Dec 18th 2008
From The Economist print edition
SIR – Your report on Turkey’s prime minister contradicted the real situation (“The worrying Tayyip Erdogan”, November 29th). No one can question the dependability of Turkey as a Western ally. Relations between Turkey and the United States are based on a strategic partnership and for more than half a century Turkey and America have enjoyed ever-strengthening co-operation based on shared values and mutual trust.
On the Kurdish issue, the government has invested $12 billion in the region, and has announced a major economic package to complete the south-eastern development project (GAP). And having passed laws that for the first time allow the Kurdish language to be spoken on radio and television, the Turkish state broadcaster (TRT) will start airing Kurdish programmes on January 1st. The prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the Justice and Development (AK) Party have formed the most reformist and liberal government in Turkish history and represent the true face of modern Turkey, where individual freedoms need to be respected for all and where all citizens enjoy an advanced democracy.
A biased argument based on a rumour about a deal between Mr Erdogan and the chief of staff, Ilker Basbug, does not reflect the truth and misleads your readers. Moreover, labelling the AK Party as “Islamist” is groundless. The AK Party is not Islamist, but a centrist-conservative, democratic political party.
Egemen Bagis
AK Party vice-chairman in charge of foreign affairs
Turkish Parliament
Ankara
https://www.economist.com/letters/2008/12/18/on-indigenous-people-turkey-rusal-asteroids-pensions-words-james-bond
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