LEADERS AGREE TO HOLD ELECTIONS ON NOV. 3
At a gathering chaired by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit at the residence of the Prime Ministry yesterday morning, Deputy Prime Ministers Devlet Bahceli and Mesut Yilmaz, leaders of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP) respectively, reached a consensus to hold early elections on Nov. 3, as previously proposed by the MHP. The leaders reportedly agreed to discuss the topic at their parties’ councils. Meanwhile, recently appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel attended the leaders’ meeting for the first time. /All Papers/
GOVERNMENT LOSES ITS MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT
With six additional defections yesterday from the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the coalition government lost its majority in Parliament. The DSP fell to become the fourth-largest party in Parliament with 69 seats, while the number of coalition government deputies has fallen to 275. Under the Constitution, governments may face a vote of confidence when their seats fall below 276 in the 550-seat Parliament. However, as there are currently 13 vacant positions in Parliament, in practical terms the present government still holds the majority. Opposition party deputies yesterday made calls on the government to resign, recalling Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s previous statements that the government might withdraw if its votes fell below 276. /Turkiye/
YILMAZ MEETS WITH SLOVAKIAN PRESIDENT
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday met with Slovakian Deputy Prime Minister Responsible for the European Union Maria Kadlecikova. Before the meeting, Yilmaz said, “At the meeting we will exchange views on EU issues such as the efforts of both Slovakia and Turkey to join the EU.” Yilmaz said that they would also discuss relations between the two countries. /Turkiye/
YILMAZ: “EUROPE CANNOT LEAVE US OUT”
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz told a gathering of his party yesterday that under the present circumstances the Greek Cypriot administration being admitted to European Union had become inevitable, and that in such a case Turkey could not be excluded from the Union. Yilmaz said that Turkey had no alternative other than making the necessary arrangements and conforming with the EU’s Copenhagen criteria. He added that if Turkey could achieve this, the EU would set a schedule for it so that direct talks could begin for its full membership. /Cumhuriyet/
HIGHER BOARD OF ELECTIONS: “NOVEMBER ELECTIONS WOULD STRAIN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE LIMIT”
Tufan Algan, chairman of the Higher Elections Board, said yesterday that if Parliament convenes in September and decides to hold elections on Nov. 3, completing the necessary procedures for elections before that date would be next to impossible. Remarking on a date for elections, Algan told reporters that in order to revise the voters’ registration lists, at least three-and-a-half months were needed to prepare after the declaration of such a decision. Pointing to the cost of early elections, Algan said, “Elections would cost at least TL 45-50 trillion, but, we have no money in our budget to allocate.” He stated that if the goal is to hold elections in November, a decision should be made by July at the latest. “Next spring would be more appropriate for proper elections,” Algan added. /Turkiye/
DERVIS: “THERE IS NO PROBLEM, THE ECONOMIC PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE”
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis yesterday met with International Monetary Fund Executive Director for Europe Willy Kiekens and IMF Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen. After the meeting, Dervis said that the work on the economic program was proceeding smoothly and that the program would continue. Dervis also said that there was no problem regarding Turkey’s economic policy commitments to the IMF. Dervis called on everybody to be patient, because the work is going well. “Everyone is worried about the coming four to five months, and alternatives are being weighed at the moment, but we have promised that all the alternatives would involve continued implementation of the program,” Dervis added. Dervis also met with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to discuss recent development in the economy. /Hurriyet/
WOLFOWITZ SPEAKS ABOUT A STRIKE ON IRAQ
The US’ Bush administration told Ankara yesterday that it was determined to carry out a military attack on Iraq in any case, with or without Turkey’s active support. Yesterday the US delegation headed by Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz along with Deputy Secretary of State Marc Grossman and Commander in Chief of US European Forces Gen. Joseph Ralston held a series of meetings with Turkish Chief of General Staff Huseyin Kivrikoglu, Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. After the meetings, Wolfowitz told reporters that the US knew that Turkey had some very important and legitimate concerns about Iraq, adding that the Iraq issue was a very complex one to which there were no simple solutions. “I came here to learn Turkey’s views on Iraq,” he said. “We will assess and discuss this opinion when I get back to Washington.” Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit reiterated Turkey’s position that whatever the circumstances, it could not accept any compromise of Iraq’s territorial integrity, the establishment of a Kurdish state, or any harm coming to Iraq’s Turkmen population. Wolfowitz stated that the US administration recognized Turkey’s sensitivities on the issue and it would take them into consideration, but also that it was determined to strike at Iraq to bring down Saddam Hussein’s regime and there was no way it would alter its decision. /Cumhuriyet/
