TURKEY: Sultan Erdogan Insists On 'Reciprocity Principle' For Orthodox Rights

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has categorically rejected
accusations that the government is reluctant to reopen the Halki
Seminary, an issue long under the spotlight, and demanded reciprocal
steps from Greece regarding the rights of Muslims there.

"[Reopening] the Halki Seminary hangs on an instant," Erdogan said
during his Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) parliamentary
group meeting speech on Tuesday, indicating that the decision could
be made quickly. "Whenever we decide to return something, we also
have a right to expect something," Erdogan said.

His remarks came amid debates surrounding the rights of non-Muslim
minorities after Erdogan unveiled a package of reforms last week that
largely improved the rights of Kurds and fell short of expectations
with respect to the rights of non-Muslims. Reopening the Halki
Seminary was among the reforms hoped for in the package and the
non-Muslim community in Turkey has expressed "deep disappointment"
over the government decision for it to remain closed.

Erdogan demanded the opening of two mosques in Athens and the election
of muftis in Western Thrace, which he said would be enough for Turkey
to reopen the Halki Seminary. "Let Athens say 'yes' and we will take
reciprocal steps," Erdogan said.

The principle of reciprocity in relation to the rights and privileges
of minorities in Turkey and Greece was introduced by the Treaty of
Lausanne, to which the two countries are among the signatories. The
treaty was signed in 1924 after Turkey was victorious in its War
of Independence following World War I, driving the Greek army from
Turkish soil in 1922.

Erdogan said he told Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I that
Ankara would issue Turkish citizenship to any cleric they wish to
bring to Turkey, in line with the Treaty of Lausanne. He added that
Turkey has issued citizenship to 18 clerics so far, but complained
that Greek authorities are appointing muftis for more than 150,000
Turkish Muslims in Western Thrace.

"As I don't appoint the administration of the patriarchate, you can't
appoint the muftis," Erdogan said. "This has always been on our agenda
for the past 10 years. We have brought this up with every Greek prime
minister in our meetings," he added.

Turkey has returned property worth $2.5 billion to Greeks, Armenians
and Jews living in Turkey in the past 11 years. On Monday, the
Directorate General for Foundations (VGM) returned land appropriated
from the Turkish Syriac population's Mor Gabriel Monastery to the
monastery's foundation.

State cannot dictate lifestyle, sect membership Erdogan also dismissed
criticisms directed at his government over its alleged interference
in people's lifestyles, saying that a state cannot impose a certain
lifestyle, a religion or membership in any sect on the public.

"The state cannot dictate a certain lifestyle to its citizens. The
state cannot dictate a religion or a sect," Erdogan said during
his speech.

"No one will interfere in others' lifestyles. We will walk toward
the future respecting each other. We will compromise by talking to
each other, not by using guns or Molotov cocktails," he said.

Erdogan said the reform package he announced last week is a sign of
Turkey's unity as it lifts "bans and impositions" on some sections of
society. "The package we announced is neither the first nor the last,"
Erdogan added.

The package included reforms to lift the requirement of reciting the
Turkish pledge of allegiance in primary schools and a ban on wearing
headscarves at public institutions; provides for education in one's
mother tongue at private schools; the restoration of the original
names of villages, districts and provinces; and makes changes to the
law on political parties, including the possibility of lowering the
10 percent electoral threshold to enter Parliament.