MILLIYET- Columnist Derya Sazak comments on the latest international and domestic developments affecting Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:
Under the shadow of a possible operation against Iraq by the United States, Parliament has decided to hold elections on Nov. 3. Ankara saw intensive diplomacy traffic yesterday. When Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to the Presidential Palace together with Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel and Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu was added to US Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson's visit to the Foreign Ministry, the lobbying didn't end until the morning and the capital was awash in rumors. Some claimed that US President George W. Bush had stated in a letter his determination to overthrow Saddam Hussein and requested Turkey's permission to locate bases and land forces within Turkey for a possible operation against Iraq. The silence of military sources, the Foreign Ministry and the Prime Ministry left the door open for all kinds of speculations, including the postponement of early elections. At the same time, Washington kept quiet. Spokesmen for both the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the US State Department yesterday denied reports that the US was preparing for an operation against Iraq and that permission was being requested from Turkey for this purpose. Meanwhile, early elections were on Parliament's agenda. Suddenly the focus of the rumors shifted: If the US carries out an operation against Iraq this fall, the government might convene Parliament again in order to postpone elections due to a state of war under Article 78 of the Constitution. However, a scenario under which Gen. Kivrikoglu's term of duty would be extended on the grounds of war came to an end yesterday when Gen. Hilmi Ozkok was appointed as Chief of the General Staff. Now let's talk about the situation of State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis. When the Cem-Dervis couple was incapable of garnering the desired power against the rise of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), attention was directed to the Republican People's Party (CHP). During our conversation with CHP leader Deniz Baykal yesterday, he said that the CHP was the only alternative against the AKP. Baykal is reacting against the opinion that 'if a union cannot be ensured among the leaders and their parties announcing the same aims, the AKP will come to power alone. In order to prevent this, the leaders should leave the chair to Dervis.' Against these opinions, Baykal says, 'We cannot design policies in order to ensure some circles' psychological comfort. If New Turkey Party (YTP) wants to, it can terminate itself, it's none of our business. The CHP is taking its power from the nation. Clearly the AKP would be the top party on the right and thus CHP would be the top party on the left. Cem wasn't supported. So Dervis' place is in the CHP.' Baykal also brought up a poll asking if Dervis should enter the YT or the CHP, to which 62% of respondents replied that they favored Dervis' joining the CHP. Baykal also said that with or without Dervis, the CHP would continue its path, adding that he thinks that the YT will be unable to pass the representation threshold in the elections. There are also some concerns about this issue in the YTP, too.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION