Erdogan (Turkey) Under Fire For Rejecting Common Islamic Market

[DuctapeFatwa]

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan came under fire for his recent clear opposition to creating a common Islamic market, with press reports accusing him of backtracking on earlier positions.

Milli Gazete newspaper accused Erdogan of deconstructing a project of much value to the Islamic world and sideling with the West against Muslims. The western civilization interfered in Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq using force, and might do the same with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Iran and Syria, said the paper, which is close to former premier Necmettin Erbakan.

Erdogan is swerving towards westernization and relinquishing his own beliefs, said Suleyman Arif Emre, a journalist and member of Erbakan’s movement. In an article published in the Milli Gazete, he charged that Erdogan’s statements run counter to the aspirations of the Turkish people.

On Erdogan’s opposition to base a common market on a religious basis, the journalist cited many European parties which carry the label "Christian" in names. Would the prime minister relinquish his ambitions to join the European Union because it is ethnically-based, Aref wondered..Vakit newspaper wondering whether the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCI) is not ethnically and geographically oriented... Others went more radical, saying that Islamic values are against the economic ideas necessary for setting up markets....The five prayers are against the work values, as going to and from prayers is a waste of time, Yalcin Dogan wrote in the leftist newspaper Milliyet....

http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-01/21/article03.shtml

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. while some parties might have "Christian" in their name

the draft EU constitution does not mention Christianity as a founding principle (it mentions "cultural, religious and humanist heritage"). In theory there shouldn't be any problem with a Muslim majroty state in the EU. In practice we may find European prejudice being a problem.

I think the basic problem would be belonging to 2 common markets at once - and Erdogan doesn't want to give up hope of joining the EU. Any member of the EU has to allow the EU to have a say in its trade relations with outside countries - the UK had to change some Commonwealth relations when it joined the EU.