The Pamuk test

摘要

It took Ali Babacan, the economy min-ister who is leading Turkey's membership talks with the European Union, a full three days before he could rouse himself to comment. At issue was the trial of Turkey's most famous author, Orhan Pamuk, on charges of insulting the Turkish identity. Turkey's image had been "hurt", Mr Babacan confessed on a private television-news channel on December 19th.