U.S. and EU Warn Turkish Military to Stay
Out of Politics
The Associated Press
May 2, 2007
ISTANBUL, Turkey: The United
States and European Union warned Turkey, a NATO member and close ally, to
prevent its military from defying civilian leaders in a conflict between the
Islamic-rooted government and the secular establishment.
Fears of a coup have ebbed with the prospect of
early general elections, but the military's threat to intervene in the showdown
and stamp out any sign of political Islam has confirmed its traditional role as
a player in Turkish politics.
Many Turks had believed the military, which
seized power from civilian governments three times in past decades, was
inexorably withdrawing from the political arena as Turkey pursued EU-backed
reforms and its economy accelerated after a financial crisis.
But Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's
decision to back the candidacy of one of his closest allies as president
underestimated the backlash. At the heart of the conflict was a fear that the
ruling party would use control of both Parliament and the presidency to chip
away at the separation of state and religion, and curb secular freedoms such as
women's rights.
Erdogan's party called on Wednesday for new
elections after the secular opposition last week boycotted a parliamentary vote
on Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul's candidacy and was backed by the
Constitutional Court, a strongly secular body that invalidated the ballot on the
grounds that a quorum was not present.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joined
the European Union in warning the Turkish military, which is fiercely devoted to
the secular ideals of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, an army officer who founded the
modern republic on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire.
"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," she said Wednesday.
The U.S. ambassador in Turkey, Ross Wilson, has
been meeting with Turkish officials urging that constitutional procedures be
followed. In Washington, Deputy State Department spokesman Tom Casey said Wilson
has been stressing the need for Turkey to stick to a path that ensures the
"people can have their say."
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said
Turkey must abide by the rule of law and civilian control over the military,
warning that if Ankara wanted to join the EU "it needs to respect these
principles."
The military had declared at midnight on April
27 that it was a champion of secularism and would display its "attitudes" if
necessary. In the view of some analysts, the ominous statement turned back the
clock a decade or more to a time when politicians could scarcely afford to
ignore the political views of the army's top officers.
It is hard to gauge whether the military
statement influenced the court decision to cancel the presidential vote. But the
judges were likely deliberating with the knowledge that a ruling in favor of the
Islamic-leaning candidate would increase tension and increase the possibility of
more overt action from the armed forces.
The Turkish military appears willing to
preserve secularism even if it means risking the ire of its European partners.
Besides, many Turks doubt the EU is serious about admitting them. Army officers
have cited the 1979 Islamic Revolution in neighboring Iran as a scenario they
want to avoid, even if the possibility seems remote in Turkey.
The United States will be wary about putting
too much political pressure on Turkey, whose military wants more leeway in
fighting Kurdish rebels operating from bases across the border in U.S.-occupied
Iraq. Similarly, the EU does not want to alienate Turkey, which is growing in
importance as a pathway for energy supplies from the Middle East and Central
Asia.
With Gul's candidacy in disarray, Erdogan chose
early elections as a way to defuse tension. He proposed June 24 as the date, but
Turkey's electoral board suggested July 22. Parliament is expected to decide on
Thursday.
The markets rose Wednesday after the call for
early elections, a welcome respite from the market jitters and huge, pro-secular
demonstrations in past days.
"To interpret Turkey as if it is divided into
two camps is murder," Erdogan said. "Even if our views and life styles are
different, we are one nation and one Turkey."
But he said the decision by the nation's
highest court to cancel the presidential vote "has made it almost impossible for
the Parliament to elect a president in the future. This is a bullet fired at
democracy."
With new elections, Erdogan could win another
strong majority that would allow him to implement more economic reforms and
initiatives geared to Turkey's EU bid. But secularist parties could band
together to win more legislative seats, leading to a coalition government and
potential squabbling among factions.
Erdogan's party said it wants to hold a new
presidential vote on Sunday. Erdogan also wants a referendum if necessary on a
constitutional amendment allowing the president to be elected in a U.S.-style
popular vote.
The ruling party has tried to ban adultery and
forbidden the sale of alcohol in cafes run by its municipalities. It has
encouraged religious schools and has spoken of ending the prohibition on Islamic
head scarves in public offices and schools. Still, the ruling party has stated
its commitment to secularism and has a strong reform record.
