Turkey: Two Brakes from AKP

Moreover, the permit to send troops to Iraq will most probably not be tackled before October. Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan relaxed his rigid stance regarding the Constitutional amendment and said, “I do not want to create an image as if there was a controversy at the summit of the state on the issue (between the president and his government).”

Before going to Mus on Tuesday, Erdogan had said “No,” upon the questions that “Can Parliament hold an extraordinary session to tackle the forest-sale law? Can it be in September?” On whether Parliament will be opened on October 1, as it normally should, Erdogan said, “It seems so.”

Faruk Celik, AKP Group Deputy Chairman, said, “We did not give up the issue of the sale of deforested lands, we just postponed it. The issue can be tackled after a month or perhaps after six months.” These words of Celik may imply that the government decided to hold the referendum on the issue together with the local elections in April.

On the issue of sending troops to Iraq, PM Erdogan said that there were tasks that should be undertaken by Turkey in Iraq. Erdogan said, “We are still evaluating the issue. The Iraqi public should be in a position to ask for Turkish troops; this is important. Social structure and non-governmental organizations should be ready for that. Therefore, the permit will come to agenda in line with the views of the Iraqi public and interests of Turkey, when the time is ripe. Turkey will be there if it is necessary, with her security forces to ensure peace there.”