US embassy cable - 02ANKARA8859

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