TURKISH DEMOCRATIZATION MEASURES/EDITORIAL
DATE= JULY 30, 1995
TYPE= EDITORIAL
NUMBER= 0-06456
TITLE= TURKISH DEMOCRATIZATION MEASURES
CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST
JULY 30, 1995.
ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE
VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
VOICE:
THIS MONTH, TURKISH PRESIDENT SULEYMAN DEMIREL SIGNED A
NUMBER OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AIMED AT STRENGTHENING
DEMOCRACY IN TURKEY. THE AMENDMENTS HAD BEEN PROPOSED BY PRIME
MINISTER TANSU CILLER AND WERE OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED BY THE
TURKISH PARLIAMENT. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MEASURES WILL
ELIMINATE RESTRICTIONS ON POLITICAL PARTICIPATION BY
ASSOCIATIONS, TRADE UNIONS, AND COOPERATIVES AND GRANT CIVIL
SERVANTS THE RIGHT TO FORM UNIONS AND ENGAGE IN COLLECTIVE TALKS
WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYERS. OTHER MEASURES WILL LOWER THE
VOTING AGE FROM TWENTY TO EIGHTEEN AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
PARLIAMENTARIANS FROM FOUR-HUNDRED FIFTY TO FIVE-HUNDRED FIFTY.
IN ADDITION, LANGUAGE PRAISING TURKEY'S 1980 MILITARY COUP WILL
BE REMOVED FROM THE PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION. THIS IS IN
LINE WITH THE PARLIAMENT'S DESIRE TO MAKE THE CONSTITUTION MORE
OF A CIVILIAN DOCUMENT.
PRIME MINISTER CILLER ORIGINALLY PROPOSED TWENTY-TWO
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, AND SEVENTEEN HAVE BEEN PASSED SO FAR.
ONE MEASURE STILL TO BE ADOPTED IS A MODIFICATION OF ARTICLE
EIGHT OF TURKEY'S ANTI-TERRORISM LAW. THIS MEASURE HAS BEEN USED
TO LIMIT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO PEOPLE
WHO HAVE URGED GREATER RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF TURKEY'S KURDISH
MINORITY. ONE OF THE MANY WRITERS FACING CHARGES UNDER ARTICLE
EIGHT IS YASAR KEMAL, TURKEY'S MOST FAMOUS NOVELIST.
AS UNITED STATES OFFICIALS HAVE SAID, THE ACTIONS BY THE
TURKISH PARLIAMENT AND PRESIDENT ARE AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT
THAT WILL BROADEN THE PARTICIPATION OF THE TURKISH PEOPLE IN THE
COUNTRY'S DEMOCRACY. THE U.S. URGES TURKEY TO CONTINUE ITS
DEMOCRATIZATION EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO INCREASING
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION BY MODIFYING ARTICLE EIGHT OF THE
ANTI-TERRORISM LAW. IN THE MEANTIME, THE U.S. HOPES THAT THE
EUROPEAN UNION WILL CONSIDER THE POSITIVE STEPS ALREADY TAKEN BY
TURKEY. THE U.S. STRONGLY SUPPORTS TURKEY'S BID TO HAVE A
CUSTOMS AGREEMENT WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION. THERE OUGHT TO BE
FURTHER INTEGRATION OF TURKEY IN EUROPE.
ANNCR:
THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED
STATES GOVERNMENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE,
PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D-C,
20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043.
YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.
28-Jul-95 12:28 PM EDT (1628 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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