Turkey's Third National Program

The Third National Program

By Jenny White on Turkey’s 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?

[JW: The Third National Program is a long list of reforms required to meet EU requirements in many sectors, ranging from sewage collection to military expenditure oversight. The questions are: Will the government have enough money to implement them? Will the opposition CHP block the reforms? Will the Constitutional Court block those reforms that require constitutional changes? Will the reforms be implemented once they are passed?]

… The CHP has already declared that it won’t support any constitutional amendment that will be brought to Parliament by the AK Party. Even worse than the lack of cooperation from the opposition, the AK Party also faces strong resistance from the Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court, which has set a precedent with its decision to audit constitutional amendments according to content, will be able to do so whenever the CHP appeals to the court for the annulment of any constitutional amendment.

What is Eastern Question?

By M.A.M

Mavi Boncuk | Eastern Question

This was the problem created by the slow collapse of the Ottoman (Turkish) empire. Turkey’s weakness became apparent in a series of wars with Russia in the late 18th cent. The British feared that, if the Turkish empire broke up, Russian power would threaten the British empire in India. The Crimean War of 1854-6, in which Britain, France, and Turkey fought Russia, was the result of miscalculations, arising from France and Russia’s over-vigorous championing of the rights of Turkey’s catholic and orthodox Christians respectively, and Britain’s fears that Russia wished to seize Constantinople (Istanbul).

Before Montreux | London Straits Convention

By M.A.M

The challenge of his rebellious vassal (Muhammad Ali) forced the sultan into the arms of the Czar. The Russian fleet sailed to the Golden Horn, and Russian soldiers got permission to march overland to help defend Istanbul. The Treaty of Hunkiar Iskelesi (1833) established an alliance between Istanbul and St. Petersburg.

Obama supports EU membership for Turkey – Vanguard News Network Forum

The European Union Needs Turkey

Leah Fenwick: The EU is competing with other countries for Turkey as an energy transit hub. Giving Turkey membership in the EU would not only enhance the economic and political stability of the country, but would also ensure a much needed energy infrastructure for the EU.

Scamble for Turkey

Leah Fenwick: The EU is competing with other countries for Turkey as an energy transit hub. Giving Turkey membership in the EU would not only enhance the economic and political stability of the country, but would also ensure a much needed energy infrastructure for the EU.

First geopark of Turkey to be funded by EU

Austria signals referendum on Turkey’s EU accession

It appears that Ankara will have to face another hurdle on its path to EU membership as Turkey-critical Austria has pledged to put the issue to a public vote if the Union agrees to accept Turkey’s bid to join the bloc.

Dutch news – Netherlands: Turkey Doing Too little for Religious Freedom

500 European Jewish students holiday in Istanbul

Hundreds of Jewish students vacationing in Istanbul as part of the European Union of Jewish Students’, or EUJS, summer program wrapped up their vacation yesterday, hoping to send Europe an

‘We expect Turkey to back Cyprus talks’

Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou has urged Ankara to change its policy on Cyprus or face possible consequences in its European

Montreux Convention after South Ossetia War (2) Legal status of Turkish Straits and passage regime

News reports have indicated that the US attempted to violate the provisions of the Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Turkish Straits when it asked to send vessels through the straits in an effort to extend help to Georgia immediately after the recent war in South Ossetia.

[Africa and the Turks] Reconstructing the perceptions and whispering hope to Africa by MEHMET KALYONCU

Turkey recently hosted the first Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit, which brought together political, business and NGO leaders of some 50 countries from Africa with their Turkish counterparts to discuss possible avenues of cooperation for a common and prosperous future.

Foreign policy challenges

After months of uncertainty about the future of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and its leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkish politics seem pretty calm now.

Ships passing via Turkish straits

By BUGÜN, ERHAN AFYONCU

The passage of US ships through the Turkish Straits had significant repercussions around the world. Ships passing through the straits had pushed the Ottoman Empire into World War I and cost us an empire.

Gül now has another reason to go to Armenia

Barçin YİNANÇ