Presidents EU Summit to the Leaders

The summit aimed to handle what Turkey has to do towards complying with the Copenhagen criteria in its European Union (EU) membership process.

However, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit pulled out of the summit due to his ill health. Tansu Ciller, the leader of the central right-wing True Path Party (DYP), did not attend the meeting citing Ecevit's absence. The central Democratic Left Party (DSP), was represented by the party's general secretary.

There were three important problems to be debated at the meeting. Abolishing death penalty, removing the ban on Kurdish education and removing the restrictions on broadcasting in languages other than Turkish.

Is joining the EU a state policy?

The widespread public demand is that Turkey's EU bid becomes a state policy, and no longer be considered as a party policy. It is understood that President Sezer too shares this opinion. For this reason, the leaders are trying to convince the far right Nationalist Action Party (MHP), to change its attitude, which is preventing the solution of these three problems.

Trying to make Turkey's EU membership a state policy, and "demanding that this subject does not become something the leaders use to benefit themselves," are not realistic goals.

The political actors who are inadequate in generating solutions for Turkey's problems, and who falter before the influence of external impulses, would be expected to look out for each other reckoning a possible election and setting down and pursuing tactical behavior.

On the other hand, in a democratic society, not all political viewpoints and parties could be expected to share the same opinion when a fundamental decision, such as Turkey's EU membership, is at hand. There may be political parties, which oppose this decision, and they should have the right to advocate their own opinions.

MHP's role

The real problem is, whether or not the governing parties embrace the decisions of the government. The entrenched opinion within the public is that the second largest coalition party MHP, is holding back the government from carrying out its EU policies.

In this case, MHP has to set a clear position and thus make a decision. If MHP does not think that the government is right in carrying out its EU policies, then it should withdraw from the government. MHP is now at a turning point between remaining in the government or gratify its voters.

If MHP prevents the government from carrying out its policies and also insists in remaining in the government, then the Prime Minister would be the person to solve this problem.

However Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, the head of the government, is unable to carry out his duties.

Ecevit's state

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit could not attend the EU summit due to his ill health. He is also unable to carry out the government's policies. This clearly shows that Turkey is now without a government. The Committee of Ministers, one of the state organs foreseen by the Constitution, is unable to function in a systematic and harmonious manner.

In this case, there clearly is a government problem, and it is the President's responsibility to make sure that the Committee of Ministers is functioning systematically and harmoniously.

It is now inevitable that the President asks for a confirmation that the Prime Minister is unable to carry out his duties due to his ill health, and then begin the process of forming a new government. Thus, the President now has to take upon a vital political role whether or not he wants to.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will have to undertake this important role in the coming days, no matter what the outcome of the summit was.

Tansu Ciller's attitude

Tansu Ciller, DYP's leader did not attend the summit. Ciller is claiming that there is a government problem and pressing that the government withdraws from power. Tansu Ciller is right in her assignations.

However, being right in her assignations does not justify her absence at the summit in the public's eye. The aim of the meeting was to generate a solution to a problem: Removing the obstacles in Turkey's EU membership process. Removing the obstacles would only be possible through the law changes at the parliament.

For this reason, the summit was important in the way that it showed whether the political parties represented at the parliament would contribute to the solution of this problem. By not joining this meeting, DYP's leader Tansu Ciller, has gotten away with having to explain her position towards joining the EU.

Tansu Ciller must have thought that joining these two partly separable subject is necessary for pursuing a political tactic. It would not be surprising for her to realize that this tactical attitude will hurt, more than benefit her party.

DYP is now facing the danger of appearing as a party that claims to support Turkey's EU membership but avoids fulfilling the requirements. With such an attitude, DYP, the largest opposition party does not seem to be the "governing party of the future" which generates solutions to Turkey's problems.

The Outcome of the Cankaya Summit

According to the statement made at the end of the Cankaya Summit, the political party leaders have reached an agreement on taking steps towards complying with the European Human Rights Convention and the decisions of the European Commission, finalizing the required legislative procedures in the adaptation period, and warning Europe to fulfill its duties.

The statement did not embody a solid expression regarding the concrete problems on the meeting's agenda. It was stated that the leaders had reached an agreement on seeking a solution for the problems within the parliament.

Obviously, no clear viewpoint resulted from the meeting regarding that the government and the views of the members of the government will direct the actions of the parliament. And what this means is that MHP cannot risk withdrawing from the government, but neither does it appear to block the steps to be taken.

Pro-Islamist parties position

The fact that the Prime Minister is missing in action and the governing parties have not been able to reach an agreement, poses a frailty to the parliament's actions. There will not be a "leader" directing the actions at TBMM.

But it can be understood that with the support of the opposition pro-Islamist Felicity Party (SP) and especially the pro-Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP) there will be some improvements at the parliament.

It can be said that the Summit was successful in pushing forward the solution of the problems Turkey has faced in its process of joining the European Union.

But the actions of the Parliament will have to be closely followed. Nevertheless, Turkey's government problem is still persisting, and will need an intervention now or later. (ZU/BB/EA/NM))