SEZER, ECEVIT SEND MESSAGES OF SYMPATHY TO THE US
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday sent United States President George W. Bush messages of sympathy in commemoration of the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in northern Virginia, near Washington, DC. Stressing that terrorism could only be eliminated through international cooperation, Sezer stated that the Turkish nation shared the pain of the American people. The message sent by Ecevit underlined Turkey’s determination to do everything within its power to eliminate terrorism worldwide. /Cumhuriyet/
GUREL IN NEW YORK FOR UN MEETING, SEPT. 11 COMMEMORATION
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel arrived in New York yesterday to attend the 57th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The session, which began Tuesday under tight security, will be highlighted by a Thursday address by US President George Bush on the Iraq issue, and is expected to see much debate on the developing situation there. While in New York, Gurel is set today to attend a commemoration ceremony held at “Ground Zero,” the scene of last Sept. 11’s devastating attacks on the World Trade Center. He is later expected to meet with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, whose capital Turkey is currently protecting through its command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Before returning to Turkey, Gurel is also scheduled attend upcoming meeting of the European Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and the Arab League. /Hurriyet/
YILMAZ: “A NEW GOVERNMENT IS NEEDED”
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that a new broad-based government excluding the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) was needed for Turkey to progress on its road towards European Union membership. Regarding the MHP’s appeal to the Constitutional Court yesterday to annul four key articles of the EU harmonization laws package, Yilmaz said that the issue was directly related to Turkey’s future and that ANAP would not participate in a government which includes elements trying to block Turkey’s future. Speaking to journalists after a ceremony held to induct new members into ANAP, Yilmaz said, “The remarks that MHP leader Devlet Bahceli made yesterday do not fit with his earlier commitments.” Governments have no right or authority to fail to carry out the laws, stated Yilmaz, adding that ANAP would not take the responsibility for blocking Turkey’s EU membership by being partner to such a government. In addition, addressing reporters following ANAP’s Executive Board meeting last night, Yilmaz expressed his concerns over Turkey’s 40-year efforts to become an EU member. Stressing that his party insisted that elections be held on Nov. 3, Yilmaz remarked that there were two options: the withdrawal of the MHP from the coalition government, or the government being brought down by a censure motion followed by the formation of a new broad-based election government. He said that he was in favor of the MHP’s withdrawing from the government in favor of some other party which favors EU membership. Underlining that without establishing a new government model, the current government would not be brought down, Yilmaz added that his party would declare its final decision on the matter today after a meeting of his party’s executive staff. /Turkiye/
ECEVIT: “THE DSP WILL NOT WITHDRAW FROM THE GOVERNMENT”
Addressing a crisis growing out of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP)’s appeal to the Constitutional Court to annul certain articles in the EU harmonization laws, Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit yesterday declared that the DSP would not withdraw from the government. Following a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz, who yesterday called for the government to dissolve due to the MHP’s action, Ecevit held a meeting with his party’s staff. Speaking to reporters, the prime minister stated, “In saying that the government can no longer serve, ANAP leader Yilmaz made too much of the MHP’s appeal to the Constitutional Court. The DSP, howoever, is not in favor of withdrawal from the government.” Turkey is going through a very sensitive period and it would not be proper to end the government at this time, said Ecevit, adding that he could not take the responsibility for creating a government crisis just one-and-a-half months before scheduled early elections. “We will remain on duty unless a censure motion is passed,” he added. /Turkiye/
YAHNICI: “ANAP IS GAMBLING”
Responding to Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz’s statement that the current coalition government was no longer able to serve, Nationalist Action Party (MHP) Deputy Chairman Sevket Bulent Yahnici said yesterday, “Yilmaz is gambling. No one has the right to play with Turkey’s future and destiny.” Stressing that MHP’s Constitutional Court appeal which inspired Yilmaz’s remarks had not been a surprise, Yahnici said that MHP leader Devlet Bahceli had pledged to appeal the laws even before they were actually passed. “From the beginning certain circles have been trying to postpone the elections, and they are still looking for pretexts for that,” Yahnici charged. /Turkiye/
CEM: “IT WOULD BE IMPROPER TO HOLD ELECTIONS UNDER THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT”
