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ANKARA: Surprise AKP Motion Derails Seminary Reopening

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  • ANKARA: Surprise AKP Motion Derails Seminary Reopening

    SURPRISE AKP MOTION DERAILS SEMINARY REOPENING

    The New Anatolian
    Sept 22 2006

    Plans by the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party government to
    reopen the Heybeliada Seminary to Orthodox worshipers from around the
    world were blocked yesterday by dissent from within the party itself
    as well as opposition parties.

    Debates were sparked after an unexpected motion, submitted by Industry
    and Commerce Minister Ali Coskun, was passed, and created tension
    within the AK Party as well.

    AK Party deputies grew wary about the motion after warnings from main
    opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputies, but the fact
    that the motion was submitted by Coskun troubled AK Party deputies.

    The AK Party's deputy group leader said on Wednesday that the bill
    was to be amended on Thursday. However yesterday debates on the
    bill on private educational institutions were postponed. AK Party
    officials stressed that the motion was submitted by Coskun, adding,
    "Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is abroad and Education Minister Huseyin
    Celik is outside Ankara. The ministers should solve the issue among
    themselves after Gul and Celik return to Ankara. The motion to amend
    the bill can be debated on Tuesday."

    At the session yesterday, which wasn't attended by Celik because he
    was on a domestic visit with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
    Industry and Commerce Minister Ali Coskun submitted an unexpected
    motion. Coskun's motion wasn't disclosed to either ruling Justice and
    Development (AK) Party or main opposition Republican People's Party
    (CHP) deputies. The motion about the seminary was passed after a
    rapid vote by Deputy Parliament Speaker Sadik Yakut, who chaired the
    session. Following that, the CHP deputies claimed that the 1923 Treaty
    of Lausanne had been violated, as well as the reciprocity principle
    with Greece.

    The motion submitted by Coskun proposes a change in the definition of
    minority schools. "Minority schools: Preschool, primary and secondary
    education institutions founded by Turkish citizens that belong to
    non-Muslim minorities, are protected under the Treaty of Lausanne and
    educate students with Turkish nationality or foreign nationals who
    belong to minority groups or are of the same religion and ethnicity
    as a minority group," said the motion.

    The motion proposes the removal of the phrase "founded by Greek,
    Armenian and Jewish minorities" from the second article of the
    bill, saying that it is necessary to do so to harmonize it with the
    terminology of the Treaty of Lausanne. The reasoning for the motion
    said that the terms "Greek" and "Armenian" are ethnic, while the term
    "Jewish" is religious. Coskun said, in the reasoning for the motion,
    that the related articles of the Treaty of Lausanne don't say that
    students who belong to non-Muslim minorities and aren't Turkish
    nationals can't attend minority schools.

    CHP Deputy Mustafa Gazalci asserted that the motion expanded the
    scope of minority schools, adding, "The Treaty of Lausanne may have
    been violated. The Foreign Ministry's opinion should be sought. The
    principle of reciprocity might have been violated. The motion would
    make it possible for all people belonging to non-Muslim minority
    groups to set up schools and for the establishment of schools that
    foreign national students could attend."

    True Path Party (DYP) Deputy Ummet Kandogan also criticized Coskun,
    saying, "We look at the motions you submit; what's the reason
    for Coskun's interest in foreigners? I claim that if this bill
    were proposed by another party in power, you would demolish this
    Parliament. I know all of you. What's happened to you that you remain
    silent when such a motion is brought up? Why do you insist on making
    mistakes?"

    For his part, CHP Sinop Deputy Engin Altay asserted that the bill
    opens the way for missionary schools. After Altay said, "The bill
    makes electricity and water prices for private schools the same as
    for public schools. Make it the same as for mosques; it's cheaper,"
    the AK Party asked him whether he has anything against mosques. In
    reply, Altay said, "I don't know whether you believe enough to question
    me. Don't ever attempt to teach us Islam."

    "That's enough of things imposed by the European Union," said Altay.

    "My pride is hurt by them. I support EU accession, but it hurts
    my pride to harm our national interests. I believe these aren't
    harmonization but mortgage laws."

    The motion would allow Greek, Armenian and Jewish students, who
    aren't Turkish citizens, to attend minority schools in Turkey. CHP
    deputy group leader Haluk Koc asked whether the term "Greek" will be
    removed from minority schools in Turkey, like "Turkish" was removed
    from schools in Western Thrace, Greece.

    Justice Commission member Orhan Eraslan accused the AK Party of
    secretly opening seminaries. Eraslan claimed that the motion was
    passed at the request of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate to
    accept foreign students of the same religion and ethnicity, to reopen
    the seminary, which closed down because there weren't enough students
    at the school. Eraslan said that the AK Party government previously
    allowed the election of foreign members to the patriarchate's Holy
    Synod assembly and that the Fener Greek patriarch uses the title
    "Ecumenical Greek Patriarch of Constantinople."

    "When will the Constantinople Greek state or a Byzantine Orthodox one
    be established on the historical peninsula after these adjustments?"

    asked Eraslan. "Are you aware that the changes violate the Treaty of
    Lausanne? When will you stop taking orders from the patriarch?"
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