TURKISH HEAD SCARF DEBATE: "THE TURBAN IS A MORAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 008859

SIPDIS


LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL


E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH HEAD SCARF DEBATE: "THE TURBAN IS A MORAL
ISSUE"

(U) Classified by Political Counselor John Kunstadter.
Reason: 1.5(b)(d).



1. (C) Summary: As Turkey watchers speculate about
newly-elected Justice and Development (AK) Party leader Recep
Tayyip Erdogan's political priorities, university professor
Huseyn Bagci, an academic advisor to Erdogan, shared his
views on a variety of issues. Bagci affirmed "The turban
(head scarf) is a moral issue. It will be dealt with at the
right time." Bagci's views more nearly parallel those of the
average Turk, rather than those of other academics and
writers and reflect what we have heard from within AK
regarding the timing of its agenda. End summary.



2. (C) As part of a round of post-election discussions with
Turkish academics, Poloff called on Middle East Technical
University international relations professor Dr. Huseyn Bagci
December 3. Bagci, who earned his Ph.D. from Bonn University
in 1988 when he was 29 years old, specializes in
Turkish-European, particularly French and German, relations
and often provides international political commentary for
Turkish print and electronic media. Very much the senior
academic running a graduate-level seminar, Bagci shared his
views on a variety of contemporary issues with Poloff:


-- on Afghanistan: "Turkey has a cultural and historical
obligation to take care of the people of Afghanistan."


-- on imperialism: "France, Britain and Germany were great
imperial powers. Britain's imperialism has left us with four
major problems today: Ireland, Kashmir, Turkey and Greece,
and Israel and Palestine."


-- on Iraq: "No Turkish sultan would have stopped at the
borders of Kuwait (as the U.S. did during the Gulf War). He
would have gone directly to Baghdad and gotten Saddam.
Turkish history is filled with pashas (generals) such as
Mehmet Ali, who ignored commands from sultans. The U.S. is a
second-tier imperialist for not having gone after Saddam."


-- on Turkey's elections; In contrast to other academics
Poloff has canvassed, asked whether he falls into the
category that thinks Erdogan (AK Party) was elected because
Turkish voters really like his program or the group that
thinks Erdogan won because large numbers stayed away from the
polls, Bagci responded easily, "the former group." He
considers Erdogan a charismatic leader whose visits with
European leaders resulted in his passing his first test with
flying colors. Again in contrast to other academics, Bagci's
opinions about Turkish politics and the elections more nearly
parallel those held by the average Turk.


-- on whether he is a friend of Erdogan's: Bagci responded
no, but asserted that he is a "close advisor." Erdogan knows
him and follows his advice, he averred.


-- and most important, the turban (Islamist head scarf):
Bagci replied that it is a "moral issue. The question is
when is it appropriate to defend a moral issue?" Answering
his own question, Bagci stated, "It will happen when the time
is right, just as the fruit of a tree should not be picked
before it is fully ripe." Bagci is the first academic Poloff
has talked to who acknowledges the moral aspect to the turban
issue and who believes it will be dealt with once other
important issues, such as the economy and admission to the
European Union are resolved.



3. (C) Comment: Academics and columnists have speculated
about the implications, symbolism and appropriateness of
turban-wearing wives and staffers of senior officials, such
as Prime Minister Abdullah Gul. While Bagci is the only
academic we know who has described the turban as a "moral
issue," his observations are important because they openly
affirm what the average Turk is saying, which is very
different from what has been offered so far by other
academics and intellectuals. His observations on the timing
of AK Party's moves to overcome the ban on wearing of head
scarves tracks with what we hear from AK Party headquarters.
End Comment.
DEUTSCH