TURKEY PASSES EU-BACKED LAW ON MINORITY SCHOOLS, BUT REMOVES KEY PASSAGE ALLOWING FOREIGNERS TO ATTEND
International Herald Tribune, France
The Associated Press
Sept 26 2006
ISTANBUL, Turkey Turkey’s parliament on Tuesday passed an EU-backed
reform bill broadening opportunities for minority schools, but removed
a key passage that would have allowed foreign students to attend,
a move likely to be seen as another setback in Turkey’s progress
toward EU membership.
The deletion ended a heated debate for the moment about whether
allowing foreign students to attend minority schools in Turkey could
lead to the reopening of a Greek Orthodox theology school shut down
35 years ago.
Turkey has been resisting pressure from the EU to reopen the Halki
Theological School on Heybeliada Island near Istanbul, which was
closed to new students in 1971 under a law that put religious and
military training under state control.
The seminary trained generations of Greek Orthodox leaders including
the current Patriarch Bartholomew I, a divisive figure in Turkey, which
does not recognize his international role and rejects his use of the
title “ecumenical,” or universal, arguing instead that the patriarch is
merely the spiritual leader of Istanbul’s dwindling Orthodox community.
The seminary remained open until 1985, when the last five students
graduated.
The passage of the altered bill will likely be seen as another setback
in Turkey’s progress toward EU membership. European officials have
made wide-reaching reforms to improve minority rights in Turkey a
prerequisite if this predominantly Muslim country is ever to join an
expanded EU.
Turkey’s reluctance to concede to demands that it reopen the seminary
stems from a deep mistrust many here feel toward the patriarchate
because of its traditional ties with Greece, Turkey’s historical
regional rival.
The refusal to recognize Bartholomew’s international stature, likewise,
is part of a desire to contain his influence to Istanbul instead
of attributing to him the role of spiritual leader of hundreds of
millions of Orthodox Christians worldwide.
Ultra-nationalist lawyers say they have gained millions of signatures
in Turkey demanding that the patriarch be moved to Greece.
The head of Turkey’s parliamentary commission on education, Tayyar
Altikulac, said the wording of the adopted bill meant the seminary
would remain closed unless the government decided to amend the
constitution to reopen it.
“This bill has nothing to do with the theological seminary. The opening
of the theological seminary is a constitutional matter,” he said.
The adopted bill defines minority schools as “pre-schools, elementary
and secondary schools founded by Greek, Armenian and Jewish minorities”
and specifies that they must be attended by “students originating
from the Turkish Republic.”
The deleted wording had included “foreign students who belong to
these minorities.”
After the theological seminary closed, the Patriarchate tried to
train future leaders of the church by sending them to theological
schools abroad after they finished high school in Turkey. But most
never returned, something church officials complain starves them of
possible new leaders.
Under a 1923 treaty with Greece, the ecumenical patriarch must be a
Turkish citizen. That was the condition set by Turkey for allowing
the Patriarchate to remain in Istanbul.
The patriarchate in Istanbul dates from the 1,100-year-old Orthodox
Greek Byzantine Empire, which collapsed when Muslim Ottoman Turks
conquered Constantinople, today’s Istanbul, in 1453.
In a related development, parliament’s justice commission on Tuesday
was also debating wording of a separate draft law aimed at returning
properties of religious minority foundations confiscated by the state
since 1974.
The planned amendments would allow the foundations to acquire and
register properties that have been donated to them, but it was not
clear if they would allow the groups to reclaim property that has
since been sold to other people.
Although the proposed amendments are hailed as a breakthrough, they
still fall short of expectations of minorities since they do not cover
the issue of some other confiscated properties, such as cemeteries
or properties owned by minority schools which are not foundations,
Murat Cano, a lawyer and an expert on minority rights, told private
Haber Turk television channel on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Islamic-rooted government
on Tuesday insisted that steps be taken by Greece in granting more
“rights to Muslims living in Greece” before Turkey would take any
further steps.
Members of Turkey’s small Armenian and Greek minorities criticized
the government’s stance, saying they were being treated as “hostages”
and not “citizens,” Haber Turk reported.
ISTANBUL, Turkey Turkey’s parliament on Tuesday passed an EU-backed
reform bill broadening opportunities for minority schools, but removed
a key passage that would have allowed foreign students to attend,
a move likely to be seen as another setback in Turkey’s progress
toward EU membership.
The deletion ended a heated debate for the moment about whether
allowing foreign students to attend minority schools in Turkey could
lead to the reopening of a Greek Orthodox theology school shut down
35 years ago.
Turkey has been resisting pressure from the EU to reopen the Halki
Theological School on Heybeliada Island near Istanbul, which was
closed to new students in 1971 under a law that put religious and
military training under state control.
The seminary trained generations of Greek Orthodox leaders including
the current Patriarch Bartholomew I, a divisive figure in Turkey, which
does not recognize his international role and rejects his use of the
title “ecumenical,” or universal, arguing instead that the patriarch is
merely the spiritual leader of Istanbul’s dwindling Orthodox community.
The seminary remained open until 1985, when the last five students
graduated.
The passage of the altered bill will likely be seen as another setback
in Turkey’s progress toward EU membership. European officials have
made wide-reaching reforms to improve minority rights in Turkey a
prerequisite if this predominantly Muslim country is ever to join an
expanded EU.
Turkey’s reluctance to concede to demands that it reopen the seminary
stems from a deep mistrust many here feel toward the patriarchate
because of its traditional ties with Greece, Turkey’s historical
regional rival.
The refusal to recognize Bartholomew’s international stature, likewise,
is part of a desire to contain his influence to Istanbul instead
of attributing to him the role of spiritual leader of hundreds of
millions of Orthodox Christians worldwide.
Ultra-nationalist lawyers say they have gained millions of signatures
in Turkey demanding that the patriarch be moved to Greece.
The head of Turkey’s parliamentary commission on education, Tayyar
Altikulac, said the wording of the adopted bill meant the seminary
would remain closed unless the government decided to amend the
constitution to reopen it.
“This bill has nothing to do with the theological seminary. The opening
of the theological seminary is a constitutional matter,” he said.
The adopted bill defines minority schools as “pre-schools, elementary
and secondary schools founded by Greek, Armenian and Jewish minorities”
and specifies that they must be attended by “students originating
from the Turkish Republic.”
The deleted wording had included “foreign students who belong to
these minorities.”
After the theological seminary closed, the Patriarchate tried to
train future leaders of the church by sending them to theological
schools abroad after they finished high school in Turkey. But most
never returned, something church officials complain starves them of
possible new leaders.
Under a 1923 treaty with Greece, the ecumenical patriarch must be a
Turkish citizen. That was the condition set by Turkey for allowing
the Patriarchate to remain in Istanbul.
The patriarchate in Istanbul dates from the 1,100-year-old Orthodox
Greek Byzantine Empire, which collapsed when Muslim Ottoman Turks
conquered Constantinople, today’s Istanbul, in 1453.
In a related development, parliament’s justice commission on Tuesday
was also debating wording of a separate draft law aimed at returning
properties of religious minority foundations confiscated by the state
since 1974.
The planned amendments would allow the foundations to acquire and
register properties that have been donated to them, but it was not
clear if they would allow the groups to reclaim property that has
since been sold to other people.
Although the proposed amendments are hailed as a breakthrough, they
still fall short of expectations of minorities since they do not cover
the issue of some other confiscated properties, such as cemeteries
or properties owned by minority schools which are not foundations,
Murat Cano, a lawyer and an expert on minority rights, told private
Haber Turk television channel on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Islamic-rooted government
on Tuesday insisted that steps be taken by Greece in granting more
“rights to Muslims living in Greece” before Turkey would take any
further steps.
Members of Turkey’s small Armenian and Greek minorities criticized
the government’s stance, saying they were being treated as “hostages”
and not “citizens,” Haber Turk reported.

ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN EXCHANGE ACCUSATIONS ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH DURING UN DEBATE
UN News Centre
Sept 26 2006
Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other during addresses to the
United Nations General Assembly of not being interested in achieving
a lasting peace settlement in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Elmar Mammadyarov, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, told the Assembly
yesterday that a recent joint environmental operation between the
two countries to tackle major fires inside Nagorno-Karabakh has been
“the only positive development so far.”
“The occupying forces have to withdraw from the occupied territories
and necessary conditions have to be in place to allow secure
and dignified return of the Azerbaijani displaced persons to the
Nagorno-Karabakh region and surrounding territories of Azerbaijan,”
he said.
