Turkish Press Review, 02-07-29

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Turkish Press Review, 02-07-29

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From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>

<LINK href="http://www.byegm.gov.tr_yayinlarimiz_chr_pics_css/tpr.css" rel=STYLESHEET type=text/css> <map name="FPMap1"> </map> <map name="FPMap1"></map> Press & Information Turkish Press Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning

29.07.2002

PARLIAMENT TO CONVENE TODAY <_span> ECEVIT MEETS WITH BAHCELI<_span> YILMAZ: “DECEMBER IS THE LAST CHANCE FOR OUR EU ACCESSION”<_span> BAYKAL: “THE CHP’S AIM IS TO COME TO POWER BY ITSELF”<_span> TOBB CHAIRMAN: “POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY SHOULD BE ENDED”<_span> CAGLAYAN: “PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT CAN STEER US THROUGH A DANGEROUS PERIOD”<_span> LETTER OF INTENT TO BE SENT TO IMF THIS WEEK<_span> GUL: “THE AKP WILL BRING SECURITY AND WELFARE TO TURKEY”<_span> SANLIURFA YOUTH AND CULTURE CENTER TO PARTICIPATE IN BALKAN FESTIVAL<_span> <blockquote> <_blockquote> WILL ELECTIONS BE POSTPONED? <_span> <_span>BY DERYA SAZAK (MILLIYET)<_span> EXPECTATIONS FROM THIS WEEK BY MUSTAFA BALBAY (CUMHURIYET)<_span> PARLIAMENT TO CONVENE TODAY <_span> Parliament will convene today to hold an extraordinary session upon a motion submitted by the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the True Path Party (DYP). It is set to debate a proposal to hold early elections on Nov. 3 as well as European Union harmonization laws and amendments to the Political Parties and Elections Laws. In order to hold a Parliament session, a minimum of 184 deputies needs to be in attendance. If this quorum of deputies cannot be reached, the session will have to be cancelled. /Turkiye/ </span> ECEVIT MEETS WITH BAHCELI</span> </span> Prime Minister and the Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit yesterday met with Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli in the leadup to Parliament’s extraordinary meeting today. During the session, Ecevit tried to convince his coalition partner to support postponement of early elections and reiterated his worries about such polls. “There could be some dangerous developments in Iraq and Cyprus which may threaten Turkey in the future,” he cautioned. Ecevit also told Bahceli his concerns about the People’s Democracy Party (HADEP) and the Justice and Development Party (AKP), saying, “HADEP and the AKP may increase their votes in early elections.” Ecevit also said that Turkey would not benefit from early elections and so they should be postponed. Bahceli replied, however, that it was impossible to postpone the elections at this point. “The MHP will be in Parliament tomorrow pushing forward a decision for early elections to be held on Nov. 3,” he said. /Hurriyet/</span> YILMAZ: “DECEMBER IS THE LAST CHANCE FOR OUR EU ACCESSION”<_span> Appearing on CNN Turk yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz said that early elections must be held on Nov. 3, adding that he expected an early elections decision to be taken in Parliament today. “There is only one thing that can prevent holding early elections on Nov. 3, namely the resignation of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit,” Yilmaz stated. Yilmaz also said that December was the last chance for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Turkey needs to take a number of important steps for its EU bid, Yilmaz remarked. /Turkiye/</span> BAYKAL: “THE CHP’S AIM IS TO COME TO POWER BY ITSELF”<_span> Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal gives his views on recent political developments in the current issue of CHP magazine Gun-Dem, saying that his party’s aim was to come to power by itself in early elections “Turkey’s current conditions make it possible for a party to come to power by itself, and the CHP is working very hard to get ready for the early elections,” says Baykal. “The CHP is coming up with solutions for Turkey’s problems and trying to be constructive. Turkey needs a team to work in harmony to ensure political stability in the coming period.” /Hurriyet/ <_span> TOBB CHAIRMAN: “POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY SHOULD BE ENDED”<_span> Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu yesterday said that Parliament should move to end the current political uncertainty, and that if it failed to do so the economy would face additional problems. Hisarciklioglu also said that the European Union harmonization laws and changes to the election system should be addressed. Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan also spoke out on current political developments, commenting that the EU harmonization laws should be passed by Parliament and the Copenhagen criteria should be fulfilled. /Sabah/ </span> CAGLAYAN: “PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT CAN STEER US THROUGH A DANGEROUS PERIOD”<_span> Stating yesterday that Turkey would face two critical problems in the months to come, namely a possible war in Iraq and the prospect of Southern Cyprus being granted European Union membership, Culture Minister Suat Caglayan said, “Turkey must go through this period of time with a wise person who knows these two problems very well and who works to protect the interests of the country. Mr. Ecevit is such a person.” Speaking at a press conference held with Democratic Left Party (DSP) group deputy leader Emrahan Halici at Konya’s Journalists Association, Caglayan added, “This winter will be full of critical problems for Turkey. In the near future, the tension between the US and Iraq will constitute an important problem for Turkey. The US has decided to carry out an operation against Iraq, but Turkey doesn’t want to take active part in this action as long as its national interests are endangered. Our prime minister, who knows the policies of the US, is putting forth a deal of effort concerning this issue. The other problem in store for Turkey is the Cyprus issue. The EU is actually splitting Cyprus by considering including Southern Cyprus in the Union, which would mean a dangerous new atmosphere in the eastern Mediterranean. We are afraid that great problems could occur if Turkey tries to face this winter without Mr. Ecevit.” /Cumhuriyet/</span> LETTER OF INTENT TO BE SENT TO IMF THIS WEEK<_span> A Letter of Intent (LOI) prepared following the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) recently completed third review of Turkey is to be sent to the IMF Executive Board this week. The LOI, which pledges Turkey’s fulfillment of a number of obligations to receive a $1.1 billion loan tranche from the Fund, first needs to be approved by the government coalition leaders before being sent. The LOI stresses that if Parliament decides to hold early elections, which