AVETIK HARUTYUNYAN
Parliament that both the subsequent constitutions of 1961 and 1982 further specified the role of the GNAT in the procedure of the use of the Armed Forces . In particular , the constitutions of 1961 and 1982kept the clauses regarding the participation of the GNAT in the process of the ratification of international treaties and declaring war , 15 but also specified that the power of sending the Armed Forces of Turkey to foreign countries and allowing foreign armed forces to be stationed in Turkey was vested in the GNAT , except when required by international treaties to which Turkey is a party or by the rules of international courtesy . 16
As a result of this change , the GNAT was never again bypassed by any government while deciding on the use of the Turkish Armed Forces in foreign countries . Further , during the First Gulf War in 1990 , it took about a month for President Özal to convince the Parliament to give the government the authority to send Turkish troops abroad ( to Iraq in this case ) and receive foreign troops in Turkey 17 , while later in 2003 , during the American invasion of Iraq , the Parliament of Turkey even rejected the proposal of the government on Turkey ’ s active participation in the USled coalition . 18
It is notable that both the constitutions of 1961 and 1982 also nominally reduced the authority of the GNAT over the government , since according to them the GNAT only had legislative power , while executive power was held by the President and the Council of Ministers . 19 Hence , the Parliament was no longer representing both the executive and legislative branches of power .
However , due to general changes in the political situation in Turkey after 1960 , more active debates on foreign policy issues became possible in Parliament . Before this period , state foreign policy was mostly considered as national policy and thus political discussions in the GNAT
15 Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Anayasası 1961 , article 65 ; Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Anayasası 1982 , article 90 . 16 Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Anayasası 1961 , article 66 ; Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Anayasası 1982 ,
article 92 .
17
Cameron S . Brown , “ Turkey in the Gulf Wars of 1991 and 2003 ,” Turkish Studies 8 , no . 1 ( March 2007 ): 89 , https :// doi . org / 10.1080 / 14683840601162054 .
18
Özlem Doruk , “ AK Parti Döneminde Türkiye ’ nin Kuzey Irak Politikası : Gerginlikten Uzlaşmaya ” ( Yüksek Lisans Tezi , Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi , 2010 ), 52-62 . 19 Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Anayasası 1961 , Kanun No : 334 , Kabul Tarihi : 9 / 7 / 1961 , Resmî
Gazete : 20.7.1961 Sayı : 10859 , articles 5 and 6 , https :// www . anayasa . gov . tr / tr / mevzuat / onceki-anayasalar / 1961-anayasasi /; Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Anayasası 1982 , Kanun Numarası : 2709 , Kabul Tarihi : 18 / 10 / 1982 , Resmî Gazete : 9.11.1982 Sayı : 17863 , articles 7 and 8 , https :// www . resmigazete . gov . tr / arsiv / 17863 _ 1 . pdf .
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