HURRIYET

IT'S TURKEY'S TURN
French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Bernard Kouchner said that
France was getting along well with Turkey and the two countries had consensus on
several matters. Kouchner said, "we are ready to assist Turkey on its EU accession process. There are chapters like competition policies, social policies and employment that can be opened. These chapters can make closer Turkey and the EU to each other. It is Turkey's turn now. Reforms shouldbe fulfilled. It is not easy but we can work together." Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the Cyprus issue was a political obstacle in front of Turkey.

MILLIYET

WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?
Turkish Parliament held a secret session yesterday. It was the 260th secret session in parliament's history and 11th in Justice & Development (AK) Party rule. Inside, there were only deputies, certified typists, and deaf-mute staff. Citizens will be able to see the records of this session ten years later. What was discussed behind locked doors was Turkey's top agenda item Kurdish issue and terrorism. Interior Minister Besir Atalay explained the recent developments about these issues to deputies during the session. The interesting thing is that the only objection came from Peace & Democracy Party (BDP) against the closed session. BDP deputy Sirri Sakik said, "prime minister is talking about this issue in the U.S., Syria and Germany but he is not speaking with Turkish and Kurdish people in here." After the closed session, parliament also adopted a motion extending the mandate to launch cross-border military operations into the north of Iraq for another year.

TURKIYE
1.5 MILLION PEOPLE TO BE EMPLOYED
The government will maintain investment, employment and growth strategy in the next three years. Growth rate is expected to be 6.8 percent by the end of 2010 and 5.5 percent in 2013. The government aims at increasing national income up to 12,157 USD. Also, unemployment rate will be decreased by employing some 1.5 million people.

EXPORTS TO INCREASE UP TO 160 BLN USD
Turkey's exports are expected to increase 12.7 percent to 160 billion USD under the middle-term program of the State Planning Organization (DPT) for the period between 2011 and 2013. In parallel with the economic growth, imports are also expected to rise 11.3 percent to 245 billion USD in 2013.

ZAMAN

FRENCH MINISTER OF FOREIGN & EUROPEAN AFFAIRS KOUCHNER TO ARRIVE IN TURKEY
French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Bernard Kouchner will arrive in Ankara on Monday. Kouchner's visit comes prior to that of French President Nicolas Sarkozy who is expected to be in Turkey either in November or December. Kouchner and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu will discuss bilateral relations, the Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan and the problems of the G-20.

HURRIYET
IMF: TURKEY WILL GROW 7.8%
International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its World Economic Outlook (WEO) report and projected that Turkey would grow by 7.8 percent in 2010 and 3.6 percent a year later. According to IMF's report, global economy is projected to grow by 4.8 percent in 2010 and 4.2 percent in 2011. IMF report indicated that Turkey would be the fastest-growing economy in Europe in 2010. Recalling that consumer prices increased by 6.3 percent last year, it forecast that rise in consumer prices would stand at 8.7 percent in 2010 and 5.7 percent in 2011.

MILLIYET
YESIL LIVING
Retired colonel Arif Dogan, a suspect of the Ergenekon case who claims to establish the gendarmery intelligence unit JITEM, made striking remarks when testifying to Prosecutor Zekeriya Oz. Dogan said, "Mahmut Yildirim, with an alias "Yesil" who is claimed to die, is still alive." However, Dogan did not reply to the question where Yesil was.

SABAH
ERDOGAN TO EU: DO NOT KEEP US WAITING
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the European Union (EU) harshly. "If you do not want Turkey, then say it openly. It does not matter whether or not you accept us," the prime minister said. Criticizing the union's creating difficulties in Turkey's full membership talks, Erdogan said, "when we ask them (EU member states) not to delay the process, they make up some formulas to show that they do not keep us waiting. That is how we carry on with the process at the moment".

ADVICES LIKE A WILL
A month before his speculative death, General Esref Bitlis addressed the commanders assigned in Turkey's southeast. "Take tight measures in the fight against terrorism. However, do not forget that people of the region are terrified because of terrorist activities. Such fear should be eliminated. Security should be established and people should be given the sense of safety," Bitlis told the commanders.
"Do not go into conflicts with people, pay visits to families. There is a certain group who does not know Turkish and they should be reached in their own language. This issue cannot be solved with bans. Radical measures are needed," the general said.

VATAN
CHALLENGING BARGAINING
The ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party proposed the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) to pass a law regarding headscarf, but asked the CHP not to appeal to the Constitutional Court.
Huseyin Celik of the AK Party said the note the Higher Education Board (YOK) sent to universities to ease attitude towards headscarf could not solve the issue. Celik said, "let's amend laws instead of the constitution. As long as the CHP does not apply to the Constitutional Court, it shows its sincerity, we can solve this issue."
Hakki Suha Okay of CHP responded to Celik's remarks. Okay said, "Mr. Prime Minister should openly tell us from where headscarf freedom will start. Will he ask for the same thing for pre-school, primary and secondary schools. Or will he ask for public employees saying that the university process is over? All these issues have to be clarified."

