GUREL: “THE LEGITIMACY OF ANY IRAQ OPERATION IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE”
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel yesterday arrived in London as a part of a round of visits to European Union member capitals. Appearing on the BBC program Newsnight, Gurel remarked that since the United Nations Security Council was a key source of legitimacy in dealing with weighty international disputes, the US and Britain should ensure the council’s full support before launching any military strike against Saddam. He also stated that Britain’s just-released dossier on Iraq displayed how much its government was committed to the principle of transparency. “This is a very important step,” said Gurel. “However, we can’t say that the dossier disclosed totally new information that we hadn’t seen before. Turkey believes that efforts aimed at finding a political solution to the problem should continue with great determination.” In the evening, Gurel also met with his British counterpart Jack Straw and Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs Peter Hain. /Cumhuriyet/
IZGI REJECTS DISGRUNTLED DEPUTIES’ BID
Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi yesterday rejected a request by a group of deputies to convene Parliament for a special session to vote on whether to delay elections. On Monday evening, some 121 disgruntled deputies, mostly from the New Turkey Party (YTP), the Felicity Party, the True Path Party (DYP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP), submitted a proposal to the Parliament Speaker’s Office requesting a special parliamentary session. As the petition was not submitted during Parliament’s working hours, Izgi put the petition into process yesterday. At a press conference yesterday, he said that under Parliament’s bylaws he had one week to consider the motion. “Parliament will reconvene from summer recess at the end of this one-week period anyway, and I decided not to put the motion into process as I saw no possible benefit,” said Izgi. The Parliament speaker stated however, that the deputies could bring a motion to delay the polls after Oct. 1, when Parliament reconvenes from its summer recess. Stressing that an opening ceremony would be held on Oct. 1, Izgi said that Parliament would resume its sessions unless the deputies decided to recess until the elections. /All Papers/
WARSAW HOSTS NATO DEFENSE MINISTERS’ MEETING
Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu has travelled to Poland to attend the NATO defense ministers’ fall meeting, which began yesterday in the Polish capital of Warsaw. In his opening speech, NATO Secretary-General George Robertson stated that the organization had to be more effective in countering the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, adding that in order to so, the organization had to adapt to the current international situation. Donald Rumsfeld, the United States defense secretary, proposed that the alliance create a 20,000-strong rapid-reaction force ready to be deployed to any part of the world during times of crisis. Meanwhile, the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) declared yesterday that four new rapid-reaction headquarters were now operational and that one of these was located in Istanbul. /Cumhuriyet/
ABIYEV: “TURKEY’S MILITARY SUPPORT WILL CONTINUE”
Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev on Monday received a Turkish General Staff delegation led by Lt. Gen. Saffet Kaya, head of logistics for the Army’s Chief of Staff. Speaking after the meeting, Abiyev stressed the importance of cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Abiyev said that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) had given generous support to the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and that such support would also continue this year. In addition, a protocol was signed between Turkey and Azerbaijan concerning technical equipment and related matters. /Star/
IRAQI OPPOSITION GROUPS TO MEET IN TURKEY
Representatives of Iraqi opposition groups are to hold a meeting in Nevsehir, a Central Anatolian province, on Friday to discuss the future of Iraq in a possible post-Saddam period. Among the issues to be debated at the conference entitled “Iraq and Democracy” are Iraq’s various ethnic groups, US policy on Iraq and restructuring Iraq’s social fabric. Diplomatic sources see this meeting as a platform for scholars and politicians to exchange views on a number of significant issues. /Cumhuriyet/
BRITISH DOSSIER CHARGES THAT SADDAM HAS MISSILES CAPABLE OF STRIKING TURKEY
British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday unveiled a government intelligence dossier of evidence against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to an emergency session of the House of Commons. Blair said that the 50-page report, based on intelligence and United Nations inspectors' reports, detailed the history of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, its breach of UN resolutions and its current attempts to rebuild its illegal weapons program. According to the report, Saddam has acquired missiles capable of striking British bases in Cyprus, NATO members Greece and Turkey, and all the countries in the Middle East, including Israel. /Cumhuriyet/
DUZ JOINS ANAP, YAKIN RESIGNS FROM YTP
Istanbul independent deputy Mustafa Duz, formerly of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), yesterday joined the Motherland Party (ANAP). Speaking to reporters after meeting with ANAP leader Mesut Yilmaz, Duz stated that he had joined ANAP because he believes that ANAP as helmed by Yilmaz could usher in a better future for Turkey. With Duz’s action, the number of ANAP deputies in Parliament has risen to 71. In separate news, New Turkey Party (YTP) Group Acting Chairman Gaffar Yakin yesterday resigned from his party. /Hurriyet, Star/
TURKER: “I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING ELECTIONS”
State Minister for the Economy Masum Turker said yesterday that he didn’t think that the Nov. 3 elections would be postponed, but that, in case of any delay, the economy would remain unaffected. Speaking to reporters at the opening ceremony of Cankaya University’s 2002-03 academic year, Turker said that he did not favor postponing the elections, as they would provide a needed release of pent-up pressure. “The ballot box is the place to let off this steam,” said Turker. Stressing that there was no need to think negatively, Turker stated that Turkey had many capable bureaucrats ready to serve the nation. He also predicted that certain of Turkey’s commitments to the International Monetary Fund might not be implemented due to the early elections. “However, I don’t think that this will cause any problems,” added the minister. /Turkiye/
BREKK: “ALL THE POLITICAL PARTIES ARE ACTING RESPONSIBLY TOWARDS THE ECONOMIC PROGRAM”
Appearing on television yesterday, International Monetary Fund Turkey Director Odd Per Brekk said that all of Turkey’s political parties had taken a responsible stance towards the nation’s economic program, a development he said pleased the IMF. Brekk predicted that Turkey wouldn’t need an additional credit tranche from the IMF next year. Brekk also said that Turkey would achieve its annual 3% growth rate target and likely even exceed it, and that inflation would fall to under the year-end 35% target. “Turkey should deal with its political instability before it affects the real economy,” stated Brekk. He added that the Privatization Administration (OIB) should receive political support so that it can reach its targets. /Milliyet/
KUTAN: “WE WON’T IMPLEMENT THE IMF PROGRAM, BUT RATHER A RESTORATION PROGRAM”
Speaking on television yesterday, Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan said that if the SP comes to power after November’s elections it wouldn’t implement the economic program associated with the International Monetary Fund. “If we win the upcoming elections and come to power, we will carry out a restoration program aimed at the economic and political well-being of the people, one focused on the market economy,” he stated. “We won’t implement the IMF program, but rather apply our own economic program with a focus on using Turkey’s national resources.” Asked about Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi’s declaration that he wouldn’t convene Parliament for an extraordinary session, Kutan stated that he disagreed with Izgi’s actions. “Nov. 3 is a inappropriate date for elections,” added Kutan. /Milliyet/
CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN ON BTC’S CEYHAN LEG
Construction on the Ceyhan leg of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline project will begin tomorrow. Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz is expected to attend a groundbreaking ceremony on the construction to be held at the southern city near the Mediterranean Sea. As part of the project, a 1,076-kilometer pipeline will extend across Turkish territory and its land and sea terminals, and pumping stations will also be constructed in Adana and Ceyhan. Construction of the BTC’s Azerbaijan leg began last week in Baku. /Turkiye/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION