ATHENS - National Education Minister Huseyin Celik said on Monday that they believed that Heybeliada Seminary should no more be kept closed.
Celik, who is paying a visit to Athens to attend the 21st Conference of Council of Europe (COE) Education Ministers, met with Greek Minister of National Education and Religions Petros Efthymiou.
Following the meeting, Celik told reporters that they believed that Heybeliada Seminary should no more be kept closed but, Greece should show its good will regarding problems of Western Thrace Turkish Minority.
Celik said that they took up education problems and problems of minorities in their meeting.
Opening of Heybeliada Seminary came onto agenda in their meeting regarding the education of minorities, Celik noted.
Celik said, ''we believe that Heybeliada Seminary, which has been closed for 32 years, should no more be kept closed. But, steps to be taken in this field should be based on the principle of reciprocity under the Lausanne Treaty which made arrangements regarding Western Thrace Turkish and Istanbul Greek minorities. It can't be the Turkish side which continuously takes steps. There should be reciprocal positive approaches.''
National Education Minister Celik said that Efthymiou approached opening of seminary as an issue that should be taken up within the scope of European Union (EU) acquis.
The meeting he was attending in Athens had the theme ''cultural diversity and management of diversities,'' Celik said.
Celik stated that he told Efthymiou that everybody should take positive steps in his/her own country.
National Education Minister Celik quoted Efthymiou as saying that there was hundred percent freedom in language and education in Greece.
''I told him that we were in Greece for three more days and we would have the opportunity to talk about the details,'' Celik said.
Celik underlined that opening of seminary was not an issue on which he could decide on his own.
Noting that he met with Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeous, Celik said that he had launched initiatives to deal with the issue.
Celik quoted Bartholomeos as saying that the seminary could serve as a higher education institute bound to the Higher Education Board (YOK) or a secondary education institution bound to the National Education Ministry.
Stating that the Patriarch wished that a secondary education institute would be opened, Celik said that in that case, the issue would be under the authority of his ministry.
Celik noted that Bartholomeos wanted use of properties of foundations for new needs and he welcomed it.
''There is no doubt that all these issues are connected with the attitude of Greece towards problems of Western Thrace Turkish Minority. We don't talk about the approach that 'if you do this, I will do this or I won't do this' which has obstructed bilateral relations for years. The issue is the quality of approach. If you don't accept ethnic identity of Western Thrace Turkish Minority and close the foundations and if you appoint a mufti although the society elects one, it is not a good thing,'' Celik said.
Celik stated, ''election of mufti by Turkish Minority is not a favor and gift. This is a natural thing. We expect positive gestures and positive approach. It can't always be Turkish side who takes steps.''
An initiative had been launched between two countries to erase expressions including hostility in school books under a protocol signed in 2000, Celik said.
Celik noted that they also took up that issue in their meeting.
Initiatives regarding the issue had not been put into practice yet, Celik pointed out.
But, he said, he expressed Turkey's determination to erase such expressions from school books in their meeting.
''Efthymiou suggested that we should send new school books to each other and the implementation should start as soon as possible. We decided to convene commissions, form a joint commission and take up the issue. Efthymiou said that initiatives in their country continues rapidly and I told him that I could accelerate the initiatives,'' Celik said.
Recalling that there was a serious problem with school books in Turkish secondary and high schools in Western Thrace, Celik said, ''I explained the problems. The books have many deficiencies. I told him that we can't educate today's generations by books published 15-20 years ago. He said that he was of the same opinion with me.''
Noting that Turkey was ready to meet with Greece in the platform of democratic values, Celik stressed that if that was achieved, atmosphere of tranquility and peace could be left to forthcoming generations.
Celik will depart from Athens on Thursday.
(BRC) 10.11.2003