Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-06-22

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

22 JUNE 2001 Friday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] EXPORTATION FROM GAP TO EU COUNTRIES

[03] SECURITY MEASURES INTENSIFIED IN INCIRLIK BASE

[04] CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF GENERAL KIVRIKOGLU: ''TURKISH ARMED FORCES HAS BECOME A REGIONAL POWER WITH ITS CAPABILITIES AND FACILITIES''

[05] AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR SCHUESSEL IN SANLIURFA

[06] MEETING OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ENDS (1) -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''WITHIN SCOPE OF DOMESTIC SOURCE PACKAGE, WE HAVE FOCUSED MAINLY ON USING REAL ESTATE BELONGING TO STATE''

[07] GERMAN JUSTICE MINISTER GMELIN DUE TO TURKEY

[08] MEETING OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ENDS (2) -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''TURKEY FACES AN INTENSE SOURCE DEMAND UNDER TODAY'S CONDITIONS''

[09] MEETING OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ENDS (3) -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''THERE IS DEFINITELY NOT AN ATMOSPHERE OF EARLY ELECTIONS IN TURKEY''

[10] MODERATE EARTHQUAKE JOLTS BALIKESIR'S SAVASTEPE TOWNSHIP

[11] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM AND HIS GREEK COUNTERPART PAPANDREOU TO COME TOGETHER IN KUSADASI AND SAMOS

[12] THIRD TURKEY'S AEGEAN SHORES AND GREECE'S AEGEAN ISLANDS ECONOMIC SUMMIT MEETING STARTS

[13] EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK TO GIVE 450 MILLION EURO LOAN TO TURKEY

[14] MEETING AMONG COALITION PARTNERS ENDS (1) -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: - ''PRIORITY OF SOME DRAFT LAWS CAN BE IN QUESTION BEFORE PARLIAMENT RECESSES BY END OF JUNE''

[15] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BANS FP

[16] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BANS FP (2)

[17] DEPUTYSHIPS OF 2 MPS TO BE LIFTED AFTER REASONED VERDICT IS PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL GAZETTE -NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT MPS RISES TO 113

[18] CLOSURE CASE AGAINST FP FINALIZED

[19] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BANS FP -PRESIDENT SEZER: ''IT'S DECISION OF JUDGMENT SO I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING''

[20] BALANCE SHEET OF CLOSURE CASES AGAINST POLITICAL PARTIES

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

Many accidents occurred after the rain and five people were injured in accidents.

Meanwhile, the retaining wall of a building in Basin Sitesi district collapsed at 07:00 local time. The basement floor and the first floor of the building were damaged.

SCHUESSEL: DON'T CLOSE FP
Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said he did not think that the European Union (EU) will respond affirmatively to the closure of the Virtue Party (FP). Schuessel said, ''Copenhagen criteria can be implemented.''

The issue of the closure of FP, which for a long time effected the economic markets, put its seal to the visit of Schuessel to Ankara.

Schuessel reacted to the probability of closure of FP, and warned Ankara to be ''very careful.''

Pointing out that Ankara should realize constitutional changes soon regarding party closure, Schuessel said there should not be such kind of bans, noting that a constitution in which all the views may live together, will be the most appropriate one.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

''Three Parts'' expectation in FP: The FP cadre is expected to be separated to three around Necmettin Erbakan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Melih Gokcek. Ali Mufit Gurtuna, Numan Kurtulmus or Temoman Riza Guneri are the names who were thought that can lead the conservatives.

Erdogan focuses on a party formula under his or Abdullah Gul's leadership. There are claims that there may be transfers from the True Path Party (DYP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) to the probable parties that may be set up by those who departed the FP.