seems likely, a delay in enacting reforms would inevitably result. However, it also emphasizes that the government and its economy administration were determined to carry out policies which didn’t necessitate parliamentary approval. The IMF Executive Board is to discuss the LOI at its meeting this August. /Milliyet/</span> GUL: “THE AKP WILL BRING SECURITY AND WELFARE TO TURKEY”<_span> Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy leader Abdullah Gul said yesterday that his party supported legislation needed for Turkey’s European Union membership bid but that the death sentence should be considered separately. Speaking at a press conference held with AKP deputy leader Sadik Yakut and group deputy leader Salih Kapusuz in Kayseri, Gul said that the only issue that should be addressed during upcoming elections was Turkey’s situation and that the nation didn’t have time to deal with anything else. “Everybody will have to account for their actions over the last three years, that is, the things that were promised and those that were fulfilled,” he remarked. “Those who are jealous of the AKP shouldn’t try to bring it down. They shouldn’t try scare mongering, which is an old habit of Mr. Ecevit. The power of the AKP will bring security and welfare to Turkey, open a bright path for the business world and cure our unemployment problem.” Stating that after Parliament makes a decision on elections the AKP would work to enact EU laws on which a consensus has been reached, Gul said, “Our aim is to make heavy life sentences an article of the Constitution. If we don’t make changes to the Constitution or laws, five years from now some people in prisons could be ended up being freed. We will put forward a constitutional proposal to make this impossible.” /Cumhuriyet/</span> <_span> SANLIURFA YOUTH AND CULTURE CENTER TO PARTICIPATE IN BALKAN FESTIVAL<_span> <_span> The Sanliurfa Youth and Culture Center Music Group will represent Turkey this year at the third Balkan Youth Festival in Greece. Young people from Turkey, Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Romania and Yugoslavia will participate in the festival, which will be held on Aug. 15-18 in Thessalonica and will feature competitions in the fields of film, fine arts and music. The Sanliurfa Center will participate in the festival in the category of music. /Cumhuriyet/</span> FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…<_span> WILL ELECTIONS BE POSTPONED? BY DERYA SAZAK (MILLIYET)<_span> Columnist Derya Sazak writes about today’s critical parliamentary session and whether a decision will be made to hold elections in November. A summary of his column is as follows:<_span> “Parliament is set to convene this afternoon to decide on the EU harmonization laws and whether elections will be held on Nov. 3 or postponed until April of next year. Murat Sokmenoglu will be the presiding speaker at the parliamentary session. This is going to be a very critical week for Turkey. Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit had a ‘tete-a-tete’ with Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli and informed him of his intentions to postpone elections until next April. The matter in question is whether the resignation of the prime minister under Article 78 of the Parliament Charter could halt the election process. Could Ecevit’s resignation prevent the Parliament from deciding on elections? Sokmenoglu thinks not. ‘The MHP’s proposal isn’t a law, it’s a decision. Parliamentary decisions aren’t even forwarded to the president for approval,’ said Mr. Sokmenoglu. ‘So, even if the government withdraws, as soon as the Parliament decides to hold elections on Nov. 3, the decision becomes final,’ he added. The topic of discussion at the Ecevit-Bahceli meeting was postponing elections until April, rather than the possibility of Ecevit resigning. What is the prime minister trying to achieve? Ecevit’s statement last week that Turkey would be faced with a regime crisis if the People’s Democracy Party (HADEP) and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) were to get into Parliament, is being interpreted by some circles as the sensitivity of the military. Everyone seems to be very confused. The scenarios being considered range from the return of Necmettin Erbakan after a ban of five years from politics and the possibility of establishing a government without the MHP to Ecevit’s Democratic Left Party (DSP). The US plans to launch an operation in Iraq are another factor. Ecevit wants to be in power if such an operation takes place. What’s more important is that Economy Minister Kemal Dervis will be returning from the US tomorrow. What will he decide to do? This week we will be finding out the answers to all these questions.”<_span> EXPECTATIONS FROM THIS WEEK BY MUSTAFA BALBAY (CUMHURIYET)<_span> Columnist Mustafa Balbay writes on political developments expected this week regarding early elections proposed for Nov. 3 and on possible scenarios surrounding this. A summary of his column is as follows:<_span> “We hope that the thick fog hanging over Ankara will be lifted this week. However, Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s meeting with Nationalist Action Party (MHP) Chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli yesterday created yet more question marks about what is going to happen. It is obvious that Ecevit is not in favor of early elections, but neither is he dead set on canceling them at the price of a deeper political uncertainty. Nevertheless, it’s very likely that Ecevit will keep looking for a maneuver to head off early elections. Today’s DSP group meeting in Parliament will shed some light on these question marks. After the coalition partners’ early election decision taken at their meeting on July 16, several journalists believe that there are two fronts, one rallying for early elections and the other standing against them. In the former are the MHP and the True Path Party (DYP). Among the ranks of the counter front, the DSP’s position is the most outspoken. The Felicity Party (SP) is also in this group as it is not ready for early elections. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) has laid plans for either contingency, but it will surely be more successful than the SP if early elections are held on Nov. 3. In contrast the New Turkey’s (YT) attitude is relatively unformed as it has so far been unable to put together a coherent framework. On the other hand, there is also the possibility that the YT may not take advantage of elections in a more distant future. Under this week’s circumstances, a postponement of early elections would not bother the YT greatly.”<_span> ARCHIVE <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="http:/_www.byegm.gov.tr_statistic/countcode.js"> </script>

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