Ex-Navy chief new Turkish P.M.

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 7

Ex-Navy chief new Turkish P.M.

NZPA-Reuter Ankara Bulent Ulusu, the retired naval chief who was appointed Prime Minister by Turkey’s ruling, military junta at the week-end, today faces the -'task of forming a Cabinet to preside over the turbulent nation’s affairs. Mr Ulusu, who is 57, retired as commander of the Navy in August and was a close colleague of the armed forces leaders who seized power in a bloodless coup nine days ago. He is expected to work with them to reform the Constitution and stamp out rampant, .violence between political’ extremists, which was killing an average of 16 people a day. Diplomatic sources said Mr Ulusu, an apparently unambitious man with a powerful sense of loyalty, would wholeheartedly support the junta’s announced intention to maintain its allegiance to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Diplomats who know Mr Ulusu say he is unlikly to have sought the job but would have accepted it with a profound sense of duty. He "is described as apolitical. a rare attribute in a country split by political differences (often expressed by the bullet); ' The division of responsi-

biilty between the ruling National Security Council, comprising the armed forces leaders, and the Cabinet has not yet been spelled out, but the military are sure to keep a tight rein on political developments. One man widely tipped to join the cabinet of the unassuming Mr Ulusu is Turgut Ozal, economic adviser to the ousted Prime Minister, Suleyman Demirel, and architect ol Turkey’s present economic policies. Mr Ozal is respected by Western Governments and international bodies like the International Monetary Fund and the European Common Market and has negotiated more than $BOO million in loans and rescheduled debts. He has had lengthy consultations with the military leaders and taken a prominent place at public functions.

Diplomatic sources said it was too early to speculate on possible candidates for key Ministries. The effect of the military administration — which proclaimed martial law across Turkey — has already been felt with a marked drop in violence. The independent daily newspaper, “Milliyet,” reported 99 people were killed in the week before the coup while in the sub* sequent week just four died.