TOSKAY MEETS WITH IMF OFFICIALS
State Minister Tunca Toskay yesterday met with International Monetary Fund Executive Director for Europe Willy Kiekens and IMF Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen in order to discuss the effect of the current political atmosphere on Turkey’s economic program. After the meeting, Toskay told reporters that high interest rates had been hurting the economy. Toskay also said that the first five months’ indicators were better that anticipated and the IMF too accepts the government’s economic projections for the future. /Hurriyet/
TOBB CHAIRMAN: “TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP IS IMPORTANT FOR THE EU”
Speaking at a conference in Spain, Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said yesterday that Turkey’s full European Union membership was also important for the EU itself. “If Turkey obtains EU membership, then the EU markets would enjoy growth of 9%,” Hisarciklioglu added. Hisarciklioglu called on Spanish businessmen to support Turkey’s membership bid. The TOBB is visiting EU member Spain in order to get support for its membership efforts. /Hurriyet/
CILLER CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO RESIGN
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said yesterday that she welcomed the idea that early elections would be held on Nov. 3. Ciller called on the government to convene Parliament for an extraordinary meeting next Monday and said that if this doesn’t happen, then the DYP would agree with the date the government partners reach a consensus on. Following a DYP Chairmanship Council meeting, Ciller said that since the government’s number of seats in Parliament had fallen below 276, the government had effectively ended already. Stating that Parliament didn’t have the power to represent the nation anymore, Ciller added, “It is impossible for Parliament to work with such a government. We call on the government to resign.” Ciller suggested that after EU accession laws and revisions to the Elections and Political Parties Laws were enacted, then elections should be held. /Aksam/
AKP SECONDS CALL FOR EXTRAORDINARY SESSION ON MONDAY
Leaders of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) stated yesterday that the AKP would sign onto the True Path Party’s (DYP) proposal that Parliament should convene next Monday. AKP deputy leader Abdullah Gul said that the AKP’s idea had been to convene Parliament next Tuesday, but that it would support the AKP’s proposal so as not to exacerbate the current political chaos. Following his party’s chairmanship council meeting, Gul said, “The agenda should be focused on making a decision to hold early elections. After such a decision is reached, then the EU laws can be enacted by Parliament.” /Milliyet/
ERDOGAN: “I AM NO ISLAMIST”
In an interview with British daily the Financial Times yesterday, Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted that he was not an Islamist. “In my whole political career I never chose the label Islamist,” he said. “I'm only a Muslim, trying to do what the religion says.” The newspaper wrote that Erdogan was trying to win back the Turkish nation’s confidence and given that the Turkish Constitution draws a thick line between religion and state, it is “hardly surprising” that Erdogan, the popular ex-mayor of Istanbul, is at pains to make such a distinction. The newspaper added that Erdogan saw himself as the solution to the country's current political and economic turmoil. The actual performance of the AKP, a party still mistrusted by Turkey's secular political establishment, would depend on whether a new reformist movement could offer voters an appealing new alternative, the paper predicted. In the interview, Mr. Erdogan dismissed both his emerging political competition and suggestions that he may not be eligible to run in elections that could be held as early as this fall. /Milliyet/
OPPOSITION PARTIES WELCOME EARLY ELECTIONS
Parliament’s opposition parties reacted positively yesterday to coalition parties’ decision to hold early elections on Nov. 3. Evaluating the early election date, Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan said that it would be dangerous to topple the current coalition government before a new government is in the offing. “Turkey is at a critical stage and faces significant issues such as its European Union accession process and a possible operation against Iraq,” he said. Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Group Chairman Mehmet Sahin said that the party would also support a decision to hold early elections before Nov. 3. True Path Party (DYP) Group Chairman Turhan Guven said that the party had no issue with a November election. /Turkiye/
BAYKAL: “NOW PARLIAMENT SHOULD SET A DATE FOR EARLY ELECTIONS”
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that now that the coalition parties had decided on a date for early elections, Parliament should be convened to make this decision official. Baykal also stated that current political developments made early elections inevitable and added, “The opposition parties should also support this decision.” /Star/
WORLD BANK TO RELEASE EDUCATION LOAN TO TURKEY
The World Bank Executive Board yesterday approved the release of an educational loan totaling $300 million to Turkey as part of its second 2nd Adaptable Program Loan (APL II). The World Bank’s Turkey Representative stated that preschool education and special education were integral parts of basic education, and that they would be developed thanks to this loan. Implementation within the first basic education program will be expanded, and the government’s basic education program for this year through 2005 will also be supported, the WB added. /Aksam/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION