Sunday, May 18, 2008

Turkey in 2003

U.S. intervention in Iraq determined Turkey's domestic agenda to a great extend in 2003.

Bomb attacks, which happened one after the other in Istanbul, shook Turkey.

Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose candidacy was not accepted on November 3 elections, became a parliamentarian with the elections that were renewed in Bitlis. Erdogan later became Prime Minister.

Discussions on secularism continued throughout the year.

2003 started with death of 74 people when a RC-100 type plane, belonging to Turkish Air Forces, on its flight from Istanbul to Diyarbakir, crashed.

Possibility of U.S. intervention in Iraq was in agenda. The U.S. experts examined various installations in Turkey as Parliament allowed arrival of U.S. technical and military personnel to Turkey for renovation, modernization, and construction works in bases and ports for three months.

After this, there were many visits from foreign countries, and diplomacy traffic accelerated and meetings took place often. Anti-war protests were arranged. Turkey's inclusion to a possible operation was discussed intensely.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ertugrul Yalcinbayir, and parliamentarians of opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Justice and Development Party (CHP) made statements opposing Turkey's inclusion in a military operation.

As discussions continue, Parliament did not adopt Prime Ministry Motion facilitating Turkey's participation to Iraq operation. The motion was about dispatch of Turkish soldiers to foreign countries and deployment of foreign forces in Turkey for six months.

Now that discussions were underway that rejection of the motion would cause problems in Turkish-U.S. relations. Another motion about sending of Turkish soldiers to north of Iraq and giving permission to passage of U.S. soldiers from Turkish airspace was brought onto the agenda and adopted in the Parliament. The U.S. planes used Turkish airspace.
Failure in restoring stability in Iraq following the intervention again brought onto agenda assignment of Turkish soldiers in Iraq. Parliament adopted the motion allowing government on dispatch of soldiers. However, the government suspended implementation of the motion upon the developments. Thus, dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq was once again excluded from the agenda.

A total of 11 Turkish soldiers, three officers and eight non-commissioned officers were taken under custody after U.S. soldiers raided Turkish Special Team Office in Sulaymaniyah, causing a tension in relations between Turkey and the United States.

Four explosions which occurred in Istanbul, claimed 58 lives and injured many others. The explosions also caused financial damage.

ERDOGAN BECOMES PRIME MINISTER

Another important development in 2003 was in politics. AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose candidacy was not accepted on November 3 elections, was elected as parliamentarian in elections that was renewed in Siirt province.

Erdogan formed 59th government as Prime Minister Abdullah Gul presented resignation of the 58th government.

Higher Election Board (YSK) became the target of discussions during renewal of elections in Siirt and Erdogan's candidacy.

November 3 elections became controversial as some DEHAP administrators were sentenced on charges that they showed as if formation of the party was completed aiming to enter November 3 elections.
YSK rejected the applications which were made for cancellation of elections and thus ended the uncertainty.

SECULARISM

''Secularism'' was another point of discussion through 2003.

Discussions on secularism were intensified as President Ahmet Necdet Sezer sent one-person invitation to AK Party parliamentarians for Republic Day reception, as their wives were wearing headscarves.

Sezer made a statement in the reception in which AK Party parliamentarians did not join. Sezer in his statement said, ''recently, efforts are underway to exhibit attitudes toward secular qualities. I will not give opportunity to them.''

Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, who made statements throughout the year, said, ''whatever President does, it is correct. He is a sublime personality. It is not nice to make comment about his decisions.''

CADRES

There were important changes in political cadres both in state and politics throughout the year. Changes were made in command level of Turkish Armed Forces following Supreme Military Council meeting in August.
Fleet Commander Gen. Ozden Ornek was appointed as Naval Forces Commander, Gen. Ibrahim Firtina, the Commander of War Academies, was appointed as Air Forces Commander. Gen. Sukru Sariisik was appointed as NSC General Secretary.

Ertugrul Yalcinbayir, who worked as State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in the 58th government, and Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis were not included in the cabinet in the 59th government.

Field of mission of some ministers were changed. There were several shifts as some ministries were united.

Ali Talip Ozdemir was elected as leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP) Mesut Yilmaz left his mission as leader of the party. However, Ozdemir left his mission to Nesrin Nas at the end of the year.

Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit said he would leave his post as leader of the party.

Necmettin Erbakan, whose political ban ended, was elected as leader of Felicity Party (SP) instead of Kutan.

Devlet Bahceli was again elected as leader of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Turkey, which passed 2003 under the shadow of Iraq war, recorded important successes in arts.

Novelist Orhan Pamuk won IMPAC Dublin Literary Award which was one of the world's richest literary prizes with his novel ''My Name is Red''.

Famous Turkish singer Sertab Erener won the 48th Eurovision Song Contest held in Riga, Latvia with her song ''Every Way That I Can''.

Nuri Bilge Ceyhan's ''Uzak'' (Distant) film won the Grand Prize in the 56th Cannes Film Festival together with the film Elephant. The film's two stars, Muzaffer Ozdemir and Mehmet Emin Toprak, shared the award for best actor.

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