Patriot missiles and more on Turkish foreign policy

Patriot issue came out of blue and we will see where it will lead to.. Yigal’s substantive piece and a more provocative link in addition to other issues in Turkish foreign policy..

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures as he speaks about Turkey’s global priorities to a gathering at Princeton University Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009, in Princeton. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Patriot Games

There’s a certain feeling of Cold War déjà vu in Turkey these days. Back then, NATO ally Turkey was seen as a front line state in the standoff against a dangerous nuclear power and was even home to American missiles (the intermediate range Jupiters, quietly removed as part of the deal made to end the Cuban missile crisis). Cut to 2009, when western ally Turkey is again being viewed by some as a front-line defense against a (potential) nuclear power — this time around Iran — and might soon be home to an American-made long-range missile defense system.

Defense contractors join Turkish lobbying effort in pursuit of arms deals

Patriot issue is also questioned in Taraf (In Turkish).

Turkey to push ahead with Armenia ties-Erdogan – Forbes.com

G-14 versus G-20 and Turkey?s position

I can understand why Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan chose to include the G-20, a group of developed and emerging economies that commands 85 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP), in his speech at a dinner that was attended by most of the ambassadors in Ankara last week.

Nobel Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari on Turkey’s EU bid | The Cable

Former Finnish president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari has been hugely influential on a number of international issues during his storied, multi-decade diplomatic career. He helped secure independence for Namibia, inspected weapons of the Irish Republican Army, led peace negotiations between the Free Aceh Movement and the government of Indonesia, helped to secure an end to the Bosnian war, and served as U.N. Special Envoy for the Kosovo status process.”

Turkey — A savvy foreign policy player

Gone are the days when Turkey allowed its foreign policy to be manipulated by outside powers.

The Cyprus Question and the Future of Turkey-EU Relations

After the ?golden years? between 1999 and 2005, Turkey-EU relations plunged into a stalemate in the post-2005 period. The profound reforms that were implemented by the Turkish government to converge with the EU acquis communitaire almost came to a halt, and the EU diluted its promises after Turkey became a ?negotiating candidate country.? The virtuous cycle and the constructive atmosphere, in other words, evaporated in relatively a short period of time starting from early 2006. As the Independent Commission report underlines, Turkey-EU relations entered a ?vicious circle? in the post-2005 period.