ANKARA - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that there is an abnormal situation about his not being the prime minister, adding that it is the mission of the political power to normalize this situation.
Erdogan attended a live tv programme at CNN Turk and responded to questions.
Giving information about his contacts in the EU countries, Erdogan said that he visited seven EU countries so far and that he saw in his contacts these countries were sincere about Turkey's joining the EU.
Erdogan said that he saw that Italy was sincere in its views for Turkey's getting a date for accession talks, adding that he also got warm messages from Greece. Erdogan said that all countries except Germany were sincere, adding that ''Germany thinks of EU's giving 'a date for date' to Turkey. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder voiced it and I told him that there are 2,5 million Turks living in Germany.''
''Turkey can't tolerate losing time anymore. It is not sincere to say a country which prepares for EU membership for 40 years that it is not ready for membership,'' Erdogan said, adding that Turkey where the majority of people are Muslim will give a message to Muslim world by joining the EU.
''The Muslim world's regard on EU and the Christian world will change. Turkey which is a model country where Islam and democracy coexist will constitute an important example. This will bring an harmony among civilizations rather than clash among them,'' he said.
When told that his words about Cyprus are criticized for reflecting the government policy rather than reflecting the state policy, Erdogan said that ''there is no such rule that state policies won't change. The thing that matters is the country's interests. Governments are set up and when they are set up, certain promises are given to the people. The government will bring state policies in line with its policy.''
Noting that Turkey could not reach any result about Cyprus process for long years, Erdogan said that ''I think about the living standards, and happiness of Turks living in Northern Cyprus. There is progress in these standards in the South, but this is not the case in the North. Turkey has to take a very serious step to sort out this problem. One state based on two equal, sovereign founding states. Other issues can be debated after that. It is not possible to accept a policy of 'give and save yourself.' We stress the importance of reciprocal sacrifice. We should sit and talk. But if the other side wants to get Karpaz or Guzelyurt, we won't give them. Why should we?''
When asked if AK Party and himself changed throughout the years, Erdogan said that he was against the EU 20 years ago, but he was not anymore.
Upon questions asking if he would be the prime minister by making legal arrangements, Erdogan said that ''a political party won the elections, but its leader was not elected as a deputy. This negatively affects the conscience of the public opinion and the national will.''
Erdogan said that this issue was not on their agenda and stated, ''the constitution and laws are amended by the legislative. Those are not sine qua non which cannot be changed. When the amendment is made, the important thing is to provide utmost compromise. Our constitution wants two third majority for the amendment. Political will should respond to the demand of public conscience.''
Noting that the political will should turn this abnormal situation to a normal one, Erdogan said that the political will should make this through compromise. He added that firstly the urgent problems of the country should be solved.
When recalled that lifting of political immunity was not mentioned in the government programme, Erdogan said that they did not think to take up the issue in the first year of the government.
Erdogan said that there were people, whose trial was continuing, in the parliament and added that they did not want to define those people as criminal.
When the reporter said, ''there are six people who are tried due to Albayraklar case in your party,'' Erdogan noted, ''those lawsuits were dismissed by the Council of State. Showing those friends who are being tried as criminals is wrong.''
Upon another question, Erdogan said that he felt sad about Republican People's Party's (CHP) statement that they would not give their vote of confidence to the government and added, ''making the statement on vote of confidence before listening to the programme saddened me.''