Cablegate: Media Reaction: Europe: Turkey, Islam and Democracy; Sco

VZCZCXYZ0023
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0737 2421526
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301526Z AUG 07
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7407
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8521
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8290
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2884

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000737

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD

DEPT PASS USTR

USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: EUROPE: TURKEY, ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY; SCO
PAULO

"Democracy In Islam"

Liberal, largest national circulation daily Folha de S. Paulo (8/30)
editorialized: "Are democracy and Islamism compatible? Turkey is
trying to demonstrate that they are, but the nation is facing a hard
challenge as a result of former Prime Minister Abdullah G|l's
election for president. G|l is a moderate Muslim, but every
religious inclination in Turkey is sufficient to raise the secular
establishment's distrust.... The military was not pleased [with
G|l's election], but opted for not overreacting. An adventure
outside of established institutional boundaries could jeopardize
once and for all Turkey's chances of becoming an EU member.... For
Turkey to become the first full democracy in the Islamic world, it
is necessary that the state remains secular even under an Islamic
party, and without military tutelage."
White

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