ONLY THE SIGN BOARD WILL CHANGE
Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP), speaking about the possibility of the closure of the Virtue Party (FP), gave the directives that, ''there is nothing like party closure in democracies. Because of this, decision for closure does not have the smallest value. We will change the sign board on our door and go on our path.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

''COURT IS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT WISHES''
Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court Hasim Kilic said that the FP closure case would not be finalized yesterday but the court had the ''authority'' to finalize it on Friday. When reminded of the Austrian Chancellor's words regarding party closures, Kilic said ''The Constitutional Court takes its decision considering the evidence, Political Parties Law and the Constitution. Wishes of others are not our concern.'' Responding to another question, Kilic said the views of politicians were not discussed at the court.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

The government did not consider the proposal of the producers which said, ''giving permission to importation on condition that 15 percent Turkish tobacco is used in production.''

COOPERATION PROTOCOL WITH DAMASCUS
Cooperation protocol was signed between Turkey and Syria at the end of the Turkish-Syrian Joint Economic Commission(JEC) meetings. State Minister Recep Onal said the protocol formed a turning point for the economic and trade relations. He said, ''mutual good will and positive views were reflected in the protocol.''

RADIKAL (LEFT)

WORLD IS OWNER OF TURKISH STRAITS
Environmentalists demanded the Straits not to be the passage route for oil and nuclear wastes. A high ranking official from British Petrouleum (BP) also extended support to the demonstrators. Members of Greenpeace had their demonstration in Conrad Hotel. Four demonstrators opened a banner in the hotel and a total of 13 demonstrators were taken into custody. Other people from various countries also had a demonstration in the Straits in boats and asked the world not to permit passage of tankers from the Straits. Adamany, the director general of BP for transfer of oil said that there is a serious accident risk in the Straits once in every two years. This is a high risk which can't be accepted.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

TURKMEN GAS TO COME TO TURKEY IN MARCH
Vittorio Mincato, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Italian ENI company which undertook the mission of laying down the pipelines of the Blue Stream project in Black Sea, said that investigations will never stop the development of the project. Mincato who is currently in Istanbul for the Conference of Story of Three Seas, said that nothing would affect the arrival of natural gas from Russia to Turkey.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Vittorio Mincato, the administrator of the Italian ENI company, which undertook the installation of the pipeline of the Blue Stream Project in the Black Sea, pointed out that natural gas from the Blue Stream will begin to come in March.

BIG PROTEST IN THE STRAIT
Hundreds of boats in Istanbul Strait protested transportation of hazardous substances from the Black Sea and the straits. Eight Black Sea countries expended support to the protest.

The action, which takes place within the scope of Third International Black Sea Partners meeting, will end on Saturday evening.

Russian environmentalists also expended support to the protest. Stanislav Ermolaev, the Russian environmentalist, said they were against transportation of hazardous substances from the Black Sea and the Istanbul Strait, noting that they many times applied to their governments to prevent it.

[02] EXPORTATION FROM GAP TO EU COUNTRIES

Exportation, worth of 59.468 million U.S. dollars, had been made in the same period of last year.

According to the data of Southeastern Anatolia Exporters Union, animal products worth of 462,000 U.S. dollars were exported in January-May, 2001 period. Grains and cereals and their products, worth of 925,000 U.S. dollars, were exported. Also, dried fruits, worth of 7,008 million U.S. dollars, and textile, worth of 67,131 million U.S. dollars, were exported.

Italy, Germany and Britain are among the countries which exportation was made the most.

Dried apricot, cotton thread, synthetic thread, knitted and synthetic textile, and bed-sheet are among the products which are exported to the EU countries.

Textile exportation, made to the EU countries in January-May, 2001 period, increased by 35.8 percent in the same period of last year.

[03] SECURITY MEASURES INTENSIFIED IN INCIRLIK BASE

Oficials at the base said on Friday that the personnel who was earlier permitted to go out from the base between 9 a.m and 9 p.m., was banned from doing it as of Friday.

The personnel is only permitted to go outside if they are charged.

Officials didn't tell the reason of intensifying security measures in the base.

[04] CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF GENERAL KIVRIKOGLU: ''TURKISH ARMED FORCES HAS BECOME A REGIONAL POWER WITH ITS CAPABILITIES AND FACILITIES''

A ceremony was held at the 11th Air Transport Main Base Command in Etimesgut township of Ankara on the occasion of finalization of the flight program of the ''Golden Wings: A Story of Courage'' project.

The flight program of the project which foresaw repetition of 2,515- kilometer Istanbul-Cairo flight which had been carried out by first Turkish pilots 87 years ago, was finalized successfully.

General Kivrikoglu, State Minister Yilmaz Karakoyunlu, Land Forces Commander General Hilmi Ozkok, Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ilhami Erdil, Air Forces Commander General Ergin Celasin, Gendarmerie Commander General Aytac Yalman, National Security Council Secretary General Gen. Cumhur Asparuk, Anadolu Agency General Director and Head of Executive Board Mehmet Guler, Turkish Radio and Television (TRT) Director General Yucel Yener, Israeli Ambassador to Turkey and other high level officials and high ranking officers attended the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, General Kivrikoglu said that Turkish Air Forces had rapidly integrated with the advancing aviation technology and become one of the most powerful factors of the Turkish Armed Forces by showing loyalty to Great Founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's directives which said, ''the future is in the skies''.

General Kivrikoglu said, ''Turkish nation's interest in aviation has a history of nearly one thousand years. Hazerfen Ahmet Celebi was the first man succeeded in flying. However, we could not develop Celebi's reform in the aviation as a result of bigoted and fundamentalist mentality.''

Recalling that Turkish pilots had undertaken important duties during the World War I and the Independence War, General Kivrikoglu noted, ''the Turkish Armed Forces which has been using the modern planes and vehicles produced by the Turkish national defense industry, has become a regional power with its capabilities, and reached the highest level among the armies in the world. All countries appreciated the Turkish Armed Forces' contributions to the people in different places of the world from Korea to Somali from Bosnia-Herzegovina to Kosovo. As a concrete model of the cooperation between Turkey and Middle Eastern countries to consolidate existing friendly and cultural relations, the Golden Wings Project is a significant step to contribute to regional peace.''

[05] AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR SCHUESSEL IN SANLIURFA

Chancellor Schuessel and accompanying delegation were welcomed at the airport by Sanliurfa Governor Muzaffer Dilek, Mayor Ahmet Bahcivan and Police Chief Sedat Hasay.

Schuessel was informed by Governor Dilek on the history of the province.

He visited the cave in which Abraham was born, and listened to the story of Balikligol.

According to the story, Abraham was born during the period of the persecutions of ruler Nemrut who ordered all the children to be killed. His mother gave birth to him in a cave, and he lived there until he was ten years old. He came out of the cave and went to his father's house, and began to fight Nemrut and the idols of the people's temple. When Abraham began to break the idols into pieces, Nemrut took him to the castle on a hill, and threw him into the fire. After God's command to the fire ''O fire, be gentle to Abraham, and keep him safe and cool'', the wood turned into fish and the fire turned into water, surrounded by a beautiful garden filled with roses. Abraham fell into the garden. The cave where Abraham was born was named Ibrahim Halilullah Dergahi, and the place where he fell was named Halil-ur Rahman Lake (Balikligol).

[06] MEETING OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ENDS (1) -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''WITHIN SCOPE OF DOMESTIC SOURCE PACKAGE, WE HAVE FOCUSED MAINLY ON USING REAL ESTATE BELONGING TO STATE''

Prime Minister Ecevit made a statement together with State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli and State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz following the meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Noting that Turkey had been face to face with a requirement of intense source under current conditions, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''most of the foreign source has been provided. We have been carrying out intense works in cooperation with relevant institutions to reactivate our domestic sources. Within the scope of the domestic source package which we are trying to create, we have focused mainly on using the real estate belonging to the state.''

(To be continued)

[07] GERMAN JUSTICE MINISTER GMELIN DUE TO TURKEY

Justice Ministry Spokesperson Maritta Strasser told A.A correspondent on Friday that Daeubler-Gmelin would leave for Turkey on Saturday.

Strasser said that Daeubler-Gmelin would proceed to Ankara on Sunday after visiting historical and touristic places of Istanbul.

Noting that Daeubler-Gmelin would start her official contacts on Monday, Strasser said that she was scheduled to come together with Justice Minister Turk.

Strasser said that Daeubler-Gmelin would visit the prison in Sincan district of Ankara the same day.

Following hed meeting with Rudolf Schmidt, the German Ambassador to Turkey, Daeubler-Gmelin will be received by Constitutional Court Chief Judge Mustafa Bumin.

Turk will host a dinner later in the same day in honor of Daeubler-Gmelin.

Daeubler-Gmelin will proceed to northern province of Trabzon on June 26, and hold talks with Trabzon Governor Adil Yazar.

He will visit Sumela Monastery, and deliver a speech at the Trabzon Technical University.

Daeubler-Gmelin is expected to depart Turkey the same day.

Her contacts in Turkey are expected to focus on capital punishment and human rights in Turkey.

[08] MEETING OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ENDS (2) -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''TURKEY FACES AN INTENSE SOURCE DEMAND UNDER TODAY'S CONDITIONS''

Ecevit said that with this objective, a special sales system had been developed to sell 1 million 200 thousand plots of land belonged to the Treasury, and a bill had been prepared to put this system into practice.

Prime Minister Ecevit made a statement together with State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli and State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz following the meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Noting that the domestic source package had been taken up at the meeting, Ecevit said that Turkey was facing an intense source demand under today's conditions.

Recalling that important amount of the necessary external support had been obtained, Ecevit said that intense works had been carried out at the Prime Ministry for a period of time in cooperation with the relevant organizations in order to activate also the domestic sources.

''First of all, utilization of immovable assets of the state is in question within scope of the domestic source package which is being formed. According to the Titledeeds and Cadastre Directorate General statistics, 9 percent of all cadastred immovable plots in urbans and 11 percent of all cadastered immovable plots in rurals are registered to the Treasury. Total number of these plots is 1 million 200 thousand. Most of these fields on which all Turkish citizens have right have been occupied bu shanty towns or abandoned. Immovable assets of the Treasury are generally exposed to unfair use and great amounts of unfair profit is made through them. This is one of the reasons for wrong urbanization. Thus, productive and effective utilization of Treasury immovable assets will meet our country's urgent source requirement and will end this illegal situation and prepare the basis for sound urbanization by forming new mass housing fields. So utilization of Treasury fields will bring multidimensional benefits,'' he said.

Ecevit said that with this objective, a special sales system had been developed to sell 1 million 200 thousand plots of land belonged to the Treasury, and a bill had been prepared to put this system into practice.

Ecevit added that the bill would be given its final shape by a commission and submitted to the Council of Ministers for its approval as soon as possible.

Ecevit said that the commission would comprise State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan, State Minister Suayip Usenmez for Titledeeds and Cadastre Directorate General, Finance Minister Sumer Oral, Public Works and Housing Minister Koray Aydin and Forestry Minister Nami Cagan.

(To be continued)

[09] MEETING OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ENDS (3) -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''THERE IS DEFINITELY NOT AN ATMOSPHERE OF EARLY ELECTIONS IN TURKEY''

Prime Minister Ecevit made a statement together with State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli and State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz following the meeting of the Council of Ministers.

When recalled by a journalist that the Constitutional Court was expected to announce its verdict in closure case against the Virtue Party (FP), Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''as I stated earlier, there is definitely not an atmosphere of early elections in Turkey. Turkey has been trying to resolve its long-standing problems. This is the prior duty of our government. At this stage, we should not even talk about elections.''

Responding to another question about the domestic source package, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''amount of income to be obtained from the domestic source package is not clear yet. We have optimistic expectations.''

When asked of details of special sale system regarded with sale of plots belonging to treasury, Prime Minister Ecevit, ''works are under way on the issue. We believe that the works would be finalized soon, and that these works would yield positive results.''

