Newsweek finally does some journalistic work on Turkey…

Newsweek seems to have stepped aside for the moment from what I would call Çağaptay effect. For a few years, Mr. Çağaptay with his secularist-Kemalist crusader ideology seemed to have dominated Newsweek’s look at Turkish politics. Now there appear two articles that discuss Turkey’s new foreign policy and its architect, Ahmet Davutoğlu. Finally, an innovative work…

Burhan Ozbilici / AP

Parliamentary Briefing: Davutoglu addresses lawmakers on plans to improve Turkey’s relations with Armenia and

Azerbaijan.

Meet the Man Shaping Turkey’s New Diplomacy

What you need to know about the person shaping Turkey’s muscular new foreign policy.

What happens if the Dutch delegation does not come because Turks do not want a racist, useless, criminal-minded b*****d included in the delegation?

Nothing happens except the Dutch loses…

Turkey say NO to Wilders

from Internation Musing: Istanbul, Athens, Amsterdam, Patra, Utrecht, by Internation Musing

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.

CHP’s views on the Kurdish Question

Main opposition party, CHP, has recently opened up an office in Brussels. Some thought it as a good sign that finally CHP would actually support the EU process. There has not been any positive signs though. In the mean time, Brussels office sends email-bulletins. The last one was about CHP’s views on the Kurdish Question. EU leadership proves to be more and more naive and I guess in this respect good, abstract but without substance statements may have an impact on EU public. If only ignores the fact that CHP triggers more nationalist hysteria than nationalist MHP does…Below, there is also a roundup on the EU-TR relations and TR’s Foreign Policy moves…

CHP VIEWS AND PROPOSALS ON THE KURDISH QUESTION

The Turkish Parliament debated the government’s initiative on the Kurdish question on November 10th and 13th.

Background: In 1991, the first proposal of law in Turkey on the abolishment of all obstacles to the use of the Kurdish language was a social-democratic initiative. It was signed and introduced by Mr Deniz Baykal and his colleagues. In 2002, during the rule of the coalition government (Social-Democrats-Liberals-Nationalists) several reforms were adopted to allow the teaching and broadcasting in Kurdish. Recently, the Turkish government declared its intention to implement a new reform on the ethnic issues without making public its proposal. CHP responded in reminding its previous comprehensive reports on the Kurdish question and its very recent concrete proposals.

Andrés Mourenza: Transcaucasia Express

Andres speaks about his book at Cervantes Institute

I have met Andrés a few months ago offline although I knew him for a while online. He is based in Istanbul, a Spanish journalist who has a good regional knowledge background. This cordial guy has released a book entitled as a Transcaucasia Express (in Spanish), which can be downloaded here:

The book is about his roadtrip to Armeania to watch the football game between Turkey and Armenia. When he couldn’t find a plane ticket to Erevan, he and his friends had decided to take a road trip and this is the story of it. (Yes, one can fly from Istanbul to Turkey but cannot directly drive to Armenia because land border is closed. So one has to go through Georgia to reach Armenia.. )

Turkish Foreign Policy roundup.

More moves on the Eastern front…

EDITORS’ NOTE: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian restrictions on their ability to film or take pictures in Tehran. Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) shakes hands with Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan during a meeting in Tehran October 27, 2009.

REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi

Foreign Policy Moods as of Thursday morning: Super with Armenia, getting better with Azerbaijan and slightly better with Israel

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu addresses the Parliament to inform lawmakers on Turkey-Armenia-Azerbaijan relations in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. Turkey’s government faced stiff opposition in parliament on Wednesday over its landmark agreement to improve ties with Armenia by establishing diplomatic relations and opening their sealed border. Davutoglu also explained that Turkey, which shares ethnic and cultural bonds with Azerbaijan, wants a peaceful settlement to the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. an Armenian-occupied enclave in Azerbaijan that has been a center of regional tensions.(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

Judge Goldstone advises Israel to come to grips with the substance of the report

“In Gaza, I was surprised and shocked by the destruction and misery there. I had not expected it. I did not anticipate that the IDF would have targeted civilians and civilian objects. I did not anticipate seeing the vast destruction of the economic infrastructure of Gaza including its agricultural lands, industrial factories, water supply and sanitation works. These are not military targets. I have not heard or read any government justification for this destruction.

Israel helps Ayrılık to increase its ratings?

The photo below has to be included here. From the Turkey-Armenia game. As far as I understood it was an operation by Young Civilians.

In the crisis between Israel and Turkey it should be noted Israel reacted too much to a serial that was not popular at all. I haven’t heard anybody discussing Ayrılık episodes. And as far as I know the serial was not in the top 100 ratings list. Now I hear producers are happy that people will be curious and watch the serial. There had to be a stronger reaction to Valley of the Wolves movie who had a substantive anti-semitic emphasis in some parts. Ayrılık hadonce made it to popular discourse through what Zeynep Tokuş , an actress and former beauty pageant winner was wearing:

Zeynep Tokuş in veil for Ayrılık serial.

A roundup follows:

TURKEY 2009 PROGRESS REPORT

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT

accompanying the
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL
Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2009-2010

And another roundup on Turkey’s foreign policy issues and its place in Europe:

French Shit, Business as usual with Israel and Smoothly progressing relations with Armenia. A roundup on Turkish foreign policy

It looks like France has given asylum to Cem Uzan, Cem Uzan granted political asylum in France, says lawyer) not exactly asylum but a temporary permit to live in France. Mr. Uzan is probably the most corrupt person of recent decades in Turkey and his later right wing-populist party produced enough damage to Turkish politics and not France gives him a helping hand. Congratulations.

In connection to Davos-Gaza instance, Turkey seems to extend her objection to Israeli moves by excluding the latter from the regular military exercises that take place in Turkey. These exercises have been long subject to criticism in Islamic press and radical press and I assume government could not continue to involve Israel/ could not resist the critical public opinion especially after Erdogan’s Davos’ reaction. A huge roundup on Armenia-Turkey relations follow up. I have to admit: I am ashamed that I do not know much about what was particularly signed between Turkey and Armeania. I suspect many do not know. Its symbolic value overrides what is actually there…

Who cares Sarkozy who doesn’t want Turkey as long as Turkey builds up new friendships in the region…

Hail to the Turkey-Armenia deal to be signed today.

After a drama, the deal is about to be signed right now…Yes, it is signed. Signatories are so tense, as if anything could happen…

Armenia-Turkey deal delayed over disagreements

A planned peace agreement between Turkey and Armenia to end a century of enmity hit a last minute snag over disagreements with statements to be read at the historic ceremony

A roundup as usual: