AP -
By SELCAN HACAOGLU
19/03/2001

ANKARA, Turkey--Turkey's Cabinet on Monday approved a sweeping program
that promises political, economic and legal reforms aimed at eventually gaining membership
in the European Union.

The program comes amid a major financial crisis, which will probably slow any such
reforms. And it remained unclear how far the government will be able to go in addressing
such crucial issues as the rights of Kurdish minorities, the role of the military in politics and
the dispute over the divided island of Cyprus.

Although the program is likely to fall short of EU demands, the reforms are a step toward
reforming society and joining the 15 -nation bloc, a long coveted goal.

"Our main goal is to start the negotiation process (for membership) as soon as possible," said
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz. "Our government has the determination to carry out
all that is needed for that goal."

The program, which Yilmaz will present to parliament on Thursday, promises
to:

-give priority to developing freedom of speech "in accordance with European norms;"

-crack down on torture, which is still believed to be widespread in Turkey;

-review the death penalty and states that until there is a change, the current policy of not
carrying out death sentences will be maintained;

-and offer greater freedom of organization for trade unions.

The program also hints that Turkey may take steps toward granting cultural rights to Kurds.
It states that citizens are free to speak whatever language they like and cautions that such
freedoms cannot be used to promote separatism.

The far-right Nationalist Action Party, a partner in the coalition government, and the
powerful military have long maintained that allowing Kurds to broadcast or teach in Kurdish
would stoke Kurdish nationalism and could eventually lead to the division of the state.

The EU has called on Turkey to curb the military's influence in politics, introduce more
democratic guarantees into the constitution and make human rights improvements before it
will even start membership negotiations.

But the program defends the National Security Council, the most influential institution in the
state and one in which the military has strong influence.

Despite the measures approved by the Cabinet on Monday, many believe the recent financial
crisis, which has led to a sharp fall in the value of the lira, will hamper Turkey's reform
program.

On Monday, Turkish economy minister Kemal Dervis said Turkey has reached a framework
agreement with the International Monetary Fund that is likely to bring in much needed fresh
loans.

The EU accepted Turkey as a candidate for membership in late 1999. In March 2000, the
EU formally adopted a plan setting out reforms Turkey needs to adopt in order to one day
join the bloc.

When the plan was first proposed, Turkey reacted with anger that the EU had linked
Turkey's membership prospects to progress toward a solution of the division of Cyprus.

Turkey supports efforts to find a solution to the division of the island so long as the
breakaway Turkish Cypriot republic is recognized as equal to the Greek Cypriot
government, according to the program. The self-declared Turkish Cypriot republic is
recognized only by Ankara.

The Cabinet said Turkey will also maintain dialogue with EU member Greece toward
solving their long-running territorial conflicts in the Aegean Sea.
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The Kurdistan Observer
www.kurdistanobserver.com