Tag: Gul

Turkey’s leader discusses a promise not yet fulfilled

Turkish President Abdullah Gul meets Monday with the Tribune’s editorial board. (Heather Charles, Chicago Tribune / May 21, 2012)

John Kass

His largely Islamic nation, so often misunderstood, ruled by secular generals for decades, is now in the midst of a democratic revolution, taking the difficult steps of forming a constitution, balancing the rights of minorities and the fears of the old secularists about Islam.

Turkey is critical to stability in the region as old dictatorships fell to the Arab Spring. The bordering nations are all of vital interest to the U.S., namely troubled Iraq and Iran and war-torn Syria.

Turkey also now has a frosty at best relationship with Israel, since in 2010 Israeli commandos boarded a Turkish ship in a flotilla to Gaza, and nine Turks, including one Turkish-American, were killed. Turkey has demanded an apology and Israel has declined.

If you follow NATO news, you know of these issues. But there was one question I wanted to ask President Gul that is often overlooked, though it holds particular interest to the Christian minorities in his country, and to millions of Orthodox Christians around the world:

When will the Turkish government reopen the Greek Orthodox seminary at Halki, closed by the secularists decades ago? And how does the issue of Halki impact the formation of the new Turkish Constitution being written, and rights of minorities?

The Turkish prime minister has promised to reopen the seminary. But it has not yet been reopened.

“Let me start by saying that we respect everyone’s faith and belief and we also believe that everyone should be free to exercise and practice their beliefs,” Gul said through an interpreter. “This is something we believe in, frankly and truly, the government believes in this. But there are some issues, problems, that need to be resolved and we’re taking some steps to resolve them.

“The issue of the seminary has to do with the constitution and the principle of secularism,” he said. “We have to treat all religions equally. And to find a solution to the seminary it was suggested to attach it to the department of theology under the Istanbul University, but this was not a suggestion that was accepted. This is something that we’re looking into.

“People of all faiths should be free to learn their faith and teach it, and I’m sure that with this work that is ongoing with the drawing up of the constitution, this is something that can be resolved,” Gul said.

I mentioned to him that there were once thousands and thousands of Greeks in Istanbul, that Greeks and Muslims had lived there together for centuries, but that in the last 100 years or so, under the secular Turkish state, that number has dwindled.

Only a few years ago, some 5,000 Greek Orthodox Christians were living in the city that is the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox. And now, perhaps 1,200 remain.

Does Gul see the number increasing or decreasing with the new promises of tolerance and acceptance of minority rights?

“We are aware of it,” Gul said. “We are in constant contact with our Orthodox citizens, with the patriarch and the leaders of the religious communities, and they are very pleased with the steps we’re taking.”

Before the editorial board meeting, I spoke to the chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, who told me there was a meeting scheduled at his office on Tuesday with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

“We have great hopes that Halki will be reopened, and expectations, as this was promised,” Bishop Demetrios said. “There have been great changes in Turkey, and reason for optimism.

“But for Roman Catholics reading this, think if a government wouldn’t allow you to open religious schools. The Greek Orthodox seminary at Halki is the place where the Orthodox hierarchy has been educated. Patriarch Bartholomew himself studied there. We expect to have a productive meeting on Tuesday,” Demetrios said.

The Turkish government has been reaching out to Christian, Jewish and other religious minorities in the country for years. But secularists are pushing back, worried that Islam will dominate the politics of Turkey in the future.

In his session with the Tribune’s editorial board, Gul was sensitive to this, but also noted that Turkey now serves as an inspiration to other nations emerging from the Arab Spring.

“When people write about Turkey they mention Islamic government in Turkey, whereas the Justice and Development Party, the AKP, has never identified itself as a religious party,” said the Turkish president, who helped found the party. “The fact that this party, which is a conservative party, has focused on democracy, has raised democratic standards, has tried to integrate Turkey with the rest of the world, and has engaged in deep-rooted reform in Turkey, these are all sources of inspiration for these countries.

“When we were in the opposition, there were some who would describe us as radical and say that if we ever came into government we would take Turkey away from the West,” Gul said. “But I think these emerging countries get responsibility, they will act rationally.”

So far, with chaos on all her borders, Turkey has been acting rationally and well.

“Opening Halki would be seen so positively,” said Bishop Demetrios. “To talk of religious freedom, and then to demonstrate it to the world. That would tell the world that Turkey has truly changed.”

May 23, 2012
Turkey Warns Against Rising Racism In Europe

5/9/2012 2:18 AM ET

(RTTNews) – Turkish President Abdullah Gül has warned that xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia are threatening Europe’s own values and advised the 27-member European Union bloc to continue with an open vision.

“It’s my sincere wish that this threat will be prevented from gaining more ground that will lead the EU to turn further in on itself and to harm the universal values that it pioneers,” Gül said in a statement on the occasion of ‘Europe Day’ on Tuesday.

He urged EU countries to free themselves of “baseless worries” about Turkey’s EU negotiations and to remove “the artificial barriers” raised on its road to accession as he reaffirmed Turkey’s objective of full membership.

Describing Turkey’s aspirations to join the EU as part of the country’s strategic vision, Gül said it was for both sides to crown Turkey’s half-century long journey with this end. A potential Turkish membership in the EU will strengthen the bloc’s global position in the fields of energy, economy, foreign policy and security, Gül was quoted by Turkish media as saying.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also issued a statement saying that the government’s efforts at raising democratic norms through a set of reform packages were evidence of its will to join the EU.

by RTT Staff Writer

via Turkey Warns Against Rising Racism In Europe.

May 10, 2012
Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul Criticizes Geert Wilders

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul is arriving this week in The Netherlands for a three day visit in commemoration of 400 years of relations between the two countries.

Today he sent a message to the Hon. Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party (the PVV) junior member of the ruling Dutch coalition. The message: Wilders is an “extreme voice’. Notwithstanding that remark, Gul was still prepared to shake Wilders’ hand if an encounter occurred during his ceremonial visit to Holland. A Radio Netherlands news article, “Turkish President Calls Wilders an Islamophobe” citing an interview with Gul in De Telegraafnewspaper noted his concerns about Wilders:

President Gül said, “Mr. Wilders represents an extreme voice, which feeds radicals.”

He continued, saying because of Wilders “a negative us-against-them climate is developing in the whole of Europe, which is laying the foundation for ethnic religious discrimination.”

Wilders has according to the Radio Netherlands report indicated months ago that Gul was not welcome in the Netherlands, despite the fact that the Dutch government had issued an invitation.

Perhaps that was because the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government of which Gul is a leader would not accept a delegation of Dutch parliamentarians that included Wilders in 2010. As the Radio Netherlands article noted:

At the time, a Turkish spokesperson said that Wilders was “such a fascist that besides in Turkey, he would not be welcome in other European capitals.”

Wilders if anything is not fearful of Islam, as Gül’s remarks in the de Telegraaf interview imply. Wilders is not against Muslims, but rather against the Islamic doctrine that denies basic civil and human rights to women, those who leave the faith by personal choice and denigrates unbelievers, such as Jews, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists. Moreover, Wilders is a proponent of a US style First Amendment for The Netherlands and the EU that upholds the right to criticize any religion under the doctrine of free speech. Turkey and the other 56 members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are a virtual Caliphate seeking to impose Blasphemy laws on the Westunder the guise of allegedly combating intolerance of religions to silence any criticism of Islamic doctrine and totalitarian Shariah.

