SURPRISE AKP MOTION DERAILS SEMINARY REOPENING

The New Anatolian
Sept 22 2006

Plans by the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party government to
reopen the Heybeliada Seminary to Orthodox worshipers from around the
world were blocked yesterday by dissent from within the party itself
as well as opposition parties.

Debates were sparked after an unexpected motion, submitted by Industry
and Commerce Minister Ali Coskun, was passed, and created tension
within the AK Party as well.

AK Party deputies grew wary about the motion after warnings from main
opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies, but the fact
that the motion was submitted by Coskun troubled AK Party deputies.

The AK Party’s deputy group leader said on Wednesday that the bill
was to be amended on Thursday. However yesterday debates on the
bill on private educational institutions were postponed. AK Party
officials stressed that the motion was submitted by Coskun, adding,
"Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is abroad and Education Minister Huseyin
Celik is outside Ankara. The ministers should solve the issue among
themselves after Gul and Celik return to Ankara. The motion to amend
the bill can be debated on Tuesday."

At the session yesterday, which wasn’t attended by Celik because he
was on a domestic visit with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Industry and Commerce Minister Ali Coskun submitted an unexpected
motion. Coskun’s motion wasn’t disclosed to either ruling Justice and
Development (AK) Party or main opposition Republican People’s Party
(CHP) deputies. The motion about the seminary was passed after a
rapid vote by Deputy Parliament Speaker Sadik Yakut, who chaired the
session. Following that, the CHP deputies claimed that the 1923 Treaty
of Lausanne had been violated, as well as the reciprocity principle
with Greece.

The motion submitted by Coskun proposes a change in the definition of
minority schools. "Minority schools: Preschool, primary and secondary
education institutions founded by Turkish citizens that belong to
non-Muslim minorities, are protected under the Treaty of Lausanne and
educate students with Turkish nationality or foreign nationals who
belong to minority groups or are of the same religion and ethnicity
as a minority group," said the motion.

The motion proposes the removal of the phrase "founded by Greek,
Armenian and Jewish minorities" from the second article of the
bill, saying that it is necessary to do so to harmonize it with the
terminology of the Treaty of Lausanne. The reasoning for the motion
said that the terms "Greek" and "Armenian" are ethnic, while the term
"Jewish" is religious. Coskun said, in the reasoning for the motion,
that the related articles of the Treaty of Lausanne don’t say that
students who belong to non-Muslim minorities and aren’t Turkish
nationals can’t attend minority schools.

CHP Deputy Mustafa Gazalci asserted that the motion expanded the
scope of minority schools, adding, "The Treaty of Lausanne may have
been violated. The Foreign Ministry’s opinion should be sought. The
principle of reciprocity might have been violated. The motion would
make it possible for all people belonging to non-Muslim minority
groups to set up schools and for the establishment of schools that
foreign national students could attend."

True Path Party (DYP) Deputy Ummet Kandogan also criticized Coskun,
saying, "We look at the motions you submit; what’s the reason
for Coskun’s interest in foreigners? I claim that if this bill
were proposed by another party in power, you would demolish this
Parliament. I know all of you. What’s happened to you that you remain
silent when such a motion is brought up? Why do you insist on making
mistakes?"

For his part, CHP Sinop Deputy Engin Altay asserted that the bill
opens the way for missionary schools. After Altay said, "The bill
makes electricity and water prices for private schools the same as
for public schools. Make it the same as for mosques; it’s cheaper,"
the AK Party asked him whether he has anything against mosques. In
reply, Altay said, "I don’t know whether you believe enough to question
me. Don’t ever attempt to teach us Islam."

"That’s enough of things imposed by the European Union," said Altay.

"My pride is hurt by them. I support EU accession, but it hurts
my pride to harm our national interests. I believe these aren’t
harmonization but mortgage laws."

The motion would allow Greek, Armenian and Jewish students, who
aren’t Turkish citizens, to attend minority schools in Turkey. CHP
deputy group leader Haluk Koc asked whether the term "Greek" will be
removed from minority schools in Turkey, like "Turkish" was removed
from schools in Western Thrace, Greece.

Justice Commission member Orhan Eraslan accused the AK Party of
secretly opening seminaries. Eraslan claimed that the motion was
passed at the request of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate to
accept foreign students of the same religion and ethnicity, to reopen
the seminary, which closed down because there weren’t enough students
at the school. Eraslan said that the AK Party government previously
allowed the election of foreign members to the patriarchate’s Holy
Synod assembly and that the Fener Greek patriarch uses the title
"Ecumenical Greek Patriarch of Constantinople."

"When will the Constantinople Greek state or a Byzantine Orthodox one
be established on the historical peninsula after these adjustments?"

asked Eraslan. "Are you aware that the changes violate the Treaty of
Lausanne? When will you stop taking orders from the patriarch?"