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CIcEK: PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM DEPENDS ON 2015 ELECTION RESULTS
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Nov 17 2013
17 November 2013 /CUMAL襤 ONAL, ANKARA
Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek has stressed that a transition to
the presidential system in Turkey depends on the results of the 2015
general elections, emphasizing that under the current circumstances,
a presidential system as desired by the government is difficult to
switch to.
Meeting with Australian journalists in an event held last week by
the Zaman Australia daily and sponsored by Turkish Airlines (THY),
Cicek said Turkey and Australia are among the rare countries that
have turned war into a friendship. Deputy Prime Minister and Economy
Minister Ali Babacan said the current strong relations between the two
countries were established a century ago in the Battle of Gallipoli.
The event brought together Australian journalists and Turkish
government officials, intellectuals, experts and journalists from
Turkey to discuss a range of issues, including Iran, the European
Union, Armenian allegations of genocide, the Kurdish question and
the Gezi Park protests.
Stressing that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) want a US model
presidential system and that this was one of the main issues blocking
the constitutional drafting process, Cicek said under the current
circumstances, a presidential system desired by the government is
difficult to switch to.
Turkey's EU Affairs Minister Egemen Bag覺癬_ noted that if Erdogan
runs for president, he would probably be elected as president in the
first or second round with 60 percent of the vote.
Cicek also underlined in his speech that one of the main reasons
for Turkey's problems is political greed among politicians, pointing
out that important issues in discussions about changing the current
Constitution have not even been addressed yet.
On the Gezi Park protests, Cicek pointed out that the West only
sees the political demands side of the incidents. "According to
international treaties, everyone has a right to protest what one does
not like, but they cannot use force. No one's freedom can curtail
another's freedom," added Cicek.
Saying that "supporting terrorism and the 1915 incidents are two topics
that poison our relations with some countries," Cicek said the decision
taken by the Australian Parliament to accept Armenian allegations of
genocide is poisoning relations between the two countries.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Levent Gumrukcu stressed that the Kurdish
question cannot be solved by establishing an independent Kurdish state,
maintaining that Kurds should make an effort to gain all their social,
economic and cultural rights within the territories they are living in.
Speaking on Iran's nuclear activities, Bag覺癬_ told journalists that
Turkey does not want Iran to build nuclear weapons. "If Iran develops
nuclear weapons, Ankara, not New York, will be in the range of those
weapons," the minister said. Bag覺癬_ also pointed out that Iran has
had ambitions to control the region for the last 2,000 years.
Similarly, Gumrukcu underlined that Turkey is one of those countries
most concerned about Iran's nuclear program, saying Iran's nuclear
weapons do not constitute a threat to the US, but to American regional
interests. The spokesperson pointed out that Turkey is Iran's neighbor
and that no one can claim that Turkey tolerates Iran's nuclear program.
Concerning Syria, Gumrukcu said as in other regional problems,
Turkey has never favored a military intervention in Syria and has
always desired a political and diplomatic solution. Stressing that
Turkey wants to present its economic performance, built on universal
values and democracy, to countries in the region, Gumrukcu said,
"Despite recent campaigns against Turkey, 70-80 percent of Middle
Easterners from Yemen to Morocco hold Turkey up as the model country
to cooperate with in their period of transition to democracy."
Gumrukcu added that Turkey does not need to follow a nuclear program
due to its presence under the umbrella of NATO.
Speaking on Turkey's EU membership, Bag覺癬_ said a lack of vision and
the fears and prejudices of EU leaders are the main obstacles ahead
of Turkey's membership in the union. Stressing that they do not want
to linger on the problems with the EU and make a great effort for
membership, Bag覺癬_ said Turkey faces false excuses such as being
a large, Muslim and poor country.
Gumrukcu said EU membership is Turkey's strategic priority and that
"it is out of the question [for Turkey] to give up on EU membership."
During the meeting, Babacan claimed that the UN Security Council
does not want the G-20, which constitutes 90 percent of global gross
domestic product (GDP) and 80 percent of global trade, to be more
politically active. "This organization has a very strong representation
of power. If political issues are discussed in this organization,
the G-20 could easily replace the UN Security Council," said Babacan.
Stressing that Turkey has gone through political, social and economic
transformations in the last 11 years, Babacan said they are targeting
5 percent economic growth for the 2015-16 period in Turkey.
Speaking on relations with Israel, Gumrukcu said Turkey honestly wants
good relations with Israel, adding that as the US sets new strategies
for the region, Israel will need Turkey more than ever.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-331686-cicek-presidential-system-depends-on-2015-election-results.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Nov 17 2013
17 November 2013 /CUMAL襤 ONAL, ANKARA
Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek has stressed that a transition to
the presidential system in Turkey depends on the results of the 2015
general elections, emphasizing that under the current circumstances,
a presidential system as desired by the government is difficult to
switch to.
Meeting with Australian journalists in an event held last week by
the Zaman Australia daily and sponsored by Turkish Airlines (THY),
Cicek said Turkey and Australia are among the rare countries that
have turned war into a friendship. Deputy Prime Minister and Economy
Minister Ali Babacan said the current strong relations between the two
countries were established a century ago in the Battle of Gallipoli.
The event brought together Australian journalists and Turkish
government officials, intellectuals, experts and journalists from
Turkey to discuss a range of issues, including Iran, the European
Union, Armenian allegations of genocide, the Kurdish question and
the Gezi Park protests.
Stressing that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) want a US model
presidential system and that this was one of the main issues blocking
the constitutional drafting process, Cicek said under the current
circumstances, a presidential system desired by the government is
difficult to switch to.
Turkey's EU Affairs Minister Egemen Bag覺癬_ noted that if Erdogan
runs for president, he would probably be elected as president in the
first or second round with 60 percent of the vote.
Cicek also underlined in his speech that one of the main reasons
for Turkey's problems is political greed among politicians, pointing
out that important issues in discussions about changing the current
Constitution have not even been addressed yet.
On the Gezi Park protests, Cicek pointed out that the West only
sees the political demands side of the incidents. "According to
international treaties, everyone has a right to protest what one does
not like, but they cannot use force. No one's freedom can curtail
another's freedom," added Cicek.
Saying that "supporting terrorism and the 1915 incidents are two topics
that poison our relations with some countries," Cicek said the decision
taken by the Australian Parliament to accept Armenian allegations of
genocide is poisoning relations between the two countries.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Levent Gumrukcu stressed that the Kurdish
question cannot be solved by establishing an independent Kurdish state,
maintaining that Kurds should make an effort to gain all their social,
economic and cultural rights within the territories they are living in.
Speaking on Iran's nuclear activities, Bag覺癬_ told journalists that
Turkey does not want Iran to build nuclear weapons. "If Iran develops
nuclear weapons, Ankara, not New York, will be in the range of those
weapons," the minister said. Bag覺癬_ also pointed out that Iran has
had ambitions to control the region for the last 2,000 years.
Similarly, Gumrukcu underlined that Turkey is one of those countries
most concerned about Iran's nuclear program, saying Iran's nuclear
weapons do not constitute a threat to the US, but to American regional
interests. The spokesperson pointed out that Turkey is Iran's neighbor
and that no one can claim that Turkey tolerates Iran's nuclear program.
Concerning Syria, Gumrukcu said as in other regional problems,
Turkey has never favored a military intervention in Syria and has
always desired a political and diplomatic solution. Stressing that
Turkey wants to present its economic performance, built on universal
values and democracy, to countries in the region, Gumrukcu said,
"Despite recent campaigns against Turkey, 70-80 percent of Middle
Easterners from Yemen to Morocco hold Turkey up as the model country
to cooperate with in their period of transition to democracy."
Gumrukcu added that Turkey does not need to follow a nuclear program
due to its presence under the umbrella of NATO.
Speaking on Turkey's EU membership, Bag覺癬_ said a lack of vision and
the fears and prejudices of EU leaders are the main obstacles ahead
of Turkey's membership in the union. Stressing that they do not want
to linger on the problems with the EU and make a great effort for
membership, Bag覺癬_ said Turkey faces false excuses such as being
a large, Muslim and poor country.
Gumrukcu said EU membership is Turkey's strategic priority and that
"it is out of the question [for Turkey] to give up on EU membership."
During the meeting, Babacan claimed that the UN Security Council
does not want the G-20, which constitutes 90 percent of global gross
domestic product (GDP) and 80 percent of global trade, to be more
politically active. "This organization has a very strong representation
of power. If political issues are discussed in this organization,
the G-20 could easily replace the UN Security Council," said Babacan.
Stressing that Turkey has gone through political, social and economic
transformations in the last 11 years, Babacan said they are targeting
5 percent economic growth for the 2015-16 period in Turkey.
Speaking on relations with Israel, Gumrukcu said Turkey honestly wants
good relations with Israel, adding that as the US sets new strategies
for the region, Israel will need Turkey more than ever.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-331686-cicek-presidential-system-depends-on-2015-election-results.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress