"Turkey's government promoting a pro-Western version of Islam
by M. S. Ahmed
(Thursday 03 February 2005)
'The fact that � unlike other candidates � Turkey has been allowed to take part only in talks about talks, and not about membership, says it all. And even if it is admitted eventually as a member, that will take decades, as all commentators and analysts agree. In the mean time, European countries such as Germany and France will continue to use Turkey�s support to suppress their Muslim populations.'
The Turkish government has recently announced a programme for retraining schoolchildren, teachers and even imams to �promote modern and peaceful interpretations of Islam�, and to rebrand old European enemies such as Greece and Russia as friends. The programme is not confined to �retraining� and reorienting Turks but also covers the Turkish communities in Europe, showing that there is no limit to the extent that Ankara is prepared to go in its efforts to meet EU membership demands. It is already engaged in devising a school curriculum for the purpose, and has also sent more than thousand �moderate� imams to Europe to �reorient� there. With EU membership talks due to start this year, the government is keen that diaspora Turks distance themselves from �radical Islam�. "
More:Turkey's government promoting a pro-Western version of Islam (by M. S. Ahmed) - Media Monitors Network (MMN)
