Nothing happens except the Dutch loses…

Turkey say NO to Wilders

Turkey has announced that a Dutch parliamentary delegation will not be welcome if it includes Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders. Turkish ministers and MPs will refuse to meet the entire delegation if Wilders is among them. A spokesperson for the Turkish foreign ministry says: “This man has racist ideas. We fear his presence would overshadow the visit”. The popular Turkish daily Aksam was the first to report the news on yesterday: “Tension over Mozart”, the paper’s headline read, apparently referring to the Freedom Party leader’s exotic hairdo.
Turkish government is embarrassed by the situation and already felt in the trap of Wilders in my opinion They realize that refusing to meet Wilders will allow the controversial politician to accuse Turkey of being undemocratic and unable to take criticism. However, the government fears a media hype would stir up the emotions of its Islamist supporters. Islamists many secularists in Turkey and Wilders are fighting against, how ironically…

Dutch MPs back Wilders against Turkish boycott | Radio Netherlands Worldwide

No Red Carpet for Dutch Populist: Turkey Frets About Geert Wilders’ Planned Visit – SPIEGEL ONLINE – News – International

Far-right politician slams Turkey’s reaction as ‘stupid’ – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

Turkey lashes out at Wilders | Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Turkey ponders Wilders visit

ISTANBUL – Turkey’s government is reconsidering the visit of a parliamentary delegation from the Netherlands early January, because Geert Wilders is a delegation member. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is undecided whether to allow PVV leader Wilders entry to Turkey or not. Daily newspaper Aksam put Wilders’ proposed visit to Turkey on the

Turkish call for right to strike

Turkey & Israel: Trouble Behind, Trouble Ahead?

Israel’s Trade and Labor Minister, Benyamin Ben-Eliezer, just finished a three-day trip to Turkey, the first visit by a top Israeli politician since the downturn in Turkish-Israeli relations that followed the war in Gaza earlier this year. On the most basic level, Ben-Eliezer’s visit was a success. He met with Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan was in Libya during Ben-Eliezer’s visit) and managed to avoid the fate of Israel’s ambassador to Turkey, who on a recent tour of the country’s Black Sea region was pelted with eggs and upbraided by every second-rate elected official he met with.

Israel’s Industry and Trade Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (L) and Turkey’s Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul attend the Turkey-Israel economic commission meeting in Ankara, November 24, 2009.REUTERS/Stringer

Israeli statesman’s deliberate misreading of Turkey

Israel’s Industry and Trade Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer (L) and Turkish Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul speak during an economic meeting after signing an agreement on cooperation in Ankara. Turkey and Israel Tuesday pledged commitment to improve ties as an Israeli minister held talks in Ankara, the first since the Jewish state’s war in Gaza poisoned ties between the two regional allies.(AFP/Adem Altan)

 

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul (R) and Israel’s Industry and Trade Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, November 24, 2009. REUTERS/Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Palace Press Office/Handout

Why is the West critical of Erdoğan?

by ABDULHAMİT BİLİCİ

When the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) was facing anti-democratic conspiracies, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian and other reputable papers openly adopted a stance to defend democracy in their editorials.

Dancing with Armenia – the Turkish view,

The Zurich agreement of October 10, normalizing relations between Armenia and Turkey after years of diplomatic void, was widely expected, but its reception has been mixed in Armenia and in Armenian diaspora communities all over the world, to say the least. It was mixed in Turkey, too.

Homework for The New York Times

The EU’s Identity Crisis

Mensur Akgün: Recent media reports on Turkey’s alleged foreign policy fail to acknowledge major positive achievements on behalf of the AKP government, notably Ankara’s attempts at reconciliation with its neighbors. Western pundits should ask themselves what this “western identity” that Turkey is supposedly moving away from, really is.

Spain: Presidency of the EU Council 2010

“The Presidency of Council configurations, other than of Foreign Affairs, shall be held by Member State representatives in the Council on the basis of equal rotation, …” says Article 16(9) of the Treaty on European Union, as amended by the Lisbon Treaty. The European Council, where the heads of state or government meet, has its own President – Herman Van Rompuy – under the Lisbon Treaty.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, right receives Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left during his visit to Tripoli, Libya Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009.

(AP Photo/Abdel Magid Al Fergany)

EU to ask Turkey to adopt a ‘more European Iran policy’ – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review AS IF EU HAS A SUBSTANTIVE POLICY ON IRAN:)

Dutch news – Turks Swallow Wilders’ Bait, House Does Not

ΝΕΕΣ ΙΔΕΕΣ για την αποκλιμάκωση της έντασης στον εναέριο χώρο του Αιγαίου και την πιο εύρυθμη λειτουργία του ΝΑΤΟ αναζητεί η Ουάσιγκτον. Σύμφωνα με ασφαλείς πληροφορίες του «Βήματος», η πρόθεση της αμερικανικής κυβέρνησης κατέστη σαφής στο περιθώριο των συνομιλιών της Υψηλόβαθμης Συμβουλευτικής Επιτροπής (Ηigh Level Consultative Committee) που πραγματοποιήθηκαν την εβδομάδα που πέρασε στην Αθήνα. Η ελληνική
κυβέρνηση, αν και κατ΄ αρχήν δεν απέρριψε τη συνδρομή της αμερικανικής πλευράς, ξεκαθάρισε ότι οι όποιες συζητήσεις θα περιοριστούν σε ανταλλαγή σκέψεων. Και σε ουδεμία περίπτωση δεν θα λάβουν τη μορφή επίσημων προτάσεων. Οι αμερικανικές προθέσεις δεν είναι νέες. Είναι γνωστές τόσο στην Αθήνα όσο και στην Αγκυρα, καθώς η Ουάσιγκτον θεωρεί …

Περισσότερα εδώ

Παρέμβαση των ΗΠΑ στο Αιγαίο.

Turkey lifted visa requirement for Albanian citizens with an agreement signed on Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
The agreement exempts Albanian citizens from visa requirement for their stay in Turkey for up to 90 days in a six months period.

Albania removed visa requirement for Turkish citizens since as early as in 1992.

http://www.turkishny.com/english-news/5-english-news/19531-turkey-removes-visa-requirement-for-albania

Axel Springer Verlag (Germany) has just increased its share in Dogan Media Holding from 9% to 29%. The German publishing house has to pay 160 Mio. € for the capital increase, a price that will enable Springer, to exert more influence in the long-term strategy of Dogan Media, as it be allowed to nominate 3 members for the Board of Governers and one for the Executive Committee of the Turkish holding.

Dogan Media Group is known to be the largest one in Turkey, operating national newspapers (Hürriyet, Milliyet),  television networks  (Kanal D, Star TV and CNN-Türk), digital plattforms, publishing houses and distribution companies. In the beginning of 2009, however, the holding had serious trouble with the government, being indirectly accused it of hiding taxes, receiving  a fine of 380 mio. €. Back then, most experts spoke about an open conflict between Dogan Media Holding and Prime Minister Erdogan, interpreting the fine as an instrument to put pressure upon the unconvenient media group.

Today, the deal between Dogan and Springer is still to be authorised by the liable media regulators and competition authorities- a formality that can easily turn into a major obstacle- as long as it suits the government.

Related articles: Media War in Turkey

For further information: meedia.de and ejc

En France, « il n’y a pas de place pour la burqa », vient d’affirmer Nicolas Sarkozy. Selon les zélotes de l’« intégration », la loi 2004 interdisant le port du foulard islamique à l’école aurait eu deux effets (voir l’interview de Samir Amghar dans Libération du 14 novembre) : l’un, réaffirmer le principe de laïcité à l’école, l’autre, pervers, disent ils, de radicaliser une population « en voie d’intégration » (interdit de rire).

Le premier ministre turc, Erdogan, prenant la parole devant 30 000 Turcs d’Allemagne, à Cologne, avait incité les Turcs à « refuser de s’intégrer ». « Erdogan a raison ». Ce sont les propos que j’ai tenus à Cologne, le 7 novembre, lors de la manifestation contre la pose de la première pierre de la mosquée cathédrale de Cologne, comme je l’ai dit, le lendemain à Villepreux, lors du congrès constitutif du Parti de la France, et comme je l’ai répété le 11 novembre lors de mon intervention à la journée de Synthèse nationale.
Oui, Erdogan a raison. Les Turcs doivent rester turcs, les Turcs doivent parler la langue turque et pratiquer leur religion, afin que demain les Turcs d’Europe retournent en Turquie.

Certains, y compris dans nos milieux, disent que c’est impossible : ils sont là, beaucoup ont la nationalité française, etc… Et alors ? Dans quelle Bible ont-ils lu que c’était impossible ? Dans le Monde, dans Libération, dans le Figaro ? Oublient ils que des centaines de milliers de pieds-noirs furent forcés de quitter leur terre il y a près de cinquante ans, ayant le choix entre “la valise et le cercueil “?

Ce que l’Histoire peut faire, l’Histoire peut le défaire !

Communiqué de Robert Spieler,
Délégué général de la Nouvelle Droite Populaire.

President Obama is meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on December 7, 2009.

To send your letter testifying about your family’s Armenian Genocide-related history to President Obama, click this link:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/

This is a copy of my letter to President Obama:

November 12, 2009

Dear President Obama,

Thank you for your leadership and the vision you are putting forth for America. I actually cried with tears of happiness when I voted for you.

My late father always celebrated the anniversary of the day he arrived in America and saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time. He called May 15th, “God Bless America Day.” It was more important to him to celebrate that day, than it was to celebrate his own birthday.

President Obama, I am an Armenian-American. I am writing to you today because I understand you will be meeting with the Prime Minister of Turkey, again, before the end of this year. I am speaking up now on behalf of the memory of my mother’s parents and grandparents, who suffered unthinkable personal tragedies at the hands of the Ottoman Turks during the Armenian Genocide. I still believe you intend to keep your campaign promise to call the systematic mass murder and deportation of Armenians, Greeks and other non-Muslims a “Genocide.”

I truly believe you are the right person to find a way to work through this issue because the world respects you. If a man of your principles and moral courage does not speak up to the Turkish Government, who will? Allowing Turkey to perpetuate a denial campaign, so as not to disturb our national interests, is no different than befriending the playground bully and then not speaking up to his assertions that he never abused anyone. In this comparison, the bully would actually make claims that it was he who was assaulted, and he was merely defending himself.

My grandfather’s family did not assault the Turkish government. In fact, my great great grandfather, Dr. Aboujhon Kuzujian, was a prominent medical doctor from Aintab who migrated to Marash. The family name was officially changed from Kuzujian to Kalpakleoglou or Karnoug (in Armenian) when my great great grandfather received a Kalpak (Persian lamb hat) as an honor from the Sultan of Turkey. Dr. Kuzujian was recognized as a hero for saving the lives of children during an epidemic in Marash that took the lives of many children.

My grandfather was Karnig Kalpakian (Dr. John Karnig) and his father was Dr. Janik Kalpakian. In 1920, they escaped the killings in Marash, Turkey, that claimed the lives of my great grandmother Mary Mesrobian, as well as the lives of my great aunts Anais and Armenouhi. During the Ottoman Turks’ mass deportation of the Armenians, Mary Mesrobian’s entire family, with the exception of her brother Kevork, were deported “to the deserts of Arabia” (this is what my grandfather wrote in his letter to our family, but it was most likely Der Zor).

My grandfather and great grandfather were among the ‘lucky’ victims of the Ottoman Turks. Leaving everything behind, they survived. Starting off in a horse-drawn carriage to Aintab, Janik and Karnig set out on their journey to safer shores in America. From Aintab they traveled to Aleppo (Syria); then to Beirut (Lebanon), then on to Jerusalem, and finally to Alexandria, Egypt, where they waited to immigrate to America. In 1923, Karnig, together with his father, new stepmother and a new baby brother, finally arrived at Ellis Island in New York.

Mr. President, in my heart I believe this issue has broader importance than simply serving as a domestic political gesture to a small constituency. The world community is watching and waiting for our leadership regarding genocide. My mother asked why would I want to get involved in documenting the Armenian Genocide as a response to the recent Armenian-Turkish Protocols, when my efforts won’t change anything. But as Henri Frederic Amiel said, “Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence.”

Please take my letter under your personal consideration. It would be an honor to share more of my grandfather’s family history, as well as his achievements in, and contributions to, our great country.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Sheri Sona Jordan
New York

My blog address is, http://armeniangenocideblog.wordpress.com

With the relief of al-Bashir not coming- I speculate that gov’t requested him not to come instead of rejecting his visit to save face- OIC summit takes place without much incidence? I guess so. But western media increasingly ask where Turkey heads. OIC summit triggered another wave of op-eds in this line. Turkey is not only making friends with Islamic countries but also other non-Islamic countries. Her foreign policy cannot easily be dubbed as being Islamized as many commentators argue…

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul checks his time as he waits for other leaders at the COMCEC Economic Summit in Istanbul, November 9, 2009. COMCEC is the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

REUTERS/Murad Sezer

Al-Bashir is a test for credibility

Conducting foreign policy requires finesse, elegance and sophistication, but most of all, consistency. This is particularly true of a democracy. Falling into double standards, although not always willingly implemented, is one of the characteristics of the community of countries that claim to be sensitive to human rights and violations thereof.

Erdogan’s blind faith in Muslims | Seth Freedman | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

Kamil Pasha quotes from BBC:
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan questioned the charges against Mr Bashir and said that “no Muslim could perpetrate a genocide“, according to Turkey’s Anatolia news agency…
PM Erdoğan has such a naive cenception of Islam, I should say..

ANALYSIS: Cancelled Turkey visit by Sudan leader raises questions – Monsters and Critics

Turkey playing with the wolves photo: (!)

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (C) poses for a group photo with his counterparts Abdullah Gul of Turkey (L) and Bashar al-Assad of Syria (R) during the COMCEC Economic Summit in Istanbul, November 9, 2009. COMCEC is the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).REUTERS/Osman Orsal

‘Moral politics’

The term “moral politics” has recently been used more frequently in politics, especially in international relations. Now, in the context of Sudanese President al-Bashir’s visit to Turkey, we see references to this concept.

Turkey Denies Policy Shift Toward Iran – World Watch – CBS News

Different aspects of al-Bashir controversy

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes in Darfur, had been scheduled to arrive in İstanbul on Monday for a meeting of Muslim countries, but Ankara conveyed a polite message to Khartoum stating that the Sudanese president’s visit might create problems in the wake of rising international reactions over al-Bashir’s possible visit.

Bashir and Turkey

Omar al-Bashir is a vicious dictator, one for whom the International Criminal Court (ICC) has even issued a warrant for arrest. The panorama of people killed under his watch include babies and women as well as the elderly.

An Islamic summit minus one

In the end, Ankara was forced to rely on a man charged with crimes against humanity to rescue its “no problems with neighbors” policy. Omar al-Bashir, the president of Sudan, let his Turkish hosts off the hook with a last-minute decision not to attend this week’s summit in İstanbul of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

Different views of Turkey in the American press

Is Turkish foreign policy turning Islamist? Instead of attempting to answer this trendy question myself, I decided to share with you the views of two Western analysts by quoting them at length. Both views appeared in the American press last week. The first one is an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal by David Schenker. The second one is by Patrick Seale in The New York Times.

A Western ‘expert’ for a militarist Turkey

DONT LET HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF: Greek Cypriots and the Looming Turkish Strategy

Series of signs and reports lately denote the construction/ emergence of a new cooperative towards the Greek and Greek Cypriot side strategy of Ankara with related consequences for the Turkish/ Turkish Cypriot stance towards the ongoing negotiations on the Cyprus issue. Along this lines, the looming assessment of Turkey’s EU progress this December seems to play an important role.

An ‘axis’ debate in Washington

Turkey As An Emerging Donor, Interview with the TIKA President

- Interview with the President of the TIKA by the New Horizons magazine

- Turkey has come a long way in terms of development aid. These aids, achieved through rapidly increasing budgets, have greatly contributed to Turkey’s emerging role as a donor.

In this context, Bridging South-South Cooperation and Emerging Donor Roles: Strengthen Turkey’s Participation in International Development Cooperation project, in partnership with UNDP Turkey Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey and Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), aims to strengthen Turkey’s national capacity by increasing the capacity of TIKA, an institution that coordinates the development efforts in Turkey. We as New Horizons spoke with TIKA President Musa Kulaklıkaya about TIKA’s recent activities in terms of Turkey’s emerging donor status, capacity development and South-South Cooperation project.

New nuclear trends to require new thinking for Turkey – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

FT.com / UK – Urgency and frustration grow in Ankara

Is the West losing Turkey? Probably not

Historic breakthrough Controversies: Will Azerbaijani lands be free soon? by LEILA ALIEVA

The Caucasus region is once more at the eve of events of historical significance — a century-old conflict between Armenia and Turkey may be coming to an end.

Turkey’s transformers (II): Ankara’s ambitions – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

EU info centers to be replaced with new ones – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

QUO VADIS, TURKEY?

By Dr. Balkan Devlen (Izmir University of Economics, Turkey)

The axis of Turkish-Israeli relations is shifting and this is not in the interest of Turkey, contrary to what some might argue. The latest “crisis” with Israel, over the Turkey’s last-minute decision not to include Israel in the Anatolian Eagle exercise and the following provocative new TV series on state television, led many around the world to rethink Erdogan government’s attitude towards Israel. When the infamous “one minute” comment was made by Erdogan in Davos, many in Turkey and Israel thought it was a gesture for domestic consumption. Erdogan’s defense of Iranian nuclear program in the UN and his comments about Israeli nuclear deterrent rai

Yesterday, main opposition MEPs made a scene in the Parliament, of course supported by MHP second biggest opposition party which led to scuffles while debates on the Kurdish Initiative continued. It is unfortunate that these two opposition parties can and may actually stop the process….

Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) MPs hold banners during a debate at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara November 10, 2009. Turkey’s parliament is set to discuss on Tuesday reforms designed to boost the rights of the country’s Kurdish minority and end a 25-year separatist conflict — moves seen boosting its European Union membership ambitions. Banners are all about Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first president of Turkey from 1923 and founder of the modern secular state, who died on November 10, 1938 when he was 57.REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Turkey’s PKK peace plan delayed (BBC News)

Turkey’s opposition delays the government’s announcement of its plan to end a conflict in the mainly Kurdish south-east.

FT.com / Comment / Opinion – A new era as Turks and Kurds learn to co-operate

Turkey’s MPs of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) scuffle during a debate at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara November 10, 2009. Turkey’s parliament began talks on Tuesday on improving Kurdish minority rights, a move which could support Ankara’s European Union bid and which the government says will help end a 25-year separatist insurgency.REUTERS/Stringer

Turkey’s MPs of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) argue during a debate at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara November 10, 2009. Turkey’s parliament began talks on Tuesday on improving Kurdish minority rights, a move which could support Ankara’s European Union bid and which the government says will help end a 25-year separatist insurgency.REUTERS/Stringer

What would Özal do?

The political party that is the natural heir to the values and the democratic political tradition advocated by late Prime Minister Adnan Menderes and the late President Turgut Özal — who are the major cornerstones in Turkey’s transition to the multi-party system, civilization and democracy — is, in my opinion, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

Would Erdoğan dismiss Başbuğ from his post?

Europe News | November 9, 2009

L’ospitalità accordata dal governo turco al presidente Sudanese Bashir rappresenta un nuovo ulteriore momento di conflitto tra Ankara e l’Occidente.

Negli ultimi mesi più volte il governo di Erdogan e Gul ha messo in atto comportamenti che lo stanno allontanando dall’Unione Europea come anche dalla NATO, organizzazione della quale la nazione anatolica è stata uno dei pilastri per mezzo secolo, ed ormai sembra che l’aspirazione ad essere ammessi nell’Unione Europea si sia raffreddata molto.

Uno dei maggiori ostacoli all’ingresso nell’Europa unita è stato sempre, spesso per mascherare altre problematiche, il mancato incontro dei criteri di Copenaghen, ovvero quelli che disciplinano gli standard dei diritti umani dei paesi membri dell’Europa. A questo erano strettamente connessi gli annosi problemi della discriminzaione dei Curdi ed il problema del mancato riconoscimento del genocidio armeno, che portava riflessi anche sulla vita interna turca.

Con questo governo di islamisti moderati che si presumeva intenzionati a superare le contraddizioni del senescente kemalismo, alcuni di questi problemi sembravano indirizzati verso una soluzione; di recente, nel silenzio pressocchè totale della stampa italiana, il governo ha fatto fallire o quantomeno ritardare il processo di pace in Kurdistan con nuove immotivate repressioni,  colpendo persino la marcia della pace che dal Kurdistan si dirigeva verso Ankara per cominciare un dialogo aperto e su basi nuove.

Oltre ad aver interrotto le collaborazioni con Israele ed aver lasciato mano libera a rigurgiti antisemiti di bassa lega, molto recentemente Erdogan ha tentato di sdoganare Ahmadinejad rilanciando i legami con l’Iran in questo momento nel quale il regime dei mollah è sotto scacco per svariati dossier.

Ed ora le porte aperte a Bashir, il boia del Darfur, e non solo, un personaggio a capo di un regime ventenanle fondato sul terrore e che ha fornicato con i radicali islamici della peggior risma; accompagnata a tutto ciò, una reazione stizzita verso l’Europa, che ora appare, o almeno dovrebbe apparire, ma con Bruxelles non si sa mai, più lontana.

update:

Bashir cancels visit to Istanbul ;Sudan’s President Bashir, indicted for war crimes in Darfur, pulls out of a summit in Istanbul, following pressure from the EU and US.

Turkey on Friday rebuffed a European Union call to reconsider its decision to host Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir, who is wanted for alleged war crimes in Darfur, saying it had no plans to arrest him.(AFP/File/Ashraf Shazly)

Turkey seems to be one of the rare countries in the world where Omar Al-Bashir is welcome. Although I tend to be excited with gov’t’s foreign policy fantasies in general, Al-Bashir case is less exciting….

Turkey defends Sudan leader visit

ABGS has a new logo. VIA

EU report on Ergenekon: slap in the face for skeptics

by LALE KEMAL

Many Turks may have an excuse for their rather bizarre stance in the face of the ongoing bitter debate over the disclosure of many classified documents prepared within the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), revealing decades-long smear campaigns on certain segments of society and coups planned to unseat democratically elected governments. Turkish society is deeply polarized over whether the TSK has been facing a plot initiated by the ruling authority.Turkey put on defensive as al Bashir’s planned visit invites controversy – The National Newspaper

David Schenker: A NATO Without Turkey? – WSJ.com

Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Miliband (L) attends a joint news conference with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara, November 5, 2009.REUTERS/Stringer

The Rise and Rise of Turkey

No one has the right to block Turkey’s EU negotiation process: president

Bratislava. Turkish President Abdullah Gül said Monday no one had the right to block directly or indirectly Turkey’s EU accession talks, Anаdolska Agency informed. Turkey has been a member of the Customs Union since 1995, the head of state noted during a joint news conference in Bratislava with his counterpart Slovakian President Ivan Gasparovic. Gül pays an official visit to Slovakia and has held talks with Gasparovic.”

The Role of Turkish Diplomats in Saving Turkish Jews in France: 1940-1944

By Arnold Reisman

During World War II, Turkish diplomats saved Turkish Jews living in France (many were French citizens others were holding Turkish passports) from certain death, a fact of which the Anglophone world was ignorant until Stanford Shaw first revealed the historical data in 1995.1 Up until that time, this important piece of history had been ignored by historians. Mistakenly however, Shaw attributed the actions of Turkey’s legations in both occupied and Vichy France to a well articulated policy created by the Turkish government in Ankara, when in fact these brave acts of heroism were devised by the diplomats themselves as a matter of conscience.”

[CROSS READER] East-oriented diplomacy is no indication of a shift in axis

While Turkey is trying to bring about solutions to its most pressing problems, such as the Kurdish issue and anti-democratic elements vis-à-vis civilian-military relations in the domestic agenda, Turkey has also been taking giant steps over the last few months in its foreign policy, signing historic deals with neighbors Armenia, Syria, Iraq and Iran.

Prodromos Mavridis: Les Turcs dans l’Union européenne.

Agence Europe, Bibliothèque européenne n° 844, 27 octobre 2009 (extrait)

Michel Theys

La question de l’éventuelle adhésion de la Turquie à l’Union alimente une controverse passionnelle qui, trop souvent, se nourrit d’a priori dictés par l’idéologie, voire par les fantasmes et le fanatisme. Professeur de droit à Paris X Nanterre et directeur d’études à l’École de hautes études en sciences sociales, Antoine Lyon-Caen le confirme dès l’entame de la préface qu’il a donnée à cet ouvrage, lorsqu’il relève que la Turquie bénéficie du “triste privilège” de susciter “la plus riche floraison de lieux communs, ces idées sommaires, sans fondement analytique qui, pour cette raison, circulent sans retenue”. À entendre les uns, la Turquie admise en Europe ne serait rien d’autre qu’un “cheval de Troie islamiste” ; d’autres leur rétorquent, sur le même mode abominablement simpliste, que s’ouvrir aux Européens reviendrait à ouvrir les portes de la Turquie aux “croisés des temps modernes”. Ce n’est pas sur le terrain de ces anathèmes croisés, aussi stériles que dangereux, qu’entend se situer Prodromos Mavridis, même s’il reconnaît être parti du principe, pour rédiger cet ouvrage, qu’une adhésion de la Turquie à l’Union “pourrait servir de trait d’union pour une meilleure compréhension des différentes cultures”. En l’occurrence, ce qui est intéressant n’est pas tant le fruit de sa réflexion personnelle que le chemin intellectuel qu’il emprunte pour l’étayer.

Is Turkey Iran’s friend?

by Katinka Barysch

Is Turkey really Iran’s “friend”, as Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed in a recent interview with the Guardian newspaper? Erdogan’s visit last week to Tehran suggests so. He met not only President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad but also Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a rare honour. He announced plans for energy and commercial co-operation with Iran and defended the country’s right to civilian nuclear power, calling its energy programme “peaceful” and “humanitarian”. Ahmadinejad, meanwhile, thanked Erdogan for his critical stance on Israel.

Understanding Turkey’s Foreign Policy – The Washington Note

Despite an international arrest warrant issued for Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, Turkey appears to prove its famed “hospitality” while allowing him to visit the country next week to attend a summit for Muslim nations.

In March 2009, The International Criminal Court (ICC) had ordered the arrest of Sudanese President on charges of war crimes and committing the “G word” in the country’s western Darfur region.

Currently a member of UN Security Council, Turkey does not seem to take ICC’s decisions binding but instead, carries on acting as a SINGLE force in the region. However, as a country tending to be a “mediator” in the most complex region of the world, Turkey shall not stand against internationally recognized rules, in order to continue its EU bid, and its bared role in the Middle East.

Debates on Turkey’s “hospitality” have been climaxed again when Iranian President had visited the country in the past recent months. Ahmedinejad is also set to attend the same event hosted by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, alongside Sudanese President in the week of 5-9 November 2009.

As a matter of fact, a country disoriented in between West and East is apparently positioning itself towards Eastern values of “hospitality” while gaining a Western “hostility.”

OR, perhaps, would it be right to argue that the “moderate Islamic governance” of AKP insistently implement its “party policy” as Turkey’s “state policy”, by praising respect to Mevlana’s quote???:

“”Come, come again, whoever you are, come!
Heathen, fire worshipper or idolatrous, come!
Come even if you broke your penitence a hundred times,
Ours is the portal of hope, come as you are.”

 Next in line for Nobel Peace Prize: Erdogan, Turkey’s PM 

            In December 18, 2004 I wrote “Turkey: A Regional Power in the Making “.  In February 4, 2009 I updated my article “A Regional Power out of hibernation in the Near East“.  Another update is required because Turkey seems to vigorously and quickly act everywhere.

Turkey forgot the Islamic world for over 60 years and relied on its military to impose a secular state and emulate the Western culture in alphabet and in dress codes. Ataturk wanted to shed the image of backward Ottoman Empire that lost an Empire extending from Hungry to Iraq to Arabic Peninsula, the Near East, Egypt and all Northern Africa.   The other Empire to the east was the Persian Safafid Dynasty that extended to Pakistan. The Safafid Empire was founded by another Turkish leader and opted to adopt the Chiaa Moslem sect as the religion of his Empire.

Turkey is part of NATO (this year is its turn to lead the NATO forces in Afghanistan) thanks to the cold war against the defunct neighbor of Soviet Union: Turkey was the main effective ally to the US in the region during the cold war. Turkey was denied full membership in the European Union because the same Soviet Union disintegrated into “independent States” recognized by the UN; France and Germany offered a rational for their refusal on ground of Turkey not satisfying the basic social and political requirement of a homogenous member.  For 60 years Turkey had turned its back to the Arab problems, and allied to the State of Israel and the Shah of Iran.

Things are changing fast after the horrors of Gaza and the tearing down of the mask of the Zionist ideology of terror, expansion, and apartheid.  Turkey was playing the fair mediator between Syria and Israel in order for the return of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Turkey was mediating between Israel and the Palestinians to render the life of the Palestinians under occupation more bearable during the peace negotiations for a separate Palestinian State.  Israel Olmert PM lied to the Turkish PM Erdogan before the barbaric re-incursion into Gaza.

Erdogan, Turkey’s PM is undeniably the most powerful leader criticizing the Zionist State for its genocide in Gaza. He canceled a joint military maneuver with the US and Israel. The US has nobody else to conduct military maneuvers but Israel in this region; the latest naval one is to last two weeks with objective to save Israel of mass missile attack!

Turkey, under Erdogan, is currently more powerful than the whole of Europe in the Near East for establishing peace, stability and equitable political resolutions.  Turkey is a self sufficient independent Nation and has ruled the whole Middle East for four centuries. Turkey has awakened from a long hibernation and decided to be a major regional power broker.   

Turkey is demanding and acting as the main power broker in the Near East because it has interest in the stability of its south eastern borders with Syria, Iran, and Iraq.  So far, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq were peons for the larger policies of the US, Europe, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East.  Turkey’s current policies beg to differ: “no more war zones at my borders and in my back yards”.  The US and Israel must have understood the message clearly and loudly. The so-called “moderate” Arab States of Egypt and Saudi Arabia are cowering down and are taken by surprise to the emergence of the new revitalized Turkey siding with the underdogs.

We are not hearing anymore about the Turkish war on the Kurdish self-autonomous movement.  I wholeheartedly wish that negotiations are secretly and seriously underway with the Kurdish Workers’ Party for a peaceful resolution.  The Kurdish problem was used by the USA and Israel to blackmail Turkey.  I have a feeling that the Kurds in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran appreciate the new directions of Erdogan’s government and would find in Erdogan a viable interlocutor and would cooperate with Turkey to lighten up this heavy burden of a useless and fruitless civil war. The new policy in Turkey is to open peaceful negotiations with the opposition Kurds; around 200 Kurdish leaders in the resistance movement have turned themselves in and all indicates that a resolution is palpable.

Turkey will be asked to exercise its beneficial influence in restoring peace, stability and economic prosperity in the region.  It will inevitably join the European Union with the unavoidable important changes that Turkey will have to accept and undergo in matters of democracy, liberty, human rights, social and economical constraints.

This transformation of a powerful neighbor will transcend into a drastic transformation of the societies surrounding Turkey. The benefits are already materializing in closer ties with Syria, pressures on Israel to agree on a Palestinian State, and greater normalization with Iran.  Turkey is obviously the main power that can provide autonomy to the Kurdish nationalism spreading among Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. Turkey is the main power that can efficiently check US omnipotence in the Middle East and any resurgence of Russia militarism. Turkey prevented Bush Junior to invade Iraq through its territory; the US air base in Interlink was prohibited to launch air raids on Iraq.  I have great hope in this new power amongst us, especially that the current Turkish government has proven to be far sighted and confident in its power and role in this region.

For a couple of years after Europe shut off the door for Turkey entering the Union Turkey felt the need to crawl in a cave and hibernate; Turkey shook off its lethargic attitude and is now in the driving seat and operating a strategy that befits its power in the Middle East.  It has surmounted tough obstacles in economic difficulties, human rights issues that are frequently reemerging, and demonstrations that are occasionally broken by brute force. Turkey is no longer allowed to relax.  Turkey is quickly learning that it has to keep pace with the culture of Europe and to fight harder to catch up with lost time. Its dialogue with Syria has brought fruits: no visas are needed to cross joint borders, seasonal water resource shortages are frequently revised, and the western world had come to term that it can no longer circumvent Syria in this volatile region with Turkey’s backing.

Europe must be appreciating the decision of Turkey to play a major role in the Near East but the US is very wary because it refuses to share pre-eminence in the Middle East.  Turkey active diplomacy and clear policies should weight heavier in the decision process for joining the European Union.  The frustrations of Turkey with the EU must have given it a clear hint of what its policies should be based on and where its focus should be directed to.

            Turkey is the new pivotal power in the Middle East in the coming decades.  It is the cornerstone for new emerging Northern Middle East Block with Syria, Iraq, and Iran.  This strategic block in formation is inevitable after the US troops leave Iraq and would constitute the best guarantee for this volatile region to peace and security.

            Erdogan should have received the Nobel Award for Peace instead of Barak Obama who has no active records to show for earning this prize (Read my post “What that! Nobel Prize for Passivity?”  Erdogan has already executed peace treaties with his archenemies: Syria, Armenia, the Kurds, soon with Cyprus, and has definitely sided with the Palestinians against apartheid Israel.  Normally, Erdogan is in line for the peace prize. Judging from the trend, the cynical Nobel Committee never feels comfortable awarding Peace Prizes to Middle Eastern leaders unless it is shared with the devils such as Began and Peres. Erdogan got my highest prize and we all feel much more optimist in our future.

M.Kemal AYÇİÇEK- 2 Kasım 2009

Başka konularda var gündemde ama olsun, ANAP, DP’ye iltihak etti, tarih oldu. Başbakan Erdoğan’la CHP Genel Başkanı Deniz Baykal, kendi aralarında konuşurken biri çamdan bahsetmiş, diğeri kavaktan anlamış şu erken seçim şangırtısı..Yani güncel tartışmalar, o kadarda önemli değil ama benim en fazla önemsediğim Başbakan Tayip Erdoğan’ın ikide bir “üç çocuk” istemesi olayı. Ve bu olayda da düşündüm, taşındım bir türlü kafam netleşmedi. Başbakan’a bu konuda acayip kızıyorum ve tekrar bu çocuk meselesine değineyim istiyorum.

