Syria: Tanks Enter Hama on Eve of Ramadan
by Jillian C. York
On the eve of Ramadan, Syrian troops have entered the city of Hama, reportedly killing as many as 45 people by 11:00 am on Sunday, July 31. The assault has particular resonance for Syrians, as the city of Hama was the site of one of the most horrific 
massacres in modern history.
Deadly Syrian crackdown continues
by ISTANBUL – From online dispatches
Fresh attacks reported in Deir ez-Zor, a day after 142 people were reported killed in Hama and elsewhere in the country.
Turkey strongly condemns Syrian crackdown
Turkey has reacted strongly to Sunday?s bloody crackdown by the Syrian regime in the city of Hama, condemning the Syrian army?s operations that killed nearly 100 protesters.
************************ a foreign policy roundup***********************
European financial crisis won’t effect Turkey at all, says Erdoğan
by ANKARA – Anatolia News Agency
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday that Turkey was fully prepared against a financial crisis in Europe.
Israel weighs response after Turkey’s ‘spoiled’ slam
from Yahoo news
Top Israeli officials were gathering Sunday to discuss relations with Turkey in the wake of the Turkish prime minister slamming Israel’s “spoiled” and “inhuman” actions.
Turkey grills Israel amid UN delay
by ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News
Israel?s request for the postponement of the UN report on the Mavi Marmara incident is interpreted as a move to gain time to prepare public opinion for an apology and to narrow differences within the divided Israeli Cabinet. The UN panel is now set to release its report Aug 20
Turkey denounces Israeli settlements as UN report delay announced
by ANKARA; Hürriyet Daily News
Ankara has strongly condemned Israel for continuing to construct settlements in the West Bank, statements that come as the United Nations said it will delay the release of a report into last year?s Mavi Marmara incident.
Plan B for Israel: From losing a friend to gaining an opponent
by HDN
We have learned from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan?s statement that the government has a B plan in case Israel would not provide an apology for the killing of Turkish citizens during last year?s attack on the Gaza bound flotilla.
Is Turkey turning its back on the EU? A response to Mr. Andrew Duff
by HDN
A long period of silence has been broken in Turkish-European Union relations with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan?s official visit to northern Cyprus.
Turkey?s tough lessons for Greece: cut spending and retool economy
by Acturca
The Wall Street Journal (USA) July 25, 2011
By Marc Champion, Istanbul
Why can?t Greece be more like Turkey? That?s what Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou asked his country?s legislators late last month as he tried to herd them into voting for an austerity package that was triggering riots.
Editorial: Why didn’t ambassadors of Palestine applaud Erdogan?
Sarkozy, le fiasco méditerranéen
by Acturca
Libération (France) mardi 26 juillet 2011, p. 1
Jean-François Bayart *
«Nicolas Sarkozy a bâti sa politique méditerranéenne avec l?énergie et l?improvisation qui ont caractérisé l?ensemble de sa diplomatie. Et, là comme ailleurs, ce volontarisme brouillon se solde par un fiasco. La pierre angulaire de son action a été son refus de l?adhésion de la Turquie à l?UE. […] Il s?est énoncé sur le mode d?une fausse évidence ? la Turquie ne fait pas partie de l?Europe ? reposant sur l?argument géographique éculé des «frontières naturelles» du Vieux Continent.
La Turquie objet de haine du tueur d?Oslo
from YOL (routes de Turquie et d’ailleurs) by anne
Comme on pouvait s’en douter, Anders Behring Breivik, le terroriste d’extrême droite responsable de la terrifiante tuerie de l’ïle d’Utoeya, partage l’obsession de tous un tas d’obsessionnels qui inondent de leurs commentaires haineux le moindre article consacré à la Turquie. Un pays où il serait allé et auquel il voue une haine farouche comme envers tout ce qui est musulman.
Le foot turc paralysé par des matches truqués
by Acturca
Le Monde (France) jeudi 28 juillet 2011, p. 23
Guillaume Perrier (Istanbul, correspondance)
La reprise du championnat turc de football a été reportée au 9 septembre, a annoncé la fédération nationale dans une déclaration laconique le 25 juillet. La compétition devait initialement commencer le 7 août. Mais le football turc est plongé dans une atmosphère délétère. La Süperlig s?est retrouvée sous la menace d?une annulation depuis la révélation, début juillet, d?un scandale de matches truqués et de corruption impliquant les principaux clubs du pays et leurs dirigeants.
UK immigration analysis needed on Turkish legal migration, say MPs
by Alan Travis
Home Office must assess impact of Turkish entry into EU to avoid repeat of 2004 influx of eastern European migrants
Home Office ministers need to order an official assessment of the likely scale of legal migration to Britain should Turkey join the European Union, a Commons committee has urged.
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