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TURKISH DEMOCRACY NOT UNDER THREAT, SAYS PRESIDENT
The Irish Times
Monday, March 22, 2010
President to visit Gallipoli as part of five-day visitHistoric
healthcare legislation poised to be passedIsrael agrees to slight
easing of blockade on GazaInfertile men at higher risk of prostate
cancer - researchStrike disrupts BA flights for third dayGordon
Brown faced with cash-for-influence scandalPresident Abdullah Gul
tells MARY FITZGERALD , Foreign Affairs Correspondent, that Turkey's
engagement with the Middle East is good for Europe in that it fosters
new relations and imparts positive influence
IN 2007, the prospect of Abdullah Gul becoming president laid Turkey's
fissures bare, triggering street protests and veiled warnings from the
generals who jealously guard Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's secularist vision.
Gul, then foreign minister, shared the same Islamist roots as many
of his colleagues in the ruling AK Party (AKP). His wife wore the
headscarf. Three years on, Gul is circumspect about the furore
prompted by his election as Turkey's first head of state with an
Islamist background.
"In Turkey, sometimes political struggles can be very harsh - that
was a very harsh moment as well but it is way behind now," he told
The Irish Times through an interpreter. "The important thing is that I
am fulfilling my duties and obligations in the position I am serving."
Last week, some 20 people, including serving military officers,
were arrested as part of an investigation into the shadowy Ergenekon
network which is alleged to have plotted the bombing of mosques and
downing of fighter jets as a pretext for ousting the AKP government.
More than 200 people are on trial accused of belonging to the group.
The saga has gripped Turkey, with critics claiming that the AKP is
using it to harass opponents who have long suspected the party of
harbouring an Islamist agenda.
Amid rising tensions, speculation is rife there may be a fresh attempt
to ban the AKP in the constitutional court. Some analysts have warned
that Turkey's political stability should not be taken for granted.
Gul rejects this. "There must be no concern over these matters
whatsoever . . . At the moment, it is not in any way possible that
democracy will be interrupted.
"When the day comes, elections will take place and the people of
Turkey will decide. For that reason, in terms of political stability,
I do not have the least doubt . . . There are important political
developments, court cases are going on, but these are all happening
within the justice system of our country which does not leave any
place for loopholes."
Gul argues that when it comes to the debate about Turkey's future,
there is confusion over the definition of secularism. "It is not
about being against faith and religion but just a separation of state
and religious matters . . . If secularism is to be interpreted as
a way to limit the freedom of faith and religion, this would be a
misinterpretation. For that reason, we advocate that Turkey needs to
have a real secular system but it is also very important that there
will be full freedom of faith as well."
He insists the changes introduced by the AKP government match Ataturk's
vision. "[Ataturk] always wished to see Turkey at the same standard or
even above that of the most modernised countries. When we say modern
countries today, we see the countries of the EU . . . All the reforms
that have been made [in recent years] and all the efforts invested have
been major steps to reach that objective. For that reason, I believe
that none of the things that have been realised are in contradiction
with [Ataturk's] thoughts or aspirations. But there may be [others]
who interpret Mustafa Kemal's thoughts and ideals in a different way
and they may have different perspectives."
Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said he expects Turkey
to be a member of the EU by 2023. Gul, who steered Turkey's accession
talks when he was foreign minister, does not want to commit to a
specific timeframe. "I would prefer not to give a specific date but
I can say that we are not in a hurry for that," he says. "At the same
time, we expect the technical process to run smoothly and at a normal
pace. We are also very much aware that in many areas we have to upgrade
ourselves and we are working very hard to achieve these objectives."
Strong rhetoric from EU states opposed to Turkey joining creates
difficulties domestically, Gul says. "It creates a challenge because
there are still many reforms to be carried out and many difficult
tasks to be achieved by the government which necessitate the support
and sympathy of the Turkish people." He decries as "very biased"
those who have raised concerns that Turkey's focus is moving away from
Europe and tilting eastward. "The most important strategic objective
of Turkey at the moment is to become a full member of the EU, her
direction is towards this target, and we are investing our efforts
in this direction."
Gul argues Turkey's increasing engagement with its neighbours in the
Middle East and elsewhere will serve only to benefit the EU. "Turkey
is a country that disseminates ideas . . . such as democratic values,
human rights and free-market economy to the region," he adds.
Relations with Washington have become strained in recent weeks
following a US congressional committee vote that described the
killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during the first World War as
genocide. Ankara recalled its ambassador in protest. Gul questions the
motives of those who voted in favour of the resolution: "More than
anything else this is being disrespectful to history. This decision
was not taken by historians but rather by a group of people who have
been under the influence of a group of lobbyists and decided on the
matter with these motivations.
"What we are saying is that if there are any claims of a genocide
for those events . . . let the historians come together and decide,
with all the historical documents . . . Let them judge this and we
will accept that judgment." The controversy continued last week after
prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to the BBC, threatening to
deport Armenian migrants.
Gul insists Erdogan's comments were "wrongly interpreted" by the
media. "He did not want to say that we will be expelling those people
but he wanted to underline the fact that we do not have any hostility
or grudge. He tried to draw attention to the fact that, even though
there are so many illegal workers in Turkey, if there had been a
policy of expelling them we would have done it many years ago."
