Turkish PM Says to Resign Within Two Days

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, March 11, 2003

Turkish PM Says to Resign Within Two Days

Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said Monday he would resign within two days to vacate the post for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said Monday he would resign within two days to vacate the post for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with Erdogan, Gul said he will present his resignation to President Ahmed Necdet Sezer following the parliamentary swearing-in ceremony for Erdogan, who won the by-election Sunday.

Gul said he paid a visit to Erdogan to congratulate him on the by-election victory, which paid the way for the latter to become the new prime minister.

Gul said he believed the process of power transfer has to be accelerated. "If everything can be completed, he will be able to take oath tomorrow afternoon. If not, it can take place on Wednesday," Gul said.

Asked about a new motion on the deployment of US troops in Turkey, Gul said that decision should be made only after the process of power transfer ends.

The United States has been waiting anxiously for the Erdogan government to table a new motion to the Turkish parliament on allowing in 62,000 US troops for a possible war on Iraq.

Earlier the month, the Turkish parliament narrowly rejected a government motion on the US troop deployment on its soil. But Washington has since been keeping pressure on the Turkish government to present a new motion to the parliament.

US Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson held a meeting with Erdogan Sunday to discuss the new motion. Washington has offered a huge aid package worth billions of US dollars to Ankara in exchange for its cooperation in setting up a crucial northern front against Iraq.

Erdogan reportedly promised Pearson that Turkey would do anything necessary to present a new motion, while cautioning Washington against over pushing on the matter.

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