Author: Aylin D. Miller

Mozart in Arabia

By Peter Hannaford
Published 7/22/2008

Mozart’s music gets around a lot, but never before in Saudi Arabia where it was recently on the program of a first-ever concert of European music to be performed in the desert kingdom. Not only that, the German quartet was playing before an audience composed of both men and women in the same hall.

In Saudi Arabia’s carefully gender-segregated society, the event was unprecedented. This came on the heels of King Addullah’s call for an interfaith dialogue between Muslims, Christians and Jews — this in a country where conducting religious services other than Islamic can land one in prison.

The king followed through with his call, first by convening in June a group of 500 Muslim scholars — Sunni and Shiite — in Mecca to exchange views about interfaith dialogue. The conference closed with an endorsement of such a dialogue.

This led to King Abdullah’s invitation to 200 Muslim, Christian and Jewish clerics to meet with him last week in Madrid to discuss areas where all could find common ground. While this meeting produced no breakthroughs, it was not intended to. Spain was chosen for the meeting site because, from the 8th to the 13th century, Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived more-or-less in harmony there.

The conference reflects Abdullah’s own growing moderation in the face of terrorist attacks on Saudi soil four and five years ago. While he has considerable support for moderation of Saudi Arabia’s austere Wahhabist version of Islam as well as liberalizing some social customs, he also has critics among hard-line clerics within his country, so he must move with some care.

Abdullah discussed his idea for the interfaith initiative with a group of visiting Japanese scholars last spring. He said his goal would be “to agree on something that would maintain humanity against those who tamper [with] religions, ethics and family systems.” He told them he had discussed his ideas with Pope Benedict XVI.

In Saudi Arabia major decisions are made by consensus, developed cautiously. King Abdullah, with a strong base of tribal support, is well positioned to take such initiatives and to gradually introduce reforms in Saudi society.

MEANWHILE, MODERATE VOICES in Islam are beginning to speak out elsewhere. In Late May, several thousand Indian Islamic clerics and madrassa teachers met in New Delhi for an Anti-Terrorism and Global Peace Conference. The major event was the issuance of what has been called the world’s first unequivocal fatwa against terrorism. The fatwa states, “Islam is a religion of peace and security. In its eyes, on any part over the surface of the earth, spreading mischief, rioting, breach of peace, bloodshed, killing of innocent persons and plundering are the most inhuman crimes.” The fatwa was developed at Darul Uloom Deoband, the world’s second largest Islamic seminary which controls thousand of Islamic seminaries in India. The fatwa was validated with pledge by the approximately 100,000 people at the conference.

Other Muslim groups are speaking out against Islamist terrorism. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, with 20 million members worldwide, routinely takes the position that there is nothing in the Koran to justify violent jihad in modern times.

In Britain, which tends to handle matters pertaining to its Muslim minority with kid gloves, the government is developing a plan to send imams into schools to teach students that extremism is wrong and to emphasize citizenship and multiculturalism.

In Pakistan, an idea of a Turkish Islamic scholar, Fethullah Gulen, himself steeped in the Sufi tradition of introspection, has materialized in the form of seven schools in Pakistan cities. There, Turkish teachers dispense a Western curriculum of courses, in English, from math to science to literature. They also encourage the maintenance of Islam in the schools’ dormitories. In a country with a weak public school system which competes with many hard-line madrassas, the Turkish schools have found a strong following.

While suicide bombings may capture the attention of the evening news’s cameras, the forces of moderate Islam are finally beginning to emerge vocally and in numbers.

Peter Hannaford is a member of the Committee on the Present Danger.

Source: The American Spectator, 22.07.2008

July 23, 2008
Kurdish Political Party Chief Arrested In Syria – Rights Group

DAMASCUS (AFP)–The head of a banned Kurdish political group has been arrested by the Syrian security services under emergency laws, a human rights group said Monday.

“The military security services in Damascus arrested Mohammed Mussa, secretary general of the Kurdish Left Party on Saturday,” the National Organization of Human Rights in Syria, or NOHRS, said in a statement.

Mussa was arrested and questioned previously by security services in Hassake, northeastern Syria because of “his party’s activities and his comments to the Arab media,” NOHRS said.

The group branded his detention as unconstitutional because he was arrested under “emergency powers which have been in place in Syria for 45 years,” rather than by judicial authorities. Syrian authorities should release Mussa immediately and abandon the emergency powers under which they are making arrests, the group said.

