Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08DUSSELDORF40, OUTGOING MUSLIM LEADER COMMENTS ON HIS TENURE AS KRM

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08DUSSELDORF40.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08DUSSELDORF40 2008-10-08 04:09 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Dusseldorf
VZCZCXRO0841
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDF #0040/01 2820409
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080409Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0171
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHDF/AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF 0187
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSSELDORF 000040 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KISL GM
SUBJECT: OUTGOING MUSLIM LEADER COMMENTS ON HIS TENURE AS KRM 
SPOKESMAN 
 
DUSSELDORF 00000040  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Outgoing Muslim Coordination Council (KRM) 
Spokesman Ali Kizilkaya on September 22 gave us a critical view 
of progress in relations between Germany's Muslims and the 
German state.  Reviewing his six month tenure, which ended 
September 29, he asserted that the KRM had made progress as a 
coordinating body.  He highlighted areas in which Muslims still 
face discrimination, commenting as well on a continuing 
reluctance by senior German government officials to host Iftars 
and contrasting this with the very positive American practice. 
He declined to be drawn out into an in-depth discussion of the 
Federal Interior Ministry's "Islam Conference," observing only 
that the German government clearly preferred more 
liberal/secular interlocutors.  Kizlkaya himself is 
controversial because his home organization, the Islam Council, 
is dominated by the Milli Goerues movement, which is under 
observation by German authorities in several states.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) In a September 22 meeting at the Islam Council 
(Islamrat) office in Cologne with Mission POL MC, Duesseldorf CG 
and P/E Specialist, Kizilkaya expressed great satisfaction that 
a broad alliance of political and social groups in Cologne 
actively opposed the September 19-20 "Anti-Islamization 
Congress," organized by the extreme right group "Pro Koeln." 
Calling the demonstrations against the congress "the largest 
public protests in solidarity with the Muslim community in 
German history," he commented that similar or even larger 
demonstrations during the 1990s were directed against xenophobia 
in German society in general and were not specifically focused 
on the concerns of the Muslim minority.  (Note: Cologne police 
decided September 19 to ban the "Anti-Islamization Congress," a 
controversial move, because it was based not on the threat of 
violence from extreme-right organizers, but from some far-left 
"autonomous" groups."  End Note.) 
 
Developments in the KRM 
--------------------------- 
 
3.  (SBU) The KRM was developing well, Kizilkaya asserted, 
although it had only been in existence for 18 months. 
Cooperation between the four member organizations had improved, 
as the leaders had become better acquainted and developed a more 
trusting and harmonious work relationship.  During his six 
months as KRM spokesman, KRM leaders only disagreed on one 
issue, the introduction of naturalization tests for immigrants 
who wanted to become German citizens.  The Central Council of 
Muslims (ZMD) welcomed this, but the other three KRM members 
rejected it.  Kizilkaya admitted that no progress had been 
achieved in establishing KRM structures at the state level, a 
priority when he took over in early April.  He attributed this 
primarily to internal problems at DITIB, the religious 
organization affiliated with the Turkish government, which was 
in the midst of a restructuring and a comprehensive reform of 
its statutes.  Once DITIB's problems were resolved, KRM would 
resume efforts to establish structures at the state level.  He 
claimed not to know who from the Association of Islamic Cultural 
Centers (VIKZ) would succeed him as KRM spokesman, as this was 
an internal VIKZ decision and not discussed at the KRM level. 
(Note: The VIKZ on September 29 announced the appointment of 
Erol Puerlue, a ConGen contact, for the next term.) 
 
Discrimination 
-------------- 
 
4.  (SBU) Kizilkaya did not mince words in deploring the 
"continuing pervasive discrimination of Muslims in Germany."  He 
listed four areas where this discrimination was evident, 
conceding that progress had been made in one less important 
area. 
 
-- Islamic religious instruction at public schools.  Calling 
this the most important and burning issue for the KRM, Kizilkaya 
pointed to the Protestant and Catholic religious instruction 
model available and well established at German schools. 
Asserting that 800,000 Muslim pupils are denied their 
constitutional rights to receive such instruction, he lamented 
that tens of thousands of Muslims leave school every year 
without having had the opportunity to learn about their faith. 
He dismissed the various pilot projects in place in several 
German states as "purely cosmetic" and far short of what was 
needed.  He insisted that absolutely no progress has been made 
in this area, despite the fact that the Interior Ministry's 
German Islam Conference had given priority to this issue.  In 
response to a question from CG, he acknowledged that there had 
been movement in Lower Saxony, but alleged that this did not 
alter the larger picture.  Kizlkaya presented a maximalist view 
of the KRM's requirements and did not outline any room for 
compromise or flexibility. 
 
-- Academic training of Muslim religion teachers.  Kizilkaya 
 
DUSSELDORF 00000040  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
called it "encouraging" that NRW Science Minister Pinkwart 
announced the establishment of a second chair for Islamic 
Studies at Muenster University and that Pinkwart would seek 
support from Muslim organizations for the appointment of the new 
professor.  (Muslim organizations had protested heavily after 
the occupier of the first chair at the university expressed 
views that some considered to border on apostasy.)  This was the 
first time that a German government official had made such 
assurances, Kizilkaya stated.  He was waiting to judge whether 
Pinkwart proved his words by his actions. 
 
-- Legal status of their organizations and mosque communities in 
Germany.  Unlike Christian churches and Jewish communities, they 
had thus far not received the status of corporations under 
public law, which resulted in serious disadvantages for Muslim 
groups, including for example that Muslim groups have no 
representation in the advisory councils of public broadcasting 
institutions.  Muslim groups and mosque communities have "the 
same status as bowling clubs" (registered associations or 
"eingetragene Vereine"), in Kizlkaya's formulation, which he 
called an untenable situation. 
 
-- Difficulties in obtaining construction permits for new 
mosques.  Describing difficulties in drastic terms, Kizilkaya 
contended that it might be easier to obtain an operating license 
for a nuclear power plant than to overcome the hurdles presented 
by German zoning and construction laws, which he said were often 
made artificially high for Muslims. 
 
-- The only area where Kizilkaya saw progress concerned the 
recognition of Islamic holidays by school authorities, which 
gave Muslim students the right not to attend school on one or 
two Islamic holidays, depending on the state. 
 
The Importance of Hosting Iftars 
--------------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Kizilkaya dodged the question of who was his most 
important Federal government interlocutor, stressing instead the 
importance of state governments because of their lead role in 
such vital issues as religious instruction.  He would "never" 
turn to Maria Boehmer, Federal Integration Commissioner and 
Minister of State in the Chancellor's Office, calling her "the 
wrong person" for that position.  Because many Muslims in 
Germany were citizens, it was incorrect to consider them an 
"integration" challenge, he said.  Calling Interior Minister 
Schaeuble the most important KRM interlocutor, Kizilkaya was 
pleased that Schaeuble had tried to attend this year's KRM Iftar 
dinner in Cologne but was disappointed that he had to regret. 
Praising the Embassy's and Consulate's role in attending and 
hosting Iftar dinners, Kizilkaya expressed the hope that German 
government officials would follow that example.  Muslim leaders 
received official greetings for Ramadan, but were still awaiting 
an invitation to an Iftar dinner hosted by a German Minister, at 
the federal or state level.  He acknowledged that NRW 
Integration Commissioner Kufen has been inviting to Iftars in 
recent years, but asked why NRW Integration Minister Laschet had 
not done so. 
 
Comment 
---------- 
 
6. (SBU) Kizilkaya has opened up considerably as a contact over 
time, becoming more communicative during his term as KRM 
spokesman.  He was not as strident in his criticism of German 
attitudes towards Islam, in government and society in general, 
as in previous meetings, but he was also not particularly 
positive either.  Kizilkaya repeatedly stressed his desire for 
full integration of Muslims in German society, but was fuzzy 
about what steps both sides should take to make this happen from 
the bottom up; he focused almost exclusively on expectations for 
German government action.  He declined to comment on the state 
of affairs in the German Islam Conference, observing only that 
he was not particularly pleased with it, in part because the 
German government evidently had reservations against him as a 
person, while at the same time favoring other, more liberal or 
secular, Muslim representatives.  Kizilkaya demonstrated 
sensitivity to the perceived lack of engagement by senior German 
federal and state officials on Muslim issues, but also did not 
lay out an entrepreneurial vision for how Muslim leaders can 
move into a more prominent role. 
 
7.  (U) This message has been cleared with Embassy Berlin. 
BOYSE