"Giving Turkey the silent treatment
Giving Turkey the silent treatment
By Emma Sinclair-WebbEU member states' silence both on Turkey's failings and its membership prospects have reduced its leverage and strengthened those who oppose reform."
November 13, 2008
EU member states' silence both on Turkey's failings and its membership prospects have reduced its leverage and strengthened those who oppose reform."
November 08, 2008
Obama Presidency: A New Era In Turkish-American Relations?
October 29, 2008
The Republic is at 85
Hürriyet celebretes the 85th year with typical Republican iconography...
October 17, 2008
"Turkey: Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2008..
Turkey: Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2008
To coincide with Turkey's status as Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2008, Eurozine publishes articles from "Varlik" magazine's 75-year anniversary anthology. The texts display many of the concerns that continue to occupy Turkish writers today. Also: Turkey in the Eurozine archivesContinue reading ""Turkey: Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2008.." »
October 04, 2008
"Austrian vote sends shockwaves through Brussels: Should Turkey worry?
Austrian vote sends shockwaves through Brussels: Should Turkey worry?
More than once I had the pleasure of meeting with former Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer when we were both representing European youth movements in the mid to late '80s.Smooth transition to optimism on EU bid
Discriminatory, conservative, exploiter: These were the initial connotations of "Europe" for a group of university students that recently gathered in Turkey's holiday resort in the Mediterranean --Continue reading ""Austrian vote sends shockwaves through Brussels: Should Turkey worry?" »
September 30, 2008
"What ‘common European values’?
What ‘common European values’?
The German Marshall Fund of the US sponsors annual surveys on "Transatlantic Trends." The "Key Findings" of the 2008 survey conducted last June in the US and a number of European countries, including Turkey, was published this month. The report's section titled "Turbulent Turkey" opens by pointing to the fact that "in recent years observers have expressed concerns about Turkey turning away from the Western alliance."September 24, 2008
"Neo-Ottomanism and Kemalist foreign policy
Neo-Ottomanism and Kemalist foreign policy
Davutoğlu argues that Turkish foreign policy had been unbalanced, with an overemphasis on ties with Western Europe and the United States to the neglect of Turkey's interests with other countries, particularly in the Middle East. His vision displays familiar characteristics of "neo-Ottomanism," which builds on the approach of former President Turgut Özal. According to this view Turkey needs to rediscover its imperial legacy and seek a new national consensus where the multiple identities of Turkey can coexist. .........Continue reading ""Neo-Ottomanism and Kemalist foreign policy" »
September 17, 2008
"Turkey fails to meet EU criteria in critical areas
Turkey fails to meet EU criteria in critical areas
The most critical norms that candidates for accession to the European Union must be committed to abiding by are the political criteria that address issues such as civil-military relations, human rights and the judiciary.Continue reading ""Turkey fails to meet EU criteria in critical areas" »
September 11, 2008
"National program not 'national' enough for opposition...
National program not 'national' enough for opposition
Turkey's main opposition parties were reluctant to read a key document detailing the country's National Program, prepared by the government to present to the European Union. The program......Continue reading ""National program not 'national' enough for opposition..." »
September 08, 2008
"A match without a loser
A match without a loser by ALİNE ÖZİNİAN
When we set off for Yerevan on a scheduled midnight Armavia flight this Thursday, we saw something we had not seen since long ago on a flight between İstanbul and Yerevan. Instead of men and women carrying several bags, probably goods to be sold in Armenia, as is customary on these biweekly scheduled fights, there were a number of journalists from the Turkish press.
September 06, 2008
Historic game in 3 hours
Map showing the Turkish areas that were inhabited by Armenians in 1915. Turkey's President Abdullah Gul has made a historic trip to Armenia to watch a football match and try to tackle decades of animosity between the estranged neighbours.
(AFP Graphic)I am here in the office working on the dissertation, on a particular chapter and what I want most in life right now is to be in our joint, sitting with my friends and watching the game. Nearly in the break between the first and second halves of the game, we will have our traditional iftar. This will be the tenth? I am expecting 10-15 people to appear for the game and iftar.
There might be some protests in the Armenian side, some provocative acts but these are already expected. Hopefully, this will be a good day for two countries, a good day for me, having friends around and playing cards all night after a soccer victory. Hmmm even if Turkey loses, I guess, I won't be too upset.
There is an ache in my back for three days due to getting cold for sure but today i began to worry if there might be a case of hernia. My dad had one. This makes me more worried; i am going to see a doctor soon if there is no progress! ok Let me back to work on "Internet based Urban Legends in the EU Process" chapter...
Rounding the circle
President Abdullah Gül is traveling to Armenia for a historic visit; Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is off to Syria for Middle East talks; direct negotiations are taking place between leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, and the foreign minister of Turkey's neighbor and former rival Greece declares herself hopeful that the two sides will eventually reach a settlement; and Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently visited Turkey.Can Soccer Heal Turkey-Armenia Rift? - TIME
Issues dividing Armenia, Turkey
September 04, 2008
Good news in Turkish foreign policy decisions, Armenia, Cyprus
President Abdullah Gül decided to attend the national game in Erivan this Saturday. On the other hand, negotiations re-started in Cyprus. This time more optimism than ever....There may not be substantive developments in near future but symbolically these are giant steps...
Continue reading "Good news in Turkish foreign policy decisions, Armenia, Cyprus" »
September 02, 2008
Should I stay or should I go?*
* A Clash song.
Latif Demirci. 2 September 2008 Hürriyet VIA
RT Erdoğan: "you are attending the game in Erivan, ok?
A. Gül: "oh I don't know. Would that be right?
President Abdullah Gül shouldn't hold back and go to Armenia. It is congruent with AKP policies and with the EU process. Turkey should end this blind hostility anyway. Concessions to ultranationalists did not work so far. There must be a progressive move. Let's see what happens in a few days as Mr. Gül willdeclare his decision...
Should Gül go to Yerevan?
As President Abdullah Gül continues to consider whether to accept an invitation from his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sarksyan, to go to Yerevan to watch a World Cup qualifying game between the national teams of the two countries, debates have intensified over the possible consequences of his Yerevan visit.August 31, 2008
"Between the bear and the elephant
I don't know why but i cannot take the new cold war tension in Black Sea very seriously. My mind is somewherelse. But there is certainly some tension.
Between the bear and the elephant
Turkey is trying to tread a fine line of diplomacy between Russia and the West. As an American ally, Turkey has trained and partially equipped the Georgian armed forces under American guidance that aimed to encircle growing Russian power in the Caucasus.August 28, 2008
"Montreux And Turkey
Montreux And Turkey
BY NASUHI GUNGORSTAR- We should be watching developments in the Caucasus more closely. Yesterday Russia officially recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in response to requests from the two breakaway Georgian provinces, according to President Dmitry Medvedev. Considering the developments beginning with Georgia's attack on South Ossetia earlier this month, this latest move might not seem surprising. But in terms of the bigger picture, one can say that through its recognition Russia took a risky step in a thorny area."
This might never happen:
EU waits for Turkey to break its political crises cycle
Now is the time for Turkey to eliminate obstacles and to continue on its path to European Union accession, said the EU enlargement commissioner in an article he wrote for Turkish daily Milliyet,I am not sure what Mehmet Ali Birand means. Just listened the speeches of new generals. Not a single change in their discourse. Anti-globalist, anti-EU, anti postmodern. Yeah the new Army general accused of postmodern thought that are a threat to nation-state!!! :
New era at the TSK
Mehmet Ali BirandAugust 25, 2008
Turkey's Third National Program
The Third National Program
Though the Third National Program declared last Monday by government spokesperson and State Minister Cemil Cicek raised hopes among the pro-EU intellectuals of Turkey, many are skeptical about the program’s prospects….
Is the third national program viable?
August 22, 2008
"What did you do for the EU today?
This is a column title by İsmet Berkan but it well portrays my state of affairs; sort of. For the last few days, I am satisfied with the pace of writing and unfortunately these lonely office hours in evenings do not help. I would prefer a crowded and noisy office to this silent and being-alone office. I am glad this damn summer is ending. and here comes a round up mostly on Turkey's fantasies with all-track diplomacy...
August 19, 2008
Turkey's "'all-track' diplomacy"
AKP leaders are taking a risk by this all-track diplomacy. They might win big or lose big.
They have many in their cadres which could trigger this shift from traditional Turkish foreign policy and there have been signs of it already. Now, they are relieved of the closure ban and they are pushing for it.
After the visit of Iran's leader, now there comes the mini African Summit and a notarious African leader, Bashir comes to Turkey second time in less than a year. As part of a grand plan, these risky visits might work but they are just too risky. The plan is to create independent good, powerful and profitable relations with neigbours. The plan is very innovative. After the 2nd WW, traditional Turkish foreign policy depended on its geostrategic importance for US. This symbolically ended in the first Gulf War where Turkey lost great and it became one of the sources of economic crisis in 2001. Major reliance on EU process in recent years also ended when AKP could not get enough of the process. Since 2004, AKP lost its belief in EU in general. I don't think this means hostile thinking against EU or US. Although ideologues of the new FP attempt might be uneasy with them, their main goal seems to make Turkey a more equal partner in relations with EU or US.
However, even for those who try to be more neutral to AKP, there is the problem of substance. Is there any substance in possible relations with the new 'allies'? Like it or not, TR has been part of the Western system since 2WW. Political, cultural, economic relations all depended on this system although they were never satisfying. Can there be sustainable relations with others? Particularly when some of the others are subject to systemic hostility?
The ideologues of the AKP Foreign Policy (first person to come to my mind is Prof. Ahmet Davutoğlu, is known to have Neo-Ottoman tendencies. However, he and others seem to be realistic, too.
A new art of 'all-track' diplomacy
Relieved by a Constitutional Court ruling against a ban that helped it avert a political crisis, it was natural for the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, to expect a few days of relaxation.
The Associated Press: Turkey's Gul urges Sudan leader to end suffering