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Islamist Turkish Dailies Encouraged by Rice's Support For AKP
The Islamist Turkish daily Zaman reported that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had, in strongly worded remarks, lent support to the reformist nature of Turkey's ruling AKP party, saying that Turkey's elected government was pulling the country toward Europe. Both Zaman and the pro-AKP Islamist daily Yeni Safak quoted Rice on their front pages as saying: "The ruling AKP has been dedicated to pulling Turkey west towards Europe, despite its Islamist roots. Whatever the ruling party's religious complexion, the AKP-led government has started accession talks with the EU and passed a number of EU-inspired laws on religious and individual freedoms." According to the Islamist media, Rice last week had joined the EU in warning the Turkish military against interfering with the country’s electoral and constitutional process. "The United States fully supports Turkish democracy and its constitutional processes, and that means that the election, the electoral system, and the results of the electoral system and the results of the constitutional process have to be upheld," Rice was quoted as saying. Rice’s remarks were a departure from the U.S. stance, after Washington had declined to comment on Turkey’s presidential election, in marked contrast to the E.U. which repeatedly warned the Turkish military to stay away from politics. Source: Zaman, Yeni Safak, Turkey, May 12, 2007
Posted at: 2007-05-15
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