Gul has been frequently cited as a prominent Turkish adherent to the doctrine of billionaire ex-patriate Sheikh Muhammed Fehtuleh Gulen,a resident in the US, who some hold as “the world’s most dangerous Islamist.” Gulen has created an international educational indoctrination system which propounds the return of Turkish hegemony in a rising Caliphate. A new Caliphate to replace the one that ended with the demise of the Ottoman Empire and creation of the modern secular Republic of Turkey under Kemal Ataturk in 1923. A secular republic that President Gul and PM Recep Erdogan of the ruling AKP party rejected. Instead the AKP leaders are most emphatic that Turkey should be ruled by Islamic doctrine. After all Erdogan has beenquoted saying: “there is no moderate or immoderate Islam, Islam is Islam”.

As Wilders noted in response to today’s De Telegraaf interview with Gul:

. . . that President Gül’s comments do not bother him. “Turkish humor: Christian-teaser, Kurd-basher, Hamas-friend and Islamist Gül complaining about tolerance.”

via Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul Criticizes Geert Wilders | Red County.

April 16, 2012
General Asymmetrica Rhymes With America

“Probes are ‘asymmetric, psychological,’ says ex-army chief” shouted the headline in the Hurriyet Daily News, another media mouthpiece of the Turkish government, this one for consumption by English speakers. It seems that former Chief of General Staff İlker Başbuğ claims his recent jailing was designed to dishonor the Turkish Armed forces. “Freedom is not only about being outside,” said the general, “I feel just as free in here.” Surely Başbuğ is joking. There are hundreds of others in jail on trumped up charges, some for almost five years. And the general feels free? Free from what? Responsibility? You, sir, continue to delude yourself. You and your military predecessors and successors are responsible for the demise of Atatürk’s secular republic. You all comprise a long line of general officers who seem to have forgotten what motivated you to the noble endeavor of defending your secular, democratic country.

Generals like Işık Koşaner, who succeeded Başbuğ, and a year later suddenly resigned along with the leaders of the army, navy and air force with the feeble excuse that they could no longer protect their subordinates. This spineless, unexplained act was the final blow that destroyed the Turkish army, and the hope and security of the Turkish people. It was a self-inflicted wound.

Like Yaşar Büyükanıt who asked for a sign of support from the people. Millions of Turks responded. They filled the streets for a series of wildly enthusiastic demonstrations to preserve the secular republic founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Soon thereafter Büyükanıt had a secret meeting with the prime minister. He retired and promptly disappeared. Enter Başbuğ.

Like Hilmi Özkök, Büyükanıt’s predecessor, who spent a good deal of his energy redesigning the buttons on the military uniforms, that is, removing Atatürk’s image. He has since specialized in saying very little of relevance. Consulting his profile in Wikipedia reveals the telling remark that he “opposed his peers’ plans to stage a coup.” So much for his leadership skills. Supposedly he now writes poetry.

Like Kenan Evren, a torturer and executioner, a Turkish Pinochet, he was one of America’s “guys” who “did it” for Jimmy Carter with the 1980 US-backed military coup. A professed believer in the enlightened principles of Atatürk, he and his fascist regime instead destroyed them along with many people. He also took up the ‘leftist arts’ in retirement and became a painter.

The tragic fiasco continues. Forget the AKP. It does as its told and is irrelevant in this situation. Ex-army chief Başbuğ, himself, is ASYMMETRIC. He’s in jail. He and his successor and predecessor generals have betrayed the founding principles of the nation. They have dawdled, temporized, rationalized, and collaborated. When the public begged for details and reliable information, the generals spoke in vague generalities. They have tortured. They have executed. And finally they have collapsed in a shameful surrender. Secular Turkey was founded by the military, freeing the Turkish people from hundreds of years of Ottoman incompetence and ignorance. Haven’t any of these senior officers understood Nutuk? It is they, the generals, who have dishonored the Turkish Army. Not the ruling power and certainly not the government’s tragically laughable Alice-in-Wonderland judicial system.

