Yilmaz: Only Ecevit's Resignation Might Prevent Early Elections On Nov. 3

ANKARA (A.A) - 28.07.2002 - Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz has said that he expected Parliament to decide to hold early elections on Nov. 3 and only Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's resignation might prevent this from happening.
Speaking to CNN Turk on Sunday, Yilmaz said that anyone who is telling people that December was not the last opportunity for Turkey to join the EU and that Turkey could join the EU at a later date, was simply deceiving people.
Yilmaz stated that the bill he presented to Parliament was not only prepared by his party but it was prepared by the EU General Secretariat with the help of other related institutions and organizations. Yilmaz said last week he presented the bill to party leaders and asked for their support. He explained that the bill would be first sent to commissions and then sent back to the Parliament General Council.
''I'm expecting Parliament to decide on Nov 3 for elections. All parties expect for Ecevit and the Democratic Left Party (DSP) said they supported this date. The only thing that could block the elections is Ecevit's resignation. Under the current bylaw, no bill can be discussed when the Council of Ministers resigns,'' he said adding that he didn't know if Ecevit had such intention.
Yilmaz indicated that the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) supported only some of the articles in the bill and therefore they asked him to split the bill into two so they can support one of the bills. The New Turkey Party (YTP) also had the same suggestion and proposed to pass one of the bills with a lot of support. Yilmaz said he would discuss this possibility with his colleagues tomorrow.
''Before the Copenhagen Summit, Turkey must display a very strong will and it shouldn't be excluded from the EU expansion,'' he said. ''Turkey's EU membership depends on abolishing death penalty and making some cultural reforms. Therefore I don't like the idea of passing one of the packages and leaving the other to uncertainty. December is very important for Turkey and Turkey must definitely get an answer in this month.''
Mesut Yilmaz said upon a question about EU membership of Turkey that ''the EU membership is not only my issue, or my party. It is the issue of Turkey. Those who criticize us for focusing too much on the issue have to claim ownership on the issue as much as we do. It is not possible to attribute the EU issue to any party. I proposed the other parties to submit the EU adjustment laws to the parliament together.''
''On the other hand those who say that the EU membership can take place in the future and that Copenhagen summit in December was not a missing opportunity, deceive the people,'' Yilmaz said.
''Unfortunately we could not reach an agreement on this issue with State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel from the beginning. He has the obsession of considering the EU issue together with Cyprus issue. He has the concern that certain progress to be recorded in EU issue can result in certain consequences which can be detrimental to Turkish Cypriots. He has the concern that EU will ask for certain political concessions from Turkey regarding the Cyprus issue. In my opinion the attitude Turkey has to assume in this issue is very clear. Turkey pursues a very resolved attitude since Helsinki summit. There is no direct relation between Cyprus issue and the EU membership of Turkey,'' Yilmaz said.
Noting that EU membership is a natural extension of the westernization effort Turkey pursued for 200 years, Yilmaz said that Turkey recorded important steps to this end in the 200 years.
''Now we are at the stage of a period which will be the final step of integrating with the west. This is EU membership. Turkey's EU membership is the concrete target of the westernization efforts carried out by Turkey for 200 years,'' Yilmaz said.
Yilmaz noted that the majority of the society has the will to take this step, adding ''there are certain circles which are concerned about the consequences of taking this step. We can't ignore them, we must take measures if there are any, to overcome these concerns. I also respect people who express their concerns about EU membership. But this should not impede the historic journey of Turkey.''
Yilmaz stressed that Turkey has to take the steps that are necessary for EU membership until December.
YILMAZ: IF THIS GOVERNMENT STAYS IN POWER UNTIL 2004, IT WILL TURN INTO A BURDEN FOR TURKEY
''The mission of government is not to be a burden for the country, it is to lessen the burdens of a country,'' told Yilmaz in a private tv channel CNN Turk.
''Will you re-assess your position in the government if no steps are taken about EU membership?,'' asked journalists to Yilmaz who said that ''there is no situation that necessitates us to re-assess our position in the government. If elections are held on Nov. 3, this government will turn into an election government and its most important mission will be to carry the country to elections. Then there is no need for us to withdraw from the government. If the parliament does not take a decision to hold early elections, and it does not also adopt EU laws and if the government wants to stay in power, then it is not possible to continue with this government.''
Yilmaz stressed that a state which does not respect the different mother tongues of its people can't be considered as European and it can't sit at negotiation table with the EU.
''There are different views within the circles who don't have much contacts with the EU circles about this issue. They think that if Turkey reacts harshly to certain EU demands and if it carries out a good diplomacy, Turkey can sit at negotiation table with the EU with its deficiences. No, Turkey can't do that. EU regards special importance to cultural rights and these have been adopted as a principle in Copenhagen. It has always been voiced in relations with Turkey. Look, I don't say the same thing for Cyprus. Cyprus in an international issue. Turkey is one of the concerned countries. Turkey is expected to contribute to the solution of the problem. But the other issue is Turkey's own matter. Turkey is expected to solve it. After solving it, Turkey can sit at the negotiation table with the EU,'' Yilmaz said.
Yilmaz noted that many scenarios were created in Turkey everyday, adding that ANAP was not involved in any of them.
''Secondly, the biggest party of the coalition is split into two. The situation was very different at the second meeting. At the first meeting we had a majority in Parliament. The three parties agreed that we should have the time to see the fruits of our efforts. But in the second meeting, the MHP withdrew its approval in the agreement and the DSP's dropped by half. Under these circumstances, the government would become a burden on Turkey if it tries to last until April 2004. The governments' duty is to lift the burden on people, not to be burden on them.''
Answering a question on Ecevit's possible resignation, Yilmaz said he wouldn't support anything that would bring uncertainty to Turkey adding that Turkey would enter another period of uncertainty if Ecevit resigns.
Under the constitution, Yilmaz explained that a new government has to be formed if Ecevit resigns. ''We don't know how long this would last,'' he said. ''There's one thing we know. The EU regulations, which is our priority, won't be completed. This means that Turkey will miss a very important opportunity at the Copenhagen Summit. But the prime minister's resignation might also have a reverse effect if we form a government which has the political will to pass these reforms.''
Yilmaz indicated that Nov. 3 was the most reasonable date among other alternatives for early elections. ''December is a risky month to hold elections because of a possible U.S. operation against Iraq. February is also not a good time of the year because of winter. Therefore March or April of next year are other alternatives after Nov. 3,'' he commented. He also strssed that it was not possible to have the elections before Nov. 3.
When asked if he preferred November or April to hold elections, Yilmaz said ''Personnaly, I would prefer November. The winter months will be a difficult period in terms of Turkey's EU relations, a possible U.S. operation against Iraq and economic conditions. Turkey should have a government with a strong support in these months.''
''Theorically, another government combination could come out from Parliament,'' he said. ''It has to be a government which has agreement on the priorities of the economic program. I don't think that there are any disagreements about Turkey's Iraq or Cyprus policy that could prevent the formation of a government. We also have to agree on the EU regulations we need to pass.''
''Some 30-40 percent of people are hesitant. They don't know which party they should vote for. Holding early elections on Nov. 3 wouldn't be in favour of the coalition parties because we implemented a very difficult program which required great sacrifices from people. First we wanted to have elections on April 2004 because we wanted people to see the fruits of these sacrifices but the developments didn't let that happen.''
''We should explain to people that they should listen to their minds not to be carried away with their emotions during the elections,'' he concluded.