European Parliament report slams Turkey; Gov’t still in denial

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European Parliament adopts critical report on Turkey

from Hurriyet Dailynews by ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News
The European Parliament expressed serious doubts about press freedom in Turkey in a criticism-laden report it adopted Wednesday. (UPDATED)

 

Turkeys Foreign Minister Davutoglu, his ...

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (C) and his counterparts, Franco Frattini (L) of Italy and Carl Bildt of Sweden talk before their meeting in Istanbul March 5,2011.? Read more » REUTERS/Osman Orsal

European Parliament report strains already fragile Turkey-EU ties

from Hurriyet Dailynews by ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News
The European Parliament’s adoption Wednesday of a report with sharp criticism of Turkey on press freedom issues has further frayed already troubled relations.

 

Turkey short on reforms needed to join EU

from Yahoo news
BRUSSELS, March 9 (UPI) — The European Parliament on Wednesday pointed to limited progress on reforms needed by Turkey to become a member of the European Union.

 

Parliament very circumspect about Turkey?s EU accession

By Eric van Puyvelde | Wednesday 09 March 2011

The Cyprus-Turkey deadlock, lack of dialogue among Turkish political parties and the undermining of press freedom and other basic rights in Turkey are the main factors slowing down the country’s EU accession talks, said Ria Oomen-Ruijten (EPP, Netherlands), the rapporteur for a report and resolution adopted by the European Parliament, on 9 March, on the progress made by Turkey. The drafting of the resolution generated intense debate and the resolution itself expresses the EP?s concern about the slow progress that the country is making in major democratic reforms.”

Turkey slams EP progress report

from Mavi Boncuk by M.A.M

Mavi Boncuk |Turkey slams EP progress report
Turkish Foreign Ministry said European Parliament’s reports can have a meaning for Turkey only if the parliament takes a serious, constructive and neutral stand.

Enlargement: slow progress by Turkey regretted

from Mavi Boncuk by M.A.M

Mavi Boncuk |Enlargement: slow progress by Turkey regretted, Montenegro’s candidacy welcomed

in two resolutions adopted on Wednesday on the progress of Turkey and Montenegro in their EU membership negotiations, Parliament express concern at the “slow progress” on human rights and key reforms in Turkey in 2010, while welcoming Montenegro’s official candidate status despite concerns over corruption.

Turkey says EU progress report one-sided

from Yahoo news
Turkey said Wednesday a progress report adopted by the European Parliament on Turkey-EU negotiations was one-sided, urging for objectiveness from the parliament on Turkey’s long-delayed EU bid.

 

Taking a siesta — Turkey?s EU talks

by AMANDA PAUL
While debate over whether or not Turkey should be allowed to join the EU rages on, the negotiations have entered a period of siesta.

Merkel Ally Assails Turkey on Human Rights

from NYT > Turkey by By JUDY DEMPSEY
Horst Seehofer, the leader of the governing Christian Social Union party in Bavaria, on Wednesday also warned Ankara not to interfere in the integration debate taking place in Germany.

 

French-Turkish political relations: Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!

by KLAUS JURGENS
Egemen Bağış, Turkey?s chief EU negotiator, whilst in Portugal a few days ago compared his own country?s EU accession process with that of his host nation more than 25 years ago.

 

Courting the Diaspora: Erdogan Hopes Germany’s Turks Can Get Him Re-Elected – SPIEGEL ONLINE – News – International

Even Erdoğan knows Turkey must look to Europe | Fiachra Gibbons

from World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk by Fiachra Gibbons

Despite the Turkish leader’s criticisms of the EU, it’s clear his country’s future lies with the union

If you are going to be a hypocrite, it’s best to be so spectacularly hypocritical that you momentarily deprive your audience of the oxygen that would permit them to process the sheer absurdity of what you have just said. It works every time. Just ask the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the proud recipient of quite probably the last Muammar al-Gaddafi International prize for human rights.

 

Can Turkey be a fair broker in the Middle East?

by ORHAN KEMAL CENGİZ
In my column yesterday I tried to analyze the absence of democratic opposition to Israel and the US in the Middle East and finally I asked if this gap can be filled by Turkey. If there is one single country that could act as a democratic opposition to Western hegemony in this region and thus will contribute to peace and stability in this problematic corner of the world, I think it is Turkey. But can Turkey play this role successfully? Can Turkey be a fair broker in the Middle East with its current stance and mindset?

 

Turkey: Are Profits or Principles Guiding Ankara?s Foreign Policy? | EurasiaNet.org

Germany and Turkey

by BERİL DEDEOĞLU
It was most unfortunate that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan?s tour of Europe was interrupted by the funeral of former Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan.

 

Why the unrest in northern Cyprus?

by YAVUZ BAYDAR
When discussing Turkey?s troubled relations with the European Union, it does not suffice to put the blame on the Sarkozy-Merkel line of ?calling the shots.? Regardless of whether they will insist on that folly, Cyprus looms on the horizon as a wall to be avoided or crashed into.

A gangrene called Cyprus

by BÜLENT KENEŞ
The delays in Turkey?s European Union membership process, as well as continued sluggishness in negotiations, have effects reaching beyond the membership process. Despite the always-one-step-ahead policy Turkey has implemented since 2003, Cyprus, too, is getting its share of the negative course our EU process has taken. Although the Turkish side opted for solution while the Greek side chose to prolong the stalemate in the referendum held on April 1, 2004 on the Annan plan, which was seen as a glimmer of hope for a solution on the island, the EU chose to reward the Greek side, foiling Turkey?s well-intended efforts.

 

The key to restarting Turkey’s EU engine

from Hurriyet Dailynews by HDN
The Cyprus reunification talks are getting stuck, again, but for Turkey this should no longer be a license to shrug and yawn.

Greece says Turkish Cypriot situation ‘not viable’

from Hurriyet Dailynews by ATHENS – Agence France-Presse
Greece said Thursday that the situation of Turkish Cypriots was not viable, after thousands demonstrated on the island against an Ankara-imposed austerity plan.

 

Turkey: A Model Of Middle East Stability

from Yahoo news
Turkey lies north of Syria and across the Mediterranean from Libya. Because of its proximity to the unrest in North Africa, Turkey has been punished by equity investors. The country has gone from one of the best performing emerging markets in 2010 to levels not seen since March 2006.

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