Now these generals can watch the destruction of the Republic in their retirement villas or from their jail cells. Now General Asymmetrica knows how all the leftists felt that his predecessors jailed during the disgraceful USA-inspired coups. Now General Asymmetrica knows that all the secret collaboration with America has yielded bitter fruit indeed. And that all the recent talk about military coup plots has been simply palaver. The real blow delivered to the Turkish nation was the civilian coup, engineered by America’s new “guys,” the AKP. Through the years, the generals collaborated with everyone except their one true ally…the heirs and children of Atatürk. They thought that the secular state could coexist with religion. They failed to protect their troops and failed to know their enemy, the two cardinal principles for an army at war. And for all this they were destroyed. That’s asymmetry. Think about what Atatürk would have done to them all. They would be begging for the days of their youth. That’s the ultimate asymmetry, and it is terrible.

Cem Ryan
Istanbul
12 March 2012

Below is the full text of news article:

Former Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ has described the recent probes that landed him in jail as a “asymmetric, psychological movement to dishonor the Turkish armed forces” in a recent interview. Speaking through his lawyer, the jailed former general told Toygun Atilla of daily Hürriyet that “freedom is not only about being outside.” “I feel just as free in here,” Başbuğ said.
“I fought against unjust slander in the public eyes of the Turkish Armed Forces personnel. And yes, I fought with all my strength against any negative impact that the unity and discipline of the Armed Forces may go through. And yes, I told relative authorities about all the problems we faced, and I, from time to time, told the public about my views. This is what I’ve done, and what I’ve tried to do,” he said.
“Now I see I was jailed, and retired, simply for talking,” Başbuğ said. “This cannot be seen simply as personal. To call the head of the Turkish Armed Forces a terrorist is a heavy charge against the whole of the Armed Forces.”
Başbuğ also said the recent probes were causing the public to have a negative view of the Turkish justice system. It is impossible to avoid seeing that the public conscience is uncomfortable with all this,” he said.

Hurriyet Daily News 11 March 2012

İlker Başbuğ

March 13, 2012
Turkey Waltzes With Itself in Vienna

By Goran Mijuk

Vienna–It takes two to tango. But Turkey choose to waltz with itself at the World Policy Conference in Vienna, where political and industrial leaders stressed the need for increased partnerships around the globe.

Emboldened by the country’s growing global economic importance and political levy in the fast-changing Arab world, Turkish President Abdullah Gül this weekend called for the European Union and United Nations to adapt to new realities.

Embittered that talks to join the E.U. are being blocked by a number of countries, including France and Germany, Gül blamed the eurozone for having failed to play up to its own rules and called on the United Nations to reform its structure to reflect the growing importance of emerging economies.

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gül makes a speech at the opening of the World Policy Conference at the historic Hofburg palace in Vienna December 9, 2011.

All but pointing to Turkey as a potential new member of a revamped U.N. Security Council, Mr. Gül also offered the country as a role model and “inspiriation” for the Arab world, touting Turkey’s tradition of religious freedom, secularism and openness, much in line with the high-flung visions traded at the Vienna meeting.

Mr. Gül failed, however, to impress. Amr Moussa, former Secretary General of the League of Arab States and presidential candidate in Egypt, said at the meeting that Turkey won’t serve as a role model for the Arab world. Instead, he called for a new vision of democracy in countries such as Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

Mr. Moussa defended the need for deep-rooted and serious change in the Arab world. But he invited Israel too to adapt to the new realities that are emerging out of the “Arab Spring”. Mr. Moussa stopped short of making concrete demands, in line with a cautious diplomatic tactic that tries to bring all interest to the negotiating table.

Mr. Gül chose to be less diplomatic. Instead of joining a lunch with Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Friday and mend broken ties with the country, Turkey’s president took a stroll through Vienna and visited a mosque in the city.

According to media reports, Mr. Gül also took precautions to avoid meeting Mr. Barak in person in Vienna. The Israeli Minister retorted by leaving the Hofburg conference hall when Mr. Gül started his lament on the poor state of the E.U. and U.N.

Mr. Gül’s attitude can be explained by recent politics. Ties between the two countries have worsened ever since nine Turks were killed in 2010 when they tried to break Israel’s naval blockage of Gaza. Nothing has improved since as Israel has refused to officially apologize for the 2010 incident.

