Middle East Politics.Net » Turkey http://middleeastpolitics.net Facts, News, Trends, Analysis Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:56:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Turkey and Water to Iraq and Syria http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/09/08/turkey-and-water-to-iraq-and-syria/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/09/08/turkey-and-water-to-iraq-and-syria/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:33:29 +0000 davidhulme http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=4089 September 4, 2009 Turkey had a change of mind on how much water it could release to its neighbors, Iraq and Syria.

David Hulme

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/09/08/turkey-and-water-to-iraq-and-syria/feed/ 0 Syria Unwilling to Talk Until It Gets Answers http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/06/syria-unwilling-to-talk-until-it-gets-ansewrs/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/06/syria-unwilling-to-talk-until-it-gets-ansewrs/#comments Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:21:44 +0000 sanene http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3760

December 4th, Syria refused to engage Israel in peace talks until it feels it has received sufficient answers to the six specific questions it has regarding the Golan Heights. This report comes after Turkey asked both sides to layout six questions on security and the border integrity pertaining to both countries. Syria has reportedly presented its answers to Turkey, however is still waiting upon answers from Israel.

Samuel Anene

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/06/syria-unwilling-to-talk-until-it-gets-ansewrs/feed/ 0 Turkey Hosts Leaders in Istanbul Summit http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/turkey-hosts-leaders-in-istanbul-summit/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/turkey-hosts-leaders-in-istanbul-summit/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:04:24 +0000 hazzout http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3737 On Friday, December 5, 2008, the leaders of both Afghanistan and Pakistan arrived to Istanbul for Turkish-sponsored talks, in hopes that the meeting will strengthen trust and cooperation between the two neighbors. The meeting will be attended by Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan, and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting is the second round of talks between the countries in a move to bring the two neighbors closer and boost joint efforts for regional security. The main topics of the meeting will be bilateral relations and coordinating trilateral economic cooperation. Relations between the two countries have been minimal, as Afghan leaders have accused Pakistan of not taking action against Taliban militants. However, Karzai has recently forged better relations with new Pakistani President Zardari and hopes to come to agreement regarding the infiltration of fighters.

US President Bush has also called to personally thank Turkish President Gul for his efforts in smoothing relations between the two countries, as well as for his efforts at stabilizing and securing Iraq. President Gul is also scheduled to host a further round of talks aimed at easing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad.

The chairing of these meetings between the countries could also help bolster Turkey’s EU candidacy, as the move proves that the regional power could serve to further healthy relations between countries east of Europe.

Adam Hazzout

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/turkey-hosts-leaders-in-istanbul-summit/feed/ 0 September Meeting During Soccer Match Pays Off http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/september-meeting-during-soccer-match-pays-off/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/september-meeting-during-soccer-match-pays-off/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:00:57 +0000 hazzout http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3731 Turkish President, Abdullah Gul, and Armenian President, Serzh Sargsyan, were awarded the Peace and Sport Award for their historic meeting which took place in September. The International Peace and Sport Organization boasts on their website that “Thanks to football, this moment marked the end of nearly two decades of diplomatic silence.”

The awards ceremony took place at the International Peace and Sport Forum’s 2008 session in Monaco. Prince Albert II of Monaco presented the award jointly to Mahmut Ozgener, President of the Turkish Football Federation, and to Armen Grigorian, Armenian Minister of Youth and Sport.

The September leaders meeting, which ended in a landmark handshake, took place in Yerevan during a qualifying match for the Football World Cup. Though the two met in a very casual atmosphere, it has begun a warmer period of relations. The two countries still have no diplomatic ties and the border they share, has been closed for more than a decade. Armenia continues to pressure the international community to admit the Armenian Genocide instead of accepting Turkey’s call to investigate the allegations.

Adam Hazzout

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/september-meeting-during-soccer-match-pays-off/feed/ 0 Police Violence Rises in Turkey http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/police-violence-rises-in-turkey/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/police-violence-rises-in-turkey/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:28:57 +0000 hazzout http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3726 New York-based, Human Rights Watch, said in a report released today that the failure of Turkey’s government to prosecute police officers has resulted in an increase of police violence. There have been at least 28 reported cases of such violence since 2007, including excessive force and even shootings of demonstrators. While reforms aimed at gaining EU membership have been making progress in areas such as torture and ill treatment of prisoners, cases of police violence have increased. This is probably a result of changes made to a law in 2007, which allows police to use lethal force and encourage arbitrary searches. Ironically, the EU Commission report also stated that incidents of torture have also increased.

The Justice Ministry reports that while police torture and violence increased from 2854 cases in 2006 to 3339 in 2007, convictions decreased from 104 in 2006 to 48 in 2007. Human Rights Watch has urged the Turkish state to take action by establishing an independent entity that will be charged with investigating police misconduct. The government has yet to take action, however. An interesting event occurred recently, which also displays the apparent fear among Turks of the police. Five men dressed as police officers raided a crowded Istanbul restaurant and kidnapped and raped a woman. The occurrence was taking place for six hours and yet no resistance was seen.