Nagorno-Karabakh’s status can only be defined “through peaceful,
democratic and legal process with direct participation and consent
of both Azerbaijani and Armenian communities,” he said, adding
that the region’s economic development must be strengthened and its
inter-communal relations enhanced.
But “it is difficult to hope for a breakthrough in the negotiations
when Armenia rejects face-to-face meetings and refuses to take a
constructive approach to solve existing problems.”
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said yesterday that “the
people of Nagorno-Karabakh chose long ago not to be represented by the
Government of Azerbaijan. They were the victims of state violence, they
defended themselves, and succeeded against great odds, only to hear
the State cry foul and claim sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Mr. Oskanian said that last December Azerbaijan destroyed or removed
thousands of hand-sculpted mediaeval Armenian tombstones.
“Such destruction, in an area with no Armenians, at a distance from
Nagorno-Karabakh and any conflict areas, is a callous demonstration
that Azerbaijan’s attitude towards tolerance, human values, cultural
treasures, cooperation or even peace, has not changed.”
He added that “one cannot blame us for thinking that Azerbaijan is
not ready or interested in a negotiated peace.”

OSCE OFFICE FACILITATES DISCUSSION ON MEDIA SELF-REGULATION IN ARMENIA
Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)

Sept 26 2006
YEREVAN, 25 September 2006 – Media accountability and best practices
regarding self-regulation mechanisms, particularly for public
broadcasters, were discussed at a meeting that took place in Yerevan
over the weekend.
It brought together journalists and managers of the Public TV and Radio
Company of Armenia (PTRC) and other Armenian media, representatives
of international and non-governmental organizations.
They discussed the possibility of introducing an internal
ombudsperson’s institution for the public broadcaster, professional
ethics and the need to develop a professional Code of Conduct in
the PTRC.
“Journalistic ethics and self-regulation play a significant role
in the development of a professional, independent and accountable
media,” said Blanka Hancilova, Democratization Programme Officer at
the OSCE Office in Yerevan. “We hope that this meeting helped to
identify mechanisms for institutionalizing media self-regulation,
which will enhance compliance with professional ethics.”
Boris Navasardian, President of the Yerevan Press Club, added: “Media
self-regulation in Armenia will not only raise accountability of the
different news outlets, but will also strengthen their independence.”
The two-day event, “Introduction of self-regulatory mechanisms in
Armenian media,” was organized by the OSCE Office, the Yerevan Press
Club, PTRC, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization’s Office in Moscow.
Jeffrey Dvorkin, the first ombudsman of the U.S. National Public Radio
and executive director of the Committee of Concerned Journalists,
and Ian Mayes, president of the international Organization of News
Ombudsmen and the Guardian newspaper ombudsman shared their experience.

AMERIA COMPANY ANALYZES LEGISLATION IN AREA OF ARMENIA’S STANDARDIZATION
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 26 2006
YEREVAN, September 26. /ARKA/. Ameria is a group of professional
services companies registered in Armenia with the objective to provide
a comprehensive package of professional advisory and assurance
services. Ameria specializes in four major areas of professional
activities: management advisory services; assurance and advisory
services; legal advisory services; investment banking.
Established in 1998, the company has become a leader in the Armenian
market of advisory services bringing an international reach and local
touch to complex issues rising in more than 30 industry sectors.
In the scope of the Public Sector Modernization Programme Ameria CJSC
is contracted by the RA Ministry of Trade and Economic Development
to analyze the RA legislation in the area of standardization and to
develop a strategy of the adoption of national standards and a state
plan 2007.
After joining the World Trade Organization the importance of
standardization and compliance assessment functions has been even more
emphasized. In the scope of the Programme Ameria carries out a detailed
study of the technical legislation of the RA standardization and
compliance assessment based on the directives of the New European and
Global Approaches and the results of their application in Armenia;
develops the Strategy and Action Plan of compliance of the RA
standardization system with the international and European systems,
as well as the State Plan 2007 of national standards adoption. Ameria
Consultants are also involved in the rationalization of the present
standardization system. The Programme also provides trainings for the
government bodies. The Programme will finish in April 2007.

ARMENIA MUST CONTINUE REFORMS TO REDUCE POVERTY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 26 2006
YEREVAN, September 26. /ARKA/. Armenia intends to continue reforms
to reduce poverty in the country, RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
stated at the 61st UN General Assembly in New York, USA.
According to him, like other countries, Armenia has the tasks of
reducing poverty and overcoming despair, which remain the saddest
and dangerous challenges to the world.
Oskanyan stated that large-scale reforms in Armenia inspire hopes.
They are irreversible and are producing appreciable results.
According to the Minister, the country will continue reforms to seal
the success achieved over the last 15 years – progress in legislative
and administrative spheres, open and liberal economy and two-digit
economic growth.
Minister Oskanyan said that inspired by this year’s progress, Armenia
decided to implement a consistent policy of poverty reduction in its
rural areas.
He pointed out that to achieve these goals Armenia will apply to
international organizations and friendly governments and, along
with the Armenian Diaspora’s traditional generosity, will start the
construction and restoration of infrastructures, which are of vital
importance for the facilitation of economic development.
The program of poverty reduction in Armenia’s rural areas is an
all-important component of the Strategic Program of Poverty Reduction,
which is the principal component of the Armenian Government’s
activities.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT AWARDS “KILIKIA” CREW
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 26 2006
YEREVAN, September 26. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
awarded medals to the crew of the “Kilikia” sailer, which is back
to Armenia from its voyage according to the sea route of Armenian
merchants of the 13th century.
The RA presidential press service reports that President Kocharyan
thanked the crew members for excellent realization of a daring idea
of a three-year sea voyage.
In their turn, the “Kilikia” crew members handed over to the President
the three-color flag that was flying at the mast of the sailer. The
President also received a souvenir, a model of the sailer.
The “Kilikia” crew members informed the President of their voyage,
telling about the hospitality of the Armenian Diaspora and about the
interest shown in Armenia in foreign countries.
President Kocharyan and the “Kilikia” crew discussed the issue of
the last haven for the sailer.
On September 23, 2006, the RA President issued decrees awarding Medals
for Services to Fatherland, First Class, to the Commissioner of the
expedition Zory Balayan, Captain Karen Balayan and Advisor-Captain
Samvel Karapetyan.
Medals for Courage were awarded to the operator-sailor Samvel Balayan,
Assistant Captain Areg Nazaryan, shift supervisors Hayk Badalyan and
Armen Nazaryan, and to the cook Samvel Sargsyan.
In 2004-2006, the “Kilikia” sailer, which was constructed according
to the pattern of Armenian sailers of the Middle Ages, for the first
time made a voyage according to the route of Armenian merchants,
who maintained close trade ties with European market towns in the
13th century.
During two years, the sailer visited 64 ports in 26 European and
Mediterranean countries. The “Kilikia” sailer was constructed with
the use of materials used in the 13th century. The builders, “Hayas”
club of sea research, spent 11 years on the construction (May 1991
to May 2001). During the following two years the sailer was tested
on Lake Sevan. “Kilikia” is currently in Yerevan, and later it will
be delivered to Sevan and remodeled into a museum.
The sailer was named after a legendary Armenian kingdom of Kilikia
on the Mediterranean coat. The kingdom existed for 400 centuries.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: TURKEY: JOURNALIST TARGETED YET AGAIN
Amnesty International USA
Sept 26 2006
Public Statement
AI Index: EUR 44/017/2006 (Public)
News Service No: 252
26 September 2006
Amnesty International is dismayed at today’s news that yet another
case has been opened against journalist Hrant Dink on charges of
“denigrating Turkishness” under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code. The organization considers that this prosecution is part of an
emerging pattern of harassment against the journalist exercising his
right to freedom of expression — a right which Turkey, as a State
Party to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights
and Fundamental Freedoms and the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, has a legal obligation to uphold.
The latest charge against Hrant Dink was brought following a statement
he made to Reuters news agency, in which he reportedly said of
massacres of Armenians during the Ottoman Empire, “Of course I’m
saying it’s a genocide, because its consequences show it to be true
and label it so. We see that people who had lived on this soil for
4000 years were exterminated by these events.” Amnesty International
is particularly concerned at this latest prosecution, the third
against Hrant Dink on charges under Article 301, because it seems to
constitute a pattern of judicial harassment against the writer for
peacefully expressing his dissenting opinion. Furthermore, he has
already been given a six-month suspended prison sentence following
an October 2005 conviction on charges of “denigrating Turkishness”
(upheld by the Court of Appeal in July 2006), and therefore if found
guilty again on the same charge would be imprisoned. Should he be,
Amnesty International would consider him a prisoner of conscience.
Amnesty International considers this latest prosecution to be
particularly disappointing following the welcome acquittal four
days ago of another writer, novelist Elif Safak, on charges under
Article 301 relating to statements made by characters in her novel
The Bastard of Istanbul. The organization had seen this as a positive
step for freedom of expression in Turkey but fears this acquittal
may prove to be the exception rather than the rule and demonstrates
yet again the failure of certain members of the Turkish judiciary and
prosecution to internalize international law, as required by Article
90 of the Turkish constitution. The organization reiterates its call
for Article 301 to be abolished in its entirety, thereby putting an
end to arbitrary implementation of this ill-defined law.
Finally, Amnesty International notes that this prosecution reportedly
arises from a complaint lodged by elements of civil society opposed to
the abolition of Article 301, who have lodged similar complaints in
the past seeking to secure such prosecutions and who have repeatedly
staged provocative and sometimes violent protests at trials, creating
a threatening atmosphere in the courtroom. The organization calls
on the Turkish authorities to ensure that all necessary measures are
taken to ensure the protection both of the defendants, their lawyers
and supporters in such cases, and of the course of justice itself.
For further information about Amnesty International’s concerns
regarding Article 301 please see Turkey: Article 301: How the law on
“denigrating Turkishness” is an insult to free expression (AI Index:
EUR 44/003/2006).

AZERBAIJAN FOREIGN MINISTER URGES GLOBAL COMMUNITY TO ENHANCE DIALOGUE AMONG CULTURES AND RELIGIONS
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2006
Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov called for undertaking
“concrete measures to enhance dialogue and broaden understanding
among nations, cultures and religions” at the general debate of
the 61st Session of the UN General Assembly, AzerTAc’s personal
correspondent reports.
The Minister pointed out the necessity to stop the growing tendency
towards Islamophobia in the world, adding that as Chairman of the
Ministerial Council of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
Azerbaijan considers it very important to increase public awareness
of Islam worldwide including in the Muslim societies.
“To this end, we plan to host in Baku in 2007 under the OIC an
international conference on the role of mass media in developing
tolerance and mutual understanding,” he said.
Elmar Mammadyarov stated while condemning all forms of terrorism
Azerbaijan is seriously concerned over attempts to associate terrorism
with Islam and Muslim nations.
Touching upon the situation concerning the massive fires in the
occupied territories of Azerbaijan as a subject of urgent consideration
by the General Assembly, the Foreign Minister said the resolution it
had adopted is aiming to assess the short- and long-term impact of
the fire on the environment, involve conflicting parties, Azerbaijan
and Armenia parties, in joint environmental operation, and thus,
promoting establishment of atmosphere of trust between them, to give
an impetus to the peace process.
“Sadly, this is the only positive development so far,” he however,
added.
Minister Mammadyarov noted “although no substantial progress has been
witnessed so far, the parties accepted the stage-by-stage approach in
the settlement.” “Basically, there are two main issues on which parties
disagree – definition of status of self-rule for the population of
the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region and withdrawal of the Armenian
forces from all the occupied territories of Azerbaijan,” he said.
Describing Azerbaijan’s position on the issue the Minister said the
status can be defined only through democratic and legal process with
direct involvement of both Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of
Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Our position based on relevant resolutions of the Security Council
and OSCE decisions, which unequivocally demand unconditional withdrawal
of the occupying forces from all occupied territories of the Republic
of Azerbaijan,” he said.
“It is difficult to hope for breakthrough in the negotiations
when Armenia rejects face-to-face meetings and refuses to take a
constructive approach to solve existing problems, the Minister said.”
>From the UN rostrum, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan
also spoke of the economic progress achieved in the country for the
past years. He described creation of “favorable environment to attract
investments into the non-oil sector and diversify the export potential
of the country” as key challenge of its Government.
“The year 2006 has marked a historic event for the region and beyond,
which is the official inauguration of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main oil
export pipeline. Currently, we are looking forward to completion of
the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline this fall and remain commitment
to contribute to global energy security,” he said.

TURKEY SAYS REFORMS ON TRACK
By Gareth Jones
Reuters, UK
Sept 26 2006
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s prime minister insisted on Tuesday
that European Union reforms were fully on track, but the EU’s top
enlargement official said he was tired of telling Ankara to change
laws that restrict free speech.
In a move underlining the EU’s human rights concerns, dozens of Kurdish
mayors in Turkey’s troubled southeast went on trial for opposing the
closure of a Kurdish broadcaster.
“The reform process is continuing at full speed and without us losing
any of our enthusiasm,” Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told lawmakers
from his ruling centre-right AK Party.
“We are doing these reforms not because the EU wants them but because
Turkey needs them,” he said.
Erdogan was speaking as members of the European Parliament in
Strasbourg, France, debated a report critical of Ankara’s reform
record over the past 12 months.
Parliamentary sources said the report by Dutch MEP Camiel Eurlings
was likely to be adopted on Wednesday in an amended form, deleting a
clause which urges Ankara to recognise the mass killings of Armenians
in Ottoman Turkey as “genocide”.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told the Strasbourg assembly
Turkey must implement more reforms before the Commission’s own annual
report, due to be published on November 8.
Rehn said he was tired of pressing Turkey to abolish or reform
an article of its penal code that makes it a criminal offence to
“insult Turkishness”, and which has been used to prosecute a number
of intellectuals.
“Despite the acquittal of the novelist (Elif) Shafak, freedom of
expression remains under threat in Turkey,” he said, arguing that the
mere existence of such judicial proceedings had “a chilling effect”
on journalists, writers and activists.
CHANGING MENTALITY
Erdogan gave no indication on Tuesday that his government might be
ready to scrap or modify the controversial article 301.
“It is not enough just to change laws to entrench human rights
and freedoms. You also need to change the mentality…. We must be
patient,” Erdogan said.
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, an opponent of change, said Shafak’s
acquittal last week showed the law was working well.
Opposition leader Deniz Baykal, whose nominally centre-left Republican
People’s Party has taken an increasingly nationalist stance ahead
of national elections due next year, made clear he did not back any
change to the present law.
“(Erdogan) is seeking a partner to share the shame of making it
possible to insult the Turkish identity. He should knock at another
door… We will not support him,” he said.
Against similarly loud nationalist opposition, Erdogan defended plans
to ease property restrictions for non-Muslim minorities, another key
EU demand.
A pious Muslim, Erdogan ridiculed suggestions that the plans would
bolster the influence of Orthodox Christian Patriarch Bartholomew,
based in Istanbul, and pave the way for the creation of a
“mini-Vatican” in Turkey’s biggest city.
Parliament, where the AK Party has a big majority, is now debating
the ‘religious foundations’ law, though EU diplomats say the current
draft does not go far enough in restoring confiscated properties to
non-Muslim religious minorities.
In Diyarbakir, biggest city of Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast,
56 mayors faced charges of “knowingly and willingly” helping Kurdish
rebels by writing to Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
earlier this year urging him not to close Denmark-based Roj TV.
Ankara views Roj TV as a mouthpiece for “terrorists” and has urged
Copenhagen to shut it down. Rasmussen has refused, citing freedom of
expression. He has also criticised the trial of the mayors, who face
up to 15 years in jail if convicted.
The criminal court judge adjourned the trial until November 21.
Turkey blames rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)
for the deaths of more than 30,000 people since it began its armed
campaign for a homeland in the southeast in 1984.

WHAT ELSE REMAINED TO BE PUT IN TURKEY REPORT OF THE EP?
Fatma Yilmaz
ISRO, Centre for European Union Studies
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Sept 26 2006
The membership aspect of the EU is shaped in terms of the criteria
determined by the Union. The Copenhagen and Maastricht criteria are
the well-known ones among them to be carried out by the candidate
countries which are willing to join the EU. A negotiation process,
whose duration depends mostly on the capacity of the candidate
country to adopt the EU acquis, is also performed in order to pave
the way for the full membership. Even tough the process is named as
the ‘negotiation’ one; it is actually far from being a bargaining
process. Instead, it is more one-sided course of action undertaken by
the candidate country. This is mainly because it is not the EU who
invites the countries to be involved in the Union. On the contrary,
those who ask for membership status are the countries outside the
Union. This is then why the EU unilaterally determines the reforms
given under the responsibility of the candidates to be adopted and
has opportunity to monitor their progression progress.
