President Gül rules out prospect of coup in 2010

President Abdullah Gül, speaking during a live TV program broadcast on CNN Türk on Monday, said Turkey will not face the threat of a coup d’état in 2010.

The president was on the program “Tecrübe Konuşuyor” (Experience Speaks), co-moderated by journalists Hasan Cemal and Cengiz Çandar. In response to a question on whether Turkey would see a coup in 2010, Gül said: “This will never be the case. Such a thing would be disrespectful of the Turkish Armed Forces [TSK].”

The president also said he does not expect a military memorandum this year.

Asked for his views on recent commentary by some journalists and columnists about ongoing clashes between Turkey’s state institutions, Gül said there was nothing in Turkey that could be defined as “clashes between institutions.”

“I say this sincerely. Those who speak about such things [a clash of institutions] speak as if they did not witness the country’s recent political history. There may be problems stemming from different interpretations of authority, but we cannot call them clashes,” he said.

The president also touched on ongoing efforts by the government to settle the Kurdish question through a massive democratization package. “Turkey will experience more beauty. The days ahead will be more beautiful. We will get rid of problems by solving them. I believe in this. I believe in my citizens. I believe Turkey has grasped a historic chance to root out terror. A similar chance was grasped when [jailed terrorist leader Abdullah] Öcalan was captured, but Turkey missed that chance,” Gül said.

The leader of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was captured in 1999 in Kenya. He is currently imprisoned on an island near İstanbul.

In response to a question about the closure of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) by the Constitutional Court, Gül said: “I do not think the closure of political parties complies with my principles. What is correct is the correction of mistakes committed. Urging violence is wrong. I said I am against the closure of parties, but what can a court do about a party that says the PKK is its raison d’être?”

The DTP was shut down last month on charges of separatist activities.

Source: Today's Zaman.
Link: http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-197593-101-president-gul-rules-out-prospect-of-coup-in-2010.html.