Hürriyet says Turkey’s ruling men in today’s National Security Meeting were briefed about Turkey-EU relations for an hour. Ms. Akçakoca has a piece that reviews 2009 in this respect. It was a dire year as she says…
EU-Turkey: a successful 2009?
by AMANDA AKÇAKOCA
After two years of domestic crises, there were high expectations that 2009 would be a year of political stability and progress. In particular, Turkey?s relationship with the European Union was quite dire, with Ankara having put the EU dossier on the backburner for such a long time that most people had started to believe that Turkey?s commitment to the process was nothing more than lip service. Therefore, when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan traveled to Brussels last January (his first trip in years) expectations were raised.Underachievement of the AKP; two notes on the CHP and Greece
by YAVUZ BAYDAR
What sort of Turkey entered 2009 and what sort of Turkey will enter 2010? Has the entire year been wasted in terms of reforms and democratization?
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (C), his wife Asma (L),Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (3rd L) and his wife Emine (2nd L) watch an Islamic dance (Moulouya) during their visit to the Senan Basha mosque, which dates back to the Ottoman era, in Damascus December 23, 2009.REUTERS/Khaled al-Hariri
Europe and US positions in Kurdish problem
by ABDULHAMİT BİLİCİ
Until recently, Turkey had two nightmares concerning the Kurdish issue. The first was the threat of terror and division inside the country. This is a nightmare that has claimed more than 40,000 lives and cost the country an enormous $300 billion.
Is the EU a panacea for all ills?
by BÜLENT KENEŞ
Together with the administrators of several newspapers, I met with Turkey?s chief European Union negotiator, State Minister Egemen Bağış, and a number of diplomats and bureaucrats also involved in EU negotiations over breakfast on Wednesday morning at the historic Esma Sultan Yalısı on the Bosporus.
Visa wars
by BERİL DEDEOĞLUThe European Union has decided to abolish visa requirements for the citizens of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. If I was a decision-maker in Serbia, I would no longer be worried about meeting European standards on crimes against humanity because this decision proves that it is not compulsory to do anything to receive a reward. In fact, that was already proven in Cyprus: those who said ?no? to the United Nations peace plan were admitted to the EU, while those who accepted it are still waiting.
EU-Turkey: a successful 2009?
by AMANDA AKÇAKOCA
After two years of domestic crises, there were high expectations that 2009 would be a year of political stability and progress. In particular, Turkey?s relationship with the European Union was quite dire, with Ankara having put the EU dossier on the backburner for such a long time that most people had started to believe that Turkey?s commitment to the process was nothing more than lip service. Therefore, when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan traveled to Brussels last January (his first trip in years) expectations were raised.
Underachievement of the AKP; two notes on the CHP and Greece
by YAVUZ BAYDAR
What sort of Turkey entered 2009 and what sort of Turkey will enter 2010? Has the entire year been wasted in terms of reforms and democratization?
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (C), his wife Asma (L),Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (3rd L) and his wife Emine (2nd L) watch an Islamic dance (Moulouya) during their visit to the Senan Basha mosque, which dates back to the Ottoman era, in Damascus December 23, 2009.REUTERS/Khaled al-Hariri
Europe and US positions in Kurdish problem
by ABDULHAMİT BİLİCİ
Until recently, Turkey had two nightmares concerning the Kurdish issue. The first was the threat of terror and division inside the country. This is a nightmare that has claimed more than 40,000 lives and cost the country an enormous $300 billion.
Is the EU a panacea for all ills?
by BÜLENT KENEŞ
Together with the administrators of several newspapers, I met with Turkey?s chief European Union negotiator, State Minister Egemen Bağış, and a number of diplomats and bureaucrats also involved in EU negotiations over breakfast on Wednesday morning at the historic Esma Sultan Yalısı on the Bosporus.
Visa wars
by BERİL DEDEOĞLU
The European Union has decided to abolish visa requirements for the citizens of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. If I was a decision-maker in Serbia, I would no longer be worried about meeting European standards on crimes against humanity because this decision proves that it is not compulsory to do anything to receive a reward. In fact, that was already proven in Cyprus: those who said ?no? to the United Nations peace plan were admitted to the EU, while those who accepted it are still waiting.
EU drug agency chief hails Turkey?s efforts in combating drug trafficking
by ABDULLAH BOZKURT
The head of the European Union drug agency has said Turkey plays a very crucial role in combating drug trafficking passing through Turkish territory en route to the European market.Wolfgang Götz, director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), a Lisbon-based watchdog group, said, ?Today, if you see [drug] traffickers trying to increasingly use other routes like the northern route via Central Asia and Russia to reach Europe, it shows that Turkish efforts in this regard are very successful.?Turkey evaluates COP15, prepares for EU environmental acquis
by KLAUS JURGENS
While most observers are only too aware of the fact that one international conference is not enough to save our planet from the devastating effects of climate change, what happened in Copenhagen over the course of the last two weeks or so makes for very disappointing news, indeed.
Why is Israel so angry with Tayyip Erdoğan?
by İBRAHİM KARAGÜL – YENİ ŞAFAK
The real reason for anger with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is not the whole ?one minute? incident. The real reason has nothing to do with being excluded from the ?Anatolian Eagle? military exercises or the diplomatic crisis involving Israeli military technology.
Iran Says It Would Swap Nuclear Material With West in Turkey
from NYT > Turkey by By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Turkey?s foreign minister welcomed the Iranian announcement and said his government would do its best to help reach a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Iran?s nuclear program.
The Turkey-Syria model
by BERİL DEDEOĞLU
The agreements that have been signed between Turkey and Syria inaugurate a new period for bilateral relations. These agreements on economic, cultural, social and strategic cooperation signify that despite remaining problems, these two countries have chosen to develop their relations to unprecedented levels.
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