Ecevit: Postponement Of Elections Is Not Impossible, But It Is Extremely Difficult

ANKARA - Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit said on Thursday, ''postponement of the elections is not impossible, but is extremely difficult. The parliament can convene and take a decision to postpone the elections. However, it is very difficult to overcome the problems stemming from this postponement. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is also uneasy about recent developments. As you know, the President has some authorities.''
Speaking at a program on the private NTV channel, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''it is clear that some circles want the general elections to be postponed to a further date. DSP was the only political party opposing the early elections at the beginning. Even some small political parties were in favor of the early elections. Now, the situation is quite complicated. DSP is the only political party that can overcome this situation.''
Responding a question, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''postponement of the elections is not impossible, but is extremely difficult. The parliament can convene and take a decision to postpone the elections. However, it is very difficult to overcome the problems stemming from this postponement. Such a development will cause lack of government for a while. Our economy will experience another negative process. Recent statements of State Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz have affected the economy. Stock exchange has begun to decrease, and interest rates have begun to increase. Our economy has been in a distressing atmosphere.''
''Are you going to ask President Sezer to prevent efforts to postpone elections during your meeting with him?'', Ecevit was asked.
''It's obvious that Sezer is also not happy about these developments. The president of course has a significant level of authority. Today's meeting will be important to learn his leanings,'' Ecevit said.
When asked who Sezer should appoint to set up a government if the current government falls and elections are postponed, Ecevit said ''There are certain options offered by the Constitution. It wouldn't be right to point to any one of those options since it would look like I'm trying to influence him. But the president has important authority.''
Commenting on the words of Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal who said that people will have to make a choice between the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the CHP, Ecevit said, ''Both parties have similar expectations but many things could change until elections. I believe that people will soon realize that it would be extremely risky if any one of these parties come to power on its own. Public opinion already started to change. Our people will soon make a new assessment.''
''I personally think that the single government of the AKP could have grave consequences,'' Ecevit continued. ''This could of course be prevented in a democratic manner. I have some serious concerns for the period after the elections.''
Answering a question about AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ecevit said ''From the very beginning, I always believed that political parties should not be shut down so easily. Some constitutional changes were recently made regarding this issue and it has become more difficult to close down political parties. I don't know what would happen if Erdogan's becoming a deputy is blocked by judicial decisions but I think his party would continue to exist.''

ECEVIT: MOST OF OUR PEOPLE WANT TO BECOME A FULL MEMBER OF EU

ANKARA - Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit said on Thursday, ''most of our people want to become a full member of the European Union (EU). According to my point of view, concerns put forward by State Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz are quite exaggerated.''
Speaking at a program on the private NTV channel, Prime Minister Ecevit said about DSP's list of candidates, ''we have given place our current candidates on top of the list. Therefore, Zekeriya Temizel, former finance minister, was ranked fifth among DSP's candidates in Istanbul. He is a distinguished politician. I believe that we would make a fruitful cooperation with him. I called him on the phone, and explained my views. He told me that he would maintain his duty. I was pleased with his words.''
Responding a question about DSP's strategy for the general elections, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''we will give priority to relations with the EU. Also, we will fork to maintain these relations in an atmosphere of mutual confidence.''
''We are determined to revive the economy. We have already taken serious steps during the 57th government's term in office to this end. DSP will do its utmost to improve and strengthen the economy within the framework of the social justice. I have always stressed that development of our villagers was of vital importance for Turkey. We will attribute great importance to development of villagers. Our village-city project is a sign of our target. I have given priority to this project in our election campaign. We plan to pay visits to these village-cities. We will attribute great importance to development of rural areas,'' he said.
Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''there has been an unfair distribution of income in Turkey for years. We have begun to take some steps to remove this unfairness. Also, our work has been continuing to prevent corruption and to improve Turkey's human rights records.''
Responding another question, Prime Minister Ecevit noted, ''I plan to leave DSP's leadership in a proper atmosphere. However, DSP should maintain the democratic leftist philosophy. I do not want to offend our friends who formed the New Turkey Party (YTP), but I rely on DSP to this end.''
''We have carried out extraordinarily successful work with new members of the Council of Ministers. This also increased my confidence in DSP. I would be pleased with concentrating in my own interests soon,'' he said.
When asked if he was considering to leave his party after Turkey passes this difficult time, Ecevit said, ''I can hand over the DSP leadership to one of my friends but I cannot pronounce a date at the moment.''
Ecevit said that he strongly trusted the new members of the Council of Ministers for Turkey's future, adding that his colleagues within the party group have been very consistent and they didn't become tools in the ''ugly game'' played against the DSP for months.
''Due to Dervis's efforts, our party was split up, but nothing changed in the DSP organization,'' he said. He also indicated that he had nobody in mind at the moment to replace him as the DSP chairman.
Regarding the Iraqi issue, Ecevit said, ''It isn't yet certain what the U.S. administration will do regarding Iraq. There could be conflicting views within the same administration. There are officials who support an operation against Iraq and there are those who oppose it. The Bush administration couldn't reach a decision yet. But this possibility is hanging over us like the sword of Damocles. Turkey is one of the countries which will be affected most by a military operation against Iraq. Therefore, we're concerned about the uncertainty of the U.S. policy and the conditions in Iraq.''
''Kurdish leaders in Northern Iraq, especially Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party (IKDP) leader Massoud Barzani, are acting like the United States would never leave them alone. This is a very inappropriate attitude which would hurt our relations and also hurt the Turkmens living in Northern Iraq. We cannot except this. The reality is that the Kurdish groups there were able to survive only with the help of Turkey and develop their economies. We tell them that we would not allow them play games against Turkey.''
When asked when the U.S. would give a decision about a possible operation against Iraq, Ecevit said that ''I will be at ease if I know, but I am not in a position to say anything. The U.S. wants to get the support of western countries, but it can't find much support. This indefiniteness can continue for another period of time. I hope the U.S. does not launch an operation.''
When asked if the U.S. demanded soldiers from Turkey, Ecevit said ''no.''
Upon another question about the EU Copenhagen summit and if Turkey would benefit well from this period until the summit regarding the EU membership process, Ecevit said that the process can't be benefited well.
''We must explain this to our European friends: Turkey goes through a democratic election process and there can be certain negative stance of one coalition party about EU issue. EU should not be pessimistic about the future of Turkey by depending on this only. The thing that matters is that majority of the Turkish people support EU membership. EU should not be worried in that respect,'' Ecevit said.
The prime minister continued his words saying that ''the concerns of Mr. Yýlmaz are exaggerated. MHP submitted a very strange motion to the Constitutional Court, this is true, but I believe that the Court will seriously take up this issue. I don't have any serious concern about Turkey's future regarding the EU.''
When reminded about the statement of MHP leader and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli who asked if there was any bargaining about Cyprus in the EU membership process, Ecevit said that ''Mr. Bahceli's having concern as if Turkey would give certain concessions from TRNC, is unrealistic and detrimental. We are in the same government. Our friends from MHP have never voiced such a concern in the cabinet before.''
''Nobody should believe in the possibility that Turkey will end up with no solutions in case of a danger on Turkish Cypriots. On the contrary, even if it is not clearly voiced, it is accepted that there are two sovereign, separate states and nations in Cyprus. I don't think that the Cyprus issue will constitute a serious problem in respect of relations with EU. This is not related with the Denmark criteria. Cyprus issue does not concern any country other than Greece, Turkish and Greek Cypriots, Turkey and Britain to a certain extent. There is peace and democracy in TRNC. The economy of Turkish Cypriots progresses significantly. I would like to state that our MHP friends' giving an impression as if we leave Turkish Cypriots is very harmful,'' Ecevit said.
Upon a question about the wages of civil servants, Ecevit said that he was hopeful and that the leaders summit would be held soon and concerned ministers would attend the meeting.
When reminded about the statement of Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yýlmaz who said that the election can be postponed to Dec. 15, Prime Minister Ecevit said that ''I heard it now. I have to examine his statement and know exactly what Yýlmaz said.''