Gul: No One Can Dare To Pull Turkey Back To The Past

ANKARA - Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said early on Tuesday, ''no one can dare to pull Turkey back to the past. If someone put forward such an intention, and stage actions to this end, we will intervene in without losing time.''
Speaking at a news programme on private STAR TV Channel, Gul said, ''comprehensive constitutional amendments require general consensus. The constitution should not include too many details, instead it should contain general rules.''
When asked, ''do you plan to do something for Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan's taking political responsibility? Do you plan the take up the issue in a comprehensive constitutional amendment?'' Gul said, ''besides the general constitutional amendment package, we will make some constitutional changes in medium-term in order to remove the bans and to reach to the level of the European Union (EU) standards. It is our duty to change the abnormal structure into normal again. It is our duty to remove the bans in Turkey. However, we have not prepared a schedule yet.''
When asked whether or not his prime ministry caused any problem in the AK Party, Gul said, ''no. We founded the AK Party together.''
Responding a question about the Cyprus question, Gul said, ''we are acting unprejudicedly in order to find a solution to the Cyprus question. There is a conviction in the world that Turks consider lack of solution a solution in Cyprus. According to our point of view, it is not an appropriate policy any more. We should be positive about solution efforts. We do not reject the solution plan of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. We will negotiate it. Cyprus should become an island of peace. However, we are concerned about some certain issues like migrants. The world saw what had happened in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in Kosovo. We do not want the same things to be experienced in Cyprus. This is our primary concern. And we are rightful in our concerns. Our final desire is to reach a solution that will satisfy the sides in the island.''
Stressing that Turkey should be given a date at Copenhagen Summit of the EU for opening of accession talks, Prime Minister Gul said, ''the Council of Ministers will convene on Wednesday. During the meeting, we will discuss what can be done till the summit on December 12. Then, the EU circles will not have the chance to say that Turkey has not fulfilled Copenhagen political criteria yet.''
''No one expected the AK Party to launch such a serious initiative about the EU before the general elections. Our EU policy is our first surprise. There are differences about impressions and the reality,'' he said.
Noting that immunity was not regarded only with deputies, Prime Minister Gul pointed out, ''there are too many people in Turkey having immunity. The 58th government will take up the issue of immunity and make it acceptable.''
When told that there were some concerns about religious schools, Prime Minister Gul said, ''religious schools are official education centers of the state. They do not belong to any religious communities. There is no need to be worried. With this arrangement, we aim at removing the unfairness in the university exam. Unfortunately, universities in Turkey cannot compete with universities in the world. We target to change the structure of the Higher Education Board (YOK). We want that universities will elect their own rectors and deans in the future.''
Responding a question about the issue of Islamic-style headscarf, Prime Minister Gul said, ''the issue has been politicized. We are very careful about it. We believe that the issue should be solved within the framework of a general compromise. A country which is ready for the EU full membership, should solve such problems.''
When asked his solutions about headscarf issue, Gul said that they cannot undervalue the issue, adding that unfortunately many mistakes were done in the past about the solution of that problem and now they should not make the same mistakes.
Gul said that if some incidents which will carry Turkey to the past and will threaten basic principles of republic happen, it will be both state's and our mission to control it and to fight with it. He added that they should fulfill a developed democracy in which tolerance, basic rights and freedoms are guaranteed.
Upon a question about how they will fight with corruption, Gul said that they will ask for an explanation and they will also give explanations, adding that they aim to create a transparent milieu.
Gul who also responded the questions about economy said that the competent authority about the banks which were transferred to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF) is Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK). He added that BDDK will supervise the banks and they cannot interfere their duty. He said that they can make some arrangements about the working of BDDK more actively.
Evaluating the local administration issue, Gul said that one of the most assertive items of the government program is authority transfer to local administrations, adding that they will prepare some laws about this in a few months.
When recalled that U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz will visit Turkey in coming days and ask the approach of Turkey to an operation against Iraq, Gul said that it is a serious issue because Turkey had experienced such a situation in Gulf Crisis. He added that they did not want to live the same difficulties and they are exerting efforts whatever necessary against a war.