Gul: Freedom Of Expression And Religious Belief, And Purification From Torture And Terrorism Are Our Targets

ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said, ''freedom of expression and religious belief and purification from torture and terrorism are our targets. We will continue fulfilling necessary legal arrangements about these targets.''
Parliamentary General Assembly convened on Wednesday with a special agenda to mark the 55th anniversary of approval of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Speaking at the meeting, Gul said, ''Turkey has recognized universality of human rights for 55 years. During this period, our country could not reach its desired position due to some defects and problems. However, Turkey has taken giant steps since last year. Our government is determined to carry Turkey to the level of modern and developed countries. Standards in industrialized and developed countries will also be put into practice in Turkey.''
''Any country has the right to talk about special conditions and different understanding of human rights. People have the right to deal with human rights violations anywhere in the world,'' he said.
Referring to universal law and conventions of the United Nations and the Council of Europe (COE), Gul said, ''Turkey has approved six main conventions of the United Nations about human rights. Also, Turkey has approved all conventions of the COE. No one has the right to apply to the Constitutional Court for annulment of these conventions.''
''Turkey has taken a series of significant steps in regard to legal arrangements. However, we have some problems in putting them in practice. Our parliament, Parliamentary Human Rights Inquiry Commission, non-governmental organizations and Prime Ministry Office Human Rights Department have been expending great efforts to remove these problems. Human rights boards have been established in all provinces and towns. Also, we have been arranging regular seminars to train local officials and security forces on human rights,'' he said.
''What is important is not laws, but mentality,'' Gul said and noted that human rights was the attribute of being human. Gul said that everyone should live peacefully and safely and stated that people should express their view and thoughts freely.
Gul noted that they attributed great importance to freedom of expression and belief and their aim was to remove completely torture and terrorism from the country and stated that they would continue to fulfill legal arrangements on this issue with determination.
Noting that arrangements which were made in human rights and on Turkey's EU path were going forward together, Gul said that the EU became the symbol of modern democracies and modern countries. Stating that Turkey was continuing to move forward on this path, he said that the country reached a critical period. Gul said that no country started negotiations with the Union automatically and added that it was also valid for Turkey.
''Political criteria should be fulfilled. A big part of political criteria is related to human rights standards. Turkey did very important things in regard to this issue. Former governments also made important contributions on the issue. But, our government made very important changes which turned itself a reformist government in one year. The ruling and opposition fulfilled those things hand in hand. I confirm that we have determination to carry on those things. If those laws are passed, but they are not implemented, then it does not mean anything. Passing regulations concerning implementation of laws is very important. There have been many important developments regarding this issue,'' Gul stated.
Noting that there were important developments within one months since the announcement of Progress Report in November, Gul said that law on new structure of National Security Council (NSC) was adopted and regulation was prepared. Noting that regulation was not published due to secrecy in law, Gul said that it could be published after the arrangement which would be adopted in Parliamentary General Assembly today.
Gul said that National Education Ministry published a regulation on teaching various languages and dialects spoken in Turkey and courses started. He added that television broadcasts could be made with those languages and the regulation prepared by Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) was being evaluated at Prime Ministry. He said that cassette-tapes were sold and newspapers were published with different languages and dialects in Turkey and also television and radio broadcasts would be possible in the future.
Emphasizing that Turkey was criticized as defense expenses were not under the control of Parliament, Gul said that all public expenses would be included in general budget when Public Finance Administration and Control draft law would be adopted. He added that as it happened in modern countries, every expenses made for public would be controlled by Parliament.
Stressing that developments were encouraging, Gul said that self-confident societies should not be afraid of anything. Gul emphasized that not taking necessary security measures was the biggest violation of human rights. He said that the government was determined to make all necessary legal arrangements on human rights and democratization and it would be sensitive on putting them in practice as well.
(UK-EÖ-GC-AÖ) 10.12.2003