But a potential role model should act differently. Mr. Gül’s criticism of the E.U. and the U.N. would have carried more weight had he taken the opportunity to talk to Mr. Barak, especially during an informal lunch behind closed doors.

Instead of adding credibility to Turkey’s claim of being a modern, open society that plays up to global standards and even exceeds them in many aspects, Mr. Gül’s chose to waltz with himself, risking to step on many feet in the process.

This is simple power politics, not inspiration.

via Turkey Waltzes With Itself in Vienna – Emerging Europe Real Time – WSJ.

December 12, 2011
Gul says Turkey can be EU’s growth engine

By Michael Holden

LONDON | Sun Nov 20, 2011 5:56pm GMT

(Reuters) – President Abdullah Gul said Sunday Turkey was determined to overcome opposition to its bid to join the European Union before beginning a visit to Britain that underlines the growing political and economic ties between the two countries.

Gul’s visit to London, where he will be a guest of Queen Elizabeth, symbolises Britain’s push for closer links with emerging markets such as Turkey.

Britain hopes that increasing trade and investment with fast-growing economies such as Turkey will boost the British economy’s anaemic recovery from recession at a time when key trading partners in the euro zone are mired in a debt crisis.

Britain supports Turkey’s bid to join the EU. The two countries also increasingly see eye-to-eye on how to handle Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on protests, with Turkey threatening sanctions unless the bloodshed stops.

Gul, due to arrive in Britain later Sunday for the first state visit by a Turkish president in 23 years, said in an interview with a British newspaper published Sunday that Turkey was determined to join the EU despite the euro zone crisis and could become the bloc’s economic “growth engine.”

He rejected concerns that the economic problems facing the euro zone meant that any further expansion of the 27-member EU should be put on hold.

“Some people who think in a narrow scope and who do lack a strategic perspective consider Turkey’s membership a burden,” Gul told the Sunday Telegraph.

“But those who can think 30 years, 60 years ahead, and who can think about the changing trends in the economy and the changing centres of power, can understand how much strength Turkey can bring to the existing strength of Europe.”

Gul is likely to repeat that message Monday when he addresses the annual conference of the Confederation of British Industry, Britain’s main employers’ group.

STATE VISIT BEGINS ON TUESDAY

Gul’s state visit, sprinkled with banquets, parades and ceremony, formally begins Tuesday when he holds talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron, who visited Turkey last year. Cameron set a goal of doubling British trade with Turkey, then worth around $9 billion a year, over the next five years.

EU countries agreed unanimously in 2005 to start talks with mainly Muslim Turkey with the goal of full membership.

However, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is opposed to Turkey joining and German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she favours a “privileged partnership” for Turkey.

Gul said Turkey’s booming economy, which grew 11 percent in the first quarter of 2011, could give Europe a shot in the arm.

“Consider the potential that Turkey has: Turkey’s position, her assets, the value she can add in terms of energy resources, her population, the dynamism she can bring into Europe, and also the growth that she can bring, with Turkey being the engine of this growth.”

He said Turkey viewed the euro zone crisis as a temporary situation. “We approach the negotiations with a strategic vision, and are very determined.”

Like Britain, which has called for Assad to step down, Turkey has taken a tough approach on Syria.

“I strongly believe that there is no place any more for authoritarian regimes – single party systems that do not have accountability or transparency – on the shores of the Mediterranean,” Gul said.

Turkey hosts the main Syrian opposition and has given refuge to defecting Syrian soldiers.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague will step up contacts with opponents of Assad Monday, meeting Syrian opposition representatives in London.

The United States and EU have been swift to approve sanctions against Damascus. Turkey has been more cautious but said this month it was preparing a list of sanctions against Syria to complement a Turkish arms embargo already in place.

(Additional reporting by Adrian Croft; Editing by Ralph Gowling and Elizabeth Piper)

via Gul says Turkey can be EU’s growth engine | Reuters.

November 25, 2011