Headlines of the day

The Journal of Turkish Weekly (an online English publication)

Turkish Court Sentences Pro-Kurdish Party Leader to 10 Months

Selahattin Demirtas, a co leader of pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) was charged with spreading propaganda of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which is outlawed and seen as a terrorist organization. He made the speech in 2006 on Roj TV. Roj TV is an international Kurdish satellite television station that broadcasts in several dialects of Kurdish as well as Arabic and Turkish. It is stationed in Denmark.

Demirtas who is a leader of a human rights association in Diyarbakir (a predominant Kurdish population) spoke about the imprisoned PKK leader, Abdullah Ocalan, "role should be considered in solving the Kurdish issue."

I found this to be an extreme and not an act of terrorism in the least, but that is because I come from a nation that is known for free speech.

Non-stop Turkish Diplomacy Aims for Permanent Cease-fire with PKK

Lately, the news has been revolving around domestic diplomacy with the PKK. Turkey has been working with the United States and Iraq intensely on the Kurdish issue. All three nations came to an agreement of putting a plan together to stop the terrorist front.

"Turkey is currently working on the issue in three stages. First, it wants to extend the cease-fire declared by the PKK that expires this week. Second, it wants the truce to be permanent and, third, it wants to overhaul the problem entirely by taking political steps at home."

September 25, 2010

Headlines of the Day

MILLIYET
"IT IS MY DUTY TO EASE CONCERNS"

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that it was his duty to ease concerns of people and pledged to make more efforts to this end. Prime Minister Erdogan also said, "people can open courses to teach their mother tongues. But no one can expect permission for education in mother tongue. Turkey's official language is Turkish. Also, we do not have a fantasy to negotiate with the terrorist organization."

I think this is pretty ironic considering most universities and schools teach only in English, yet they do no allow schools to teach in another language (for example, Kurdish). But it is understandable, that the government will not pay to have schools teach in a different dialect.

SABAH
"WE ARE READY FOR DIALOGUE"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "we are ready to stop bloodshed, prepare a new constitution and find solutions to long-standing problems. But we do not have a fantasy to negotiate with the terrorist organization." He said that people could open courses to teach their mother tongues, but no one could expect permission for education mother tongue since Turkey's official language was Turkish.

I think that Erdogan is doing a good job in opening relations between the Kurds and the government. Most human rights reforms have been done in the last 10 years than since the birth of the nation.

TURKISH IMPACT O5N SUMMIT
The United Nations has held five security summits so far. Turkey was the president of the sixth summit. President Abdullah Gul, who chaired the meeting, said that Turkey's presidency was de facto acknowledgement of the country's role in the world politics.

This shows the growth of Turkey as a power player in the world.

I finished the second draft of my country profile and I think I'm pretty much set with that. I put together some contacts I want to reach out too and hopefully my e-mail's are up to par with it.

Today in the news is pretty much about relations with Israel (which have been tumultuous since the flotilla raid), the referendum, and Turkey being at the UN. Their Permanent Presentation meeting with UN General Ban went well according to the statement released after their meetings. Ban praised Turkey for its diplomatic relations in the Middle East and its increased interaction with Cyprus and the Balkans.

On Tuesday the president of Turkey, Abdullah Gul was on the Charlie Rose show where he expressed his concern with relations Iran has with the rest of the world and warns against any military action. I think this is ironic, because the AKP party that Gul is part of just recently received a donation of $25million from Iran's president.

Today I spoke to my cousin in Turkey. She recently received her masters in Engineering and works for her university, Middle East Technical University, with her husband. I was curious to see their thoughts on what was happening in Turkey. They found the situation to be daunting and were frightened of what was in store for the future. So much so that her husband was able to secure a job with Google and have made plans to move to California by next year.

I was shocked at how a young couple could be frightened about such a thing, but they were easy to tell me why. After the 60's (our parents' time) there was a lot of corruption in Turkey. People could only obtain jobs because they 'knew someone' or they couldn't go to school because they didn't have enough credentials. Also, there was constant fighting between multiple parties in the country. Many people died in inhumane ways because of what they believed in. They're afraid something like that will happen again. They're afraid of the hand of the military. If the military was ever to step in then so much is at stake; EU ascension, human rights, the economy.

Emel, my cousin was kind enough to give me the e-mail of a journalist she knew. Hopefully I can get in touch with him.