Turkish Courts To Make Right Decision On Ocalan Case, Cicek

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish courts will make the rightest decision regarding head terrorist Abdullah Ocalan, taking into consideration the Constitution and Turkey's commitments, Cemil Cicek, Turkish Justice Minister and the spokesman of the government, said on Monday.
     After the meeting of the Council of Ministers, Cicek told reporters that the government could not decide on this matter because it was totally related with jurisdiction.
     Cicek recalled that Turkey was a member of the Council of Europe and adopted the European Convention on Human Rights.
     Noting that the ECHR decided that Turkey did not try Ocalan fairly, Cicek said, ''the court recommended us to either retry or re-open the case. We (the government) cannot decide on the upcoming procedures. It is the courts which will make the rightest decision, taking into consideration the Constitution, laws, international conventions and Turkey's commitments. What Turkish nation should do is to trust jurisdiction at this stage.''
    
     -TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP-
    
     Answering questions of reporters, Cicek said that whether or not Turkey would become a member of the European Union (EU) earlier or later than expected depended on both Turkey and the EU member states, and added, ''if Turkey fulfils its commitments in the National Program, this process will be shorter.''
     (BRC)
2005-05-23