Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Baszn Özeti
INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1997
t-= Turkish General Keeps
The (Secular) Faith
A Blunt Opponent ofReligious Power
By Stephen Kinzer
New York Times Service
ANKARA - Upsetting stereotypes
.is not the normal way to advance in the
Turkish Army, but General Cevic Bir
has risen to the top ranks as much by. .
challenging dogma as by accepting it.
. With the army now playing an increasingly
public role in Turkish politics,
new attention is being focused on General
Bir. He is already one of the most
influential figures in Turkey, and defenders
of secularism here fervently hope
that his influence will continue to grow.
. During a trip to Washington last
month, the general delivered a series of
speeches whose frankness amazed
many listeners. He not only condemned
the rise of religious power in Turkey,
but also defied diplomatic protocol by
dii'ectly accusing Iran of sponsoring
anti-Turkish terrorism and trying to destroy
the secular Turkish state.
When an Iranian consul in Turkey
. :10 largest, is considered theonly truly
. effective fighting force in the Middle
East other than Israel's. .
Last week, General Bir agreed to
answer a fewquestions during.a brief
differed with the general, he was im-'
mediately expelled from the country.. Reute ..
the incident was a sign of General Bir's :General Cevic Bir defies protocol.
l~ower and his willingness to use it.
. Among his most startling innovations
has been a drive to erode the obsessive
secrecy that has traditionally shrouded
the Turkish Army.
For years, even officials of the For-
.~ign Ministry and other government
'agencies were unwelcome inside the
sprawling military headquarters in central
Ankara. Now they drop in regularly,
and officers have gone so far as to invite
reporters in for lùoch. .
General Bir would not have been able
t