Appearing on both CNN Turk and NTV yesterday, New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem said that it would be improper for Turkey to enter elections under the current government. “The current coalition government is disadvantageous for Turkey in general as well as the November elections and Turkey’s European Union membership bid,” said Cem. “The YTP will support a possible censure motion to bring down the government because it would not be in Turkey’s best interests to hold the elections under this government.” Cem added that a possible United States operation in Iraq would cause a postponement of November’s elections. “Turkey should be ready for a possible operation,” he stated. He added, however, that he had no wish to see the elections postponed. /Milliyet/
BAHCELI: “TURKEY WILL HOLD ELECTIONS UNDER ECEVIT’S GOVERNMENT”
Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli yesterday said that Turkey would hold elections scheduled for November under the current government headed by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. Bahceli, whose MHP is a partner in the three-party coalition government, applauded Ecevit’s determination in rejecting calls by Mesut Yilmaz, leader of the third coalition partner the Motherland Party (ANAP), for him to step down from his post as prime minister. “We will continue our way with Ecevit till November and also enter elections under the current government,” he added. /Milliyet/
ANNAN HOPEFUL THAT CYPRUS SETTLEMENT MAY BE REACHED BY YEAR’S END
Following his meeting with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides in Paris last Friday, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan told reporters in New York yesterday that the Turkish and Greek Cypriots may be able to reach a settlement in Cyprus by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Greek Cypriot administration spokesman Mihalis Papapetru stated yesterday that the differences between the two sides on the island had grown fewer in recent days. /Cumhuriyet/
BLAIR: “HARMONISATION LAWS ARE A GREAT STEP FORWARD FOR TURKEY”
British Prime Minister Tony Blair stated in a letter sent this week to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit that he welcomed the adoption of the European Union harmonization law package in Turkey. In his letter to Ecevit, Blair said that the reforms passed this summer would both work to the benefit of Turkish citizens and help Turkey’s EU membership bid. He also reiterated Britain’s determination to provide all the necessary political support for the realization of Turkey’s membership in the EU. /Cumhuriyet/
VERHEUGEN: “NOVEMBER’S ELECTIONS SHOULD PRODUCE A STABLE GOVERNMENT”
Speaking at the European Parliament Foreign Commission yesterday, European Union Commissioner Responsible for Enlargement Gunter Verheugen stated that the EU wants a stable government to emerge from elections scheduled to be held in Turkey on Nov. 3. “This would be what Turkey deserves,” added Verheugen. He also said that Turkey had recently taken important steps and realized important reforms in its EU membership bid. /Hurriyet/
BARZANI: “THE IKDP FAVORS IRAQ’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY”
Iraqi Kurdish Democrat Party (IKDP) leader Massoud Barzani yesterday stated that the IKDP advocated Iraq’s territorial integrity, stressing that he stood ready to cooperate with the Turkish government in order to ensure Turkey’s national security. According to diplomatic sources, the Iraqi opposition leader is currently trying to smooth over relations with Turkey in the wake of his controversial comments that the IKDP would “bury” Turkish forces should they enter northern Iraq, comments which drew quick fire from Ankara. Arguing that recent media reports had distorted the IKDP’s true views on northern Iraq, Barzani said, “The IKDP supports the establishment of a plural, parliamentarian and democratic administrative structure representing all Iraqi people without any discrimination.” Meanwhile, Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) leader Jalal Talabani yesterday remarked that recent crisis between Turkey and Barzani had not been a serious one, underlining that the Turkish government was striving to establish close relations with both Barzani and the Iraqi Kurdish people. Longtime rivals Barzani and Talabani signed a pact between their two parties earlier this week. /Cumhuriyet/
TWO DEPUTIES JOIN ANAP, STATE MINISTER STEPS DOWN
Rasim Zaimoglu and Ali Tekin, two deputies who recently left the True Path Party (DYP) and the New Turkey Party (YTP) respectively, joined the ranks of the Motherland Party (ANAP) in a ceremony yesterday. In addition, State Minister Edip Safter Gaydali resigned from both ANAP and his government post. Speaking after his resignation, Gaydali stated that he would stay an independent. /Star/
ISTANBUL TO HOST WOMAN LEADERS’ MEETING NEXT SPRING
The second conference of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWSA) is scheduled to be held in Istanbul next spring. Many prominent figures are expected to attend the wide-ranging meeting, including US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Butto, and Sonia Gandhi, leader of the Indian National Congress Party. IWSA President Umran Baradan told a press conference in Dubai yesterday that the conference would be primarily aimed at reinforcing the cooperative bonds between women’s groups and associations. /Cumhuriyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION