ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Sunday that they expected parliamentarians to protect respectability of the parliament when he commented on discussions on postponement of the general elections.
Sezer made a press statement before he left for South Africa to attend World Summit on Sustainable Development.
President Sezer said that the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which would take place in Johannesburg ten years after United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio in 1992, was a good opportunity to evaluate implementation of ''Agenda 21'' and international conventions signed on sustainable development.
Sezer noted, ''although significant development is recorded in sustainable development for the last ten years, there have not been any progress in some fields. Johannesburg Summit aims to protect momentum gained in Rio in international level and harmonize regional and national efforts. An action plan which stresses sustainable economic and social development and environment and which defines activities to be carried out by all parts of the society, and a political declaration ensuring implementation of this plan are foreseen to be adopted in Johannesburg.''
''A series of meetings aiming at making our relevant institutions share resolutions of Rio Conference and at implementing 'Agenda 21' have been held by relevant institutions of Turkey. Rio resolutions have been reflected to Five-Year Development Plans and Turkey's environmental agenda was adjusted with these tendencies. We have evaluated activities carried out with a sustainable development understanding in the last ten years with the contributions and participation of all relevant groups during the preparatory process of the Johannesburg conference,'' Sezer said.
Results of those evaluations, which were fulfilled with the understanding of partnership, have been revealed with a national report.
Sezer said contends of the national report were determined in a way that it will fit with the issues that will be discussed at the summit and by taking into consideration the priorities of the country.
He said the report was comprised of the sections such us; better government in the axis of sustainable development, poverty eradication, business world and industry, information and communication, conservation on biological diversity, and climate change. The situation in our country on those areas was reflected with a broad point of view, and proposals toward future also took place.
President Sezer said he hoped to hold bilateral meetings with the head of states of some countries in Johannesburg, ''I hope that this summit will yield in results that will shed light to our workings toward future regarding protection of environment and to set up connection between economic and social development.''
When journalists asked whether or not he has concerns that the atmosphere which will appear following the elections will damage the regime, Sezer said, ''I don't think so. I believe that our people will cast their votes with common sense.''