Başbakan her gittiği evlilik töreninde nikah şahidi oluyor ve yeni evlenen çiftlere “üç çocuk” isteğinde ısrar ediyor. İşte ben de o noktada düşünüyorum, başbakanın acaba kime ne gıcığı var diye. Öyle ya en az “üç çocuk” demek, belki çekirdek aile için olumlu olabilirde neden dört değil de illa da “üç çocuk”.  Oysa ben bir başka yazımda da değinmiştim, “başbakan az bile söylüyor, en az dört çocuk olmalı” diye. Bunu biraz açmam lazım, Başbakan bunu söylerken ailenin sürmesini mi, yani soy sürme ve sürdürmeyi mi yoksa ülkemizin “genç nüfusa ihtiyacı var” a olan o nüfus açığını  gidermek adına mı söylüyor anlamıyorum. Tamam Avrupa’yı örnek gösterip, nüfuslarının yaşlandığını, Türkiye’nin de gelecekte aynı duruma düşmemesi için yeni evlenen çiftlerden en az “üç çocuk” ısrarını sürdürüyor.

Oysa Başbakanın kendini öyle “Avrupa da nüfus yaşlanmış” örneği yerine bir bütün aile, veya geniş aile önermesinde bulunması daha doğru olmaz mı? Bunun da asgari şartı, en az ikisi erkek ve ikisi de kız olmak üzere dört çocuktan geçer. Ama Başbakanın tutup illa da “üç çocuk” diyor olmasını ben acaba, Başbakan’ın kendi ailesinden ya eksikliğini çektiği Dayı, Teyze, Amca veya Hala’dan yana bir sorunu mu var? diyorum. Üç çocuktan “Geniş aile” olmaz ki?  Eğer, bir aile geleneği devam ettirilmek isteniyorsa o zaman en az “dört çocuk” ki ondanda yukarda da ifade ettim en az ikisi erkek ve ikisi de kız olmak şartıyla en az dört çocuk olmalı. Ailenin tam anlamıyla oluşması ve yaşaması için.

 Gerçi günümüzde evliliklere “çocuk hakları” noktasından bakılmıyor. Günümüzde bir “kuzen” almış yürümüş, kimdir “kuzen”. Akraba bağı olan aslında toplumuzda kaybolmaya yüz tutmuş Hala, Dayı, Teyze, Amca çocuklarının genel tanımı değil midir Kuzen? Kuzen’e indirgenmiş bir çocuk hakkı? Çocukların sohbetlerine istemeden kulak misafiri olanlarınız varsa bunu onlar sık sık konuşuyorlar aslında kendi alemlerinde. Tek erkek çocuk, büyüdüğünde veya herhangi bir haksızlığa uğradığında “keşke bir ağabeyim olsaydı” der babasına kızarak veya ailesinin tek bir kızı, aynı kaygıyı bir başka şekilde dile getirir. Ama iş işten geçmiştir ve biz o çocukları, kendi başlarına bırakıyoruzdur sırf kendi egolarımız nedeniyle!

Elbette ekonomik kaygılar, bu tür geniş aile özelliklerinin kaybolmasına yol açmaktadır. Başbakanın en az “üç çocuk” derken,  ailelerin ekonomik kaygılardan dolayı çocuk sahibi olmadıklarını görmesi ve bunun gereğini yapması gerekir. Sadece “üç çocuk” ta ısrarcı olmak iyi bir temenni ama bence yeterli değil. Evet aynı gemideyiz ama az çocuklu ailelere baktığınızda da onlarda öyle yoksul aileler değil ki. Yani az çocuklu olunmasını salt ekonomik kaygılarla da izah etmek biraz zor, varlıklı aileler dede “geniş aile” mantığı yaygın değil çünkü.  Bizim çocukların bir bayram sohbetine tanık olmuştum, istemeden tabi. Yani kulak misafirliği, “çocuklar bir araya geldiğin de ne konuşuyorlardır” merakı.

Şimdi rahmetli olan bir bacanağımın bir kız ve bir oğlu, diğer bacanağımın bir oğlu iki kızı, kayınçomun iki oğlu, ağabeyimin bir kızı bir oğlu, kardeşimin iki oğlu, bir diğerinin tek oğlu, benim bir kızım bir oğlum, diğer bacanağımın üç oğlu, diğer kayınbiraderimin de iki kızı bir oğlu var. Bunlar bayram harçlıklarının hesabını yaparlarken, kendi çocuklarının ne kadar bayram harçlığı toplayabileceklerinden yola çıkarak, “benim çocuğumun halası olmayacak”, diğeri, “olsun, benim çocuğumun da amcası olmayacak”, bir diğeri “benim çocuğumun da dayısı olmayacak” bir diğeri de “benim çocuğumun teyzesi olmayacak” deyince bende “çocuk haklarını ihlal etme” paniği başladı. Aslında o zamana kadar hep “bir kız ve bir erkek çocuk yeter” diyen ben, o andan itibaren o fikrimden dönüş yaptım. Ve keşke…

Bizler şanslı kuşaktık o açıdan, hem Teyze, hem dayı, hem amca ve hem de hala sevgisini gördük yaşadık, peki ya bizim çocuklarımız? Onların böyle bir hakkı yok mudur? Olmamalı mıdır? Bizim, Dünya şartlarını bahane ederek, o çocukların gelecek haklarını ihlal etme hürriyetimiz var mı? Bunu herkesin kendine sorması ve seviyorsa çocuklarının haklarını da göz ardı etmemesi adına en az ikisi erkek ve ikisi de kız olmak üzere dört çocuk sahibi olma fikrini de düşünmesi gerekir. Onun için Başbakana kızıyorum, hem de çok kızıyorum işte. Neden dört değil de illa da “üç çocuk” ta ısrar ediyor? Başbakan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, o çocuklardan birinin hala, dayı, teyze ve amcadan yoksun olmasını mı istiyor yoksa?  Ya da kendisinin amca, dayı, teyze veya hala’dan yoksunluğu mu var? Öyle değil mi ama?

Bakın

Özgür Ansiklopedi, Vikipedi’de Aile nasıl anlatılıyor;

“Aile, toplumun en küçük birimi olarak kabul edilir. Aile denince genellikle bir evde oturan anne ve baba ile, varsa onların evlenmemiş çocukları anlaşılır. Bu tip aileye “çekirdek aile” denir.

