STERN WARNING FROM THE TOP
New Anatolian, Turkey
April 13 2006
Breaking sharply from his usual reticence, President Ahmet Necdet
Sezer yesterday issued a very severe warning against both Islamist
fundamentalism and separatism, both of which he warned are escalating
in Turkey.
Speaking at a conference at the Turkish Military Academy, the
president, criticized by both the media and Parliament for being
silent in the face of raging controversies, issued thinly veiled
criticism at various political groups ranging from the ruling Justice
and Development (AK) Party to the Kurdish-dominated Democratic Society
Party (DTP).
His harshest criticism was reserved for the divisive Semdinli case,
which he said the justice system had wrecked because of reckless
statements, as well as stressing that the army has become subject to
an unfair controversy.
“Attempts to defame our glorious army are irreconcilable with
rationality and patriotism. The protection of the army’s prestige is
one of the major duties of the government,” he said.
On secularism, Sezer said that it was “impermissible” that religion
would go beyond private life and individual space to become part of
the community life. “Certain limitations can be imposed to prevent
the abuse of religion and in order to protect the public life, trust
and interests of the public.”
Also implicitly criticizing the DTP, Sezer said that “certain people
who came to power through democratic means” had adopted wording that
sounded too close to the rhetoric of the terrorist group Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK) . “This stands in direct conflict with the
position they hold and the essence of the system that brought them
there.”
Sezer said, on foreign policy, that nobody should expect Turkey to
accept unfair demands on issues of national interest, such as the
Armenian question and the Cyprus issue.
“We deeply regret that the Greek Cypriot side, which has created
obstacles at every step of the way to a Cyprus solution, is almost
rewarded by the European Union,” he said.
But he sounded more reconciliatory on the United States, saying that
the failure to see eye-to-eye on certain issues was not something
that would affect the overall sense of alliance. “It is our sincere
hope that the issues will be overcome,” he said, in reference to Iraq.