The Hindu : Crisis as Turkey's Foreign Minister quits

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 12, 2002

International

International

Crisis as Turkey's Foreign Minister quits

By Atul Aneja

ANKARA July 11. Turkey's Foreign Minister, Ismail Cem, resigned on Thursday, dealing a harsh blow to the Government's push to stay in power despite mass resignations from the party of the Prime Minister, Bulent Ecevit.

``I have resigned from the DSP (Mr. Ecevit's Democratic Left Party) and the Foreign Ministry,'' Mr. Cem said in a statement.

He said he would explain his decision at a news conference on Friday.

Mr. Cem is the seventh Cabinet Minister to leave Mr. Ecevit's administration since Monday. — Reuters

Islamists may fill void

MANAMA (BAHRAIN) JULY 11. With high economic and strategic stakes for the world involved in Turkey's stability, international attention is being focussed on the country that is currently facing a major political crisis.

As the ouster of the Prime Minister, Bulent Ecevit, is fast becoming a certainty, world attention is riveted on who will step into his shoes. Moderates within Turkey and abroad are concerned about the possibility of Islamic extremists partly filling the void in Ankara, especially if fresh elections are called.

The political turmoil in Turkey has been created by mass resignations from the governing coalition in the backdrop of Mr. Ecevit's ill-health. Mr. Ecevit has been spending more time in hospital than in office in the last two months. Analysts point out that the 77-year old Prime Minister's poor health as well as the chaotic composition of the coalition had made policy-making difficult in the country.

Five key reasons explain why international interest in the happenings in Turkey is so high.

First, Turkey acquires its importance on account of its strategic location. Positioned on the junction of Asia and Europe, Turkey is the gateway of trade between the two continents. Stability in Turkey is, therefore, vital for the free flow of international trade. Turkey has acquired additional importance on account of the discovery of oil and gas in its Central Asian periphery.

Second, the industrialised world is projecting Turkey as a moderate Muslim nation. In order to reinforce this message, Turkey has been given command of troops enforcing peace in the streets of Kabul, a foremost victim of religious extremism.

Third, stability in Turkey, a NATO member, is vital as it may have to perform a crucial military role if the U.S. launches military strikes against Iraq in the coming months. Fourth, a leadership change may also be desirable on account of economic considerations. Turkey has accumulated a $31-billion debt from the IMF. The latter has been pushing for economic reforms that the present coalition has been unable to undertake.

The emergence of a pro-reform government, preferably without involving fresh elections, may be desirable. Fifth, there is exasperation, especially in the European Union, which has been demanding abolition of death penalty in Turkey as well as a dialogue between Ankara and ethnic Kurds.

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