Turkey in Europe

Newsweek involved (again) in Turkish domestic politics….

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After a series of hard defeats in the domestic front- in the last one, the new chief of staff seems to be taking easy for the moment and upsetting secularists for not immediately and directly acting against AKP- the dogmatically secularists are weaving their web abroad and working harder to discredit AKP in US and in Europe. Mr. Çağaptay is the embodiment of this situation- I have already criticized him several times- and now his ideas on the Erdoğan vs. Doğan Media Conglomeration are in Newsweek, a totally partisan piece. Mr. Çağaptay might be the most successful western-credited intellectual who managed to ignore any positive signs about AKP, which seems to have formed the most successful government and most powerful civilian rule since 1980 coup. Here is his piece at Newsweek: 

Newsweek Turkey’s Media War The dispute is really a political matter—yet another attempt by Erdogan and the AKP to neuter a bastion of opposition. By Soner Cagaptay…….

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"From'Lula' style to 'Chavez' model

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although I do not agree with him totally, it has some relevance for sure:

From’Lula’ style to ‘Chavez’ model

SOLİ ÖZEL:

  Six years ago Brazil held presidential elections as Turkey headed for general elections. Lula da Silva of the Workers’ Party, deemed too radical, was the favorite candidate, and the Justice and Development Party, or AKP had a similar position in Turkey. International finance actors panicked. Lula tried to convince these actors that he would not make radical changes. AKP leaders, at the same time, were trying to convince international finance actors and the outside world that their party would stick to the market dogmatism and to the system……….

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"Turkey fails to meet EU criteria in critical areas

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Turkey fails to meet EU criteria in critical areas

The most critical norms that candidates for accession to the European Union must be committed to abiding by are the political criteria that address issues such as civil-military relations, human rights and the judiciary.

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"New era signaled in army-media relations in Turkey

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New era signaled in army-media relations in Turkey

Turkey’s new army chief Gen. Ilker Basbug signaled Tuesday a new era has started regarding the relations between the military and the media.

Chief Of Staff Meets With A Select Group Of Media Organs
BİA – İstanbul,Turkey
Sedat Ergin, chief editor of the newspaper Milliyet, told that they had asked the chief of staff what their accreditation criteria regarding the newspapers

AND  "New era signaled in army-media relations in Turkey…

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"Memories of Sept. 12 coup still haunt Turkey

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Erdal Eren, a high school kid, was one of the executeds…

Never without confronting Sept. 12

Sept. 12: Military coup, violence, torture, executions and lost generations.

Memories of Sept. 12 coup still haunt Turkey

Yesterday was the 28th anniversary of a bloody military coup that took place on Sept. 12, 1980, the effects and vestiges of which still cast a dark cloud over Turkish politics.

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Doğan Media Mogul vs. Tayyip Erdoğan; no one backs off

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 PM Erdoğan promised to open up new files by this weekend. As the deadline gets closer, no side seems to be backing off. Today Hürriyet’s chief editor, Ertuğrul Özkök replied back/threatened angrily in NTV channel. Once again I have to underline: This is not a case of freedom of speech. Only this media mogul’s own papers (and plus the staunchly Kemalist, Cumhuriyet) support their bosses at the moment… 

A quick primer on Doğan vs Erdoğan

What is Lighthouse e.V? Lighthouse e.V. was a Germany-based charity foundation that operated between March, 2001 and April, 2007. Its director Mehmet Gürhan, his successor Mehmet Taşkan and

 

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"Yet Another Threat to The Turkish Republic: Postmodernism

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Yet Another Threat to The Turkish Republic: Postmodernism

[Originally published in Turkish Daily News] Did you know that the Turkish military sees postmodernism as a “threat” that should be fought against? We all learned that about a week ago when the new Commander of Land Forces, Gen. Işık Koşaner, made a speech which summarized all the enemies that the Turkish Armed Forces despise. These included the usual groups: “Separatists,” religious orders, and “unpatriotic” circles. But the latter included a new cadre of treacherous citizens: “the post-modernists.” The high-brow general openly stated: “The propaganda network that consists of a postmodern clique of some media, academics, finance circles and NGOs are working in order to weaken and disintegrate national unity and national values.” He also added that these “postmodern” traitors are “manipulated by global powers.”

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"National program not 'national' enough for opposition…

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National program not ‘national’ enough for opposition

Turkey’s main opposition parties were reluctant to read a key document detailing the country’s National Program, prepared by the government to present to the European Union. The program……

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"Sorry, you?re just not European enough….

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Sorry, you’re just not European enough

By nosemonkey on Ukraine

Better luck next time, Ukraine.

One of these days the EU powers that be are going to realise that when you’ve got countries torn between a European and non-European identity, to keep on telling them “sorry, you’re not European enough yet” is just going to drive them into the other camp.

How much longer are the likes of Ukraine and Turkey going to put up with these repeated, very public rejections before heading off to the waiting embrace of Moscow or non-secular Islamism?

Migration fears unjustified, OECD

Growing migration is putting strains on rich and poor economies alike, according to the OECD.

