by the way, nuclear talks start in Istanbul… a foreign policy roundup…

Iran nuclear talks start in Turkey Six world powers open negotiations with Tehran with little hope of breakthrough Six world powers began two days of talks with Iran today aimed at curbing its nuclear programme, but there is little hope of a breakthrough at the Istanbul meeting. Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili (L) shakes … Read more

An Interview on Turkey-scepticism in the EU (in Turkish)

Brazil, Turkey, Iranian officials meet from Yahoo news ISTANBUL, Turkey, July 25 (UPI) — Foreign ministers from Iran, Brazil and Turkey met in Istanbul in an attempt to restart stalled negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, officials said. Iran – Turkey – ISTANBUL – Middle East – Nuclear program of Iran Turkey, Brazil urge Iran to … Read more

On Wiseman rejecting “privileged partnership”

Wiseman Commission Rejects “Privileged Partnership”

from Turkish Politics in Action by Ragan Updegraff

Former president of Spain Felipe Gónzalez / AFP Photo from Hurriyet Daily News

The 12-member wise man commission French president Nikolas Sarkozy endeavored to setup in 2007 in part to frustrate Turkey’s accession track has instead concluded that walking away from Turkey’s accession process or granting it/treating its accession bid with something less than full membership is a betrayal that risks EU credibility.

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Ahmet Davutoğlu: Turkey?s zero-problems foreign policy

Turkey?s zero-problems foreign policy

by acturca

Foreign Policy (USA), May 20, 2010

By Ahmet Davutoglu

The Turkish government this week brokered an 11th-hour nuclear fuel swap deal with Iran. Turkey?s foreign minister explains the principles that made it possible.

Throughout modern history, there has been a direct relationship between conflict and the emergence of new ways of arbitrating world affairs. Every major war since the 17th century was concluded by a treaty that led to the emergence of a new order, from the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 that followed the Thirty Years? War, to the Congress of Vienna of 1814-1815 that brought an end to the Napoleonic Wars, to the ill-fated Treaty of Versailles that concluded the first World War, to the agreement at Yalta that laid the groundwork for the establishment of the United Nations in 1945. Yet the Cold War, which could be regarded as a global-scale war, ended not with grand summitry, but with the fall of the Iron Curtain and the collapse of the Soviet Union. There was no official conclusion; one of the combatant sides just suddenly ceased to exist.

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Nilüfer Göle: Muslims are shifting stones in Europe

Muslims are shifting stones in Europe, says Nilüfer Göle
Today’s Zaman
A wide range of scholars at the İstanbul Seminars 2010 at İstanbul Bilgi University are considering the issue of Islam in Europe, including one of the most
UN Secretary General Ban chats with Turkeys ...

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (L) chats with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu before their meeting at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul May 21, 2010. Ban said on Friday he hoped Iran’s deal to send some of its enriched uranium abroad may open the door to a negotiated settlement in a row with the West over its nuclear programme.? Read more REUTERS/Murad Sezer

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US Foreign Policy establishment bitchin’ about the nuclear deal

Not that US arguments are all wrong but US Foreign Policy does not offer more than sanctions to Iran and this is nothing new. No innovation, no change in their policy although diplomacy requires constant fine tuning. US still chooses the only option of threatening and then wonders why they are not liked in Middle East… Mr. Obama continues to be a disappointment in matters of foreign policy…

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EU Wise Men back Turkey, thus oppose Sarkozy

Betraying Sarkozy, ?wise men? back Turkish EU bid

by acturca

Today?s Zaman (Turkey), 11 May 2010, Tuesday

Selçuk Gültaşlı, Brussels

The European Union?s Reflection Group, which was created in December 2007 upon the initiative of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to present recommendations for the year 2030, has concluded that Brussels should keep its promises to Turkey, meaning that negotiations should continue with the aim of full membership.

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