Mussa’s party also called for their leader’s release, saying, “Mohammed Mussa is a nationalist who defends the interests and the legitimate rights of the Kurdish people as well as those of all the Syrian people.”

The majority of Syria’s 1.5 million Kurds live in the north of the country. There are 11 unauthorized Kurdish political parties in Syria, independent observers say.

Syrian Kurdish officials deny claims they aim to establish a separate state and say they only want political rights and recognition of their language and culture.

Source: www.nasdaq.com, 21.07.2008

July 23, 2008
Last chance for peace in Cyprus

Costas Pitas
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday July 23, 2008

“Cyprus is entering its most critical stage” is a phrase I have heard ad nauseam over the last decade. It feels as if the “Cyprus Problem”, as it has been dubbed, is characterised by a jolty movement from one crucial moment to another. However, at each turn a solution is always thwarted. It thus comes as no surprise that the proposed face-to-face negotiations between Cypriot president, Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat will once again be “critical”. However, for the first time, the talks may well be the last chance for peace.

Cyprus gained its independence from Britain in 1960. Inter-communal violence between the two communities blighted the 60s and early 70s and in the summer of 1974, a coup, backed by the ruling military in Athens, overthrew the democratically elected President Makarios. Turkey attacked a week later in what the international community see as an illegal invasion and subsequent occupation. For Turks the same events were an act of liberation, establishing a Turkish Cypriot state, albeit one which is not recognised by anyone except Turkey.

Thirty-four years later, anyone under the age of 45 has no recollection of the two communities living harmoniously together. There is a concern that by growing up separately, it is becoming ever more difficult for a future reunification to succeed. Further, Greeks look on anxiously as holiday villas and hotels begin to crop up across the North, despite deep uncertainty as to the legality of purchasing such property. These were among the concerns that prompted the election of Christofias in the spring of this year. His victory centred on the promise to end his predecessor’s freeze on negotiations.

Although history is important, Cyprus must now look forward and the acrimony of the past must be put to one side. Fundamental to this process is to build trust between the two sides. Many Greek Cypriots will point to Turkey’s military prowess (it keeps an estimated 40,000 troops on the island making it one of the most militarised places in the world) and conclude they cannot believe Ankara’s promises will be fulfilled.

Many Turkish Cypriots also have concerns that a future solution must guarantee them equal standing with the far more populous Greek Cypriots. They do not want to be a minority whose concerns are overridden. Having said that, there is also grave concern that Turkey has already contributed to Turkish Cypriot marginalisation. Tens of thousands of settlers have been brought in from Anatolia to alter the demographic balance. This is of great concern to the many Turkish Cypriots who feel increasingly alienated in their own country with large numbers choosing to leave. It is all too often ignored that the culture and attitudes of both Greeks and Turks in Cyprus are frequently more similar to each other, than they are to the two “motherlands”.

This demonstrates the problem of the guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey and Britain. It may not have escaped your notice that Cyprus is in the ultimate strategic position. It is perfectly poised in the eastern Mediterranean to monitor happenings in the Middle East. This is why Britain will fight tooth and nail to preserve its bases on the island and why others will not want to relinquish their influence. Somehow, Cypriot leaders will have to pry the hands of various foreign powers from the island if a solution is firstly to be found, but equally as important is to work in the long term; Cypriots should decide their own future.

The recent opening of several border checkpoints between the north and south has been a most welcomed gesture and does demonstrate the good will from both sides to avoid permanent division. Christofias and Talat have a warm relationship, forged through the labour movement, and are eager to resolve the stalemate. The two must seize the scintilla of hope that has been reignited but also recognise that too often hopes have been dashed. We may finally have reached the critical moment.

July 23, 2008
Turkey hopeful for a non-permanent seat at U.N. Security Council

Ali Babacan

Turkey stood a good chance to get a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said late on Tuesday in New York. Babacan flew the U.S. to lobby for his country’s UN bid. (UPDATED)

Babacan met U.N. General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim and the representatives of countries from Africa Union, Arab League and Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in New York.

His visit aimed to get the support of as many countries as possible for Turkey’s getting a non-permanent membership at the Security Council, Babacan told reporters at a reception held in honor of the representatives of some countries in New York.

Babacan said he desired to meet and exchange views with permanent representatives of various countries prior to such election, adding the election for such seat would most probably take place in October.