Responding to another question, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''the Council of Ministers held an extraordinary meeting today because the parliament will recess by the end of the month. Works about sale of the immovable assets belonging to the treasury, should be finalized as soon as possible.''

When asked whether or not they had set a timeframe for constitutional amendment, Prime Minister Ecevit told reporters, ''we, as the coalition partners, will convene later in the day to discuss the issue.''

(End)

[10] MODERATE EARTHQUAKE JOLTS BALIKESIR'S SAVASTEPE TOWNSHIP

Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory and Seismology Institute said that Savastepe was the epicenter of the quake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale and it happened at 13:54 p.m.

The earthquake was also felt in Izmir and its surroundings.

[11] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM AND HIS GREEK COUNTERPART PAPANDREOU TO COME TOGETHER IN KUSADASI AND SAMOS

The meeting was scheduled to be held in Marmaris township of western province of Mugla and in Rhodes island of Greece last year, but it was cancelled.

The meeting will start in Samos on Saturday.

Cem is expected to arrive in Kusadasi later on Friday.

He will proceed to Samos on Saturday morning.

Cem will be received by his Greek counterpart Papandreou in Samos.

Within framework of their program, Cem and Papendreou will visit historical and touristic places on the island.

They will attend the Third Turkey's Aegean Coasts and Greece's Aegean Coasts Economic Summit Meeting.

A delegation from the Izmir Chamber of Commerce will also be in attendance at the summit meeting.

Following the meeting, Cem and Papendreou will hold a joint press conference.

Cem and Papandreou will proceed to Kusadasi from Samos on Sunday morning.

They will visit historical and touristic places in Kusadasi including House of Virgin Mary and the ancient city of Ephesus.

Meeting between Cem and Papandreou is expected to focus on further improvement of bilateral commercial relations.

They are expected to give messages to encourage businessmen dealing with border trade.

[12] THIRD TURKEY'S AEGEAN SHORES AND GREECE'S AEGEAN ISLANDS ECONOMIC SUMMIT MEETING STARTS

Speaking at the meeting, IZTO Chairman Ekrem Demirtas said that they held such summit meetings to develop every relation between Turkey and Greece.

Demirtas, ''we have taught our children for years that we are enemies although we have we very similar cultures and way of life. We fed the army and enriched the arms sellers. As the two peoples, we should give up serving international minority.''

Noting that an economy which had a strategical flexibility should be created in the region, Demirtas said that Turkey's Aegean shores and Greek islands could be used as an advancement region for reaching a new economic trend.

Stressing that Aegean could be made a free trade, investment and tourism region, Demirtas said, ''the point we reached in our cooperation is pleasing. However, it does not reflect the real potential. Our trade volume can rise to 4-5 billion U.S. dollars in a short time. Is today's 600-700 million U.S. dollars foreign trade volume not a great loss? Solution of problems and settlement of lasting confidence atmosphere must be the priorities. We must force the governments to act positively by setting up partnerships based on sound and powerful commercial relations.''

Meanwhile, Samos Chamber of Commerce Chairman Themistokli Papatheofanos said in his part that Turkish and Greek businessmen brought bilateral relations to today's level with their great responsibility feelings.

Stressing that businessmen and politicians had important responsibilities in enabling the two countries to achieve common goals, Papatheofanos said that important progress had been recorded in reaching economic and social targets.

Emphasizing that Turkish and Greek nations should have peace, Papatheofanos said that peoples of Aegean shores should live in friendship and peace.

Turkish-Greek Friendship Group Founder Chairman and Secretary General Hakan Tartan, a deputy of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) from Izmir, said in his part that improving relations between Turkish and Greek nations were important for regional cooperation.

Tartan said, ''now, Turkey and Greece must implement giant projects.''

Greek Northern Aegean Region Ministry Secretary General Maria Skeberi said that rapprochement between the two countries was supported by the Turkish and Greek nations.

Recalling that they had allocated sources and developed projects to implement concrete programs between Turkey and Greece, Skeberi said that they would approve those sources soon.

Meanwhile, chairmen of Lesbos, Chios, Cyclades, Xhania and Lasithi chambers of commerce said that commercial relations between the two countries should be improved.

The summit meeting will end on Friday with a closing session in which the Turkish and Greek foreign ministers will participate.

[13] EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK TO GIVE 450 MILLION EURO LOAN TO TURKEY

The Luxembourg-based EIB said that for paving the way of Turkey to EU membership, EIB, the European Union's long-term lending institution, was making available additional funding for sound capital investments in the country up to 450 million Euro under a Special Action Programme for the period 2001-2004.

The funds are to support investments in infrastructure, especially with those improving the links with the EU, in industry with special focus on joint EU-Turkish ventures as well as Small-and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs), and where appropriate investments for technical installations facilitating the functioning of the EU-Turkey Customs Union.

''Since May 2001 Turkey is also included as a member country of EIB's Pre- Accession Lending Facility. This means that from now on with regard to EIB lending, Turkey has exactly the same status and possibilities as the other EU-Accession countries. EIB's Pre-Accession Lending Facility totalling 8.5 billion Euro during the period 2000-2003, is available to EU-Accession candidate countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEEC) and the Mediterranean region, which have concluded Accession Partnership Agreements with the EU. Lending under this facility aims at projects integrating these countries with the EU and facilitating the adoption of the ''acquis communautaire''. A particular emphasis is given to environmental protection, as well as communications infrastructure (including Pan-European Networks), industrial competitiveness and regional development,'' it said.

EIB financing to Turkey will continue to be provided also under the current Euro-Med Lending Mandate, of up to 6,425 million Euro during the period 2000-2006, aiming at promoting long-term growth and stability in the 12 non- EU Mediterranean countries which have signed cooperation and/or association agreements with the EU.

Priority rehabilitation and reconstruction works in the regions devastated by the earthquake of August 1999 and its aftershocks in Turkey, are financed under EIB's ''Turkish Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance'' (TERRA) facility, providing for a total of up to 600 million Euro in the form of loans to be engaged over the period 1999-2002.

EIB lending will continue to be carried out in close co-operation with the European Commission to maximise synergies between the MEDA grant aid programmes and EIB loans, as well as with other banking institutions.

EIB extended 30.6 billion Euro loan to EU countries, 3 billion Euro loan to candidates and 2.4 billion Euro loan to other countries in 2000.

[14] MEETING AMONG COALITION PARTNERS ENDS (1) -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: - ''PRIORITY OF SOME DRAFT LAWS CAN BE IN QUESTION BEFORE PARLIAMENT RECESSES BY END OF JUNE''

After holding a meeting with leaders of political parties forming the coalition governmenty on the constitutional amendment package, Prime Minister Ecevit responded to questions of journalists.

Noting that draft laws regarded with the new economic program were finalized, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''priority of some draft laws which will be brought onto parliamentary agenda, can be in question before the parliament recesses by the end of June. We will hold talks with our friends on Monday to set a timeframe.''

Responding to a question about these draft, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''we cannot take a decision on our own. Draft law regarded with the National Program within framework of the constitutional amendment package will be among these prior drafts.''

When asked whether or not the issue of closure of political parties was discussed at the meeting among leaders of three political parties forming the coalition government, Ecevit said, ''you know my personal view about the issue.''

Meanwhile, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz told reporters, ''we discussed the program till the end of June at the meeting. We will continue to work on the constitutional amendment package at the weekend.''

[15] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BANS FP

Constitutional Court Chief Judge Mustafa Bumin said that they had decided to close down the FP on the grounds that it was a focal point of anti- secular activities.

Deputyships of Nazli Ilicak and Bekir Sobaci who led closure of the FP with their statements and actions, were ended from beginning of the publication of the verdict in the Official Gazette.

Meanwhile, Merve Kavakci, Nazli Ilicak, Bekir Sobaci, Ramazan Yenidede and Mehmet Silay have been banned from the politics for five years.

