EP reports on Turkey, nothing more than self-satisfaction for EP MEPs…

YAVUZ BAYDAR – One minute, European Parliament!

What do a Turkish and a Greek Cypriot journalist do when meeting over dinner in Marrakech? Without a doubt, risking torment over the subject, they talk about the fate of the settlement talks between the two leaders of the divided island.

Envoys to warn Turkey: Update Constitution or forget EU

Turkey disappointed with EU report on accession progress (People’s Daily)

What now for Turkey-EU relations? – EU Commission : europa, europe | euronews

Turkey launches EURO 2016 bid logo

Mavi Boncuk |

Turkish Football Federation announced the logo for the bid of Euro 2016 candidacy with a ceremony at Swissotel in İstanbul. Sports Minister Faruk Nafız Özak, TFF President Mahmut Özgener and TFF Honorary President Şenes Erzik attended the event organized by the Euro 2016 bidding team.

The Quote of the Week: ?Mediterranean Union? by Atila Eralp and Cigdem Ustun

Excerpt from Atila Eralp&Cigdem Ustun (2009) ?Introduction? in The European Neighborhood Policy and the Southern Mediterranean: Drawing from the Lessons of Enlargement edited by Michele Comelli, Atila Eralp and Cigdem Ustun, METU Press, Ankara.

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Nicolas Sarkozy first launched the idea of the Mediterranean Union during his presidential election campaign in 2007, with the aim to create a Union bringing together only countries from the (northern and southern) Mediterranean basin. The group would be led by a rotating presidency dealing with issues such as energy, security, counter-terrorism, immigration and trade. However, the resemblance of the Mediterranean Union to the European Union was heavily criticized by Turkey since the idea of Turkey?s inclusion in the Mediterranean Union was perceived as an alternative to the EU membership for Turkey. Sarkozy?s statements, such as ?Turkey would instead form the backbone of the new Mediterranean Union?, especially created discomfort and disappointment on the Turkish side.

RAND Issues U.S.-Turkey Report

The RAND Corporation has released a new report, “Troubled Partnership U.S.-Turkish Relations in an Era of Global Geopolitical Change on the U.S.-Turkey Relationship,” in which RAND analyst F. Stephen Larrabee lays out the basic framework of the two countries’ bilateral relations. Among Larrabee’s recommendations for United States’ policies are:

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen (2nd L) and Turkey’s Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul (2nd R), accompanied by their wives Anne-Mette Rasmussen (L) and Sevim Gonul (R), shake hands in Istanbul February 4, 2010. The informal meeting of NATO Defence Ministers will be held in Istanbul on February 4 and 5. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

Çavuşoğlu: a very likeable Turk and Turkey?s European vocation

Professor: Don’t be afraid of Muslim Turkey

Isar was speaking after an event in the European Parliament marking the launch of Istanbul’s year as European Capital of Culture for 2010 (2 February), at which he was one of the keynote speakers.

AMANDA PAUL – Does anybody really believe the Cyprus problem will be resolved?

The Cyprus issue is one of the longest-running problems on the agenda of the UN, with the organization being involved since 1950 and spending thousands of hours and huge sums of money on it.

Böll Foundation?s Dufner says EU should put more pressure on Greek Cypriots

Foreign policy and conflict resolution expert Ulrike Dufner said the European Union can do more to pressure the Greek side to solve the Cyprus issue, but it does not.

AMANDA PAUL – Breaking the Turkey-Armenia stalemate

Turkey can save the pompous European has-been

The Daily Star (Lebenon), Monday, February 08, 2010

By Jean-Pierre Lehmann

The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference was an unmitigated disaster for the European Union. Instead of the EU claiming center stage, as its leaders assumed it would, the key actors were the United States, Brazil, South Africa, India and China. Indeed, when the accord was reached, the EU not even in the room. Copenhagen exposed the demise of Europe not only as a global power, but even as a global arbiter.

Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.252

Forget about Super Bowl or the record breaking snowfall in Washington DC. Another snow job was in the works by the usual stormtroopers of Armenian cause. here we go again. View the sponsors.

Mavi Boncuk |

Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.252
* Short: Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution as introduced.
* Official: Calling upon the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide, and for other purposes. as introduced.

Olli Rehn’s New Job

Turkish hand me down Olli Rehn to the Rescue to help Greeks. He was currently serving as European Commissioner for Enlargement.Rehn presided over the accession of Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, as well as continuing negotiations with Croatia and opening them with Turkey, the latter being perhaps the most significant and the most hotly debated future accession. Rehn favours Turkish membership but has controversially suggested permanent restrictions on the free movement of workers from Turkey, “in case serious disturbances occur in the labour market within the EU as a result of Turkey?s accession”.

Power and Discipline?: Religion and Identity Cards

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that religion cannot be listed as a field on Turkish national identification cards, which all Turkish citizens are required by law to carry. In 2006, Turkey began allowing people the right to leave the field blank or change their religious designation by application, though the ECHR ruled that the new regulation did not go far enough. The ECHR decision also said it was not the duty of the state to collect religious information about its citizens, which the Turkish Statistical Institute collects all the same regardless of whether religion is left blank or entered on the ID card.

Swiss court confirms conviction of Turks for genocide denial

Zurich?s Court of Appeals confirmed Tuesday the initial verdict of a Swiss district court that ruled three Swiss citizens of Turkish descent were guilty of denying Armenian genocide claims, daily Vatan reported yesterday.

Harut Sassounian: Turkey’s Borders and The Armenian Genocide Resolution (The Huffington Post)

Turkey?s Soft Power Successes (Middle East Online)

News.Az – US, Europe blackmailing Turkey