The Irish Times
Monday, March 22, 2010
President to visit Gallipoli as part of five-day visitHistoric
healthcare legislation poised to be passedIsrael agrees to slight
easing of blockade on GazaInfertile men at higher risk of prostate
cancer - researchStrike disrupts BA flights for third dayGordon
Brown faced with cash-for-influence scandalPresident Abdullah Gul
tells MARY FITZGERALD , Foreign Affairs Correspondent, that Turkey's
engagement with the Middle East is good for Europe in that it fosters
new relations and imparts positive influence
IN 2007, the prospect of Abdullah Gul becoming president laid Turkey's
fissures bare, triggering street protests and veiled warnings from the
generals who jealously guard Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's secularist vision.
Gul, then foreign minister, shared the same Islamist roots as many
of his colleagues in the ruling AK Party (AKP). His wife wore the
headscarf. Three years on, Gul is circumspect about the furore
prompted by his election as Turkey's first head of state with an
Islamist background.
"In Turkey, sometimes political struggles can be very harsh - that
was a very harsh moment as well but it is way behind now," he told
The Irish Times through an interpreter. "The important thing is that I
am fulfilling my duties and obligations in the position I am serving."
Last week, some 20 people, including serving military officers,
were arrested as part of an investigation into the shadowy Ergenekon
network which is alleged to have plotted the bombing of mosques and
downing of fighter jets as a pretext for ousting the AKP government.
More than 200 people are on trial accused of belonging to the group.
The saga has gripped Turkey, with critics claiming that the AKP is
using it to harass opponents who have long suspected the party of
harbouring an Islamist agenda.
Amid rising tensions, speculation is rife there may be a fresh attempt
to ban the AKP in the constitutional court. Some analysts have warned
that Turkey's political stability should not be taken for granted.
Gul rejects this. "There must be no concern over these matters
whatsoever . . . At the moment, it is not in any way possible that
democracy will be interrupted.
"When the day comes, elections will take place and the people of
Turkey will decide. For that reason, in terms of political stability,
I do not have the least doubt . . . There are important political
developments, court cases are going on, but these are all happening
within the justice system of our country which does not leave any
place for loopholes."
Gul argues that when it comes to the debate about Turkey's future,
there is confusion over the definition of secularism. "It is not
about being against faith and religion but just a separation of state
and religious matters . . . If secularism is to be interpreted as
a way to limit the freedom of faith and religion, this would be a
misinterpretation. For that reason, we advocate that Turkey needs to
have a real secular system but it is also very important that there
will be full freedom of faith as well."
He insists the changes introduced by the AKP government match Ataturk's
vision. "[Ataturk] always wished to see Turkey at the same standard or
even above that of the most modernised countries. When we say modern
countries today, we see the countries of the EU . . . All the reforms
that have been made [in recent years] and all the efforts invested have
been major steps to reach that objective. For that reason, I believe
that none of the things that have been realised are in contradiction
with [Ataturk's] thoughts or aspirations. But there may be [others]
who interpret Mustafa Kemal's thoughts and ideals in a different way
and they may have different perspectives."
Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said he expects Turkey
to be a member of the EU by 2023. Gul, who steered Turkey's accession
talks when he was foreign minister, does not want to commit to a
specific timeframe. "I would prefer not to give a specific date but
I can say that we are not in a hurry for that," he says. "At the same
time, we expect the technical process to run smoothly and at a normal
pace. We are also very much aware that in many areas we have to upgrade
ourselves and we are working very hard to achieve these objectives."
Strong rhetoric from EU states opposed to Turkey joining creates
difficulties domestically, Gul says. "It creates a challenge because
there are still many reforms to be carried out and many difficult
tasks to be achieved by the government which necessitate the support
and sympathy of the Turkish people." He decries as "very biased"
those who have raised concerns that Turkey's focus is moving away from
Europe and tilting eastward. "The most important strategic objective
of Turkey at the moment is to become a full member of the EU, her
direction is towards this target, and we are investing our efforts
in this direction."
Gul argues Turkey's increasing engagement with its neighbours in the
Middle East and elsewhere will serve only to benefit the EU. "Turkey
is a country that disseminates ideas . . . such as democratic values,
human rights and free-market economy to the region," he adds.
Relations with Washington have become strained in recent weeks
following a US congressional committee vote that described the
killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during the first World War as
genocide. Ankara recalled its ambassador in protest. Gul questions the
motives of those who voted in favour of the resolution: "More than
anything else this is being disrespectful to history. This decision
was not taken by historians but rather by a group of people who have
been under the influence of a group of lobbyists and decided on the
matter with these motivations.
"What we are saying is that if there are any claims of a genocide
for those events . . . let the historians come together and decide,
with all the historical documents . . . Let them judge this and we
will accept that judgment." The controversy continued last week after
prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to the BBC, threatening to
deport Armenian migrants.
Gul insists Erdogan's comments were "wrongly interpreted" by the
media. "He did not want to say that we will be expelling those people
but he wanted to underline the fact that we do not have any hostility
or grudge. He tried to draw attention to the fact that, even though
there are so many illegal workers in Turkey, if there had been a
policy of expelling them we would have done it many years ago."