Russian Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov, speaking at a session of the State Duma, alleged that history textbooks in the CIS countries have a negative attitude towards Russia. He said that this approach is especially true of the Soviet era. Therefore, the Ministry of Education is working with the CIS countries to agree on approaches to interpreting a common historical past.

On February 28, 1997, at a meeting of the Turkish National Security Council (NSC), the army leaders called the Erbakan government "incompetent" and made their own strict demands. The demands, formulated to protect the secular system in the country, included: restricting the activities of religious schools, not employing women wearing the hijab in state institutions, prohibiting religious organizations from interfering in state affairs, and others.