ANKARA - Justice Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said on Monday that government responded affirmatively the proposal of General Staff to reduce ''18-month military service of privates to 15 months, 16-month military service of reserve officers to 12 months and 8-month of short-term military service to 6 months.''
Cicek briefed journalists following Council of Ministers meeting which lasted 5.5 hours.
Cicek said shortening military service was discussed at the meeting, stating that the government adopted this as a view, adding that necessary procedure would be implemented in this respect.
NATIONAL PROGRAM IS A BIG TRANSFORMATION PROJECT
Cicek said that the National Program was a big transformation project. ''Turkey that will make such a transformation will have competition power with the most developed countries of the world and take its deserved place in globalization.''
Cicek told reporters following the Council of Ministers meeting that the draft National Program was presented to the Council of Ministers last week and views of council members were taken.
Noting that European Union (EU) promised that membership talks would start without delay in case Turkey fulfilled Copenhagen criteria by taking into consideration reports and recommendations of EU Commission in Copenhagen on December 2004.
Cicek said that the EU Commission reviewed and accepted Accession Partnership Accord on April 15, 2003 in the direction of Copenhagen summit decisions. He added: ''In order to complete the pre-accession strategy, we have to underline the developments we acquired to adjust with EU acquis since March 2001 for full membership target and submit our reviewed National Program that includes regulations and norms Turkey will arrange related with political criteria till the end of 2003 and changes Turkey plans to make in implementation till the end of 2004. This program will also have the peculiarity of a political promise targeting start of full membership talks at the end of 2004.''
''The program should meet and complete the expectations in Accession Partnership Accord in order to take us to the full membership target. Our performance in meeting these expectations will determine whether Turkey's EU full membership talks would start in the end of 2004 or not. This is valid especially for political criteria. Because, it is not possible to start negotiations before meeting political criteria. But, economic criteria and especially adjustment with the acquis include studies that can be spread to the process of negotiations and some of which can even be fulfilled after membership.''
Cicek said 2003 National Program was prepared with the efforts and contributions of all public institutions and organizations as it happened earlier, stating that extreme efforts were shown to benefit from the views of NGO's within this process.
Cicek said, ''thus, this program has a broad agreement basis with its technical aspects. As efforts are underway to form the section of the National Program pertaining to political criteria, principle targets like basing on human rights and supremacy of law, strengthening of democratic structure, broadening of fundamental rights and freedoms within unity, integrity and unitarian structure, not showing tolerance to torture and abuse and strengthening of NGO's were taken.'' Cicek said the National Program envisaged continuation of adjustment activities intensely in the fields of justice, internal affairs, agriculture, transportation, environment, health, labor life and social security. Cicek said in this respect 88 new laws should be issues, amendment should be made to 52 laws, 383 new administrative arrangements should be made, and changes should be made with 81 administrative arrangements.
Cicek said the adjustment works beyond the target of becoming EU member, also aimed at bringing Turkey into a stronger, influential and respectable position, and noted that full membership to EU was the most important project that would provide Turkey's reaching its targets.
Cicek said, ''in this scope, this is a very big transformation project. Turkey, which will fulfill such a transformation, will thus have the strength to compete with the more advanced countries of the world, and take its place which it deserved in globalization concept.''
''Issuing of 2003 National Program is one of the most important performance of our government. However, its implementation has similar importance. Although the international platform appreciate the rooted constitutional and legal reforms, I would like to stress that failure in reflecting those reforms in daily life is an issue of criticism,'' Cicek stressed.
Cicek said, ''in this respect, issuing of those adjustment packages before the parliament recesses is obligatory. The laws, which should be issues in the long term, would be presented to your information.''
Stating that they had several criticisms with respect to presentation of first National Program to public, Cicek said such a rooted transformation and change could not be discussed in the parliament adequately, and that they considered it as deficiency.
Reiterating that members of Council of Ministers expressed their views by basing on those thoughts during today's meeting, Cicek said a final evaluation would be made under the light of those views, and that the draft program would be sent to Republican People's Party (CHP), several political parties, Economic Development Foundation, and several NGO's.
Cicek said the draft National Program would be presented to the information and evaluation of parties in the Parliament on July 1.
Cicek said, ''our government, in line with the views that were stated, will give a final shape to the program and thus the program will be given as an award to our history after being published in the official gazette.''
Cicek said the National Program was a 977-page text, stating that detailed information could be obtained in talks that would take place in the parliament.
DECISION OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS TO SHORTEN MILITARY SERVICE HAS BEEN OPENED TO SIGNATURE
Addressing journalists following meeting of the Council of Ministers, Cicek said, ''National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul informed members of the Council of Ministers on spring term meetings of NATO Defense Ministers which was held in Brussels between June 12 and 13, 2003. An important decision has been taken at the meetings about Turkey. As you know, some structural and functional changes have been made in NATO. Under these changes, NATO Southern Region Air Force Command Headquarters, one of the most important command headquarters of NATO, will be moved to Turkey.''
When asked whether or not the National Program would be taken up at the monthly meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), Cicek said, 'no. The program will be debated at the parliament. On numerous occasions, I said that the government does not determine agenda of the NSC meetings. The agenda is determined by the President. We inform every section on developments. If we are asked to give information at the NSC meeting, we will brief members of the NSC in detail.''
Upon another question about the National Program, Cicek said, ''the program is composed of 977 pages. It includes many expressions and statements. There are detailed information about all fields of the society. The program should be taken up as a whole. Expectations of the European Union (EU) from Turkey are clear. We have been trying to take our place in this civilization project.''
''A meeting will be held tomorrow with the participation of Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Turkey's Secretariat General for the EU officials. During the meeting, we will try to set our list of priorities prior to release of the Progress Report for Turkey. Our works about the EU membership process have accelerated,'' he said.
When asked whether or not the decision of the Council of Ministers to shorten military service would be adequate, Cicek told reporters, ''the decision of the Council of Ministers to shorten military service has been opened to signature.''
Upon another question, Cicek said, ''it is too early to make a detailed information for the time being. When the decision is announced, everything will become clear.''
(UK) 23.06.2003