Gül in Cyprus, Constitutional Draft Before Erdogan

President Abdullah Gül is today (18 September) setting off on his first visit abroad, to Northern Cyprus, in his new role as President.

Hayrünnisa Gül's first appearance as First Lady

His wife Hayrünnisa Gül whose headscarf is widely disputed, is to accompany him, the first time she is seen in public at his side. She was absent at his swearing-in, the first Presidential reception in Cankaya Palace, and Gül's domestic tour in the South-East and East of Turkey last week.

Gül will meet with President Mehmet Ali Talat and members of the Northern Cyprus government. Tomorrow he will meet former President Rauf Denktas, then visit the Republican Parliament and meet with political party representatives.

Constitutional draft presented to Erdogan

MPs from the Justice and Development Party (AKP) who are lawyers and academics have created a constitutional draft, which will today (18 September) be presented to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

However, there are still some issues which need agreement, one of them being rules about the headscarf.

It is expected that the AKP's central executive council (CEC) will meet under Erdogan's presidency and decide on the headscarf issue. Other critical issues, such as the immunity of the Prime Minister will be reviewed by the CEC.

Visit from US Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Today (18 September), Nicholas Burns, the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible for political issues, is coming to Turkey for official visits in Istanbul and Ankara.

Meetings with President Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister Erdogan and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary of State Ertugrul Apakan are scheduled. Issues such as Turkey-USA relations, the PKK and "terrorism" will be on the agenda.

YÖK called extraordinary meeting

The suggestion in the constitutional draft to allow headscarves at higher education institutions has provoked strong reactions from universities. Erdogan Tezic, president of the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK), has called university rectors for an extraordinary meeting.

It is expected that the meeting, scheduled for tomorrow (19 September), will result in a statement by the Rectors' Committee concerning the dress code at higher education institutions and changes in Articles 130 and 131.

Iftar with EU ambassadors

Tomorrow, Egemen Bagis, the AKP's vice chairperson responsible for foreign affairs, will invite the Ankara ambassadors of EU member countries to a breaking of the Ramazan fast (iftar) at the AKP headquarters. Prime Minister Erdogan will also attend.

Erdogan to go to UN General Assembly

Meanwhile, Erdogan is scheduled to travel to the United States on 20 September in order to join the General Assembly of the United Nations. He will only see US President George Bush briefly at the assembly, but will visit the US again soon in order to meet with him, probably in November.

At the assembly, Erdogan will also meet with other heads of state, such as French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian's Prime Minister Romano Prodi. (GG/NZ/AG)