BAHCELI: “IF ELECTIONS ARE NOT HELD, WE WILL WITHDRAW FROM THE GOVERNMENT”
At a press conference in Parliament yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said that his party would withdraw from the coalition government if elections were not held on Nov. 3. Recalling the coalition government leaders’ agreement at a summit in July concerning early elections, Bahceli said, “Despite this agreement, our other coalition partners, the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP), have since been taken a different stance on the topic.” Bahceli claimed that the DSP wanted elections to be postponed, while ANAP was in favor of debating the European Union harmonization laws first rather than elections. Warning his coalition partners that the country might face a crisis if the current uncertainty continues, Bahceli said, “If a date for elections is postponed until after Nov. 3 or new conditions emerge which make it impossible to hold elections on this date, the MHP will not continue to serve in the current government. Establishment of a new government to hold elections will be inevitable.” /All Papers/
PARLIAMENT SESSION CUT SHORT, NEW DATE SOUGHT
Parliament convened yesterday for an extraordinary session upon a proposal given by the True Path Party (DYP) and the Justice and Development Party (AKP). However, Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi ended the session with no business having been done as a quorum of 184 deputies was not present, but said Parliament would reconvene on Sept. 1. Meanwhile, the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) declared its intention to call Parliament for a session on July 29 to make a decision on elections to be held on Nov. 3. The True Path Party (DYP), the Justice and Development Party (AKP), and the Felicity Party (SP) are expected to support that call. /Aksam/
DSP: “WE ARE READY FOR ELECTIONS”
Following Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli’s statement yesterday that if elections are not held on Nov. 3, his party will withdraw from the coalition government, Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit gathered with the DSP Cabinet ministers to discuss the developing situation. After the meeting, State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel told reporters that the DSP was ready for elections in any case. Meanwhile, Ecevit is expected to meet with True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller today. /Aksam/
MGK TO CONVENE THURSDAY
The National Security Council (MGK) is scheduled to meet this Thursday under the chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, and with the participation of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. The Iraq issue will reportedly be at the top of the agenda during the MGK’s meeting. The council will discuss US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz’s contacts during his visit to Ankara last week and review Turkey’s Iraq policy as well as its strategy in case of possible US attack on Iraq. The council will also assess recent political developments in northern Iraq regarding the formation of a possible Kurdish state, the activities of the terrorist organization KADEK and the future of the Turkmen population living in the region. /Cumhuriyet/
NEW TURKEY HOLDS FIRST MEETING
Members of the new political formation led by former Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and former Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan yesterday became a political party under the name the New Turkey (Yeni Turkiye), or YT. The founders of the new party elected Cem as their founding chairman. Speaking at the party’s inaugural parliamentary group meeting, Cem said that the YT was ready for early elections and that it was also ready to fulfill its responsibility to pass laws crucial for Turkey’s membership to the European Union. Cem also said that the YT’s support for EU reforms would be unconditional. “What we have done in the past is the guarantee of our future performance,” Cem added. /Hurriyet/
CILLER: “ALL PARTIES SHOULD SUPPORT TWO-ROUND ELECTIONS”
At a meeting yesterday of her party’s parliamentary deputies, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said that her two-round elections proposal should get broad support. Touching on Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s charges that the People’s Democratic Party (HADEP) and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) constitute threats for Turkey, she stated, “All the political parties which shun HADEP and the AKP should support the two-round elections proposal.” She added, “If they fail to support this proposal, it means that they fear the nation’s decision.” Ciller also said that she would visit political party leaders for a fourth time to discuss such issues as the Elections and Political Parties Law. She is to meet with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit today. /Sabah/
EU LEADERS: “WE HOPE AND EXPECT TURKEY WILL MOVE CLOSER TO THE UNION”
Even as recent domestic political developments have caused relations between Turkey and the European Union to be temporarily suspended in practice, the European Union continues to issue encouraging messages. During its General Work Council convened yesterday under the chairmanship of current EU Term President Denmark, political developments in Turkey were among the important issues on the agenda. Speaking at the meeting’s morning session, Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller said that in spite of the political uncertainty, he wanted Turkey to move closer to the EU. Meanwhile, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said that Turkey should continue to implement its reforms. He added that a more effective formula focused on the EU membership target should be found in Turkey. In addition, EU Commission head Romano Prodi stated that the EU was waiting for Turkey to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria, adding that he wanted to visit Turkey in the near future. /Milliyet/
ECHR RULES IN TURKEY’S FAVOR IN ARMY CASE
The European Court of Human Rights yesterday dismissed a complaint filed by 13 former Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) officers alleging religious discrimination on the TSK’s part. The officers and noncommissioned officers were discharged by the Supreme Military Council in 1995-97 for supporting fundamentalist activities incompatible with their military duties. The complainants -- five from the Nakshibendi religious faction, three Fethullah supporters, and five supporters of other fundamentalist groups -- claimed that Turkey had violated the European Convention of Human Rights’ guarantee of freedom of faith, but the court rejected these arguments. “Officers and noncommissioned officers in Turkey can carry out their religious duties within the framework of their military tasks and responsibilities,” said the ECHR’s decision. “Just as in every country, the armed forces in Turkey perform their activities within a certain discipline. Those who enter the armed forces are responsible to stay in compliance with this discipline.” /Milliyet/
KAHKONEN: “DESPITE POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY, THE ECONOMY IS GOING WELL”
At a joint press conference yesterday with IMF Turkey representative Odd Per Brekk, International Monetary Fund Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen said that the nation’s recent political uncertainty had negatively affected Turkey’s financial indicators but that nevertheless the economic program was continuing to go well. Kahkonen also that if everything goes as expected at the IMF Executive Board meeting in August, a $1.1 billion loan tranche would be released to Turkey. /Hurriyet/
VERHEUGEN DOUBTFUL OVER TURKEY’S RESOLVE FOR EU REFORMS
Speaking at the European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels yesterday, European Union Commissioner Responsible for Enlargement Gunther Verheugen said that he had serious doubts about the current Turkish government implementing needed EU reforms. “There is political and economic uncertainty in Turkey, and a date for the early elections is not even clear,” he said. EU Term President Denmark’s Foreign Minister Per Steg Moller stated that it was very important for the EU that Turkey implement the EU reforms and make progress for its membership bid. Verheugen also said that a government formed after early elections this November, just before December’s EU Copenhagen summit, would not have enough time to enact the required legislation for EU membership. Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou and Austrian Foreign Minister Waldner Ferrero echoed Verheugen’s remarks. /Sabah/
PRELIMINARY STEPS UNDERWAY ON TURKEY-GREECE GAS PIPELINE
Preliminary engineering studies are currently underway on a planned natural gas pipeline which will link Turkey to Greece. Through the pipeline bridge between the two nations, natural gas extracted from the Caspian Basin, Russia and the Middle East is going to be pumped first from Turkey to Greece and than from Greece to other countries in Europe. The pipeline construction is scheduled to begin next year and to be finished in 2005. /Cumhuriyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION