Austria, angered with "virus" criticism, summons Turkey envoy

Turkish Ambassador in Vienna Kadri Ecvet Tezcan was summoned to the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the interview he gave to Die Presse, criticizing the integration policies. Tezcan told reporters that he gave the interview in order to draw attention to unjust and wrong policies in integration, and open the issue to debate in the public opinion.

In the interview, Tezcan criticised the Austrian government's integration policies towards the Turkish immigrants, saying that the Turkish population was ghettoized and treated as if they were a virus. Tezcan who questioned why Ministry of the Interior oversaw the integration issue, rather than the Ministry of Social Affairs or the Ministry of Family, said it made Turks, ask themselves, whether they were perceived as a matter of security.

"Like a virus"

Tezcan also told the daily that Austrian parties were not doing enough to counter the far-right which has gained electoral support on an anti-Muslim platform. Tezcan said Austrians were not interested in other cultures except when they went on holiday. Turkish people form the biggest Muslim community in Austria.

"Turkish people are happy, they don't want anything from you. They just don't want to be handled like a virus. Society should integrate them and profit from them," he said.

At the start of Wednesday's article, Die Presse quoted Tezcan as saying: "Do you want me to respond in this interview like a diplomat, which will be boring? Or should I answer as someone who has lived in Vienna for a year and has lots of contact with the 250,000 Turkish people here?"

In the interview, Tezcan said it was incredible that the Austrian Interior Ministry was responsible for integration as a whole and not just visas and security.

"The Interior Ministry should stop intervening in the integration process," he said, because this meant all integration problems were handled by the police. Tezcan also criticised Interior Minister Maria Fekter, a conservative, saying she was "in the wrong party" because she did not embody liberal values of her centre-right party.

"I spoke with the interior minister(about my concerns), she didn't want to hear it. She is in the wrong party," he said.

Austria's Foreign Ministry summoned Tezcan over the interview and Minister Michael Spindelegger telephoned his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu to complain.

"He crossed many red lines. His remarks were 'unacceptable'," spokesman Alexander Schallenberg said.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry said Turkey's Davutoglu had not known about the interview and Vienna did not think that it represented Ankara's views. Schallenberg said Austria wanted to keep up good bi-lateral relations.

Turkey and Austria have important ties in the energy sector. Turkey plays a role in the Vienna-based Nabucco gas pipeline project and Austrian oil and gas group OMV wants develop it as an energy hub for Europe.


/World Bulletin/