" Turkey on its way to the EU " - another imprisonment...
Turkey widens EU talks, expects French fairness
Turkish officials said Tuesday they expect France, long an opponent of the Turkish European Union membership bid, to approach membership
Sarkozy’s Turcophobia
Since I traveled to France in February of this year and returned somewhat hopeful that French paranoia about Turkey was actually curable, I decided not to write about Mr. Sarkozy or France for some time.
How Turkey should react to Sarkozy?
Mehmet Ali BirandAnkara delays on Med Union
A proposal by French President Nicholas Sarkozy to create a union for Mediterranean countries as an alternative to Turkey's full membership in the European Union remains a source of uneaseFrench Senate ends Sarkozy plan to block Turkey
Sarkozy`s plan to end Turkey`s EU bid has officially kicked the bucket. The bill would require a national referendum on each country seeking accession to the EU whose population is greater than 5% of that of France. Of course, the bill is designed to exclude Turkey and protect the accession hopes of countries such as Croatia. For a bit of background, have a look at this post.L’adhésion de la Turquie à l’UE en question à Bruxelles
Le Figaro (France), 12/06/2008Pierre Avril, de notre correspondant à Bruxelles
La perspective de voir le principal parti islamiste turc, l’AKP, purement et simplement rayé de la vie politique nationale affole plusieurs dirigeants européens. À tel point que la Commission européenne envisage, en guise de mesure de rétorsion, de suspendre les négociations d’adhésion avec Ankara. Selon un scénario imaginé à Bruxelles, cette riposte pourrait intervenir après que la Cour constitutionnelle turque juge illégale, le cas échéant en octobre prochain, la formation du premier ministre, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Interdire un parti politique, qui plus est proeuropéen et ultra-influent, équivaudrait pour les responsables communautaires à une sorte de coup d’État en douceur. Inacceptable aux yeux de Bruxelles.
Euro Greens co-hosting Turkey meet
The European Parliament's Greens are organizing a conference titled “What is happening in Turkey?” in Strasbourg tomorrow. The conference to be ledAnkara and Paris on track for Turkish season in France
Preparations are moving forward for France's “Turkish Season,” a series of events to promote Turkish culture beginning next summer, despite some souring of the political relationshipSarkozy à la pêche aux voix grecques avant la présidence de l’UE
Reuters, 5 juin 2008par Emmanuel Jarry, Paris
Le président Nicolas Sarkozy sera vendredi à Athènes pour resserrer les liens entre la France et la Grèce avant la présidence française de l’Union européenne, à partir du 1er juillet prochain.Strategic preferences
The things that sicken people in Turkey, frustrate the country and cast blight on its future are not only limited to the state of domestic policies. A part of the internal fight is connected to Turkey's preferences with regard to its foreign policy.Quo vadis Europe?
While Ankara is busy shooting itself in the foot with the closure case against the ruling party, major events are unfolding in Europe and the Middle East. Despite all the distractions at home, Turkey needs to pay attention to what is going on in its strategic horizons.Turkey has a big problem called 'Sarkozy'
Mehmet Ali BirandQantara.de - EU Accession Negotiations with Turkey - A Wasted Year
EU moves to ease economic isolation of Turkish Cypriots - International Herald Tribune
Cyprus on the brink?
Clement DODDIn search of communication strategy despite the NO
BARÇIN YİNANÇ Even They Call The Decision An Insult
For the first time, senators from France's ruling party have cried foul at the position of their leader and the party itself. Senators from President Nicholas Sarkozy's Union for a Secular Movement (UMP) stated that they would object to a constitutional amendment to make Turkey's European Union membership subject to a referendum.
Addresses Of Messages From Chiefs Of General Staff
This year's international symposium by the General Staff coincided with a highly critical period.
Asian Century
Let me start the first article I write on Tokyo, where I came with President Abdullah Gul, with some observations and determinations.
A Travel Book On Brussels
I decided to follow meetings of the European Parliament and the European Union which are open to the press as much as I can. I reached the conclusion that journalists should follow such meetings based on an observation. For example, a reporter doesn't or can't write that a foreign minister spoke English very tonelessly and his speech was very botched, but an objective one should absolutely write this down, if he has observed this.
This Is The Limit!
A foreign minister is a country's face looking at the international society.
Brothership Project
Kurds are our own full brothers and sisters with whom we have been living together for a thousand of years and sharing the same cultural heritage.
Will Turkey help Europe solve its energy woes?
The answer to the above question is, of course, yes.And what are Europe’s energy woes? Obviously, EU countries must contend with high gasoline prices, just like almost everyone else in the world. Unlike other countries, Europe must also balance its need for natural gas with its fear of one-sided dependence on Russia. Russia has shown that it is willing to use its energy resources for political gain. Leaders in EU capitals are searching for natural gas transit routes that are not controlled by Gazprom, the Russian energy giant.
Le Monde argues closure case an internal affair
An article published Wednesday in French daily Le Monde argued that Paris considers the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, Turkey's internal affair, claiming it won't
Why Turkey should have a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council
Abdullah GÜL
Turks lack confidence in world leaders
Turks have little confidence in most of the world's leaders, with U.S. President George W. Bush inspiring the least trust, according to survey results released Monday. The survey by
Yusuf Kanlı: Accommodating to reality
There are of course European politicians willing to exploit a possible closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, to promote their anti-Turkish politics in the European Union. Some people do indeed want to “punish” the “conservative Turkey” and use the AKP closure case to disrupt the Turkish accession process or at least force Ankara to walk an extra mile towards introducing a new national charter as well as new legislations to regulate elections and political party activities “more in tune” with the norms, standards and perceptions of Europe… Some others, who apparently are more friendlier towards the AKP – a party they consider as the locomotive of change in Turkey
Europe cannot touch judiciary
An independent Turkish judiciary is necessary for the survival of the secular Republic, said a statement released yesterday chastising the
