Turkish MP critical of Europe

Xenophobic acts in Europe show that humanity has progressed little in its fight against racism and discrimination, said a

Controversial writer up for prize

Elif Shafak, who was prosecuted for "insulting Turkishness" in her book, is longlisted for the Orange book prize.

The Energy Sector and Opportunities in Europe and Turkey « Tuna’s Weblog

Article 301 To Be Brought Onto Agenda Soon, Babacan

Blueprint for Mediterranean Union avoids key questions

Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel, the French president and German chancellor, will present fellow European leaders today with a proposal for a Mediterranean Union...

E.U. Project Will Be Best Inheritance To Turkish Children, Demiralp

ANKARA - Oguz Demiralp, Turkey`s secretary general for the EU, said Wednesday EU project will be the best legacy Turkish people can leave to their children."

JTW News - Union in the Mediterranean, Mediterranean in the Union

By Prof. Dr. Beril DEDEOGLU

Most of Turkey's domestic debates no longer include the European Union membership process, but one can't say that nothing is being done about this issue.

German Schools Introduce Muslim Classes: 'Anyone Who Wants Integration Has to Provide Islam Instruction' - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News

Cypriots may soon erase symbol of division | International | Reuters

TURKEY: What difference does the latest Foundations Law make?

By Dr. Otmar Oehring, Head of the Human Rights Office of Missio

Turkey has passed the long-promised new Foundations Law. However, it does not allow Muslim or non-Muslim religious communities to legally exist as themselves, Otmar Oehring of the German Catholic charity Missio http://www.missio-aachen.de/menschen-kulturen/themen/menschenrechte notes in a commentary for Forum 18 News Service http://www.forum18.org. Bizarrely, religious communities are therefore not themselves allowed to own their own places of worship."

[MONDAY TALK] FT’s Gardner: Political will, not economic convergence, required for EU accession

By YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN

David Gardner, chief leader writer and associate editor of the Financial Times, says economic convergence alone can not resolve Turkish-EU issues and that what is needed for Turkey's accession to the EU is political will.

Union in the Mediterranean, Mediterranean in the Union

Most of Turkey's domestic debates no longer include the European Union membership process, but one can't say that nothing is being done about this issue.

Who will improve Islam’s image in the West?

The 20th century was a century when the Islamic world suffered a trauma altogether. The Islamic world greeted the new century by losing its leader, the Ottoman Empire, which suffered an overwhelming defeat, and its faith was under threat from positivist movements.

Conditionality vs. concessions

A headline this week indicating that the government has abandoned all attempts to amend Article 301, which criminalizes insults to state institutions, may come as bad news to Turkey's political opposition.

Reunifying Cyprus -- big challenges lie ahead

For the first time since division in 1974 both Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities have moderate, pro-solution leaders, and a new window of opportunity has opened to bring the decades-old problem to an end.

The end of Lausannian Islam

The status of the Directorate of Religious Affairs within the state system has been increasingly questioned by the old elite, who also question compulsory religious culture and ethics courses.

Why Turkey rushed to recognize Kosovo by CENAP ÇAKMAK

Turkey has become one of the countries that proceeded with quick recognition of Kosovo's independence; the decision was a surprise for at least some, given that Turkish authorities had previously announced that Turkey would not be the initial recognizer, but would ultimately honor the independence.

Women -- Is March 8 enough? by FARUK LOĞOĞLU

If by remembering them on March 8 we think we pay our dues to women, I would say we are wrong.

Euro Parliament asks Turkey to speed up reforms

The European Parliament's rapporteur for Turkey, Ria Oomen-Ruijten, called on Turkey to speed up its reforms in a report published late

Germany's Turks losing faith in Merkel, poll shows

Four out of five Turks living in Germany have lost faith in Chancellor Angela Merkel and a majority feel unwanted in the country, a poll released on the eve of the government's third "integration