Turkey: citizens living abroad should teach second and third generations to speak Turkish well

[Harold Schiffman]

Babacan: Turkey wants integration, not assimilation
The Turkish government strongly supports integration of Turks livingabroad in the countries in which they live, yet it is not pleased withthe idea of having those individuals assimilate in those countries,Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said yesterday in Brussels.

Delivering a speech at a meeting that gathered Turkey's diplomatsserving in Western European countries, Babacan underlined that Ankarahas been encouraging Turkish people residing in other countries tocontribute in social, economic, political and cultural fields in theircommunities. "Integration and immigration laws adopted recently anddiscriminative policies and escalating xenophobia in some countriesare closely connected to the daily lives of our citizens. I believethat these are also extremely important developments in terms of yourmission," Babacan told almost 50 Turkish diplomats.
Debates over whether integration policies implemented in Europeancountries amounted to attempts for assimilation have been heatedfollowing Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's remarks inwhich he urged Turks living in Germany to maintain their traditionsand resist assimilation. In a speech delivered in Cologne last month,Erdoğan said Turks there should learn German but not give up theirTurkish identity, highlighting the differences of opinion betweenTurkish and German leaders concerning integration. The prime ministeralso called assimilation a "crime against humanity."
"Our language policy is extremely clear. Our citizens who live abroadfirst of all should teach second and third generations to speakTurkish well. It is not easy for a child to be successful if hedoesn't speak his mother tongue well in the country where he resides.Protection of our cultural values -- values which make us -- is alsoextremely important," Babacan said, while also referring to debatestriggered by Erdoğan's remarks. "We want good integration of ourcitizens living abroad…Good integration is the fundamental principlehere. But we are not willing to have them be assimilated as well,"Babacan added.

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