Adam Hazzout

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/police-violence-rises-in-turkey/feed/ 0 More Turmoil in Turkey’s South East http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/more-turmoil-in-the-south-east-region/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/more-turmoil-in-the-south-east-region/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:45:24 +0000 cicek http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3683 It is not unusual to read about, at least once a week, the turmoil going on in the South East region of Turkey. I also do not think it is unusual for many other places. The SE region has been a place of major conflict since the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the intentions of western states have not been much help at that time. We are experiencing the effects of decisions made for us many years ago, without our consent, might I add.

This morning, while reading the newspaper, Hurriyet, I have come across yet another article that concentrates on the military and terrorism issues, especially the PKK. “Turkish army said it neutralized 17 terrorists, including three dead, during the operations held in last week. It also said that it will organize a trip for journalists to the military posts in the southeastern regions.”

As I have implied above, it is not a fact that brings the surprise element to mind. We have struggled and will struggle along the borders of this region, in order to protect the territorial integrity, and to some extent national identity. As long as these terrorist organizations continue with their unreasonable requests concerning parts of Turkey, the solution to this situation cannot be revealed. Not that I think there is one clear cut solution.

Aylin Cicek

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/more-turmoil-in-the-south-east-region/feed/ 0 Turkey: Effectiveness of Changing Curriculum http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/effectiveness-of-changing-curriculum/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/effectiveness-of-changing-curriculum/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:14:08 +0000 cicek http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3589 “Although the national curriculum has changed since 2004, a militaristic and ultra-nationalist mindset still exists in elementary school textbooks, according to research by the History Foundation.”

This summarizes all of the problems that Turkey has, and will have for more than a decade, unless there is change and development. The reason is simple enough: the educational system in Turkey is truly terrible. And I dare to say this because I came from that system, and I have experienced the trouble and difficulty this system causes our causal thinking. Everything is to be memorized, textbooks are almost as concrete as holy books, and teachers are to be respected and feared, not to be challenged intellectually. So what the History Foundation has concluded is accurate. And sadly, even curriculum changes are not a solution to this problem. The most important question is what is there to do?

Aylin Cicek

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/effectiveness-of-changing-curriculum/feed/ 0 Peace of Cyprus Depends Only On Turkey? http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/peace-of-cyprus-depends-only-on-turkey/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/peace-of-cyprus-depends-only-on-turkey/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:06:46 +0000 cicek http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3593 The leader of the Democratic Society Party, a pro-Kurdish nationalistic party, Ahmet Turk, has just announced that he will have bilateral meetings with the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Manuel Zapatero in Madrid. Turk is currently in Madrid in order to attend the Congress of European Socialists. “On the final day of the congress a declaration will be issued on priorities ahead of the June 2009 European Parliament elections. The declaration will include a program of social justice and welfare in the name of a socialist and social democratic administration to contrast liberal and conservative administrations that dominate the European parliament.”

In all of this turmoil that Turkey is going through and the recent demonstrations of DTP in Van against the President, to me it is a shock to see that DTP is taken seriously among the international actors. Although that being said, there is a similarity between the ideals of the Kurd-inhibited region and the Basque region of Spain.

Aylin Cicek

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/peace-of-cyprus-depends-only-on-turkey/feed/ 0 Turkey and Africa http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/turkey-and-africa/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/turkey-and-africa/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:05:04 +0000 cicek http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3595 “Turkey has decided to open new embassies in 10 African countries as part of its policy of opening up to the African continent.”

The new embassies, which are expected to open their doors in 2009, will be in the capitals of Tanzania, Ghana, Mozambique, Madagascar, Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, Cameroon, Angola, Mali, Niger, Niamey and Chad. This is a step toward developing relationships throughout Africa, and is also a part of the new foreign policy that Turkey has adapted. Also the Turkey-Africa summit, which was held in August in Istanbul, had an influence.

Turkey is also expected to open embassies in Colombia, Lima, Peru and Malta.

Aylin Cicek

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/turkey-and-africa/feed/ 0 Another Interaction with The EU http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/another-interaction-with-the-eu/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/another-interaction-with-the-eu/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:01:31 +0000 cicek http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3584 We all know about the ongoing accession process that Turkey has been dealing with in order to be a part of the European Union. We also know that the EU is not as eager to have Turkey as a member state, and is working consistently to find new hoops for Turkey to jump through. While these new obstacles are justified in the EU as protecting rights and improving standards, currently Turkey has not done a great job in following these reforms. Of course, understanding that there is an economic crisis by which Turkey has been deeply affected, expectations should not be high.

Yesterday, the Hurriyet Daily News, said: “Dashed hopes for the government’s return to the reform agenda have made Europeans long for the first term of the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, when Abdullah Gül was foreign minister. PM Tayyip Erdoğan’s European counterparts refrain from openly targeting his shift
from democracy as a major cause of problems. But they have joined the international media in a comparative exegesis favoring Gül.”

“As much as we appreciate Gül’s role in performing a proactive presidency, we wish he was still in government ensuring balance during these critical times,” one senior EU official, who wished to remain unnamed, told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

Aylin Cicek

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