UPDATE - Erdogan rejects opposition's presidential system claims

*UPDATES WITH MORE ON JULY COUP, TERRORISM

By Hatice Kesgin

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday denied opposition parties’ claims a presidential system would violate Turkey’s current separation of powers.

Speaking at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the presidential complex in Ankara, Erdogan said Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) claims were untrue.

“The legislative body, executive and judiciary will still exist in the same way as before. There is no point in destroying the separation of powers,” Erdogan said.

The Turkish president also said destroying these institutions was “out of the question”.

Erdogan said the referendum would be held in mid-April and the “ultimate decision maker” -- the Turkish people -- would vote.

Merkel said efforts must be made to ensure the separation of powers and the diversity of society during this “deep political transformation”.

Constitutional reform and the change to a presidential system has been on the political agenda since Erdogan, a former prime minister and Justice and Development (AK) Party leader, was elected president in August 2014.

This marked the first time a Turkish president had been directly chosen by popular vote.

On Dec. 30, a constitutional committee of deputies from the ruling AK Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) submitted a proposed bill to parliament for ratification.

The CHP and HDP remain opposed to the proposed changes.

-Terrorism

Erdogan also hit out at use of the term “Islamist terror”.

“The term 'Islamist terror' severely upsets us Muslims. Such a term cannot be used; this is not true,” Erdogan said.

The president said Islam and terror “cannot coexist” and added the definition of Islam was peace.

“Please do not use it, because we have to take a stand against it as long as it is used,” he said.

Even though a majority of countries have always condemned Daesh, Erdogan said, Turkey, as a Muslim-majority nation, was leading the fight against the terror group, he added.

After Erdogan’s remarks, the Chancellor said: “We appreciate Muslims and we have to fight in cooperation [against Daesh].”

- 2016 coup attempt

Merkel also praised Turkish people’s resistance to the defeated coup of July 2016.

However, she said Germany was working on Turkey’s expectations on extraditing Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) fugitives residing there.

Germany, which has a three-million-strong Turkish community, is also among the countries where FETO, led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, has a large network with dozens of private schools, businesses and media organizations.

“We need to have proof to take steps and measures. The courts have been evaluating this evidence,” Merkel said.

“The two countries’ ministers of justice will negotiate on these issues from now on,” she added.

FETO has been held responsible for the coup attempt in Turkey.

Gulen spent decades establishing a network of schools and exam-cramming colleges in Turkey, whose students would go on to find careers in the state.

According to the government, these supporters in the armed forces, police, judiciary, business and elsewhere have been used in an attempt to subvert the legitimate administration, with the coup attempt being the latest and most obvious example.

FETO also established a network of education institutions and businesses overseas.