ANKARA (A.A) - 07.07.2002 - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Sunday that he can't accept the claim that he does not want to leave his post under any circumstances, adding that he left all the posts he undertook by elections, upon his own will.
''I withdrew from certain positions upon my own free will without being forced when I deemed it necessary to do so all throughout my political life, therefore there is no need for anybody to call me to withdraw,'' Ecevit told the private CNN Turk tv channel.
Responding to a question about his medical condition, Ecevit said that ''I am very fine, I have only one problem about my backbone and it needs time to recover. Yet it is getting fine as you also see.''
Noting that he could walk easily and he didn't have any problem in metal aspect, Ecevit said that he expects the doctors within few days to allow him more physical freedom.
When asked if he would withdraw because of his condition, Ecevit said that he didn't have the intention to withdraw.
Ecevit said that he had difficulty in understanding the campaigns carried out by different circles insistently calling him to resign, adding that such campaigns could only have justification if the government and he as the prime minister had made certain mistakes and or had given harm to the country.
But just the opposite happened, he said adding ''during the three-year coalition government, we undertook such reforms and we adopted laws which could not earlier been undertaken before. We brought solutions to the long term problems.''
Ecevit said that effective measures were taken against corruption, and separative and fundemantalist terrorism in that period, adding that the secular-antisecular debate was taken out from the agenda of Turkey.
The door of the EU was opened part way during his government, Ecevit said and noted that Turkey's candidacy to EU was accepted. Many laws that reconstructed economic and social structure were adopted, Ecevit said adding that international relations developed and important steps were taken in economy. Ecevit said that the inflation decreased in a considerable extent and the way to bring stability to economy was opened.
''I have difficulty in understanding why certain circles think that if I start to work in full capacity, the economic problems would not be solved. Just the opposite should be valid. For that reason I think that the recent increase in inflation and interest rates have certain other reasons, which are not very rational,'' he said.
Ecevit said that the IMF officials praise the Turkish government's economic measures. ''The IMF would not praise these measures without any reason. The IMF chairman and his deputy stated that these were very efficient measures,'' he said.
Pointing to the increase in tourism, export and production, Ecevit said ''I believe we can start a rapid economic growth if we can make good use of Turkey's potential.''
Ecevit remarked that significant improvements were made to balance the wages of civil servants and workers.
When asked if he believed that the government would continue showing a good performance until 2004, Ecevit said that the psychological obstacles should be lifted. ''I told what the coalition government did in three years. What was left incomplete? Why do they want me to withdraw? Of course, everything cannot be done at once but they won't even tell me what our shortcomings were,'' he said.
''I would like to know what our fault is. Some interest groups were hurt by the measures we have taken. There are also people who are provoked by these groups,'' he said adding that some columnists started a big campaign against him and the government.
Ecevit said he was offended by the allegations that he doesn't want to leave his prime ministry post. ''I always quit, with my own will, every post where I came with elections. Throughout my political life, I was never forced to quit, I always resigned with my free will. Therefore nobody needs to tell me to withdraw,'' he said.
PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT SAYS HE CAN'T WITHDRAW WITHOUT TAKING RESULTS OF HIS GOVERNMENT'S REFORMS
When asked if the claims telling that State Minister Kemal Dervis requested him to withdraw and if President Ahmet Necdet Sezer suggested him to rest, were true, Ecevit said that ''nobody asked me to witdraw either in the leaders or economists meetings.''
Ecevit said that Dervis wanted to have a private meeting with him, adding that they had such a short meeting with Dervis which was not detrimental to the country or government. The meeting was very productive, said Ecevit and noted that Dervis who was very pessimistic in the beginning, became more optimistic when everything was discussed on the table and he issued positive messages to the markets after the meeting.
Ecevit stressed that the government was the most peaceful one among the other coalition governments Turkey had to date, adding that such a long term coalition was not even seen in countries which are familiar to coalition governments.
It is not easy to maintain the harmony in the coalition government from time to time, Ecevit said and noted that such things happen even in one-party governments.
''All parties accept the economic programme and the national programme for adoption of acquis prepared by our government. Certainly there can be debates from time to time. Discussions took place in Britain regarding EU for a long time. It still happens in Denmark.''
''We are obliged to be in power and end our five-years in office, becuase we owe this to our nation. We recorded many progress in legislation and in practice. However we have still things to do,'' he said.
Ecevit said he was optimistic when asked how Turkey will implement certain changes until the Copenhagen summit. He stated that a politician has to be optimistic so that he can work.
''We have many talented people in every field,'' he continued. ''Turkey has become a very important country. It recently took over the command of the International Security and Assisance Force (ISAF). First the European countries thought about taking over the ISAF's command but later they decided that Turkey could do this job better. Seven or eight years ago, they would have never proposed Turkey to do this job becaue very good things are happening to Turkey.''
Ecevit indicated that certain things cannot be done in such a pessimist athmosphere. ''I or Mr. Dervis is saying one word, and the stock market is going down and the U.S. dollar is increasing. People should not panic so quickly. The Turkish society should learn not to panic.''
''We have important opportunities because of our economy and human resources. Turkey could become an important world country if we benefit from these sources,'' he said.