Opposition Leader Criticizes Turkey’s Foreign Policies

CHP (Republican People’s Party) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu spoke to the Hürriyet Daily News during a break from his campaigning in Istanbul on Friday.

The main opposition chief said: “Turkey could not carry out a sustainable policy. At first the prime minister asked, what is NATO doing in Libya? And afterwards Turkey participated in the [NATO] flotilla”.

“Turkey could not implement a policy that could stand on its [own] feet,” Kılıçdaroğlu, appearing confident, said while his packed trip to Turkey’s largest city, which included stops in the Anatolian-side districts of Çengelköy, Çekmeköy, Kavacık, Paşabahçe and Üsküdar.

Osman Korutürk, deputy leader of the CHP and a former ambassador, additionally criticized Ankara’s recent closing of its Tripoli Embassy, saying Turkey had never closed an embassy even in wartime.

He described Turkey as a country that lets events dictate its response.

“If some civilians [in Libya] are targeted, Turkey would be responsible as well,” Korutürk added.

Presidential system could be discussed

Asked a question regarding the prime minister’s push for a presidential system for Turkey, Kılıçdaroğlu said that in democracies, every subject is open for discussion.

But when asked if he is worried about the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, exerting undue power under such a system, he said: “There is already pressure on the legislative system.”

Kılıçdaroğlu said the Parliament cannot act independently because it is facing high pressure. Even though the CHP supports the parliamentary system, he said, democracy cannot currently be performed under this system.

Commenting on pro-Kurdish figure Aysel Tuğluk’s remarks that a tendency toward uprising is being expected in Turkey, as has been seen in the Middle East and North Africa, he said he has not been informed about the latest developments and that it is a shame that the government does not contact the main opposition party on such issues.

“I hear these kinds of statements from the media but not from the ruling party,” Kılıçdaroğlu said. He added that Tuğluk should explain why she felt that such things would occur in Turkey, what resources gave her this kind of information and what made her feel this way.

The AKP creates polarization between the state and the public in its statements, said deputy CHP leader Sezgin Tanrıkulu. He added that he never believed in the AKP’s Kurdish initiative. “There was nothing in that initiative program,” he said.

May 6, 2011

SOURCE: Hürriyet Daily News