ANKARA - The meeting of Council of Ministers which convened under the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ended on Wednesday. The meeting lasted two hours in Prime Ministry Headquarters.
CICEK: WE HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR SETTLEMENT OF PEACE AND TRANQUILITY''
Justice Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek said on Wednesday that they had decided to take an important step to make the geography where Turkey was situated ''a geography of peace and tranquility.''
Following the Council of Ministers meeting, Cicek told reporters that the name of that step was ''reassociation law.''
Cicek drew the attention that significant developments occurred in the Middle East after the incidents in Iraq and said that those developments had affected and would affect all the regional countries.
''We all know that the Middle East is a geography where terrorism has been backed for a long time and is still backed, where terrorists are trained and sheltered and it is even a region where terrorism has become a state policy. Turkey and Turkish people has seen the damages of this the most. Now, terrorism has troubled those who back it and who make it a policy. As Turkey, we wish this geography to be a geography of tranquility, peace and cooperation after all that pain, trouble and problems. We want the region to be purified from every kind of armed terrorist groups except the legal forces of these regions. To achieve this, we continue our searches for a cooperation with everybody, particularly with our neighbors and the United States,'' Cicek said. Cicek noted that many meetings were held in different levels in different times.
Contacts still continued, Cicek stated.
Cicek pointed out that Turkey had examined and evaluated all aspects of the issue in every level of the state to ensure peace and tranquility in the region and country.
Turkey had decided to take a significant step at the end of a long work and in a full compromise, Cicek said.
Cicek noted, ''we have decided to take such a step for the continuation of our state, country and nation. The name of this step is 'reassociation law.' To make expected use of this step, we expect everybody, especially the journalists to work with a feeling of big responsibility.''
The interior minister would give information about the law on Friday, Cicek stated.
Asked about the outlines of the law, Cicek said, ''the outline of the law is to purify the Middle East and our country from every kind of armed terrorist groups excluding the legal forces which are the army, police department and security department of those countries to settle peace and tranquility. And, the law is a part of multi-dimensional measures taken to ensure peace and tranquility in the region.''
CICEK: COUNCIL OF MINISTERS DECISION PERTAINING TO SHORTENING OF MILITARY SERVICE PRESENTED TO APPROVAL OF PRESIDENT
Cicek said decision to shorten military service was discussed at the meeting, stating that signatures of ministers on the issue were completed, and that the decision was sent to Presidency.
Cicek said ministers also expressed their views on the National Program. He said preparations were about to be completed about the program, stressing that Draft National Program would be sent to political parties and NGOs on Friday. He said the Draft National Program would be discussed on Tuesday and will be issued in the Official Gazette after being given the final shape.
Cicek said Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul gave information about use of bases and ports in Turkey for humanitarian reasons. Cicek said, ''there is a misunderstanding in this respect. This is an approval given within the framework of Security Council Resolution no:1483. It has been reflected in public wrongly as if it is the request of the United States.''
Cicek said U.N. Security Council resolution no:1483 facilitated se of bases and ports for humanitarian reasons.
Cicek said President Ahmet Necdet Sezer had demanded a time to be set, stressing that a decision had later been given for one year.
(AY-AÖ) 25.06.2003