CUMHURIYET- Columnist Mustafa Balbay writes on the political party leaders’ summit called by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. A summary of his column is as follows:
The Political party leaders seem to be more interested in enhancing their own positions and gaining points from their differences of opinion rather than developing a joint stand before the leaders’ summit to take place tomorrow at the Presidential Palace. We have to underline the importance of the step President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has taken before analyzing the views of the sides. The messages Sezer is trying to relate to the leaders can be summed up as a common spirit has to be created for the EU and this spirit should be in line with the civilization target Ataturk set for us. He will also say that political parties should not use the steps to be taken towards the EU as a political tool and that first of all the government has to adopt a common view. Sezer’s efforts to create such an atmosphere above politics were apparently in vain in light of the announcements made just a few days before the summit. For the Democratic Left Party, the only problem is to be represented. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit is ruling through letters. We all hope that the prime minister gets well soon and can attend them summit. The Nationalist Action Party’s (MHP) aim is to express its views clearly and force other parties to pronounce their own with the same clarity. The MHP hopes to cover the gaps it has created over the last three years. The MHP, which received votes due to its promise to hang Ocalan, is betting not on the improvement of history but on its repeating itself. The Motherland Party (ANAP) has tied its whole future to the EU issue and it expects other parties to comply with Sezer’s call. If this happens, it will say that all the other parties have come to the same line as ANAP. The opposition is trying to deepen the rift in the government. The military is trying to stay out of this dispute. Only a government working in harmony can resolve these disputes.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION