MILLIYET- Columnist Fikret Bila writes on the decision of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to convene a meeting on the EU process with the coalition and Parliament leaders. A summary of his column is as follows:
No concrete decisions came out from the leaders’ summit regarding the steps to be taken for our EU accession process. Can the recommendations jointly prepared by the Prime Ministry, Secretariat General for EU Affairs, and the Foreign Ministry and presented to the leaders regarding abolition of the death penalty, lifting of Emergency Rule (OHAL) and Kurdish television broadcasts be carried out? It is indeed difficult to answer this question in the affirmative. Prime Minister Ecevit’s favoured approach to the issue was to begin taking the necessary steps immediately. Reportedly, Prime Minister Ecevit reminded his partners that the EU had taken positive steps regarding anti-Turkey the terrorist organizations. He stated briefly that in the ensuing climate it would be beneficial for us to take some steps and that if we did not do so, we would be missing an opportunity. Those attending the summit stated that this aproach was supported by Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz, whereas Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Bahceli was not in favour of it. Bahceli particularly was insistent on not acting ‘in haste’ in abolishing capital punishment. It was stressed that Bahceli was unenthusiastic about the recommendations package and was against the lifting the death penalty if Abdullah Ocalan was to benefit from it. President Sezer’s decision to meet with the leaders may have been triggered by this climate and the MHP’s reluctance. Sezer announced his decision after a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Ecevit. It may well be that Prime Minister Ecevit asked the president to intervene after seeing the unwillingness of the MHP and Bahceli. It seems that official circles believe the president’s intervention will help matters in convincing Bahceli and the MHP regarding the EU process. It is not yet certain if Prime Minister Ecevit will attend the National Security Council (NSC) meeting on May 30. The MHP leader will be visiting China at that date. Official circles concerned with the EU believe that recommendations regarding the EU should be discussed in a NSC meeting where both leaders are present.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION