TURKISH PARLIAMENT APPROVES EU-SOUGHT RELIGION LAW

Reuters, UK
Nov 9 2006

ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s parliament approved on Thursday a law
required by the European Union that will improve property rights of
non-Muslim religious minorities, but it is likely to fall short of
EU expectations.

Parliament approved the "religious foundations law" by 241 votes
for to 31 against after months of sometimes stormy debate and much
fine-tuning of its wording.

The law was passed a day after the European Commission published a
report on Turkey, which called for greater rights for groups such as
religious minorities, criticised a lack of reform and set a deadline
for it to open its ports to EU member Cyprus or face unspecified
consequences.

The EU had criticised the foundations law draft, saying it failed
to provide for compensation to those whose properties have already
been sold to third parties since being taken over by the state or
other entities.

Brussels has urged Ankara to create a comprehensive legal framework
that allows all religious groups unrestricted freedom to operate in
this overwhelmingly Muslim but secular country.

The main minorities affected by the law are historic Greek Orthodox,
Syriac and Armenian communities and also Protestant and Roman Catholic
congregations.

The reform prompted months of debate and stirred nationalist fears,
with opposition parties suggesting it could increase the influence
of the Istanbul-based Orthodox Christian patriarch, the spiritual
head of the world’s Orthodox Christians.

The EU has also expressed concern over restrictions on training of
Christian clergy in Turkey, an issue not tackled in the foundations
law.

Ankara is under EU pressure to reopen a Greek Orthodox seminary, but
has been unable to find a legal formula that both complies with Turkish
secularist principles and is acceptable to Patriarch Bartholomew.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, sometimes wary of EU-linked reforms he
fears may weaken the Turkish nation state or its secular structure,
could still block the foundations law, but parliament would be able
to override his veto.

Turkey began EU entry talks one year ago, but is not expected to join
the wealthy bloc for many years.