Çekirdek ailedeki çocukların evlenmesiyle de yeni bir çekirdek aile ortaya çıkar. Ama aile sözcüğünün bundan daha geniş anlamı da vardır. Daha çok sayıda akrabadan oluşan birimi, hatta bir soyu ya da sülaleyi tanımlamak için de aile sözcüğü kullanılır.

“Aile” sözcüğü günlük dilde çok değişik grupları tanımlamak için de kullanılır. Örneğin “Hasan iyi bir aileydi” dendiğinde, Hasan’ın sorumlu bir baba ve koca olduğu anlaşılır. Oysa birisi “Benim ailem Adana’dan gelmiş” dediği zaman, annesiyle babasının, hatta belki de dedelerinin Adana’da yaşamış olduğunu belirtir. Bir başkası “Bu bir aile toplantısıdır” dediğinde, o toplantıda yalnızca akrabaların bulunacağı anlaşılır. Bunlar amcalar, dayılar, teyzeler, halalar, yeğenler ve evlilik bağıyla aileye katılmış kişilerdir. Bütün bunlar bize, “aile” kavramının her zaman evliliğe ya da ortak atalara dayalı ilişkileri kapsadığını göstermektedir.” Kalın sağlıcakla.

Not: Bu yazım aynı zaman da www.karadenizolay.com, www.kuzeyhaber.com , www.24haber.net ve Hizmet Gazetesi’nde yayınlanmaktadır.

By      : Flynt Leverett* & Hillary Mann Leverett **
Date  : October 29, 2009

Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was expected to come to the White House on Thursday for a meeting with President Barack Obama. Erdogan’s visit has now been postponed, and the decision to postpone comes on the heels of the Turkish leader’s high-profile visit to Iran this week.

When Erdogan does come to Washington, Obama would do well to listen to his Turkish visitor about the current state of play in the strategically vital Middle East. Erdogan will come to Washington not only at a time of strong domestic support for his government and the ruling Justice and Development Party, a moderate Islamist party that has dominated Turkish electoral politics in this decade, but also at a time of increasing influence for Turkey in the broader Middle East — while America’s influence in the region continues to decline.

We spent several days in Turkey last week, where we heard Erdogan describe his country’s “zero problems” policy vis-à-vis its neighbors. Regarding the Middle East more specifically, Erdogan’s chief foreign policy adviser explained to us that Turkey’s approach to the region is based on four principles: Engage all actors; respect the results of all democratic elections (including those in the Palestinian territories in 2006 and Iran in 2009); increase cultural and economic relations among countries in the region; and work with regional and international organizations to maximize possibilities for engagement.

Turkey is, of course, a member of NATO and has long had a positive economic and strategic relationship with Israel. But, working from these four principles, the Erdogan government has in recent years effected major improvements in Turkey’s relations with a much wider range of Middle Eastern states, including Iran, Iraq and Syria.

This opening to the broader Middle East has been very strongly in Turkey’s interest. Expanding trade and investment links to Iran, Iraq, Syria and other regional states has boosted the growth of Turkey’s economy and reinforced its status as an “emerging market” of international significance. Moreover, closer ties to Middle Eastern countries, along with links to Hamas and Hezbollah, have made Ankara an increasingly important player across a wide spectrum of regional issues.

Erdogan wants to position Turkey to act as a mediator between its Muslim neighbors and the West — including the United States, which needs to move beyond nice speeches by Obama and undertake concrete diplomatic initiatives to repair its standing in the Middle East. But if Washington is too shortsighted to see the necessity of realigning its relations with key Middle Eastern actors such as Iran, the Erdogan government’s opening to the broader Middle East gives Ankara a wider array of strategic options for pursuing Turkish interests — the essence of successful diplomacy. 

During his visit to Tehran this week, Erdogan met with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — a rare honor for a foreign leader. (In 2007, Russia’s then-President Vladimir Putin was also accorded a meeting with Khamenei.) Turkey’s expanding ties to the Islamic republic — including gas supply contracts and preliminary agreements for major upstream and pipeline investment projects — are essential to consolidating Turkey’s role as the leading transit “hub” for oil and gas supplies to Europe. While in Iran, Erdogan said that he hopes Turkish-Iranian trade — currently valued at roughly $10 billion — will double by 2011 and strongly supported Iranian participation in the Nabucco gas pipeline. Meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Erdogan criticized international pressure on Tehran over its nuclear activities as “unjust and unfair” while other states maintain nuclear weapons.

These statements signal that Turkey may well move ahead and conclude significant upstream and pipeline contracts in Iran despite U.S. opposition. The U.S. position on this issue is detached from economic reality. However much the Obama administration resists admitting it, the Nabucco pipeline will almost certainly not be commercially viable in the long run without Iranian gas volumes. In the end, Turkey’s approach to Iran does more for Western interests than does the U.S. approach. Under the Erdogan government, Ankara is increasingly confident that it can pursue its interests in the Middle East without either succumbing to U.S. pressure or fundamentally sacrificing its relationship with Washington. Erdogan’s planned visit to the White House strongly suggests that this confidence is eminently justified.

Israelis and some of Israel’s friends in the United States decry what they see as the expansion of Turkey’s ties to other important Middle Eastern states at the expense of Turkey’s ties to Israel. Ankara has indeed been sharply critical of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and its role in the continuing humanitarian crisis there — a posture manifested in Erdogan’s highly publicized walkout from a joint event with Israeli President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum and the postponement of NATO military exercises in Turkey that would have included Israeli forces. But criticism of Turkey from pro-Israel circles misses an important reality: At this point, Israel arguably needs a relationship with Turkey more than Turkey needs a relationship with Israel.

There is an important lesson here for the Obama administration. America no longer has the economic and political wherewithal to dictate strategic outcomes in the Middle East. Increasingly, if Washington wants to promote and protect U.S. interests in this critical region, it will have to do so through serious diplomacy — by respecting evolving balances of power and accommodating the legitimate interests of others so that U.S. interests will be respected. Turkey’s Middle East policy provides a valuable model of what that kind of diplomacy looks like.