of tax, premium, electricity and water debtstill the end of July 2010. People can pay their debts in 36 installments.WE SHOULD COMMAND MISSILE SYSTEMPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the command of missile shieldproject should be given to Turkey. Erdogan said he had met U.S. President BarackObama in South Korea and expressed Turkey's sensitivity about the missile shieldproject. Erdogan said,"if they think of stationing the system in Turkey, weshould command it. Otherwise it is not possible for us to accept it."ZAMAN-----IRAN NOT TO BE WRITTEN BUT VERBAL THREATProblem between Turkey and the United States regarding the missile defensesystem planned to be established under NATO umbrella was solved."Threatcountries"problem which led to conflict was overcome with a formula by makingIran not"written"but"verbal"threat.Tehran will not be included in the NATO document as written threat howeverthe United States in its statements will say the system is against some countriesincluding Iran.Diplomatic sources said documents are binding for Turkey, noting statementsof other countries can not be intervened.WE ARE PASSING THROUGH A ROOTED CHANGE, THOSE EXPERIENCED ARE THE GRIPS OFGROWTHTurkish President Abdullah Gul congratulated Feast of Sacrifice of thecitizens and said the problems stemmed from the rooted change Turkey has beenpassing through.YENI SAFAK----------IS BANKASI TO OPEN BRANCHES ABROADIs Bankasi's director general Ersin Ozince said the bank had speeded up itsinitiatives abroad. Ozince said the bank was eager to open branches in Baku,Cairo, Baghdad, Irbil, Basra, Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah.DOUBLE FEAST TO DEBTORSState Minister Ali Babacan made public a draft law which envisaged a giantfiscal amnesty. The draft law envisages repayment of tax, SSK premium, customs,water, property tax, motorized vehicle tax, traffic fine debts to the public.(End)(BRC-AY)

ANKARA (A.A) - These are some of the major headlines and theirsummaries in Turkish press on November 16, 2010. The Anadolu Agency does notverify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.VATAN-----WHY HAVE WE CHOSEN TURKEY?Daniel Fata, the architect of the missile shield project, spoke to Vatandaily newspaper. Turkey is the most ideal country in the Middle East for the1000-km system. Turkey will cast a vital vote on deployment of missile shield inits territories during the NATO summit to take place in Lisbon on November 19.Fata explained why the United States was insisting on stationing the system inTurkey before the critical vote. Fata said it was Turkey's territories where themissile shield could operate in the most efficient way in the Middle East,defined as a region of threat to NATO. Fata said U.S. President Barack Obamawanted to make use of good relations with Turkey, and he had heard that somedemands of Turkey had been met. Fata added that the issue could be solve withinthis week."IT IS ALLRIGHT IF WE HAVE THE COMMAND"Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke clearly about missile shieldsystem. Erdogan said,"who will command the system is important. If they think ofdeploying the system in our lands, then the command should be given to us,otherwise it is not possible for us to accept it."CUMHURIYET----------SURPRISE MEETING IN PARISIraqi President Jalal Talabani invited Republican People's Party (CHP)chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who he met in Paris during Socialist Internationalmeeting, to Iraq.Kilicdaroglu said Turkey attached high importance to Iraq's integrity.Talabani focused on boosting relations between CHP and Patriotic Union ofKurdistan of Iraq and invited Kilicdaroglu to Iraq.STEP FROM IS BANKASI FOR ABROADIs Bankasi Director General Ersin Ozince said they were planning to openbranches in Iraq, Azerbajian, Egypt and Syria.Ozince said Is Bankasi inaugurated around 60 branches in a year. He said,"we have 1123 branches in Turkey. We will exceed 1200 next year. We provide jobopportunities for 1000 people."RADIKAL-------THE WIDEST AMNESTY PACKAGE OF REPUBLICAN HISTORYState Minister Ali Babacan and State Minister Omer Dincer made public thewidest"peace package"of the Republican history between the state and thecitizens.In the package where debts to the state were restructured, new opportunitieswere brought to cash repatriation. Public debts, estimated to amount to 120billion TL with the interests, can be paid in 36 months installments.July 31, 2010 will be a landmark.BACKSTAGES OF PARIS MEETINGSurprise meeting of Republican People's Party (CHP) chairman KemalKilicdaroglu with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in France was the most strikingpolitical development of the day on the eve of Feast of Sacrifice.This meeting and invitation to Kilicdaroglu to visit Iraq should beconsidered as expression of the uneasiness Talabani felt from Ankara.(More)(BRC-AY)

ANKARA (A.A) - These are some of the major headlines and theirsummaries in Turkish press on November 16, 2010. The Anadolu Agency does notverify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET--------LET YOU COME AND I TAKE YOU TO A TOUR IN IRAQRepublican People's Party (CHP) chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu received aninvitation from Iraqi President Jalal Talabani to visit Iraq. Kilicdaroglu andTalabani are actually in Paris, France for the meeting of SocialistInternational. Talabani told Kilicdaroglu that he had previously invited formerCHP leader Deniz Baykal to Iraq but Baykal had not visited his country. Talabanisaid,"as the new chairman of CHP, I would like to see you in Iraq. If you keepyour trip to Iraq long, I would like to take you to a tour in Iraq.Kilicdaroglu said,"I am accepting your invitation and I hope we will meetagain soon."MAJOR PEACEThe government made public a draft law on restructuring debts without makingany reduction in the principal. According to the chambers association, the moneycollected can reach 120 billion Turkish liras (TL). The draft includes tax andadministrative fines, Social Security Agency (SGK) premium, receivables ofprovincial administrations, water and waste product receivables ofmunicipalities, electricity debts, student fee receivables, vocational chambersubscription debts, organized industry debts.MILLIYET--------RESPONSE FROM NATO TO ERDOGAN: NATO PUSHES THE BUTTONBargainings have reached to the final stage regarding the missile systemthat would be established to protect NATO members in Europe. Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan persistently wants to assume the command of this system, howeverNATO is not willing.FEAST OF TAXInvoice debts of tax, electricity, natural gas and water, which were notpaid before July 31, will be restructured again. According to this, those who paythe principal debts, will not have to pay overdue interest.TERROR RISK RECEDES IN TURKEYAccording to the"Terror Risk Index"published by a British companyMaplecroft once in six months, Turkey receded from the rank of 14 to 22 among 196countries. However Turkey is among high risk group with countries like Somali,Pakistan and Iraq.SABAH-----BIGGEST AMNESTY OF HISTORYDeputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan and Labor and Social Security MinisterOmer Dincer made public a fiscal amnesty which envisages reduction of punishmentof debts before July 31, 2010 and repayment of them in installments. Thus, debtsof all segments from small business owners to holdings to the public have beenrestructured. According to experts, 100 billion TL receivables will berestructured.HERE IS EU GUARD AT BORDERIzabella Cooper, the spokesperson of the European Union (EU) team deployedat at Turkey-Greece border against illegal migration, spoke to Sabah daily.Illegal passages have already been fewer than before. EU's border security unitFrontex sent 175 guards to Greece, and they started to work at the Greek borderacross Edirne a week ago. Cooper said wherever Frontex worked, illegal migrationdropped.(More)(BRC-AY)

ANKARA (A.A) - Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al Muallem onMonday denied news reports that Syria signed an agreement with Greek Cypriotadministration.According to diplomatic sources, Muallem called Turkish Foreign MinisterAhmet Davutoglu on the phone saying such an agreement was regardless of question.Earlier in the day, Syria's Ambassador to Turkey Nidal Kabalan denied newsstories about an economic agreement between his country and Greek Cypriotadministration.He said the news stories that Syria and the Greek Cypriot administrationsigned economic zone agreement during Syrian President Bashar al-Asad's visit tothe island were inaccurate.(AY)

LEFKOSA (A.A) - Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus(TRNC) on Monday signed a cooperation protocol to support Partial DonationAssistance Projects in TRNC.Turkish State Minister&Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, speaking at theceremony, stated that private sector in TRNC should be supported more.Cicek said Turkey's support to TRNC would continue whatever the result ofCyprus negotiations would be, and underlined that permanent projects were veryimportant for the next generations in TRNC.The protocol will for the first time enable implementation of partialdonation in TRNC, boost production of private sector and contribute privatesector to modernize its equipment.The donation program will be financed with the sources of Turkey's Embassyin Lefkosa.(AY)

SOFIA (A.A) - Senior Turkish diplomat in Bulgaria received astate medal of honor from Bulgaria on Monday.Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov decorated Turkey's Ambassador toBulgaria Mehmet Gucuk with a state medal of honor for his contributions tobilateral relations.Gucuk's mandate in Bulgaria has ended.(BRC-AY)