Erdogan defiant as necklace affair rages in Turkey

A diamond-studded choker with coral and amethyst-tipped sprays has tarnished the image of popular Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is facing widespread criticism after he and his wife accepted the piece from a Turkish jeweller during an official trip to Moscow earlier last week.

"Give it back," screamed the liberal daily Radikal in a front page headline.

"The gift crisis,'' said the pro-establishment daily Milliyet, which carried a close-up photo of the necklace and another of the prime minister's wife, Emine, in a white fur-trimmed coat and matching head scarf.

Striking a defiant tone, the 50-year-old prime minister told a public rally in the Black Sea city of Sinop that the necklace was worth "only $10,600 (Dh38,902)'' and not $30,000 (Dh110,100) as was reported by the Turkish media, which he accused of "flubbing big time.''

"Those who want to cover us in mud failed to do so. They are going crazy,'' Erdogan declared, adding that the jewellery would be registered in the prime ministry's inventory.

Although many analysts predict the affair will blow over, others say it is a worrying sign that the prime minister has failed to grasp Western standards of political behaviour as this predominantly Muslim nation seeks full membership of the European Union.

"Accepting expensive jewellery for your wife is not okay,'' said a senior EU diplomat who requested anonymity. "We are watching this issue closely.''

An unidentified source said to be close to the first couple was quoted in Milliyet as saying the necklace probably would be donated to charity. The fate of a silk carpet worth $5,000 (Dh18,350) that was presented to the Erdogans by another Turkish businessman in Moscow remained unclear.

Erdogan, who took power two years ago on a platform of clean government and getting membership in the EU, had been untainted by the kind of corruption scandals that plagued many of his predecessors.

The charismatic former soccer player continues to lead other political figures in opinion polls, with 40 per cent of Turks saying they approve of his leadership.

According to the Prime Ministry's Ethics Board, the Erdogans did not violate regulations that limit the value of gifts that public employees can accept from foreign institutions or individuals.

"Cabinet members, parliamentarians, university [faculty], the judiciary and the armed forces are beyond our jurisdiction,'' board Chairman Mehmet Saglam told Radikal.

"That in itself is an anomaly that will need to change if Turkey is ever to join the EU,'' said the senior Western diplomat.

In December, this nation took a giant step toward the long cherished goal of membership when EU leaders agreed to launch accession negotiations with Turkey beginning October 3.

Erdogan is widely credited for enacting sweeping reforms that have helped overcome European resistance to Turkey's membership bid.

Political stability under the country's first single-party government in over a decade also has seen the economy take off, with average annual growth hitting 10 per cent in 2004.

But Erdogan's occasionally unpredictable behaviour has sent tremors through the markets as well as among Western allies never so much as when he insisted in September on introducing legislation that would have criminalised adultery, only to back down under pressure from EU officials.

"It was a serious error in judgment,'' said Soli Ozel, a professor of political science at Istanbul Bilgi University. "So was accepting the necklace.'' Others see the decision to take the gift as a sign of Erdogan's inexperience in public office.

"Corrupt politicians don't accept gifts in full view of TV cameras like Erdogan did,'' said Dogu Ergil, a Middle East expert at Ankara University. "He obviously did not think this one through.''

Erdogan previously was blasted by critics for retaining shares in a major Turkish food manufacturing company, Ulker after assuming office. He provoked further controversy when he said he needed the extra income because he could not survive on his prime minister's salary of about $4,000 (Dh14,680) a month.