Zaman, Turkey
July 18 2004

‘Anti-Turkey’ Alain Juppe Resigns in France

General President of the Unity of Public Movement (UMP) in power in
France, Alain Juppé, has resigned. The President, who is not
sympathetic to Turkey’s European Union (EU) membership, was expected
to visit Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A suit was filed against Juppe for financial irregularities during
the time Jacques Chirac was Mayor of Paris. Juppe was found guilty
and as part of his sentence he is barred from public office for 10
years. The resignation of Juppé, known as the right hand of Chirac,
is interpreted as Chirac losing his grip on power.

Minister of Economy Nicolas Sarkozy, one of the names as a candidate
for the leadership of the party, is not sympathetic towards Turkey
either. Chirac asked Sarkozy, expected to be his biggest competitor
in the 2007 Presidential election, to resign.

Sarkozy, who seems to have obtained the support of most of the
Parliament, has become strong. Some French diplomats speaking to
Zaman have reported that Armenian Patric Deveciyan would be the Prime
Minister provided Sarkozy became President.

It is declared that Chirac found Prime Minister Jean Pierre Raffarin
suitable for the leadership of the party.

07.18.2004
Ali Ýhsan Aydýn, Paris