This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 003059 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2014 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH POLITICS: PRESIDENT VETOES BILL ON 
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 2600 
     ¶B. ANKARA 2663 
 
 
(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch; reasons 1.4 b and d. 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: As expected, President Sezer May 28 vetoed a 
bill that would have made it easier for graduates of 
technical and vocational high schools, including imam hatip 
(Islamic preacher) high schools, to enroll in university 
programs other than their area of high school specialization. 
 PM Erdogan criticized the veto, but said his ruling AK Party 
will suspend action on the bill until the fall, when AKP may 
reintroduce the bill as part of a broader education reform 
package.  End Summary. 
 
 
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Presidential Veto Expected 
-------------------------- 
 
 
¶2. (U) President Sezer vetoed a bill that would have altered 
the structure of the Higher Education Council (YOK) and 
created equal conditions for all high school graduates, 
including those from vocational schools such as imam hatip 
schools, to compete for enrollment in university programs 
other than their area of high-school specialization 
(reftels).  The veto was expected; Sezer, MPs from the 
opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), the Turkish 
General Staff (TGS), and other elements of the bureaucracy 
and business establishment harshly criticized the bill as a 
threat to the "secular" State.  The President vetoed four of 
the bill's 12 articles, relating to: the system of 
coefficients used to score university entrance exams; the 
composition of the YOK Board; and appointments to the boards 
of universities with special status.  Sezer approved the 
bill's remaining articles; however, under his veto the entire 
bill is suspended. 
 
 
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Bill To Be Shelved, For Now 
--------------------------- 
 
 
¶3. (U) In a June 1 address to the AKP Parliamentary Group, PM 
Erdogan criticized Sezer for "preventing equal opportunity in 
education."  He also warned opponents of the bill that the 
importance of AKP's parliamentary majority "should not be 
underestimated."  However, Erdogan stressed that Parliament 
needs to focus on EU-related legal reforms for the remainder 
of the current legislative session, and said the YOK bill is 
"suspended" for the time being.  Erdogan asserted AKP will 
reintroduce the bill in the next legislative session starting 
in October as part of a broader education reform package, an 
idea echoed to us by AKP MP Taner Yildiz (close to FonMin 
Gul).  Erdogan's comments ended speculation that AKP might 
immediately try to pass the bill over Sezer's veto.  Tayyar 
Altikulac, chairman of the parliamentary Education Committee, 
told reporters he believes the controversy over religious 
education could best be resolved by establishing an optional 
religion course in the regular high schools.  He added that 
such courses could offer instruction in various religions, 
according to demand.  Repeating a view he has expressed to us 
in the past, he averred that if the regular schools offered 
such a course, the demand for imam hatip schools would drop 
sharply. 
 
 
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Comment 
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¶4. (C) There was never any question that the President would 
veto this bill, and that the Constitutional Court would 
likely overturn the bill even if Parliament overrode the 
veto.  By stubbornly and clumsily pressing ahead with this 
controversial legislation, AKP increased anxiety in the 
already nervous markets and provoked a sharp rebuke from the 
TGS at a time when the EU is scrutinizing the effect of 
reforms designed to reduce the political influence of the 
military.  Our contacts tell us AKP leaders acted under 
tremendous pressure from the party's more hardline Islamic 
supporters.  By forcing the presidential veto, they believe, 
they can say they did their best.  AK Deputy Group Chairman 
Haluk Ipek admitted as much to us when he explained AK's 
handling of the bill by saying, "Parliament took a stand." 
While putting the bill on the shelf avoids provoking a crisis 
now, the tensions over Turkey's direction can re-ignite at 
any time. 
¶5. (C) With this bill, AKP sought to address the 
controversial system of exam coefficients that effectively 
blocks technical/vocational high school grads from competing 
for university programs other than in their area of 
high-school specialization.  But the more basic issue for 
Turkish education reform is YOK itself.  The Board, 
established in the Constitution following the 1980 military 
coup as a means to centralize control over higher education, 
has been widely criticized as an overbearing, officious 
institution that undermines university autonomy.  University 
students and others regularly demonstrate against YOK.  This 
veoted bill reflected AKP's intentions to alter YOK to suit 
its interests rather than abolish it. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EDELMAN