VZCZCXRO8512
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBW RUEHDA RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDF #0027/01 1411142
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201142Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0145
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHDF/AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF 0161

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSSELDORF 000027 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KISL GM
SUBJECT: GERMAN MUSLIM LEADER FLAGS ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION AS 
PRIORITY 
 
REF: A) 07 DUESSELDORF 0010; B) 07 DUESSELDORF 0031 
 
DUSSELDORF 00000027  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified -- Not for Internet Distribution 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: In a recent conversation, the new 
spokesperson for Germany's Muslim Coordination Council (KRM), 
Ali Kizilkaya, stressed to us that his priority for his six 
month term is to advocate for the introduction of Islamic 
religious instruction in the public schools.  He also expressed 
dissatisfaction that the Islam Conference, the German 
government-organized dialogue with the main Muslim communities, 
focuses too heavily on security matters.  We found Kizilkaya 
more open and moderate than in past conversations, perhaps 
because he now represents the interests of all of Germany's main 
Muslim groups joined together under the KRM umbrella.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On March 28, Ali Kizilkaya became spokesman for the 
Cologne-based KRM, a group which represents four national 
umbrella groups (Islamrat, DITIB, VIKZ, and ZMD) that united in 
2007, through a routine appointment based on the organization's 
six month rotating principle (Ref B).  His ascendance raised 
eyebrows, because he chaired the Islamic Council (Islamrat) -- 
the most conservative of Germany's Muslim umbrella groups -- for 
the past six years and is a former Secretary General of the 
Germany chapter of the Turkey-based Milli Goerues (IGMG), the 
Islamrat's largest and most influential member organization. 
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution (OPC) includes 
IGMG in the category of "suspect Islamist organizations" because 
"its ideology supports a comprehensive Islamic social order that 
is viewed as being contradictory to Germany's free democratic 
constitutional structure."  This prompted speculation about the 
direction the KRM would take under Kizilkaya's stewardship. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Representing a Broader Constituency 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Aware of the skepticism surrounding his appointment, 
Kizilkaya has stressed to the press in recent weeks that he will 
not represent the Islamrat or IGMG (of which he remains a 
member), but rather the views of the KRM constituent 
organizations "just as the chairman of the DGB (labor 
federation) represents the entire DGB and not just (the 
metalworkers union) IG Metall."  He has also maintained that 
Milli Goerues is changing internally, that hardline first 
generation leaders are being replaced, that extremist and 
anti-Semitic statements by members are "isolated cases," that 
IGMG is non-violent, and that the Koran does not conflict with 
the German constitution. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
Focus on Islamic Religious Instruction in the Schools 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Kizilkaya emphasized to Pol/Econ officer that the 
introduction of Islamic religious instruction in the public 
schools is his most important priority for his term as KRM 
spokesman, which ends September 30.  He asserted that some 
800,000 Muslim public schools students are being "denied their 
constitutional right" to religious instruction under Article 7 
of the German Basic Law.  He added that German authorities are 
"dragging their feet" and "hiding behind pretexts" to explain 
why Islamic religious instruction are not yet offered as it is 
for Christians and Jews, underlining that progress on this issue 
would give Muslim integration in Germany an "enormous boost." 
He stressed that the KRM and its constituent groups have 
accepted the government's position that associations of local 
mosque communities (not the KRM or its member organizations) 
would be partners for state school administrations in developing 
the legal prerequisites for such Islamic religious instruction. 
Kizilkaya gave no indication of how he would about doing this. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
Islam Conference: Too much Emphasis on Security Issues 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Kizilkaya expressed disappointment regarding the 
ongoing German Islam Conference, initiated by Federal Interior 
Minister Schaeuble in 2006 to promote Muslim integration in 
German society.  He stated that the KRM was "not satisfied" with 
the conference, in large part because of its excessive focus on 
security issues.  The KRM and the other member Muslim groups 
found this "burdensome" and not conducive to a constructive 
dialogue.  As a case in point, he referred critically to 
Schaeuble's efforts to introduce legislation authorizing law 
enforcement agencies to eavesdrop on conversations between imams 
and suspected Islamist terrorists, while Christian and Jewish 
clergymen were protected against such monitoring.  This 
"discriminatory treatment" of Muslim clergy was "irritating" and 
contradicted the spirit of the Islam Conference, Kizilkaya said. 
 (Note: Confession is constitutionally protected in Germany. 
 
DUSSELDORF 00000027  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Schaeuble has justified his position on the grounds that 
authorities should be able to monitor suspected terrorists who 
have in the past concealed communications during religious 
services or conversations with imams.  End Note.) 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) In our meeting, Kizilkaya was more open and talkative 
than we have known him to be in the past.  Usually very 
reserved, he stated his views more diplomatically and less 
provocatively.  This may be because he met with us as KRM 
spokesman and not as chair of the Islamrat or member of its 
fundamentalist IGMG.  With regard to Kizilkaya's view that 
Germany is "dragging its feet" on religious instruction, we note 
that the North Rhine-Westphalia government has been working 
proactively and constructively for some time with local Muslim 
communities on religious instruction in the schools and is 
intent on reaching an agreement, but sees the onus on local 
mosque communities to move that process forward. 
 
¶7.  (U) This message has been coordinated with Embassy Berlin. 
BOYSE