EUROPE AT 1100GMT

AP Worldstream
Apr 29, 2005

EDITORS: The following is a digest of Europe’s top general news,
financial, sports and enterprise offerings at 1100GMT.

TOP STORIES:

PUTIN IN MIDEAST: Putin offers equipment, training for Palestinian
security forces, Abbas welcomes summit proposal

RAMALLAH, West Bank _ Russian President Vladimir Putin offers
equipment and training to the Palestinian Authority to help their
security forces maintain order. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas
welcomes Putin’s proposal to hold an international Mideast peace
conference in Moscow later this year.
BC-ME-GEN–MIDEAST-PUTIN. Developing. By Mohammed Daraghmeh. AP
Photos.

TURKEY-COURTING ISRAEL: Erdogan to visit Israel to improve relations _
and Turkey’s image overseas

ISTANBUL, Turkey _ Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses
his Israeli counterpart of “terrorism,” comparing Israel’s crackdown
on Palestinians to the Spanish Inquisition. But on Sunday, Erdogan,
whose party has its roots in Turkey’s Islamic movement, heads to the
Jewish state, a trip that is aimed not just at repairing relations but
also at boosting Turkey’s sagging image in the United States and in
Europe. BC-EU-GEN-TURKEY-COURTING ISRAEL. By 1530GMT. By Louis
Meixler.

BRITISH ELECTION: Independents and eccentrics enliven dull election

LONDON _ The big moan in Britain is that the election campaign is
dull, dull, dull. Don’t tell that to prospective parliamentarians
Captain Beany, Lord Biro and Howling Lord Hope. Some of the smaller
parties in the race hope to draw attention to single issues, from
legalizing marijuana to the war in Iraq. Others are just plain
eccentric: the Church of the Militant Elvis Party, the New Millennium
Bean Party, the Vote for Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket.
BC-EU-POL–BRITAIN-ELECTION OUTSIDERS. Moved. By Jill Lawless. AP
Photos.

WITH:

_BC-EU-POL–BRITAIN-ELECTION. LONDON _ Prime Minister Tony Blair
remains comfortably ahead of his political rivals in an opinion poll,
despite the row over the Iraq war dominating the election campaign in
recent days. Moved. By Ed Johnson.

_BC-EU-POL–BRITAIN-ELECTION-GREEN ISSUES. LONDON _ A stunt briefly
thrusts Greenpeace to near the forefront of Britain’s election
campaign but, otherwise, Green issues have hardly
registered. Moved. By Michael McDonough. AP Photos.

ALSO:

LONDON _ An Iranian diplomat suggests an agreement over Tehran’s
nuclear program is within reach, as he prepares to meet with European
negotiators in London. BC-EU-GEN–BRITAIN-IRAN. Developing; Talks
scheduled for Friday evening. Update expected by around 2200GMT. By
Ed Johnson.

ISTANBUL, Turkey _ Top officials from Iraq’s neighbors meet in
Istanbul to welcome the long-awaited formation of a government in
Baghdad, hoping to give the emerging democratic process a boost
despite regional fears of instability in the
country. BC-EU-GEN–IRAQ-NEIGHBORS. Developing. By Saran El Deeb.

PARIS _ France’s beleaguered government, already under siege over a
referendum on the future of Europe, has a new fight on its hands _
this time over its decision to make the leisure-loving French work one
of their annual holidays to generate funds for health
care. BC-EU-GEN–FRANCE-HOLIDAY LOST. By 1500GMT. By Jamey Keaten.

GENEVA _ The diplomat leading consultations on who should be the next
head of the World Trade Organization is to report on how the three
remaining hopefuls are doing _ likely encouraging the trailing
candidate to withdraw. BC-EU-FIN-ECO–WTO-LEADERSHIP RACE. Developing
from 1700GMT start of meeting.

GENEVA _ The U.N. health agency says 18 new cases of polio have been
found in Yemen, sparking fears of an epidemic in the Middle East
country with a low immunization rate among
children. BC-UN-GEN–UN-YEMEN-POLIO. Developing. By Bradley
S. Klapper.

WARSAW, Poland _ Pope Benedict XVI made a tiny slip in Polish when he
thanked Poles “with” their kindness instead of “for.” No matter: the
German pontiff has quickly found understanding in the homeland of John
Paul II. BC-EU-GEN–POLAND-THE GERMAN POPE. Moved. By Monika
Scislowska. AP Photos.

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia _ Four alleged militants and a policeman are
killed in a shootout in a predominantly Muslim region of southern
Russia. BC-EU-GEN–RUSSIA-MILITANTS. Moved. By Sergei Venyavsky.

RIGA, Latvia _ Latvia’s President Vaira Vike-Freiberga lashes out at
“whining” Riga residents who complain about security measures imposed
on them ahead of U.S. President George W. Bush’s visit next
week. BC-EU-GEN–LATVIA-BUSH SECURITY. By 1300GMT. By Timothy Jacobs.

