mainstream news

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

Turkey's Ciller loses confidence vote
     ANKARA, Turkey (Reuter) - Turkish Prime Minister Tansu
Ciller on Sunday lost a parliamentary vote of confidence,
bringing an end to her 10-day old minority government. The vote
was shown live on television.
     According to preliminary figures, MPs voted 230 to 190 to
reject the vote of confidence in the conservative prime
minister's minority cabinet, formed Oct. 5.
     The vote paves the way for possible snap elections. However,
President Suleyman Demirel could direct one of Ciller's many
rivals to try to form a new government.
     Thousands of workers took to the streets of Ankara earlier
Sunday to demand a 'No' vote, after Ciller rejected their latest
wage demands.

Turk workers, police out in force before key vote

     ANKARA, Oct 15 (Reuter) - Turkish labour flexed its muscles
in central Ankara on Sunday, hours before a confidence vote in
conservative Prime Minister Tansu Ciller's fledgling minority
government.
     An advance party of about 8,000 workers gathered at Kizilay
Square, chanting anti-government slogans and waving the
star-and-crescent Turkish flag. Thousands more workers and their
families were expected to join them later.
     ``God willing, this will be the prime minister's last day,''
Bayram Meral, leader of the Turk-Is labour confederation, told
reporters.
     Turkish police were out in force at the rally, called by
Turk-Is to pressure parliament to reject a vote of confidence
and torpedo the government.
     ``Independent Turkey, Down with the IMF,'' shouted the
workers, denouncing what labour says is the International
Monetary Fund's hand in keeping wages down.
     Armoured personnel carriers, topped with water cannons, and
dozens of riot police stood by the square and police helicopters
hovered overhead. Police sharpshooters were positioned on
surrounding buildings.
     Police said they had mobilised 4,000 officers for the rally,
designed to pressure the government into a last-minute wage
settlement before the vote.
     Soldiers said all leave was cancelled for at least one army
unit near the capital.
     ``We want to stop Ciller from getting the vote of
confidence,'' said Ali Celik, a road labourer from the western
city of Izmir. ``There is no turning back now.''
     The local administration has said it would permit the big
rally but police officials charged the gathering was illegal and
hinted they may take measures to prevent it.
     Anatolian news agency said police had blocked charter buses
with workers leaving Izmir and the southern city of Adana for
Ankara on Saturday night.
     The rally follows a final round of political manoeuvring by
labour and political leaders ahead of a confidence vote that
looks too close to call.
     Ciller must win a simple majority of votes cast by up to 428
parliament deputies. Failure could trigger early elections, or
force President Suleyman Demirel to hand over the task of
forming a government to one of Ciller's many rivals.
     Turk-Is, representing about 350,000 striking workers, is
lobbying hard for a ``No'' vote. One influential politician has
said his party's support for Ciller was contingent upon a wage
deal before the vote.

Turkish labour flexes muscles ahead of key vote

     ANKARA, Oct 15 (Reuter) - Turkish workers gathered in
central Ankara for a mass rally on Sunday, chanting anti-
government slogans just hours before a confidence vote in
conservative Prime Minister Tansu Ciller's fledgling minority
government.
     An advance party of 2,000 workers gathered inside Kizilay
Square, chanting slogans and waving the star-and-crescent
Turkish flag. Tens of thousands of workers and their families
were expected to join them later.
     ``Independent Turkey, Down with the IMF,'' shouted the
workers, denouncing what labour says is the International
Monetary Fund's hand in keeping wages down.
     ``Don't let Ciller get away with it,'' they chanted.
     Turkish police were out in force ahead of the rally, called
by labour federation Turk-Is to pressure parliament to reject a
vote of confidence and torpedo the government.
     ``We want to stop Ciller from getting the vote of
confidence,'' said Ali Celik, a road labourer from the western
city of Izmir. ``There is no turning back now.''
     Armoured personnel carriers, topped with water cannons, and
dozens of riot police stood by the square. All entrances were
under tight police control.
     Police said earlier they had mobilised 4,000 officers for
the rally, designed to pressure the government into a last-
minute wage settlement before the vote.
     Soldiers said all leave was cancelled for at least one army
unit near the capital.
     ``Ankara's Most Difficult Day,'' read a banner headline in
the Islamist daily Zaman.
     The local adminstration has said it would permit the rally
but police officials charged the gathering was illegal and that
they might take measures to prevent it.
     Anatolian news agency said police had blocked charter buses
with workers leaving Izmir and the southern city of Adana for
Ankara on Saturday night.
     The rally, set to begin around noon (1000 GMT), follows a
final round of political manoeuvring by labour and political
leaders ahead of a confidence vote that looks too close to call.
     Ciller must win a simple majority of votes cast by up to 428
parliament deputies. Failure could trigger early elections, or
force President Suleyman Demirel to hand the task of forming a
government to one of Ciller's many rivals.
     Turk-Is, representing about 350,000 striking workers, is
lobbying hard for a 'No' vote. One influential politician has
said his party's support for Ciller was contingent upon a wage
deal before the vote.
     Anatolian said earlier that labour leaders were standing by
demands for a 70 trillion lira ($1.4 billion) payment from state
coffers for around 650,000 public workers.
     About 350,000 workers have joined the strike, which began on
September 20 over a government offer of 5.4 percent for 1995.
     Ports, sugar mills and paper mills stand idle, railways have
been disrupted and wheat and sugar production are threatened.

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 * Origin: APS Amsterdam (aps.nl), bbs +31-20-6842147 (16:31/2.0)