ANKARA
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday evening hailed a new Cabinet as representing "every color of Turkey".
The provisional government, which will steer Turkey to a rerun of June’s general election on Nov. 1, includes representatives from Davutoglu’s Justice and Development (AK) Party, one lawmaker from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and two from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).
The Republican People's Party (CHP) -- the second largest in Turkey’s parliament -- has refused to join the interim Cabinet.
"I am of the opinion that we have formed a good Cabinet where every color of Turkey has been represented," Davutoglu said in a live broadcast aired on Haberturk news channel.
He denied the interim Cabinet was an AK Party body, insisting it was a "constitutional government".
The first opposition member to agree to join the Cabinet was the MHP’s Tugrul Turkes, despite his party’s refusal to take part in the administration. He has been referred to the MHP's disciplinary committee for accepting a deputy prime minister post.
"Turkes said 'yes' to fulfill a duty in line with the constitution as a lawmaker of the MHP and did not say 'yes' to joining the AK Party," Davutoglu said.
The prime minister said he had personally prepared the list of ministers -- approved by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday.
The HDP was given posts overseeing the ministries of EU affairs and development. One HDP lawmaker rejected the offer of joining the caretaker government.
Davutoglu said the EU affairs portfolio, which also carries responsibilities as Turkey’s chief negotiator on EU entry and was given to Ali Haydar Konca, would be "testing" and a "confrontation" for the EU.
"Some [EU member state] ministers who criticize Turkey and claim Turkey lacks freedoms will have contact with an HDP minister," he said. The appointment would demonstrate democracy in Turkey as the HDP has "the most contrary views in Turkey," Davutoglu added.
The premier said Development Minister Muslum Dogan's role would also prove challenging as it could bring the HDP into conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the EU and the U.S.
The HDP has campaigned for Kurdish rights and helped negotiations between the government and the PKK until renewed violence broke out last month. The PKK’s armed campaign has seen the group target development projects such as dams and roads.
"We will see whether they [the HDP] want real democracy or a fight between brothers erupts in Turkey in this two-and-a-half months [before the election]," Davutoglu said.
Turning to the election, Davutoglu said Turkey had experience of implementing "objective rules" during elections amid political violence -- a reference to the country since the Kurdish conflict began in 1984.
He said measures would be taken during the poll to prevent the PKK exerting influence on voters.
Asked about a possible electoral alliance with Felicity Party that shares similar political roots with Ak Party, Davutoglu said there were grounds for meeting and cooperating with other parties to unite around common goals.
Turkey: Brief profiles of new members of interim Cabinet http://u.aa.com.tr/583453