[16] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BANS FP (2)

Nazli Ilicak, a deputy of the FP from Istanbul province, and Bekir Sobaci, a deputy of the FP from Tokat province, who led closure of the FP with their statements and actions, were expelled from the parliament. Their deputyships will end as from publication of the verdict in the Official Gazette.

Constitutional Court Chief Judge Mustafa Bumin told reporters, ''the Constitutional Court has finalized the closure case against the FP which was filed in May of 1999. The cases filed against the FP by the Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor's Office were combined. The Constitutional Court decided finalized its works in the closure case against the FP.''

''A- The Court decided with majority of vote to reject the request for closure of the FP on the ground that a political party which was banned could not be founded under a different name,

B-1- The Court decided with majority of vote to close down the FP on the ground that it was a focal point of anti-secular activities in accordance with Articles 68 and 69 of the Constitution and Article 101 and 103 of the Political Parties Law no: 2820,

2- The court unanimously decided to lift deputyships of Nazli Ilicak, a deputy from Istanbul, and Bekir Sobaci, a deputy from Tokat, who led closure of the part with their statements and actions, as of publishing of the reasoned verdict in the Official Gazette in accordance with the last paragraph of Article 84 of the Constitution,

3- The court unanimously decided to ban deputies Merve Kavakci, Nazli Ilicak, Bekir Sobaci, Ramazan Yenidede and Mehmet Silay who led closure of the party with their statements and actions, from being founder, member, manager and controller of another political party for five years as of beginning from the publishing of the reasoned verdict in the Official Gazette in accordance with eighth paragraph of Article 69 of the Constitution,

4- The court unanimously decided to transfer the party's all assets and properties to the Treasury in accordance with Article 107 of the Political Parties Act,

5- The court unanimously decided to annul the party's legal status on the day of the verdict for the closure,

6- The court unanimously decided to send the certified copies of the verdict to the Parliament Speaker's Office, Prime Ministry Office and Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor's Office.''

[17] DEPUTYSHIPS OF 2 MPS TO BE LIFTED AFTER REASONED VERDICT IS PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL GAZETTE -NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT MPS RISES TO 113

The Constitutional Court decided to lift deputyships of Ilicak and Sobaci due to their statements and actions which led closure of the FP.

After the reasoned verdict is published in the Official Gazette, the Parliament Speaker's Office will lift deputyships of Ilicak and Sobaci and inform the General Assembly.

The recent distribution of seats at the Parliament after the Constitutional Court annulled FP's legal status is as follows:

Democratic Left Party (DSP)........132

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)...126

Motherland Party (ANAP).............88

True Path Party (DYP)...............83

Independent........................113

Vacant...............................8

Ilicak and Sobaci will be considered independent deputies until the reasoned verdict is published in the Official Gazette.

[18] CLOSURE CASE AGAINST FP FINALIZED

The lawsuit was filed on May 7, 1999, by Vural Savas, the retired Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals, with the pretext that the FP was the continuation of the outlawed Welfare Party (RP) and it became the focal point of anti-secular activities.

In the indictment, Savas said, ''some deputies and mayors of the FP have been supporting women's wearing Islamic-style headscarves. Their attitude is contrary to the Constitution and the Political Parties Law. Many of the FP's directors were members of the outlawed RP.''

Savas requested the Constitutional Court to close down the FP in accordance with Articles 2, 24, 68 and 69 of the Constitution, and Article 78 and 87 of the Political Parties Law.

Savas requested the Constitutional Court to lift deputyships of all FP members except for Aydin Menderes who resigned from the FP one day before the closure case, in accordance with Article 69 of the Constitutional Court.

Savas sent cassettes, newspapers and parliamentary minutes about the FP members' statements, as evidence to the Constitutional Court.

While he was explaining his opinion on the merits of the case, Savas claimed that the second paragraph of Article 103 of the Political Parties Law was contrary to the Constitution, and requested the court to annul the paragraph.

The second paragraph of Article 103 of the Political Parties Law was annulled by the Constitutional Court.