 

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"A match without a loser

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A match without a loser by ALİNE ÖZİNİAN

When we set off for Yerevan on a scheduled midnight Armavia flight this Thursday, we saw something we had not seen since long ago on a flight between İstanbul and Yerevan. Instead of men and women carrying several bags, probably goods to be sold in Armenia, as is customary on these biweekly scheduled fights, there were a number of journalists from the Turkish press.

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Day 2 in the battle of AKP vs. DMG

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I thought after yesterday’s speech Mr. Erdoğan would not talk back immediately, and i spent the day out without recognizing today’s speech until the evening. Well, Mr. Erdoğan gives "1 week" to correct the false news disseminated by Doğan group dailies. Mr. Doğan replied back in Kanal D to declare that his media will not be an obedient media in sum. I found Mr. Doğan a little bit scared. But only a little bit. He has a giant media empire, his journalists occupy many Press institutions, his daughter is the head of powerful businessman association, TUSIAD. Although he said last night "all state institutions belong to AKP,  they can finish us easily, we know that things do not work like that. A leftist TV channel, Hayat TV was closed nearly all summer and no body could help that but DMG is not a small marginal media group and dynamics of politics is much more complicated. Never politically correct Mr. Erdoğan waited for more than 2 years to attack back, and only after the Constitutional Court case, he felt more secure to start the battle.
Mr. Erdoğan claimed that Mr. Doğan visited him and requested some privileges for the Hilton Hotel site located in near the super valuable Taksim square. (In tonight’s interview at Kanal D, Aydın Doğan said "of course, we always have requests from the government, we do lots of business and we have needs to discuss]  When he was rejected, DMG dailies began to attack. DMG is known to request some sort of airwave rights for CNN Turk. That is also refused. After tens of TV channels, anti-trust laws do not allow him for more airwave but Mr. Doğan wants more basically. Anyway, we will see new files to be opened in the next few days. In the mean time, in today’s papers Abdullah Gül’s visit to Armeania and the "battle" news competed in headlines. DMG’s flagship Hürriyet replied back. Milliyet also. [circulation report of dailies are given in the end]


DMG’s newly acquired furiously anti-AKP Vatan columnists charged their weapons like the ones above:

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Now open warfare between AKP and Doğan Media Group (DMG)!

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 After a corruption case whose details given below, DMG papers and CHP started a new wave of attack against AKP and its leadership. As usual Milliyet leads the accusations. As far as I remember PM Tayyip Erdoğan uttered the name of "Aydın Doğan" for the first time and he accused him of not having moral … Read more

Historic game in 3 hours

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Map showing the Turkish areas that were inhabited by Armenians ...

Map showing the Turkish areas that were inhabited by Armenians in 1915. Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul has made a historic trip to Armenia to watch a football match and try to tackle decades of animosity between the estranged neighbours.

(AFP Graphic)

 

I am here in the office working on the dissertation, on a particular chapter and what I want most in life right now is to be in our joint, sitting with my friends and watching the game. Nearly in the break between the first and second halves of the game, we will have our traditional iftar. This will be the tenth? I am expecting 10-15 people to appear for the game and iftar.

There might be some protests in the Armenian side, some provocative acts but these are already expected. Hopefully, this will be a good day for two countries, a good day for me, having friends  around and playing cards all night after a soccer victory. Hmmm even if Turkey loses, I guess, I won’t be too upset. 

There is an ache in my back for three days due to getting cold for sure but today i began to worry if there might be a case of hernia. My dad had one. This makes me more worried; i am going to see a doctor soon if there is no progress! ok Let me back to work on "Internet based Urban Legends in the EU Process" chapter…

Rounding the circle

President Abdullah Gül is traveling to Armenia for a historic visit; Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is off to Syria for Middle East talks; direct negotiations are taking place between leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, and the foreign minister of Turkey’s neighbor and former rival Greece declares herself hopeful that the two sides will eventually reach a settlement; and Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently visited Turkey.

Can Soccer Heal Turkey-Armenia Rift? – TIME

Issues dividing Armenia, Turkey

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"What does the military?s surprise visit mean?

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What does the military’s surprise visit mean? by İRFAN YILDIRIM

The Ergenekon case is still shaking Turkey. Most recently, the visit paid on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) by Kocaeli Garrison Commander Lt. Gen. Galip Mendi to retired generals Şener Eruygur and Hurşit Tolon, who are being held in Kandıra Prison in connection with the case, has added a new dimension to the issue.

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Good news in Turkish foreign policy decisions, Armenia, Cyprus

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Turkey's national soccer team coach Fatih Terim talks during ...

Turkey’s national soccer team coach Fatih Terim talks during a press conference in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008. Turkey will play Armenia in a World Cup qualifier in the Armenian capital of Yerevan on Sept. 6.

(AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)

 

President Abdullah Gül decided to attend the national game in Erivan this Saturday. On the other hand, negotiations re-started in Cyprus. This time more optimism than ever….There may not be substantive developments in near future but symbolically these are giant steps…

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