For the complete report in The Boston Globe click on this link
Sharp divisions await pope in Turkey - by Anne Barnard
"The rage of the protesters and the caution of the authorities illustrate the deep ambivalence in Turkey over the papal visit. At a time of global anxiety over Muslim-Christian relations, the planned trip has reignited anger over remarks the pope made in September suggesting a relationship between Islam and violence. And perhaps more important for Turks, who are acutely aware of their history as a fulcrum between East and West, it has sharpened divisions within this 99-percent Muslim but officially secular country.
Benedict, 79, is seen as a lightning rod for Turkey's internal disputes. By highlighting questions about the status of Turkey's tiny but historically important Christian minority, his visit has sharpened those dividing lines -- between religious Muslims who want to end restrictions on public observance and secular Muslims who fear imposition of a religious way of life, as well as between Turks who want to tie their fate to Europe's and those who want to distance themselves from the West." Editorial Note EU-Digest: The Pope who is seen by some as a "fox in sheeps clothing", and the institution he represents, can not be considered to be a helpful instrument in a secular society such as the community of EU Nations and its applicant member Turkey.
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