Gül Government (18.11.2002-14 March 2003):The President of the Republic of Turkey, Ahmet Necdet Sezer assigned the mandate to form the new government to Kayseri Deputy Abdullah Gül on November 16, 2002. Gül, Kayseri Deputy of the Justice and Development Party submitted his Cabinet list for Sezer’s approval and formed the 58th Government. The government which was also called the 1st JD Party government received a vote of confidence at the Turkish Grand National Assembly held on November 28 with 346 votes cast in favor of the new government and 170 against it.

In 2003, Turkey was shaken by consecutive bomb attacks which occurred in İstanbul. The memorandums which were on the government’s agenda because of the US attack on Iraq also occupied the agenda of the country as well as the Istanbul bombings. After obtaining permission from the TGNA, American technical and military personnel were stationed in Turkey for three months in order to renovate, update, expand, improve and construct additions in U.S. military bases, harbors and other installations in Turkey. American experts were allowed to examine various installations. Following this development, supplies and equipment began to be transported to various places. There were frequent visits to Turkey; diplomatic traffic intensified and there were several meetings. Numerous anti-war demonstrations were staged and the possibility of Turkey participating in the military operation was strongly debated. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the Speaker of the TGNA Bülent Arınç, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ertuğrul Yalçınbayır, the main opposition party the RPP and certain JD Party deputies issued statements not favoring Turkey’s participation in a military operation in Iraq. While these debates were continuing, “the Memorandum of the Prime Ministry related to dispatching Turkish troops abroad and giving permission for foreign armed forces to be deployed in Turkey for a period of 6 months” was not approved by the TGNA. In the end Turkey did not participate in the operation launched on Iraq. While debating the possible problems which may occur in Turkish-American relations because the memorandum was rejected, a second memorandum related to permission for US airplanes to use Turkish airspace while flying over Turkish territories and dispatching Turkish soldiers to Northern Iraq” was introduced. This second memorandum was approved by the TGNA. As a result, US airplanes used Turkish airspace.

Since stability could not be established in Iraq after the invasion, the matter of dispatching Turkish troops to Iraq was again on the agenda. The Memorandum which allowed the government to deploy troops outside the country was approved by the foreign loans increased unbelievably; ten thousand workplaces and offices were closed down and hundreds of thousands of people lost their jobs. Even more important was that people had lost trust in the State and in politics. Their hopes for the future were shattered. Our government definitely believes that Turkey has the potential of being an active member in the new world with her young, dynamic population, her unique geographical position, her rich natural resources and her unlimited cultural accumulation. We are also of the opinion that Turkey did not deserve what had occurred.