Rallies supported by 600 non-governmental organizations were
held in the Turkish capital Ankara and largest city of Istanbul on
Sunday to show their support for the country's secular
system.
Carrying Turkish flags, the demonstrators shouted slogans to
protect the country's secularism and principles of Mustafa Kemal
Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.
Local media said the rallies are expected to draw tens of
thousands people.
The rallies, similar to the April 14 mass demonstration in
Ankara, came amid mounting tension stemming from the presidential
elections between the Islamic-rooted ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP) and the country's secularists.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, presidential candidate of
the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), failed to garner
the required two-thirds majority of 367 votes in the first round of
voting on Friday.
The main opposition secularists Republican People's Party (CHP),
which boycotted the vote, appealed to the country's constitutional
court to annul the presidential vote since the parliament convened
with less than 367 lawmakers to elect the new president.
If the court upholds the CHP's appeal, a scheduled general
election in November, will be called within 90 days. Otherwise, Gul
will be elected as the new president in a third round of voting on
May 9, when 276 votes will be sufficient.
Late on Friday, the staunchly secularist Turkish army issued a
statement, saying that it was watching with concern the debate over
the secular system in the presidential elections and would "openly
display its position and attitudes when it becomes necessary."
The Turkish government on Saturday criticized the army's threat
to defend the country's secularism by intervening in domestic
politics.
Gul, a close ally of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told a
news conference on Sunday that he would not retreat from the
elections.
"The process is going on. We should all wait for the decision of
the Constitutional Court," Gul affirmed.
"As the issue is on the agenda of the court at the moment, it
will not be right to express any opinions. The court will take the
accurate decision and we should all respect that," Gul added.
(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2007)