VIENNA, Austria _ Prosecutors say they will review comments made by a
lawmaker who argued in a TV interview that the existence of Nazi gas
chambers ought to be investigated. BC-EU-GEN–AUSTRIA-GAS
CHAMBERS. Moved. By Susanna Loof.

ANKARA, Turkey _ Turkey’s prime minister says his country could
establish political relations with Armenia if the two sides agree to
jointly research the killings of Armenians during World War I, deaths
the Armenians call genocide, a report says. BC-EU-GEN–TURKEY-ARMENIA
RELATIONS. Moved.

ANKARA, Turkey _ Trial begins for a Turkish-Armenian journalist
charged with insulting Turks in remarks at a human rights conference
three years ago. BC-EU-GEN–TURKEY-ARMENIA. Moved. By Selcan
Hacaoglu.

BUSINESS & FINANCE:

BRUSSELS, Belgium _ The European Union launches a 60-day investigation
into surging Chinese textile sales, a move that could see it
reimposing quotas on imports of T-shirts, pullovers, pantyhose and
other products. BC-EU-FIN–EU-CHINA-TEXTILES. Upcoming. By Paul Ames.

PARIS _ Carlos Ghosn, the savvy business executive who turned around
once-ailing Japanese car maker Nissan, takes the helm of French
controlling shareholder
Renault. BC-EU-FIN–FRANCE-RENAULT-GHOSN. Upcoming. By Laurence
Frost. AP Photos.

MOSCOW _ The Russian government is considering paying cash to increase
its stake and take a controlling interest in the natural gas monopoly
Gazprom, dumping plans to merge it with state-owned oil company
Rosneft, the news agency Interfax
reports. BC-EU-FIN-ECO–RUSSIA-GAZPROM. Moved. By Alex Nicholson.

FRANKFURT, Germany _ Drug maker and chemical company Bayer AG says its
net profit rose by 55.6 percent in the first quarter as sales lifted
at its chemicals and plastics
units. BC-EU-FIN-EARNS–GERMANY-BAYER. Moved. By Matt Moore.

VIENNA, Austria _ NYMEX crude futures tick upward after investors,
inspired by near-US$50 prices, begin buying more heavily. After
slipping for nearly a week, prices seem to have reached the bottom in
a market that will likely turn bullish again in the next few weeks,
analysts suggest. BC-EU-FIN–OIL PRICES. Moved. By George Jahn.

LONDON _ Pearson PLC, the publisher of the Financial Times newspaper,
says trading in the first quarter of 2005 was in line with
expectations as the U.S. textbook market rebounded and newspaper
advertising revenue began showing signs of
improvement. BC-EU-FIN-COM–BRITAIN-PEARSON. Moved. By Jane Wardell.

FEATURES:

RESPECTABLE ROYALS: Holland’s Beatrix shows some royal houses remain
relevant in modern age

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands _ With her popularity near all-time highs after
25 years on the throne, the Netherlands’ Queen Beatrix is doing
something right as a modern monarch, and it must be more than cutting
ribbons and wearing colorful hats. While Britain’s Windsors and
Monaco’s Grimaldis seem to careen from crisis to crisis, other lesser
known royal houses like those in Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands
manage to maintain a lofty distance from scandal while enjoying the
love and respect of their people. BC-EU-GEN–NETHERLANDS-RESPECTABLE
ROYALS. By 1300GMT. By Toby Sterling. AP Photos.

EU ANNIVERSARY: One year after joining EU, newcomers split on whether
lives have improved

ZAHORSKA VES, Slovakia _ Day in and out, Frantisek Danihel steers his
ferry back and forth over the slow-moving Morava River, linking what
were two separate worlds only a year ago _ the European Union and its
aspiring members. On a formal level, the barriers dissolved on May 1,
2004, when Slovaks and nine other mostly former communist nations
joined what they had long viewed as an exclusive Western club. Yet
opinions are mixed among EU newcomers about how much they have gained
from membership and what’s in store for the future. BC-EU-FEA-GEN–EU
ONE YEAR LATER. Moved. By Andrea Dudikova. AP Photos.

SECRET ARMENIANS: Woman’s discovery of grandmother’s roots leads to
taboo-breaking book

ISTANBUL, Turkey _ Before her death, Fethiye Cetin’s Muslim
grandmother let her in on a dark family secret: the old woman was born
an Armenian Christian who was stolen by a Turkish cavalry soldier who
went on to raise her. The revelation stunned Cetin, who like most
Turks knew little about the slaughter of Armenians during the Ottoman
Empire, a chapter of history so troubling it is barely taught in
schools or even discussed. Hoping to help shatter those taboos, Cetin
wrote a book that tells of her efforts to reconcile her Turkish
identity with the tragic past. BC-EU-FEA-GEN–TURKEY-SECRET
ARMENIANS. Moved. By Suzan Fraser. AP Photos.

SPORTS:

LONDON _ The Premier League title is all but Chelsea’s. The battles
now are to avoid the drop. With three matches remaining and two points
between them all, Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich and
Southampton are all in danger of being relegated to the Football
League. BC-EU-SPT-SOC–ENGLISH PREVIEW. By 1400GMT. By Krystyna
Rudzki.