One of the ways to monitor and evaluate the negotiation process
is the ‘Progression Reports’ published by the EU Commission and
Parliament periodically. Considering the EU membership criteria, these
reports determine the points on which the candidates make important
progress and the points on which they are lack of realization of the
progress. In fact, the reports in theory carry the importance for the
candidates to observe how they are close to the membership aspect
and how far they are from the realization of the implementation of
the EU reforms. In short, the EU criteria are a chain of ‘musts’ to
be implemented unilaterally. However, they are also expected to apply
for every candidate in same manner since they are common imperatives
for all. More importantly, it does not give the right to the EU to
adjust the criteria arbitrarily – at least expected to do so.
When Turkey’s membership aspect is on the case, the process
interestingly goes on in different manner. The ‘well-structured’
criteria of the EU of which they are proud show flexible features.
In this sense, adding the ‘good-neighborliness’ policy, the EU firstly
set forth the solution of the Cyprus problem and the problems about
the Aegean Sea with Greece implicitly in front of Turkey to be member –
although ‘good-neighborliness’ criterion was not applied for the Greek
Cyprus. Then, the ‘absorption capacity’ of the EU became the major
issue under discussion. Absorbing, in a short while, ten countries
some of which were in slower progress than Turkey, the EU began to
question its capacity to take in Turkey which has been waiting for
50 years in the EU queue. In order not to offend completely, the EU
opened negotiation process with Turkey but this time it began to
mention the possibility of permanent derogations which have never
been the case for other candidates. It is the fact that there have
been temporary derogations applied for the others in order that the
candidates manage to undertake a smooth transitional period. However,
the EU has never put forward any derogation permanently in front
of its members before. In such case, it would mean creation of
different status rather than the full membership prospect since the
candidate could not be allowed to get benefit from some parts of EU
regulations. In fact, this is possibly the way to give an implicit
partnership status to Turkey under the name of full membership.
What is more, the most striking issue on the agenda of the EU
is opening the Turkish ports to the Greek Cypriot ships for the
continuation of the negotiation process. It seems that the Cyprus
issue would become a constant benchmark for both opening and closure
of each negotiation title. Making connection between the port issue
and negotiation titles relevant to freedom of the movements of goods
can be regarded as reasonable to some extent, but the other way around
can not comply with common sense of the criteria of the Union.
The forthcoming European Parliament (EP) report about Turkey, which is
planned to be approved on 27 September, evaluates the reform process in
Turkey and lists on which subjects Turkey has still things to do. Not
surprisingly, it includes several issues which are mentioned in none
of the criteria of the EU membership. The EP has brought critics for
not only realization of the reforms but also for the issues that are
not relevant to the EU affairs in reality. For instance, it took the
so-called Armenian genocide issue in its agenda. What the most striking
point here is that together with the so-called Armenian genocide issue,
the EP also discussed a made-up genocide about Pontic Greeks. In that
sense, in the report, it reminded Turkey that “the denial of historic
facts such as the genocide of the Armenians and Pontic Greeks and the
infringement of the rights of the many minorities within its territory
can not be reconciled with its European prospects and direction”. This
expression was put in the report as an amendment by the proposal
of Greek member of the EP. Actually, recently whoever wants to put
something in the report got an opportunity to do this wish. The latest
one became the insertion of the planned Pope visit to Turkey.
Instead of making evaluations within the perspective of standard
membership criteria, the EP is making up new assessments in accordance
with the orders of the EP members. Accordingly, the amendment about
the Pope visit was inserted in the report, expressing its expectation
about the contribution of the Pope Benedict XVI to Turkey to the
improvement of the intercultural and religious dialogue between
the Muslims and Christians. Thus, the religious affairs suddenly
attracted the interest of the EU’s official documents surprisingly –
actually this is my fault maybe to surprise because Turkey has to be
accustomed to the EU innovations about Turkey’s membership process.
If the EU can find more new issues to put into its official documents
about Turkey until the approval of the report in order to give
its final status at the end of September, I guess it will be its
creativeness and achievements. This is because I could never ever be
such kind of imaginative when there are enough issues to put pressure
such as implementation of reforms, attack to the Council of State,
the PKK terror, threshold of the election, human rights, minority and
the Alevi issues, relations with Armenia, the Cyprus issue…. What
else remained to be put in the EP report about Turkey? Maybe the
latest Greek claim about the Gagavuz Turks about which Greece claim
that they are originally the Greek Christian Orthodox and they are
oppressed under the Turkish propaganda(!) … .