“We think that Turkey deserves this seat after nearly half a century. We believe we will be a very active and contributing country when we become a member to U.N. Security Council,” he said.

Babacan told participants of the reception that Turkey believed the importance of U.N.’s undertaking a more effective role, and added that Turkey believed that U.N. could contribute more to security, peace and development of the world, the state-run Anatolian Agency reported.

He also said Turkey contributed to development and prosperity of the world both in its region and in different places of the world, adding Turkey could make great contributions in U.N. Security Council.

“That’s why I am in New York. I will tell what Turkey is doing, our reform process and our contribution to peace and security in Middle East, Balkans and other places of the world,” he was quoted by Anatolian Agency as saying.

Kerim, who also attended the reception, said Turkey was a very important country both for U.N. and in its region, adding Turkey was a constructive actor.

He also said Turkey undertook role in Middle East dialogue as well as crisis management in Balkans; it was a connection between Europe and Asia, and a part of Europe-Atlantic integration.

Turkey was an example for developing countries with the reforms it fulfilled, he added.

Turkey wanted a more effective, influential, representative and functional U.N., Babacan told Kerim during their face-to-face meeting earlier on Tuesday.

Babacan also told Kerim that Turkey backed “dialogue” in settlement of disputes, and assumed an approach “embracing every one, not excluding them”.

The U.N. Security Council is composed of five permanent members – China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States, and ten non-permanent members. Turkey competes with Austria and Iceland for the term of 2009-2010.

Ten non-permanent members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms and are not eligible for immediate re-election.

Turkey held a seat in the Security Council in 1951-52, 1954-55 and 1961.

July 23, 2008
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a demande a Nicolas Sarkozy

MELIH ASIK’IN KOSESINDEN

Tepki çağrısı!

Fransız Le Figaro gazetesinde Erdoğan – Sarkozy görüşmesiyle ilgili bir haber: Fethiye Temiz (florida)
“Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a demande a Nicolas Sarkozy, au cours d’un entretien, dimanche matin. Ouverture de chapitres, reaction ‘coordonne’ des 27 et en concertation avec Ankara en cas d’interdiction par la justice du parti au pouvoir AKP.”

Tercümesi:

“T.C. Başbakanı Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, bu pazar Nicolas Sarkozy ile yaptığı gorüşmede AB adaylığı çerçevesinde öngörülen başlıkların açılmasını ve AB’nin 27 ülkesinin AKP kapatıldığı takdirde Ankara ile koordineli (eşgüdümlü) şekilde tepki göstermelerini istedi.”

* * *

Yani… Başbakan, Fransa ve AB’yi kendi ülkesinin yargı kararına tepki göstermeye çağırmış… Herhalde cumhuriyet tarihinde bir ilk…

July 23, 2008
Lanzarote holiday family end up in Turkey

Jul 21 2008 By Tim Lewis

AN AIRPORT mix-up lead to a family boarding the wrong plane and taking a 12-hour round trip to Turkey.

The couple and daughter, from Llanishen in Cardiff, were supposed to be spending seven days in Lanzarote this week.

But at the Thomson check-in desk at Cardiff Airport they were given the wrong boarding passes and sent to the wrong departure gate.

They boarded a flight – thinking they were going to the Spanish island – but soon found themselves in Bodrum Airport, Turkey.

Charlie Coray, 47, said: “We checked our suitcases in and were handed back some boarding cards and told which gate to go to.

“At 5am on a Sunday morning all you do is make sure your boarding passes are safe in your pocket and you are going to the correct gate.

“We just presumed we had been given the right boarding passes and told the right gate, just like anyone else would.”

Mr Coray said there was nothing to indicate where the flight was heading and the family immediately all fell asleep when on board.

The first they knew of the problem was when they woke up as the plane was landing.

He added: “Everyone just started to panic. The stewards were all running around trying to work out what had gone wrong.

“From then on we were just totally shell-shocked.

“It was chaos. Our daughter was getting upset and we were trying to find people in the airport who spoke english to explain what happened.”

The Corays had to get the same plane back to Cardiff and last night stayed in a hotel while the company involved tries to arrange an alternative.

A spokesman for Servisair, the company who dealt with the check-in and gate boarding for Thomson, said: “We apologise profusely for the error and we are doing everything we can to try and get the family to where they want to be.

“Slip ups at the check in desk such as this are a very rare occurrence and we do not want this sort of thing to happen again.”

July 22, 2008