World Press on Iran, Turkey and the Caucasus (July 21, 2011)

The Washington Post reported that every summer, Iranian police get tough on women who violate the country’s strict Islamic dress code by adjusting their veils and long coats to try to cope with the rising temperatures. But this year, amid the annual crackdown, the issue of how women wear the veil — and what the government does about it — has become part of an intensifying rift between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and powerful Shiite clerics. The conservative clerics, and like-minded military commanders, complain that Ahmadinejad must do more to ensure that the dress code is strictly enforced, even, as some have said, “if blood needs to be shed.” Some of them have also blamed recent violence against women on the victims themselves, arguing that they are at fault because of their failure to wear the veil properly.

The Turkish information agency Hurriyet published the article headlined “PM draws the line for Cyprus: Unity or split.” It says that the Turkish prime minister drew a hard line on the long-standing Cyprus issue Wednesday, saying the divided island must be united by the end of the year or remain split. “Everyone should know the existing window of opportunity on Cyprus will not always be open. The Turkish Cypriot side is working for peace and solutions against all injustices. It’s not bearable anymore,” Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, accusing Greek Cypriots of blocking talks and warning that time was running out. Erdoğan called for Cyprus to be reunited as a two-zone federation, something to which both sides have agreed in principle. They remain at odds, however, over implementation issues.

The same agency reported that following a warning by U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Francis J. Ricciardone, the ruling Justice and Development Party has sped up work on a draft law on the prevention of financing terrorism. If enacted, the legislation would bring severe punishments to those who are involved in suspicious money transactions. Under pressure from international bodies, the Turkish government is planning to give priority to the draft bill after Parliament reopens in October. Turkey was given a June 20 deadline to complete the necessary legal regulations and meet demands by the Financial Action Force, or FATF, a group working on the behalf of the OECD. Turkey was placed on its “black-gray” list, which includes such countries as Syria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Bolivia.

The Iranian information agency published the article subtitled “Ahmadinejad urges IAEA to follow lead.” It says that amid Russia's “step-by-step” approach to Iran's nuclear issue, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Tehran has taken its own step, stressing that the UN nuclear agency must now follow the lead. “They have made an offer on Iran's step-by-step nuclear cooperation. Well, we have taken our step and cooperated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” said President Ahmadinejad in the southeastern Iranian province of Kerman on Thursday. The Iranian chief executive proposed a joint plan based on which “you will take one step and we will take one.”