Tens of thousands of Turks wave their
national flags to oppose the government's presidential candidate during a
rally in Istanbul April 29, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
ANKARA,
April 29 (Xinhua) -- Rallies supported by 600 non-governmental organizations
were held in 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 April 14 mass demonstration
in Ankara, came amid mounting tension occurred in 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
secular system in the presidential elections and would "openly display its
position and attitudes when it becomes necessary."
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.
ANKARA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul, presidential candidate of the ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP), said here Sunday that he would not retreat from the elections.
Gul, who failed to win the first
round of voting at parliament Friday, told a news conference that they are
waiting for the decision to be made by the Constitutional Court over the dispute
emerged in the elections. Full story
ANKARA, April 24 (Xinhua)
-- Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) announced Tuesday its
decision to nominate Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as
its candidate in the forthcoming presidential elections.
The decision was announced at its parliamentary group
meeting in Ankara. Full story
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