1.
LV People read newspapers in the street.
0.06

2.
SV Ditto.
0.09

3.
CU Newspapers.
0.14

4.
CU Ditto showing Premier Menderes and army officers.
0.17

5.
GV Women with floral tributes enter building.
0.25

6.
BV Ditto.
0.29

7.
CU Woman shake hands with officers.
0.37

8.
GV People decorate army tanks with flowers.
0.42

9.
GV Istanbul radio building with flags etc.
0.46

10.
LV Banner "Long live the Turkish Army".
0.50

11.
LV INT Istanbul National Committee in session.
0.54

12.
CU CU The President General Ozdilek.
0.58

13.
LV Committee.
1.02



Initials KJ/V/AW/IM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Crowds milling in the streets, a deputation of civilians taking a massage of congratulation to a senior officer, people flocking to notice boards to read the latest news, tanks decorated with flowers, banners reading "Long live the Turkish Army", and sentries guarding the broadcasting building - such was the scene in Istanbul shortly after the bloodless Army coup of May 27.

The armed forces took over control in the early hours of the morning - at 3.30 am in Istanbul and at 4 am in Ankara. The operation was complete throughout the country within four hours. Troops supported by tanks swarmed through the streets, moved into key positions and occupied radio stations which began broadcasting a series of communiques interspersed with martial music.

As political and military leaders - including President Bayar, Premier Menderes and his Cabinet, Democratic deputies, and the Chief of General Staff - were being placed under arrest, the Government was replaced by a 20-member committee of National Union led by General Cemal Gursel, 65, until recently Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish land forces. Military Governors were appointed for Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.

Ankara radio said, May 27, the armed forces were above politics and the purpose of the operation was to restore democracy by means of free elections. Turkey would remain faithful to NATO and ???TO, she would stand by the principles of the United Nation Charter and the Declaration of Human Rights. The Army would found a Constituent Assembly and hand over power to the party which won the elections. The recent Government had infringed the Constitution and "moved towards dictatorship." All newspapers banned under Menderes were to resume publication.

General Gursel - nominated by the Committee of National Union as head of State, Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, leading an eighteen-member provisional Government - spoke to the foreign press, May 29, reiterating the points previously made in broadcasts by Ankara radio. He added that a new Constitution would be drafted, to be approved by the Constituent Assembly. Mr. Menderes and his Cabinet would not be released "for the time being". In foreign policy, Turkey would honour the London and Zurich agreements on Cyprus.

Mr. Sitki Yircali, leader of a group in the Democratic Party which has shown opposition in recent weeks to the policies of the Menderes Government, said May 29 the Democratic Party would be reformed in preparation for honest elections. Mr. Inonu, leader of the opposition Republican People's Party, has instructed his party to refrain from any spirit of revenge and has ordered them to wait for free elections, trusting in the traditions of the Turkish Army.