Before his retirement, Savas sent a video footage to the Constitutional Court including words referred to Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the outlawed RP, during the first regular congress of the FP.

The Constitutional Court asked Sabih Kanadoglu who was replaced with Savas, to explain his opinion about the video footage.

Kanadoglu requested the Constitutional Court to accept the video footage as a supplementary evidence.

The Constitutional Court rejected Kanadoglu's request.

Later, Kanadoglu submitted a supplementary indictment to the Constitutional Court.

Kanadoglu also requested the Constitutional Court to ban founders of the FP from political activities for five years, and to lift deputyships of Ismail Alptekin and Mehmet Ozyol.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court rejected FP leader Recai Kutan's request for implementation of Article 104 of the Political Parties Law.

At its meeting on February 7, 2001, the Constitutional Court decided to combine Kanadoglu's supplementary indictment with the main lawsuit.

The FP submitted its pre-defense against the supplementary indictment.

Later, Kanadoglu explained his opinions on the merits of the case.

After submission of written defense by the FP, Kanadoglu made verbal statements, and FP deputy Mustafa Kamalak made his party's verbal defense.

Mehmet Turhan, the rapporteur of the case, prepared a supplementary report.

[19] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BANS FP -PRESIDENT SEZER: ''IT'S DECISION OF JUDGMENT SO I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING''

Responding to questions of reporters at Ankara's Esenboga Airport after he arrived from Romania, President Sezer said ,''I was informed about this shortly after I got off the plane. It's judgment's decision so I can't say anything about it.''

When asked what he thought about closure of political party during European Union (EU) process, President Sezer said, ''the Constitution and laws foresee this. The jurisdiction gives the decision alone unless these are not changed and amended. I can't say anything about this.''

When asked whether or not this would affect relations with the EU, the President said, ''I don't know. It will become clear in the course of time.''

When recalled of discussions on the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) decision, President Sezer said, ''the ECHR does not have an influence to annul court verdicts in Turkey. However, the ECHR takes decisions about the rules that the courts are implementing. So it does not have an influence.''

[20] BALANCE SHEET OF CLOSURE CASES AGAINST POLITICAL PARTIES

In the early years, the criminal courts of peace and the basic civil courts used to decide in closure cases against political parties.

After transition into multi-party period in 1950, the Nation Party was banned by Ankara Criminal Court of Peace on January 26, 1954.

Following the intervention on May 27, 1960, the Democrat Party was banned by the Ankara Basic Civil Court on June 20, 1960.

The Constitutional Court has been debating the closure cases against political parties since its foundation in 1963.

The Constitutional Court decided to ban six political parties which were founded till September 12, 1980 when all political parties were closed down.

These parties and the date of their closures are as follows:

Worker-Peasant Party (ICP) in 1968

National Order Party MNP on May 29, 1971

Turkish Advanced Ideal Party (TIUP) on June 24, 1971

Turkey Worker Party (TIP) on July 20, 1971

Great Anatolia Party (BAP) on December 19, 1972

Turkish Workers' Party (TEP) on May 8, 1980

The Constitutional Court decided to ban 17 political parties which were founded in 1983 following the intervention on September 12, 1980, it rejected closure cases against 16 political parties including the True Path Party (DYP).

These parties and the date of their closures are as follows:

Great Anatolia Party on November 24, 1992

Socialist party on July 10, 1992

Greens Party on February 10, 1994

People's Party on September 25, 1991

Turkish United Communist Party on July 16, 1991

People's Labour Party on July 14, 1993

Freedom and Democracy Party on April 30, 1993

Socialist Turkey Party on November 30, 1993

Democracy Party on June 16, 1994

Democrat Party-2 on September 13, 1994

Democracy and Change Party on March 19, 1996

Resurrection Party in 1996

Labour Party in 1997

Socialist Unity Party on June 7, 1994

Welfare Party on January 1, 1998

Democratic Mass Party on February 26, 1999

Virtue Party on June 22, 2001

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court has been continuing to debate the closure case against the People's Democracy Party (HDP).

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