MILLIYET- Columnist Fikret Bila comments on Prime Minister Ecevit’s press conference on Sunday. A summary of his column is as follows:
The heightening political tension following Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli’s statement after the Cankaya summit was relieved to a great extent with yesterday’s press conference of Prime Minister Ecevit. While interpreting Bahceli’s statement that he would withdraw from the government if necessary, the prime minister termed this remark ‘conditional’ and said that the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader’s stance had not changed. Ecevit pointed out that Bahceli would decide to withdraw from the government only if the two other partners make a habit of going into cooperation with the opposition and that he would be right in such a case. With this message, Prime Minister Ecevit is saying that Bahceli will not break the coalition if the death penalty is abolished with the support of the opposition parties. However, if this cooperation with the opposition is seen more frequently on issues other than the death penalty, the MHP’s withdrawal from the government may be an issue. Noting that Bahceli had chosen his words very carefully, Ecevit said he didn’t believe the MHP leader’s statement was aimed at creating a government problem. Therefore, Prime Minister Ecevit is inclined to ask for support regarding the abolition of capital punishment in the Parliament. However, it seems that he will ask for this support on one issue only. The prime minister took stock in Bahceli’s previous statement saying that the MHP would not create an issue for the government if certain decisions were taken by the Parliament. Ecevit’s approach relieved the tension which had heightened with Bahceli’s statement. It seems that an increase of tension between the MHP and the Motherland Party (ANAP) has been headed off for the time being with this approach. Ecevit’s experience and compromising stance has averted a crisis for the three-party coalition.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION