SABAH- Columnist Gungor Mengi writes on Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz’ statements made at the Motherland Party (ANAP) Chairmanship Board. A summary of his column is as follows:
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz’ statements at the ANAP Chairmanship Board were like a ray of hope, consoling us somewhat. It is understood that Turkey’s EU membership bid will be not sacrificed for the three leaders’ obsession with holding on to their seats. The two deputy prime ministers, Yilmaz and Ozkan, agreed upon a plan which will abolish the death penalty in September when the Parliament convenes in an extraordinary meeting. In the EU October report this step will be praised, and it will be stated that if the cultural rights issue is solved before the end of the year a date will be given to Turkey. It is believed that the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) will not be able to resist the pressure coming from the public any more. If this issue is not solved, a new government will be formed to take the country into elections in the spring of 2003. This agreement has two possible consequences: that the MHP may get tougher, and the political uncertainty may deepen, or that following the abolition of the death penalty, if the EU makes a promise on a date for accession negotiations, Bahceli may say that there is no reason left to resist allowing cultural rights. Either way, today we are more hopeful than yesterday.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION