Turkey part deaux :)

[Exit40]

Babacan visits debt-stricken Greece

Turkish Economy Minister Ali Babacan left the country on Thursday evening to pay an official visit to Athens.

While talks on Greece’s debt problem are not on the minister’s agenda, the visit will still be closely watched.

In a written statement, Babacan’s office said the first meeting of the High Level Strategic Cooperation Council between Turkey and Greece would take place on May 14-15 and that Babacan’s visit is to discuss preliminary preparations for the council. Babacan will meet with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, Finance Minister Giorgos Papakonstantinou, Economy, Competitiveness and Mercantile Marine Minister Louka Katseli and Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas.

Babacan will return to Turkey on Friday after delivering a speech at a conference hosted by The Economist magazine.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Özügergin has denied claims that Turkey had agreed to provide Greece with financial support to help alleviate problems stemming from soaring government debts.....

More

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Thursday, April 29, 2010
EURASIA INSIGHT

AZERBAIJAN: US SHOULD TAKE NOTE: A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED
Vusale Mahirqizi 4/26/10
A EurasiaNet.org Commentary

US officials have declared that the United States regards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia as separate processes. This policy, however, ignores the interests of Washington’s main partners in the region -- Azerbaijan and Turkey. Brushing off Baku and Ankara’s objections to this policy risks further undermining US influence in the South Caucasus.

The reason why Washington wants to keep the Turkey-Armenia reconciliation process separate from the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations is clear. The White House considers that normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia will reduce Armenia’s dependence on Russia (and Iran) and allow Yerevan to maneuver beyond the reach of Russian pressure. With Armenia less dependent on Russia, the entire South Caucasus could be removed from the Kremlin’s reach. Or so the reasoning appears to go.

But this aim does not take into consideration certain realities in the South Caucasus.

Even if Turkey’s border with Armenia is opened, Armenia will not turn its back on Russia and its face toward the West. On the contrary, this policy further serves Russia’s interests. As the United States forces Turkey to open its borders with Armenia, Russia will gain "an economically strengthened ally, Armenia," instead of "a weak, dependent partner."

This scenario is what prompts Ankara and Baku’s discomfort. Ignoring that discomfort could carry a heavy price.

Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and a strategically important country located at the crossroads of East and West. To date, Ankara has used this strategic advantage for Washington’s interests - whether by assisting with the NATO campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, or with various energy projects -- and should expect a reaction in kind from the United States.

The same holds true for Azerbaijan. Thanks to its Caspian Sea natural gas supplies, Azerbaijan is capable of reducing Europe’s dependence on Russian gas, and ensuring the diversification of its imported energy resources. This is a policy that meets completely the strategic interests of the United States.

Surrounded by Russia to the north, Iran to the south and Armenia to the west, Azerbaijan is trying to protect its interests with a balanced foreign policy. In keeping with that policy, Azerbaijan, like Ankara, expects a sympathetic attitude from Washington toward its concerns about Turkey-Armenia rapprochement, and the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia.

At the very least, in response to Baku’s friendship with the United States, Azerbaijan should have been invited to join the summit earlier this month between Turkey and Armenia in Washington.

If their expectations of the United States fail, both Azerbaijan and Turkey could think of seeking new partners. This means weakening the American position in the region, and ceding a place to Russia. With recent events in Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine - widely seen as revenge for US inroads in the former Soviet Union -- Moscow has once more demonstrated that it is in touch with the psychology of Eurasian countries.....

More

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

FM: Armenia deals to be ratified when conditions ripe
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu on Monday defended the government’s efforts to normalize relations with neighboring Armenia and warned that Turkey had the right to take necessary measures should Armenia distort two protocols on restoring the ties.

Davutoğlu and his Armenian counterpart, Edward Nalbandian, signed the two protocols in October but they are yet to be ratified in the national parliaments -- a necessary condition for their implementation -- amid mutual accusations of belatedly added preconditions. Turkey says a decision of the Constitutional Court of Armenia on the protocols interprets them in a way that misrepresent their objectives. Armenia, on the other hand, says Turkey has linked the process to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan although this contravenes the text of the protocols.

Davutoğlu, speaking at a parliamentary session, gave assurances to the opposition that the protocols will go into force only on the condition that they are implemented without any alteration. “We will make sure that there will be no confusion or grey area in the implementation of the protocols,” he told deputies. “We have the right to take necessary measures if the protocols are interpreted in a way that contradicts their letter and spirit. … Our parliaments will ratify the protocols when political conditions are ripe.”

The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) object to the protocols, saying they harm Turkey’s relations with Azerbaijan, an ethnic and regional ally of Turkey and a key gas supplier. Deniz Bölükbaşı, a deputy from the MHP, said after Davutoğlu’s speech that the signing of the protocols with Armenia was a “historical mistake” as Armenia still refuses to formally recognize its borders with Turkey and keeps Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent territory in Azerbaijani land under occupation.....

Continued

God Bless

David

[david]

Hi David. I have a lot of questions too, mostly about how do the current events fit into what Scripture says will happen.......

David, thank you for the great info. I checked out the link the Org. chart of the Caliph. So I think your saying the ten branch departments on the overview slide is what your talking about in reference to the ten Kings. I agree it would be a stretch for it to be independent nation states.

I did see they have a "Department of Jihad" under the Treasury. So it looks like no problem funding Infiintata there. They also have an Anti Social Behavior Inspector, wow I think the US is just catching up with that idea. That was just at a glace, nice vision there, sounds like a wonderful world... not.

I have a few other ponderings; Like The MU ("The Sea Basin" Beast out of the Sea"), that Turkey is a member of and the 10 countries there (I think there are 10 listed primary members like the WEU has 10 permanent members, but this does not match what I think, that it will be more far reaching globally).

The three ribs in the Bears mouth could there be any connection to the three up rooted horns? The Ottoman Empire is the 7 Kingdom, the seventh kingdom did subdue some countries, Greece, Iraq, Iran and much more, could the three up rootings have happened already if you only count the "horns" that were of the seven world empires? Like Babylon, Syria, and Greece. I suppose you might have to count Egypt too. I think it's possible the Ottoman empire is one leg of the statue while the EU may be the other, but maybe not the EU as we know it today.

I'm not sure what to make of the British Empire, an empire twice that of any other. It could be a continuation of the Roman empire. As I mentioned before, all the different Kingdoms were present in Nebuchadnezzar statue when the rock smashed it. That would include Rome. I think this beast will cover the world as scripture says. All 7 Kingdoms will be present in one form or another making up the eighth, but it will be in the image in the re-made 7th beast that will be the 8th to come.

I see the EU possibly falling or merging ( I think the later is more likely) through treaty with the Neo Ottoman empire and being partially absorbed once again becoming the 8th.The reason for the merge would be economic peril and the energy oil rich Middle East is the only wealth that will save them.

Thank You Brother
and thank you for your patients.

david

[Exit40]

Hi David. Thinking about the neo Ottoman empire, it seems it must come before the caliphate, if there ever is one. Or maybe we are not thinking of a caliphate like they might be thinking about it. I doubt a seventh century type one, or one similar to the last Ottoman's could ever succeed in our world, if introduced that way, but a modernized one might, as in a moderated or reformed islam more in tune with todays modern world. Looking at Turkey we can see they are resurgent in influence, not content to be a NATO/western puppet in this post/post cold war era, but expanding their brand of influence regionally, and globally. Economically, they are 17th on the list, I think I read, and doing their dead level best to import and export investments in many areas. Not bad for lil ole Turkey, and they grow at a fair rate as compared to many other nations.

All this has happened since the islamist leaning AKP came to power in '02, and they are expanding rapidly since Davutoglu became the Foreign Minister. They are not openly pushy about islam, yet they quietly institute political and religious reforms whenever possible, most of which we don't hear about, and not without opposition from within. The Kemalists, the bulk of which could be called the secular ' deep state ' which is the military, who essentially wrote their current constitution, and the judiciary who still have a lot of military appointees, from the background, are this opposition, with support from some of the citizenry. The deep state does not want to give up their authority, control, and power. The AKP represents the biggest threat to them since the Turks established their republic as they are popular with the people for the reforms and advances they are instituting. The Turks are liking who they are becoming, and really, it is neo Ottomanism, upgraded, modernized, influential, with reform in their religious sectors that allow islam to be their religion without taking over and instituting shariah law. The old shariah law with it's stringent controls on their society. They want and like their lifestyle, want islam to reform to reflect that, and have their teachers and scholars who give them the interpretations they want to hear that reflect their modern beliefs yet do not contradict basic islam. The efforts to write a new constitution are the battleground for this conflict between the old and the new. How this will turn out is not decided yet, but I suspect the AKP will get most of what they want eventually, transforming Turkey into a modern democratic islamist republic, with modernized shariah law as their foundation. They will become an attractive forerunner to the rest of the islamic world, and a powerful leader of a reformed modernized islamic nation block, or union of some type. It seems this is what they want, and it seems it must come about.

Thinking about the bear with the three ribs, the bear is the second beast from the sea, not the fourth. The fourth beast has one head, presumably as it isn't defined, with ten horns which three fell before the eleventh, so I think we can eliminate the three ribs from the bear as being that. I tend to get lost in the symbology of the beasts from earth and the sea and when they exist or existed and let other scholars examine that. But I do tend to think the lion with wings plucked is the British and subsequent US empires. I also tend to think we are living within the boundaries of the third kingdom of brass on Neb's statue, whether or not those come in sequence.

God Bless You

David

[Exit40]

Sr. Reporter: On Turkish schools, HomeVisits© and strategic ambiguity

Tim Steller | Posted: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 5:55 pm | Comments


A specific question has been bugging me as I've mulled over the Sonoran Science Academy stories and people's responses to them: Why does Sonoran Science need to hire business managers from Turkey or Central Asia? I can see where there might be a need for math or science teachers from other countries, but bookkeepers? If someone from the school or Daisy Education wants to weigh in, feel free.

And now, here's some additional follow-up material.

• "Strategic ambiguity" — That's what sociologist Joshua Hendrick called the Gülenist tendency toward obscuring its presence one moment and highlighting it the next. That came to my mind as I thought back to an exchange with Mr. Fatih Karatas, the principal of Sonoran Science Academy's high school and middle school, during my tour of the school. When I asked him where he had worked previously, he told me he was an administrator in "LAUSD." I clarified that he meant the Los Angeles school district. I was surprised, because I had heard otherwise.

But then I went back to my office, called LAUSD and otherwise checked into it. That's when I confirmed that Magnolia Science Academy, the Turkish-run charter school chain in Los Angeles, is chartered by the Los Angeles Unified School District. So I wrote Mr. Karatas an email, and he wrote back confirming that's what he meant: "Yes, Magnolia Science Academy is a charter school in Los Angeles Unified School District. ".....

Contniued, with links to specific Gulen Movement Discursive and Organizational Strategies

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Turkey's FM wants Azerbaijan-Armenia peace, warns Israel
Remarking on Israeli actions, Davutoglu said that incidents in Gaza could not be indulged.
Sunday, 02 May 2010 12:47

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Saturday that Turkey was eager to open its borders with Armenia, because it wanted a full integration with its neighbors.

Davutoglu delivered a speech at a conference titled "Turkish Foreign Policy in Changing World" held by the South East European Studies at Oxford (SEESOX) and Turkey's Sabanci University at Oxford University in Britain.

Turkey has taken measures before crises in its region and countries should prevent wars and tensions, he said.

Davutoglu said Turkey was a member of the UN Security Council and G20, and it also launched the Alliance of Civilizations initiative. "Turkey is working to contribute to global order in these three formations," he said..........

Continued

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

[Opinion] Turkey’s Soft Power in the Arab World


Monday, 3 May 2010

About a month ago, I spent half a day with a group of journalists from Syria, who were visiting Istanbul for meetings with their Turkish colleagues. We contemplated on the historical ties between our countries, and spoke positively about our growing relations. During the lunch, one of the Syrian guests kindly posed me a personal question: “Which party are you from sir?”

“Party?” I replied with another question, “You mean a political party?”

“Yes, of course,” he explained. “For example I am a member of the Baath party.”

Then I responded by telling him that I am not a member of any political party, and neither are other Turkish journalists. “In Turkey,” I explained, “we journalists might sympathize with parties, but we don’t become their members.”

Mehmet turns Müennes

I think that was a revealing moment for both of us. My Syrian colleague realized that political power and the media are (at least formally) separate from each other in Turkey. I, in return, realized that not only the two are combined in Syria, but that this combination is seen as something totally normal.

And, as you might guess, this discovery did not make me envious of the media’s nature on the other side of the Turkish-Syrian border. But I slightly felt that it had that very effect on my Syrian colleague.

Now let me move from that little experience to the broader issue of the ever-growing rapprochement between Turkey and the Arab world. This 21st century phenomenon, which is a clean break from the mood in the 20th, is worrying for the secularist (and especially Kemalist) Turks, who have little, if any, sympathy for anything that is Arab. They rather complain that Turkey is becoming “Arabized” as it opens its borders to Arab countries, engages more deeply in the affairs of the Middle East, and rediscovers its Ottoman past.

I, on the other hand, am quite happy with this Turko-Arab rapprochement. It is not just because that I don’t share the Arabophobia of the Turks that I mentioned. It is also because that I see that the values that will be transmitted in the course of this relation will be mostly from the Turkish side to the Arabs, and not the other way around.

This is not because that we Turks inherently know anything better. It is simply because that “we Turks had a better socio-political experience” since the 19th century, as I wrote before in these pages. We, as I explained, benefited from “a chance to experiment with democracy… proximity to the West, a relatively free economy, and currently an EU accession process.”

One thing which seems to prove this argument true is the “invasion” on Arab TVs by Turkish soap operas. Personally speaking, I have neither the time nor the interest in these overly sentimental series, which often revolve around blatantly cheesy love stories, but they seem to be amazingly popular in the Arab world.

The most popular of these is the series called “Gümüş” (Silver) in Turkish, which is an Istanbul-based romantic melancholy. It proved to be popular in Turkey as well, but its Arabized version has become an all-time hit. Polls have shown that 74 percent of Saudi women have watched Gümüş, which was renamed there as “Nur.” Some even platonically fell in love with its main character, a handsome fellow named Mehmet in the Turkish version, and renamed “Müennes” in the Arabized one.

What is important is that in the series, Saudi women see a Muslim society in which young men and women, if they like each other, can go out on a date, sit on a bench near the sea, and hug each other while watching seagulls. These are unthinkable acts in the Saudi Kingdom, but their presence on the screen makes them thinkable dreams. Hence the cultural impact of the series, according to a poll by Ka Research Limited company, has been to “promote the idea of individual freedom and independence among Saudi women.”.....

Continured

God Bless

David

[burien1]

What is important is that in the series, Saudi women see a Muslim society in which young men and women, if they like each other, can go out on a date, sit on a bench near the sea, and hug each other while watching seagulls. These are unthinkable acts in the Saudi Kingdom, but their presence on the screen makes them thinkable dreams. Hence the cultural impact of the series, according to a poll by Ka Research Limited company, has been to “promote the idea of individual freedom and independence among Saudi women.”.....

That just makes me cry.

[Exit40]

Turkey Emerges As Mediator In Iran Nuclear Debate

by Peter Kenyon
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki
Enlarge Vahid Salemi/AP

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (left) and his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, shake hands at the end of their April 20 press conference in Tehran. Turkey is opposed to a new round of U.N. sanctions against Iran and is trying to help Iran and the U.S. and other Western countries find a middle way on the nuclear issue.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki
Vahid Salemi/AP

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (left) and his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, shake hands at the end of their April 20 press conference in Tehran. Turkey is opposed to a new round of U.N. sanctions against Iran and is trying to help Iran and the U.S. and other Western countries find a middle way on the nuclear issue.
text size A A A
May 5, 2010

As the Obama administration pushes for tougher international sanctions against Iran, Turkey is emerging as a key player in the Iran nuclear controversy.

Turkey's foreign minister recently returned from Tehran, sounding very negative about sanctions. Turkey is pushing hard for a resolution that would avoid sanctions or a military strike.

Analysts say Turkey has been steadily strengthening its hand in the region and is now an important part of the Iran nuclear story, for better or worse.

When Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu returned from the Iranian capital, he said he was flatly opposed to a new round of U.N. sanctions.

Barcin Yinanc, an editor with the center-right Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review, says Turkey has long favored diplomatic outreach over punitive measures. But lately, Turkish leaders have practically been voicing Iran's own arguments against sanctions, Yinanc says.

"In the past, Turkey used to be much more in alliance with the United States and the European Union. Nowadays, we see it has the self-confidence of saying, 'No, I'm not going to go and take the same line with the superpower, because I've got too much at stake,' and Turkey believes that it can play a role where it can find a middle way," Yinanc says.

Walking Tightrope Between Iran And West

At the same time, Turkey's insistence that more can be done diplomatically, short of sanctions and well short of a military strike, is colliding with a growing impatience in Washington and elsewhere. Analysts have compared Turkey's new policy with walking a tightrope in high political winds......

Continued

Comment ****
If Turkey can pull this off, they will leap, leap, into the forefront in international status.
/Comment ****

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

What is important is that in the series, Saudi women see a Muslim society in which young men and women, if they like each other, can go out on a date, sit on a bench near the sea, and hug each other while watching seagulls. These are unthinkable acts in the Saudi Kingdom, but their presence on the screen makes them thinkable dreams. Hence the cultural impact of the series, according to a poll by Ka Research Limited company, has been to “promote the idea of individual freedom and independence among Saudi women.”.....

That just makes me cry.

You probably don't want to hear about the child sex slave trade then. I'm sorry, the truth of this is terribly brutal.

God Bless You

David

[Exit40]

Sr. Reporter: Debate shifts on Gülen, U.S. charter schools

Tim Steller | Posted: Thursday, May 6, 2010 11:01 am | Comments


After my story about Sonoran Science Academy ran on April 25, I noticed the debate about the schools' alleged connection to the Gülen Movement had changed. Instead of making denials that there was any connection to the movement, people were saying such connections didn't matter.

Take this blanket denial — from a December Tucson Weekly story — by Mr. Fatih Karatas, principal of Sonoran Science Academy's middle and high schools on the northwest side: "We don't have any kind of connections or any kind of relations with that movement or group. A public school can not be affiliated in any way with other institutions or groups because of the regulations, because of the charters."

In contrast, last month the superintendent of Daisy Education Corp., Ozkur Yildiz, also denied "affiliation" with the Gülen Movement, but acknowledged that some employees may be followers of Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish religious-political leader.

In my main story that day, Superintendent of Public Education Tom Horne said all that matters to him with the regard to the Turkish-run schools is results. He was unconcerned with possible connections to this religious-political movement or the large scale use of teachers from Turkey and Central Asia. And many commenters after the story took this position as well: If they're not proselytizing and the kids score well, so what?

That's apparently become the position of Turkey's primary Gülenist newspaper. Today's Zaman ran a recent opinion piece titled "A misguided crusade against pious Turks in the US.".....

More

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Who’s Afraid of Sibel Edmonds? PDF

The gagged whistleblower goes on the record.

By Sibel Edmonds and Philip Giraldi


Sibel Edmonds has a story to tell. She went to work as a Turkish and Farsi translator for the FBI five days after 9/11. Part of her job was to translate and transcribe recordings of conversations between suspected Turkish intelligence agents and their American contacts. She was fired from the FBI in April 2002 after she raised concerns that one of the translators in her section was a member of a Turkish organization that was under investigation for bribing senior government officials and members of Congress, drug trafficking, illegal weapons sales, money laundering, and nuclear proliferation. She appealed her termination, but was more alarmed that no effort was being made to address the corruption that she had been monitoring.

A Department of Justice inspector general’s report called Edmonds’s allegations “credible,” “serious,” and “warrant[ing] a thorough and careful review by the FBI.” Ranking Senate Judiciary Committee members Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) have backed her publicly. “60 Minutes” launched an investigation of her claims and found them believable. No one has ever disproved any of Edmonds’s revelations, which she says can be verified by FBI investigative files.

John Ashcroft’s Justice Department confirmed Edmonds’s veracity in a backhanded way by twice invoking the dubious State Secrets Privilege so she could not tell what she knows. The ACLU has called her “the most gagged person in the history of the United States of America.”

But on Aug. 8, she was finally able to testify under oath in a court case filed in Ohio and agreed to an interview with The American Conservative based on that testimony. What follows is her own account of what some consider the most incredible tale of corruption and influence peddling in recent times. As Sibel herself puts it, “If this were written up as a novel, no one would believe it.”...

You might not believe this

God Bless

David

[burien1]

We now have BIG government, and it is only going to get worse. I think we have been sold out to everyone.

[jgilberAZ]

.

David (or anyone else):

Any comment(s) on the recent voting / constitutional changes in Turkey?

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turkish-parliament-approves-the-article-to-re-shape-the-judicial-body-2010-05-06

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-209552-reform-package-passes-in-parliament.html

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-209557-100-constitutional-court-cannot-review-substance-of-reform-package.html

What are they up to?

- Jeff

[Exit40]

Hi Jeff. I believe it is under the guise of attaining EU membership these changes have been proposed and now passed. The package now goes to Pres Gul who can veto, return to Parliment for further discussion, or set the referendum before the people to vote on. Gul, being AKP, will likely set the referendum before the people, and as AKP is very popular it will also likely be passed. The entire referendum has not been published as of yet, but should be soon so the people can discuss the implications, and we can get a look at it too. The two big issues I have seen are Article 17, which includes changes to the structure of the Constitutional Court, and Article 23, which alters the makeup of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK). The Constitutional Court and the HSYK are products of the constitution written after the 1980 military coup, and are considered the last bastion of civilian support for total secularism of the civilian government, also are very supportive, even protective, of the Military and it's presumed role in their government, that of being the ultimate protector of secularism.

So it is these two secular entities that are under attack, if you will, from the AKP government. This is really major IMO, as the AKP would gain the ability to appoint it's own prospects to the enlarged HSYK who can then make appointments to the Constitutional Court. The AKP influence there will then be able to undermine the Military's ability to interfere in civilian government, something that happens regularly now as a part of the hidden ' Deep State ' and their operations with government and business. These changes will also enhance and improve the AKP's ability to prosecute cases like the Erkenegon and Sledgehammer conspiracies. This is in appearance the reforms the EU wants so there is that benefit, but I believe this will open the doors for more religious influence in government, perhaps even some form of Shariah law eventually. It certainly seems to consolidate more power to the ruling AKP party, allowing them the ability to shape future Turkey in the direction they want it to go.

With the Military and Judicial under control Turkey will progress into a modern Islamic democracy, at least that is what they will call themselves. We will call them Neo Ottomans.

God Bless You

David

[Exit40]

Russia, Turkey expect to deepen ties in more fields
President Abdullah Gül and Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev met in Moscow for talks last year. The fact that Medvedev is reciprocating Gül’s visit relatively quickly is considered a signal of excellent bilateral relations and political willingness to develop stronger ties.
President Abdullah Gül and Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev met in Moscow for talks last year. The fact that Medvedev is reciprocating Gül’s visit relatively quickly is considered a signal of excellent bilateral relations and political willingness to develop stronger ties.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is scheduled to arrive in Ankara on Tuesday for his first official visit to the Turkish capital, marking the highest-level visit between the two countries since President Abdullah Gül’s landmark state visit to Moscow in February 2009.

The two countries, which have already diversified fields of bilateral cooperation in the aftermath of the Cold War era, plan to use this opportunity to further enhance and broaden this cooperation by signing bilateral agreements in numerous fields -- such as energy, trade, agriculture, customs, transportation, industry and tourism -- during the two-day visit.

Nonetheless, the most important highlight of the visit will probably be the announcement of the establishment of a “high-level cooperation council,” an intergovernmental cooperation mechanism, during talks between Medvedev and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday, the second and last day of the visit, while there is ambiguity over whether as many agreements as planned will be signed.

This ambiguity is best exemplified by the issue of lifting visa requirements between the two countries. The issue had first come to the agenda during talks between Prime Minister Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during an official visit by the former to Moscow in January.

Since then, intensified work on both sides, based on a mutually agreed upon text during Erdoğan’s visit, has continued to push this issue forward. Yet, Turkish diplomatic sources, speaking with Sunday’s Zaman only days ahead of the visit, still refrained from talking in clear-cut terms about the possibility of finalizing an agreement for the abolishment of visa requirements in time to be signed during the Russian president’s visit.

Playing down the possibility that a visa deal may not be signed during the visit, the same sources, however, admitted that the bureaucratic procedure on the Russian side was more complicated than on the Turkish side.

During the two-day visit, Medvedev, who came to power as president in May 2008, will be accompanied by his spouse, Svetlana Medvedev, and a large delegation including several ministers. Russia’s first lady will have a separate schedule with Gül’s spouse, Hayrünnisa Gül, while President Medvedev will have a tête-à-tête with both Gül and Erdoğan. Following both tête-à-tête meetings, the leaders will be joined by their ministers and bureaucrats for inter-delegation talks.

Medvedev is expected to meet with Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Şahin as well, and business delegation accompanying him will meet with representatives of the Turkish business sector......

A unique story : Traditional rivals become partners

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Turkey says region can not take another Israel war after Gaza
Turkish President Gul said "the region cannot take another war anymore," over possible Israel attacks in the region.
Sunday, 09 May 2010 14:20

Turkish President Abdullah Gul has urged the international community to make peace in the Middle East a priority for the world.

"The Middle East peace process is the biggest problem in the world and the world should make a settlement of the conflict a number one priority," Gul told reporters on Saturday in a joint press meeting with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Asad in Istanbul.

Responding to a question whether Israel was preparing for another military escalation in the Middle East, Gul said "the region cannot take another war anymore.".....

Cont

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Extraordinary OIC parliament summit to be held in Turkey
2nd extraordinary meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference-member states will be held in Istanbul on May 10.
Saturday, 08 May 2010 10:35


The second extraordinary meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)-member states (PUOICM) will be held in Istanbul on May 10.

Turkey's Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Sahin will preside the meeting at Istanbul's Conrad Hotel.

Israel's damaging the holy structure of Jerusalem by opening new settlement units will top the agenda of the meeting.....

More

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Russia, Turkey agree on nuclear power plant

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) -- Russia and Turkey have agreed all the details and commercial terms for the construction of Turkey's first nuclear power plant, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said on Saturday.

“The principles of the nuclear power plant construction have been agreed. We have defined all the basic commercial terms,” Shmatko said in an interview with the Turkish news agency Cihan NA, adding that the price of electricity to be generated by the NPP had also been agreed but it was premature to disclose it.

An international consortium consisting of Russia's nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly Atomstroyexport, electricity export company Inter RAO UES and Turkish Park Teknik won a tender for the construction of Turkey's first nuclear power plant in June 2009.

The consortium proposed building four nuclear power units with a capacity of 1.2 GW each under a Russian project. The nuclear power plant was expected to be built near the Mediterranean port of Mersin in the Akkuyu area and put into operation in 2016-2019......

More

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

The Turks love their conspiracies, here's another one.


Turkish left plays dirty on the eve of CHP national congress
CHP Secretary-General Önder Sav (C) held a press conference on Saturday in which he claimed Şişli Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül bribed a mafia leader to shoot Baykal in the legs.
CHP Secretary-General Önder Sav (C) held a press conference on Saturday in which he claimed Şişli Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül bribed a mafia leader to shoot Baykal in the legs.
A video clip posted on a website last week that allegedly shows Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal in flagrante delicto with a party deputy has sent shockwaves across the Turkish left, which has been in search of a way to thaw the ice between Turkish voters and the party.

The CHP believes the video was uploaded to the Internet in order to weaken the current party leader and administration ahead of its upcoming congress, slated for May 22. The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation to determine who filmed the video and put it online.

The CHP leader was hoping to go to the next party congress without any rivals. The video has, however, seemingly spoiled Baykal's plans. The party's long-time leader has not announced his candidacy for the next term yet. There are rumors that the video may be aimed to deter Baykal from standing as a candidate in the congress.

CHP officials believe Şişli Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül may have a hand in the incident. The mayor established Turkey's Change Movement (TDH), which has not yet formally organized as a political party, after he was expelled from the CHP reportedly over a disciplinary issue. CHP Secretary General Önder Sav, Baykal's right-hand man, claimed on Saturday in a press conference that Sarıgül was partially seen in the video footage, implying that the video was an ambush by the Şişli mayor against the CHP leader.

Sav also alleged that Sarıgül bribed a gang leader to shoot the CHP leader in his legs during his visit to Brussels on April 13. The CHP secretary general pointed to an e-mail sent to the İstanbul Police Department by an unidentified individual as his source of information on the planned attack against Baykal.

The police department confirmed the receipt of such an e-mail. The e-mail alleged that Sarıgül proposed to give $750,000 dollars to a criminal leader, Mithat Yılmaz, if he agreed to shoot Baykal in his legs during the CHP leader's Brussels visit. The e-mail also said the attack plan was postponed to a later date.

The Şişli mayor, however, denied the claims and vowed to file a criminal complaint against the CHP for the accusations.

“That’s an extremely ugly, rude and unjust slander. I will seek legal redress against the claims. I will respond to Sav’s statement, which is indeed aimed to misdirect the agenda. His claims are funny and ugly. I strongly condemn an assassination plan against Baykal. However, they [CHP officials] keep blaming me for everything. That’s nonsense,” Sarıgül stated.

The statements of Sav and Sarıgül have revealed the dimensions of the battle in the Turkish left, which has been suffering a loss of blood. The CHP has always defined itself as the representative of the left in Turkey. However, it has not gone beyond acting as the spokesman of the status quo.

In addition, İstanbul Mayor Muammer Güler said his office was forwarded the warning e-mail on April 15 and his office immediately ordered the İstanbul and Ankara police to take all necessary precautions. According to İstanbul Police Chief Hüseyin Çapkın, his office worked in cooperation with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding the claims.

Baykal’s toughest congress ever

The CHP leader was hoping to be re-elected on May 22. The scandalous video comes as a setback. He has not yet made a statement announcing his expected candidacy for party leadership for another term. There are rumors that Baykal may decide to step down as the CHP leader.

Baykal’s close friends advise the CHP leader to remain sanguine and turn a deaf ear to calls to resign from party leadership. On the other hand, his critics -- particularly those from the left -- argue that Baykal should resign from the CHP leadership in the wake of the infidelity scandal.

There are rumors that competition will be cutthroat between CHP parliamentary group deputy chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Haluk Koç, who challenged Baykal in a previous CHP congress, and the CHP’s İstanbul branch chairman, Gürsel Tekin, in the congress.

An attempt to remove Baykal?

The CHP also believes Baykal’s infidelity video could be the work of “dark powers” that aim to disturb the harmony in the party administration.....

MOre

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Longtime CHP leader resigns, blames ruling party
Longtime CHP leader resigns, blames ruling party - Amid fallout from a video clip posted online that allegedly shows him in flagrante delicto with a party deputy, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal announced his immediate resignation from party leadership on Monday, putting the blame for the emergence of the scandalous video clip on the ruling party -- an accusation both refuted and condemned by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
Amid fallout from a video clip posted online that allegedly shows him in flagrante delicto with a party deputy, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal announced his immediate resignation from party leadership on Monday, putting the blame for the emergence of the scandalous video clip on the ruling party -- an accusation both refuted and condemned by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

Unease had dominated the main opposition party since late last week when a video clip appeared on several news websites, apparently showing Baykal intimately involved with CHP Ankara deputy Nesrin Baytok. The longtime CHP leader heeded insistent calls from both members and supporters of his party and announced yesterday afternoon that he has decided to step down from his position.



“This is not merely a matter of a tape showing impropriety. This is a conspiracy. I will not surrender myself to such a picture. I will not allow anyone to question me. If that has a cost, and if that's leaving the CHP, I will pay it,” Baykal said during a televised press conference at the CHP headquarters.

Baytok was the CHP leader's private secretary before she was elected to Parliament in 2007. Baykal and Baytok are both married.

The sudden decision sent shockwaves through the main opposition party -- many CHP members listened to Baykal's speech in tears. With the resignation of Baykal, who has been elected to head the party 10 times, the CHP finds itself in a quandary as to who will step in as its new leader. The decision also spells the end of Baykal's four-decade political career.

During his angry speech yesterday, Baykal -- who had vowed to lead the CHP indefinitely after the party's national congress in 2008 -- pointed to the AK Party as being responsible for the emergence of the scandalous video clip, saying he was the victim of a political plot by the government. He suggested that the ruling party must have had knowledge of the video clip.

“It would not be possible to carry out such a plot using such advanced technology without the power and connections of the ruling party. It would not be possible to carry out such a conspiracy against the leader of a main opposition party without the assistance of the ruling party, either,” he said.

Baykal's remarks, however, drew strong reactions from the AK Party. AK Party parliamentary group deputy chairman Bekir Bozdağ said Baykal misinterpreted the ruling party's choice to keep silent on the video scandal. “The AK Party preferred to remain silent on the incident due to its political and moral values. We have targeted the CHP and its leader for their policies and political discourse. But we have never appreciated attempts to hit below the belt in politics. However, Baykal has misinterpreted our position. The people know best. Baykal was an important figure in Turkish politics, and he should not have ended his political life in this way,” Bozdağ added.

Bozdağ also challenged Baykal, calling on him to disclose to the public any evidence that the AK Party had a hand in the video scandal.

The outgoing CHP leader also denied claims that the video had been filmed around eight years ago. “This conspiracy is the product of today's political conjecture. There is no video tape that has been awaiting [release] for many years. It was not taken recently, either. That's a plot. The tape is fabricated. It is a two-week-old plot,” Baykal remarked. ....

Cont

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Is Woodrow Wilson Center Seeking To Discredit Sèvres Treaty On Its 90th Anniversary By Honoring Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu?

BY DAVID BOYAJIAN

Woodrow Wilson, the 28th American president, is looking down in horror at what the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (WWC; WilsonCenter.org) is doing in his name.

Most Americans are not aware of the DC-based organization, or that their taxes comprise one-third of its multi-million dollar annual budget.

The WWC was created by Congress in 1968 through the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Act to commemorate the late president’s “ideals and concerns” and memorialize “his accomplishments.”

The WWC has in several ways, however, violated its Congressional mandate. The WWC itself claims that it “takes seriously his [Wilson’s] views.” In fact, it has knowingly disregarded many of his views.

And while it professes “to take a historical perspective,” the WWC often closes its eyes to history.

Case in point: In mid-June of this year, the WWC plans to travel to Turkey to bestow its coveted Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service on Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Curiously, the WWC won’t provide this writer with a press release about it. We know about the award only from the Turkish media and a call to the WWC’s communications chief.

An Undeserved Award
The WWC’s President/Director, former Congressman Lee Hamilton (he recently announced he would be leaving the organization), says that Davutoglu “personifies the attributes we seek to honor at the Woodrow Wilson Center” and has “catalyzed” Turkish policy.

It is appalling that the WWC would honor a top official of a country that in so many ways is a major human rights violator. Moreover, Davutoglu’s own record — including his much- ballyhooed “zero problems with neighbors” policy — is undistinguished.

But even more to the point, Davutoglu’s policies are the very antithesis of Woodrow Wilson’s “ideals and concerns.”

Turkish Temper Tantrums
Let us start with Davutoglu’s eruption against America due to a ..................

More of Turkeys behind the scenes influence

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Dink murder Suspects Linked to Ergenekon, Police Say

ISTANBUL (Hurriyet)—Turkish news agencies reported Monday that defendants facing charges in the Hrant Dink murder trial has connections to six suspects under investigation in the ongoing case over the Ergenekon coup plot.

In a statement sent from the Istanbul police for Monday’s hearing of the Dink trial, authorities said infamous Ergenekon suspects Veli Kucuk, Kemal Kerincsiz, Mustafa Levent Goktaş, Muzaffer Tekin and Erbay Colakoglu spoke on the phone to the suspects in Dink’s murder. Dink was a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin.

Kucuk and Kerincsiz were closely linked to a case in which Dink was tried for insulting Turkishness in one of his articles; before his death, the journalist said he had felt threatened by the pair’s presence at the hearings.

Alleged members of the suspected Ergenekon gang are accused of plotting to overthrow Turkey’s government by sowing chaos in society....

Cont

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David

[Exit40]

…and enters Baykal

Monday, May 10, 2010
YUSUF KANLI

News people were packed in the press conference hall of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, to listen to what they expected might be a historic statement from Deniz Baykal, who was out of public view ever since mass Web publication last Friday evening of a secret sex tape allegedly showing him naked with Nesrin Baytok, his former private secretary, who is currently a CHP deputy in Parliament.

So it happened.

Baykal announced that he decided to step down from the leadership of the CHP saying “My resignation does not mean running away or giving in.” He charged that “This is a conspiracy which is formed to not only attack me but the CHP.”

There were three different speculations about the source of the conspiracy.

According to one claim, Baykal was facing a plot staged by a political archrival, Mustafa Sarıgül, the mayor of the Istanbul’s Şişli district who has been in efforts to organize a “Turkey Change Movement” party ever since he was expelled from the CHP two years ago. It was alleged last Saturday that Sarigül had hired hit men to shoot Baykal in both two knees during an April 13 visit to Brussels but the plan – which is now being investigated by police – was abruptly called off “at the last minute.” Those supporting this assumption were claiming that the tape was at least eight years old and Sarigül and some collaborators within the party have released it now to force Baykal step down from leadership and allow a rejuvenation in social democratic politics in the country.

Baykal declared in his resignation statement yesterday that the tape was new and implicitly ruled out such speculations....

Cont

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Top Turkish judge vows to fight for judicial independence

Tuesday, May 11, 2010
ANKARA Hürriyet Daily News

Constitutional Court President Haşim Kılıç has vowed to continue protecting the rule of law by emphasizing neutrality and judicial independence.

His remarks came amid the main opposition party Republican Peoples’ Party, or CHP’s, announcement that it would take the government-sponsored constitutional amendments package to the Constitutional Court for an annulment.

Speaking at newly elected Nuri Necipoğlu's induction ceremony into the Constitutional Court, Kılıç said “protecting the Turkish Republic's Constitution and fulfilling the duties of membership in the Constitutional Court through a feeling of accuracy, neutrality and a respect for law” symbolized loyalty to the Constitution....

... Skip ...

Following the retirement of Constitutional Court member Necmi Özler in April, Necipoğlu was chosen by Gül from three candidates selected by the Military Supreme Court of Appeals.....

Link

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David

[Exit40]

Turkey, Russia Sign Agreement on Oil Pipeline
Turkey, Russia sign deals on nuclear power plant, pipeline to carry Russian oil to Europe
The Associated Press

By SELCAN HACAOGLU Associated Press Writer
ANKARA, Turkey May 12, 2010 (AP)


Turkey and Russia signed agreements on Wednesday for the construction of Turkey's first nuclear power plant and the development of a pipeline project to carry Russian oil from the Black Sea, through Turkey to the Mediterranean.

Turkey, a U.S. ally, served as NATO's foremost base during the Cold War, but its relations with Moscow have rapidly developed since the fall of the Soviet Union. Both countries have vowed to triple their bilateral trade volume to around $100 billion in the next five years.

The power plant construction, near Turkey's Mediterranean coastal town of Akkuyu, is expected to take seven years, said Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who oversaw the signing with visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The two leaders also signed an agreement to work on a pipeline project that would pump Russian oil from the Black Sea port of Samsun in northern Turkey to the Ceyhan oil terminal on the Mediterranean in southern Turkey, where an oil refinery would be set up. From there, the oil would be shipped to Europe.

The goal of the project is to bypass Turkey's Bosporus strait to alleviate the congested oil tanker traffic through the narrow waterway that bisects Istanbul en route from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.

Russia's gas exports have made it the second largest trading partner of Turkey. Both sides have recently been working to improve their diplomatic relations and trade ties.

"By taking these steps, Turkey is taking its position as an energy hub to a much different level," Erdogan said. "The solidarity with Russia on this issue is of utmost importance."....

Link

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David

[burien1]

Turkey, Russia Sign Agreement on Oil Pipeline
Turkey, Russia sign deals on nuclear power plant, pipeline to carry Russian oil to Europe
The Associated Press

By SELCAN HACAOGLU Associated Press Writer
ANKARA, Turkey May 12, 2010 (AP)


Turkey and Russia signed agreements on Wednesday for the construction of Turkey's first nuclear power plant and the development of a pipeline project to carry Russian oil from the Black Sea, through Turkey to the Mediterranean.

Turkey, a U.S. ally, served as NATO's foremost base during the Cold War, but its relations with Moscow have rapidly developed since the fall of the Soviet Union. Both countries have vowed to triple their bilateral trade volume to around $100 billion in the next five years.

The power plant construction, near Turkey's Mediterranean coastal town of Akkuyu, is expected to take seven years, said Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who oversaw the signing with visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The two leaders also signed an agreement to work on a pipeline project that would pump Russian oil from the Black Sea port of Samsun in northern Turkey to the Ceyhan oil terminal on the Mediterranean in southern Turkey, where an oil refinery would be set up. From there, the oil would be shipped to Europe.

The goal of the project is to bypass Turkey's Bosporus strait to alleviate the congested oil tanker traffic through the narrow waterway that bisects Istanbul en route from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.

Russia's gas exports have made it the second largest trading partner of Turkey. Both sides have recently been working to improve their diplomatic relations and trade ties.

"By taking these steps, Turkey is taking its position as an energy hub to a much different level," Erdogan said. "The solidarity with Russia on this issue is of utmost importance."....

Link

God Bless

David

Brings to mind the expression, "The ties that bind . . . ."

[Exit40]

Talk of a nuclear deal gains steam in Iran
By Farideh Farhi

HONOLULU, Hawaii - President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's return to Tehran after attending the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review meeting at United Nations headquarters in New York
has been received with the usual bombast by the conservative and hardline media in Iran, which declared him victorious and an indispensable global leader.

In its May 6 editorial, for instance, the influential newspaper Kayhan declared that if "Iran is able to reach the end of the nuclear path, it will produce a new model of nuclearization, which would be followed by other countries".

From this point of view, continued enrichment and redirection of the international conversation towards the weapons programs of other countries would boost Iran's position as the leader of the developing world, whereas failure would undermine Iran's international standing.

Ahmadinejad was much more personal in assessing his performance in New York. Speaking to students and faculty in Tehran on May 10, he described the disposition of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who followed him at the NPT podium, as that of a "frightened person".

Despite the posturing, the content of Ahmadinejad's talk in New York was focused less on religious sermonizing and more on a critique of the conduct of nuclear weapons states. This, combined with the dinner given by Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki for the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (Iran Six), has led to renewed speculation in Iran about the possible revival of last autumn's proposal to transfer much of Iran's low-enriched uranium abroad in exchange for supplies of 20% enriched uranium for Tehran's medical research reactor.

After it was tabled during brief talks between Iran and the Iran Six last October, the proposal largely withered on the vine as a result of domestic opposition in Tehran and the refusal by Iran's interlocutors to entertain any modifications in the structure of the proposed transfer.

The government appears focused on reviving the proposal with the help of mediation by Brazil and Turkey, whose leaders are expected in Tehran at the same time in the coming days.

"New formulas have been raised about the exchange of fuel," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters in reference to Brazil's and Turkey's participation. "I think we can arrive at practical agreements based on these formulas. That is why we welcomed the proposals in principle ... and left the details for further examination."...

In depth

This includes EU High Rep Catherine Ashton's efforts to mediate, but she is not given much credit here.

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

From May 10, sorry I didn't get this posted now, but it's not history yet.

EU ready to give Iran a chance despite looming sanctions - Summary
Posted : Mon, 10 May 2010 18:41:14 GMT
By : dpa
Category : Europe (World)
News Alerts by Email ( click here )
Europe World News | Home


Brussels - The European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said Monday she was ready to give direct talks with Iran another chance, while warning that United Nations sanctions against its nuclear programme could be adopted "very rapidly."

Turkey, which currently sits on the UN Security Council as a non- permanent member, last week suggested the EU could have another shot at finding a compromise with Tehran in order to avert new UN sanctions.

Speaking in Brussels at the end of regular monthly talks between the EU's foreign ministers, Ashton said those sanctions were only "four to six weeks away."

But she added that "if Iran wishes to contact me directly to propose that we have real discussions on the issue of nuclear weapons capability, (I would) be pleased to discuss that with my 3+3 colleagues and to move forward."

The so-called 3+3 includes EU's France, Germany and Britain, as well as Russia, China and the United States.

A spokesman said that during a meeting which followed on from the foreign ministers' talks, Ashton asked Ankara's top diplomat Ahmet Davutoglu to help arrange a meeting with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeid Jalili.

Davutoglu later told reporters that after meeting Ashton and later speaking on the phone with his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, he was "positive and optimistic."

"Our efforts will continue in the coming days and I hope that these diplomatic efforts will help to solve the problem without having to resort to any type of sanctions," the Turkish foreign minister stressed.

Ashton's predecessor, Javier Solana, negotiated with Iran on behalf of the 3+3 for years, but never succeeded in convincing the country to subject its nuclear programme to international scrutiny.

Ashton, who took office last December, has so far not been asked by the six-country group to continue Solana's work.....

Link

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David

[Exit40]

EU lauds constitutional reform, vows progress in talks

The European Union has announced its backing of the constitutional amendments package passed in Parliament and has pledged to open talks on more negotiating chapters with Ankara in the next two months.
The 27-nation bloc fully supports the reform package, Spain’s Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said at a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Turkey’s chief EU negotiator Egemen Bağış in Brussels late on Monday after a regular meeting to assess Turkey’s readiness to join the EU. Spain currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU.

Opposition parties are firmly opposed to the package. They claim the package is aimed at undermining the secular structure of the state by bringing the staunchly secularist judiciary under government control. The government denies the charges, saying the reforms will meet EU requirements by reforming the judiciary and expanding individual freedoms....

Link

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David

[Exit40]

One detail Turkey almost forgot: Constitutional reform

Wednesday, May 12, 2010
GÖKSEL BOZKURT
ANKARA - Daily News Parliament Bureau
Sex scandals involving a country's veteran politician can steal headlines and capture a nation's attention, but only for so long. After a week on the back burner, President Gül's decision to approve Turkey's constitutional reform package for referendum has brought it back to the fore, where questions about the future of the country's politics are boiling over
Tensions ran high during the vote on planned changes to Turkey's Constitution. DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin SÖNMEZ

Tensions ran high during the vote on planned changes to Turkey's Constitution. DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin SÖNMEZ

With the nation riveted by pending constitutional reform last week only to see headlines hijacked by a scandal that led to the resignation of the opposition party leader, the upcoming countrywide referendum bounced back into the spotlight on Wednesday when President Abdullah Gül approved the legislative package.

As the opposition limps toward a party convention to decide its new leader, the looming countrywide vote could change the country’s junta-written Constitution after nearly 30 years and could determine if the ruling party calls for early elections.

The referendum process will begin once Gül’s decision is published in the Official Gazette, which was expected late Wednesday, but the CHP has repeatedly stated its intention to take the package to the Constitutional Court for annulment and CHP spokesman Müstafa Özyürek announced that it would do so Thursday morning. The CHP has to apply to the Constitutional Court within 10 days of its publication in the Official Gazette with at least 110 votes from Parliament.

Although a video showing the main opposition leader in a compromising situation with his former secretary shifted Turkey’s attention from the constitutional reforms to the scandal, the reform process has remained an important item on Ankara’s agenda.

Talk in the capital has focused on the possibilities of the pre- and post-referendum period, with many people discussing early election scenarios. With one eye on the court’s possible annulment of the package and the other on the sex tape scandal that led to the resignation of CHP’s long-time leader Deniz Baykal, much discussion has focused on how these events might impact the future of Turkey’s political landscape.

There is a possibility that the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, might play the “victim” and call for an early election in the fall if the court decides to overrule the reform package.

As well, it is has been predicted that the CHP’s current situation, weakened as it is by the Baykal affair, could also trigger the AKP to call early polls.

Possible scenarios....

Cont

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

The Gülen movement plays big in Washington

Friday, May 14, 2010
İLHAN TANIR

It was one of the lavish lounges of the Willard Hotel in Washington where hundreds of Turkic people from all across America with plain name tags gathered to mark the creation of a new umbrella Turkic Assembly last Wednesday. Six Turkish-American federations, which have close proximity to Mr. Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish cleric and the exiled leader of the Turkey-based religious Gülen Movement joined to form the Assembly of Turkic American Federations, or ATAF, a non-profit organization.

Half a dozen U.S. Senators and a few dozens of U.S. Representatives made a strong showing at the reception and the Gülen Movement hinted that its new assembly has some muscles to flex in Washington already.

One would think bringing that many U.S. Senators and Representatives should require loads of money for campaign donations. "No," said, Mahmut Yeter, president of one of the six federations that formed the ATAF, "this strong turnout owes its success to their members who worked voluntarily, often visited these lawmakers in their local offices and finally convinced them with their persistence that they have to be at the reception."

I had a chance to talk with some of the congressmen and senators who participated at the reception. I asked Ms. Gabrielle Giffords, representative from Arizona’s 8th. District, why she chose to come to a Turkic community gathering, considering that there is a very tiny Turkic community in her district. Gifford turned and pointed out a young Turkish man who was standing next to her. According to the congresswoman, that young Turkish man had visited Gifford's district office several times recently and finally persuaded her to show up for the reception "even though I do not like to go such events," Gifford said, before responding my question and telling me that she never heard of Fethullah Gülen.

The Gülen Movement accelerated its activities in U.S., especially since the leader of the Movement, Fethullah Gülen settled in Pennsylvania about a decade ago. During the mid ’90s, after almost three decades in the making, it was still operating very much under the radar in Turkey.

The unexpected and sudden decision to combine all of their 180 organizations under one umbrella assembly was a surprising move, at any rate, for those who follow the Gülen movement closely and are aware about its cautious strategies and steps....

Continued

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Is CHP burying the hatchet with Gülen movement?

In what could be seen as a sharp U-turn, former Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said, while announcing his resignation early last week, that he believed in the sincerity of a message of sympathy he received from “Pennsylvania,” in an indication that he had been contacted by Fethullah Gülen, a preacher, prolific writer and advocate of interfaith and intercultural dialogue, after the release of a videotape that revealed Baykal’s alleged affair with a CHP deputy.
Baykal’s alleged sex video resulted in his resignation, which led to deep turbulence in the country as his departure was not expected. What was also found surprising with regard to Baykal’s resignation was his oblique reference to Gülen, whom he has previously accused of a variety of transgressions, although he failed to prove any of them.

Baykal and his party, joining with the opponents of Ergenekon, a shadowy crime network that has alleged links within the state and is suspected of plotting to topple the government, have argued that the faith-based Gülen movement was behind the Ergenekon operation. The party members argued that Gülen’s followers were a “focal point in the police force” and were forming a “staff within the bureaucracy.”

In consideration of this, Baykal’s reference to Gülen in a message that was closely followed by the entire nation has caused many to question the motivations behind Baykal’s apparent change in attitude toward Gülen and his sympathizers and ask whether he was seeking to end his party’s animosity toward this community.

Hüseyin Gülerce, a Today’s Zaman columnist, said he was actually not very surprised in hearing Baykal’s oblique mention of Gülen because Baykal and Gülen have had an ongoing dialogue for around 15 years and have sent greetings and good wishes to each other on many occasions.

“There have been many times when I conveyed Baykal and Gülen’s messages of good wishes to each other, particularly when I hosted Mr. Baykal on my show on Samanyolu TV,” he said.

With regard to what might have led Baykal to refer to Gülen in the statement announcing his resignation, Gülerce said this came as a result of Baykal’s latest efforts to reach out to religious people after a much-admired speech he delivered at a Blessed Birth Week event (organized by the Religious Affairs Directorate in İstanbul last month).

Staunchly secular Baykal attending this ceremony for the first time and delivering a speech about the Prophet Muhammad and the importance of understanding him brought him much appreciation, particularly from the religious segments of society, who generally believe that the CHP is anti-religion.

Gülerce, who expressed satisfaction at Baykal’s reference to Gülen’s message of sympathy, said Baykal’s move would be instrumental in letting people who are prejudiced against Gülen and his movement reconsider their attitudes and get rid of their bias.

According to Nihal Bengisu Karaca, a columnist for the Haberturk daily, by referring to Gülen and voicing belief in Gülen’s sympathy message, Baykal adopted a new stance that will be for his future benefit if he intends to continue making politics or for his party if he hands over leadership to another CHP figure.

“This was like a message of reconciliation with the religious segments of the public. The CHP has so far stayed far from the values of the general public and limited itself to the support of people in the city centers and Turkey’s coastal areas. Now this move aims to expand the party’s base without damaging the official ideology of the Turkish Republic,” she told Sunday’s Zaman....

Cont

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

U.S.: Iran Nuclear Deal Will Not Slow U.N. Sanctions Drive

Dan Robinson | White House 17 May 2010
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (C) flashes a victory sign before signing an agreement to ship most of Iran's enriched uranium to Turkey in a nuclear fuel swap deal, in Tehran, 17 May 2010
Photo: AP/Vahid Salemi

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (C) flashes a victory sign before signing an agreement to ship most of Iran's enriched uranium to Turkey in a nuclear fuel swap deal, in Tehran, 17 May 2010

The United States is skeptical of the nuclear fuel swap agreement announced on Monday in which Iran says it will ship enriched uranium to Turkey. President Barack Obama's spokesman says the agreement will not slow the drive for a new U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution.

The White House and State Department issued similar responses to the deal in which Tehran agrees to send about 1,200 kilograms of enriched uranium to Turkey. In return, Iran would receive medium-enriched uranium for use in a medical research reactor.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs acknowledged efforts by Turkey and Brazil, saying it would be a positive step for Iran to transfer low-enriched uranium as it agreed to do in October of last year.

But noting Iran's announcement that it will continue its 20 percent enrichment program, Gibbs said there is no change in the administration's position on Iran's nuclear program, or President Obama's determination to achieve a new U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution. "It does not change the steps that we are taking to hold Iran responsible for its obligations, including sanctions," he said......

cont

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Iran inks deal to send low enriched uranium to Turkey

Monday, May 17, 2010
TEHRAN - Agence France-Presse

Iran inked a nuclear-fuel swap deal Monday that commits it to ship 1,200 kilograms of low-enriched uranium to Turkey, potentially ending a standoff with world powers gearing up for new sanctions against the Islamic republic.

The agreement, under which Iran will in return receive nuclear fuel for a Tehran reactor, was signed in the Iranian capital between the foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey and Brazil, an Agence France-Presse correspondent said.

The signing came after three-way talks by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Under the agreement, Iran will deposit 1,200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium in Turkey.

Joint declaration by Iran, Turkey, Brazil
Read the full text of the declaration signed by the three countries.

"While in Turkey this LEU will continue to be the property of Iran. Iran and the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] may station observers to monitor the safekeeping of the LEU in Turkey," the accord reads.

"Iran will notify the IAEA in writing through official channels of its agreement with the above within seven days following the date of this declaration," it adds.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters that it would then be up to the IAEA to inform "the Vienna group" — the United States, France and Russia — of the proposal......

Cont

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David

[Exit40]

Iran deal raises risk for Turkish-Israeli ties

Monday, May 17, 2010
ANKARA - Agence France-Presse
In the light of already deteriorating relations between Israel and Turkish governments, Israel worries increasingly about Turkey's newly struck deal over the nuclear swap with Iran. Turkey's continued defense of Iran is dealing renewed blows to Israeli-Turkish ties, analysts say

Turkey may have scored a diplomatic victory by sealing a nuclear fuel swap deal with Iran, but it risks further straining its deteriorating ties with estranged regional ally Israel, analysts said.

In a move that could ease pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, Turkey and Brazil persuaded Tehran on Monday to agree to ship out the bulk of its low enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for nuclear fuel.

But the deal drew a harsh rebuke from Israel, with a senior official accusing Iran of having "manipulated" Turkey and Brazil – both non-permanent members of the U.N. Security Council – and warning the agreement could fall through.

Israel's outburst came against the backdrop of the increasingly delicate nature of once-flourishing Turkish-Israeli ties and of Ankara's defense of Iran, which Israel sees as its greatest strategic threat.

"The agreement signed in Tehran will inevitably deal a new blow to Turkish-Israeli relations, which are far from being satisfactory," said Sinan Oğan, the head of the Ankara-based think-tank TURKSAM.

"You do not need to be a fortune teller to say that Turkey's initiatives in favor of Iran are making Israel uncomfortable," he said......

cont

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David

[burien1]

"You do not need to be a fortune teller to say that Turkey's initiatives in favor of Iran are making Israel uncomfortable," he said......

Ya think ?

[Exit40]

Why does Iran see Turkey as an 'honest broker' for a nuclear deal?
The uranium transfer deal transforms Iran and Turkey into strategic allies without undermining Turkey's standing in the West.
By Zvi Bar'el

If all goes well, a truck from Iran, guarded by Iranian and Turkish security personnel and International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors, will make its way to an undisclosed location in Turkey. The truck will carry part of the 1.2 tons of uranium enriched to a level of 3.5 percent that will be stored in Turkey.

Under the terms of the deal reached in Tehran Sunday night, Turkey will not just be the uranium's custodian; it will also be the trustee and supervisor who will decide whether Iran and the five permanent Security Council members have met their obligations under the agreement. Turkey promised to immediately and unconditionally return the enriched uranium to Iran if the countries that are slated to provide Iran with nuclear fuel do not keep their end of the bargain.

Credit for the agreement is shared by Turkey and Brazil. The latter granted Iran a series of trade deals that are expected to increase bilateral trade between their countries to about $10 billion.

Nevertheless, Turkey is the deal's big winner. Trade between Iran and Turkey already stands at $10 billion annually, so if sanctions were imposed on Tehran, Turkey would suffer a massive blow to its economy - and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party would suffer a major political setback. Alternatively, should Turkey decide not to uphold the sanctions, it might find itself in a crisis with the United States and Europe. Hence the tremendous effort Turkey made to achieve the deal, despite American warnings that Iran might be using Turkey in order to buy time.

Why did Iran choose to see Turkey as an "honest broker" and make the deal with it instead of with the permanent Security Council members? The two countries' good relations are not free of suspicion, but both Iran and Turkey have adopted a policy of expanding their influence in the Middle East, influence of the sort that relies on cooperation rather than competition.....

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David

[Exit40]

"You do not need to be a fortune teller to say that Turkey's initiatives in favor of Iran are making Israel uncomfortable," he said......

Ya think ?

God Bless You

David

[Exit40]

A 'model' Islamic education from Turkey?

In the Beyoğlu Anadolu religious school in İstanbul, gilded Korans line the shelves and on a table lies a Turkish translation of "Eclipse", a vampire-based fantasy romance by US novelist Stephanie Meyer

No-one inside the school would have you believe this combination of Islamic and western influences demonstrates potential to serve as a 'moderate' educational antidote to radical Islam.

But there is fresh outside interest in schools like this, which belong to the network known as imam-hatip.

Some people, particularly officials from Afghanistan and Pakistan, have suggested the Turkish system can light the way to a less extremist religious education for their young Muslims.

The interest is understandable. The imam-hatip network is a far cry from the western stereotype of the madrassa as an institution that teaches the Koran by rote and little else.

Originally founded to educate Muslim religious functionaries in the 1920s, the imam-hatip syllabus devotes only around 40 percent of study to religious subjects like Arabic, Islamic jurisprudence and rhetoric. The rest is given over to secular topics.

The network has incubated the elite of the Islamist-rooted AK party which came to power in Turkey in 2002. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- who went on to study economics -- and around one third of his party's MPs attended imam-hatip schools.....

Cont

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David

[Exit40]

Iran not planning to build nuclear bomb - Davutoglu

Wed 19 May 2010 | 06:26 GMT
Ahmet Davutoglu

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Tuesday that it was not time to discuss further U.N. sanctions on Iran.

Speaking to Reuters, Davutoglu said that Iran had shown political will to solve a dispute with the West over its nuclear programme by signing uranium swap deal.

"Everybody should understand that Iran showed great flexibility which was not expected before, and this flexibility is an opportunity for a new phase of diplomacy," said Davutoglu.

Davutoglu said that Iran's commitment reassured him that Iran was not planning to build a nuclear bomb......

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David

[Exit40]

Babacan says Euro region needs fiscal order as Turkey's
Babacan said that the Euro region needed a fiscal order similar to Turkey's.
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:43

Turkish State Minister & Deputy Premier Ali Babacan said on Wednesday that the Euro region needed a fiscal order similar to Turkey's.

In an interview with A.A, Babacan said he saw during his talks with the finance and economy ministers of EU countries that they were also in search of a fiscal order.

"The EU needs to implement a well-framed Fiscal Order which comprises of the necessary sanction and control mechanism," Babacan said.

The Turkish minister said that monetary unity was important for the union, however its monetary policies should definitely be supported by fiscal policies.

Noting that the most important difference between Turkey and EU countries was Turkey's taking its debt stock under control, Babacan said European countries had very recently started to use the recovery strategies implemented by Turkey last September.

Babacan also said that the crisis in EU's economy would create new opportunities for Turkey. .....

Cont

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David

[Exit40]

US announces deal with Russia, China on new Iran sanctions

Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Ümit ENGİNSOY
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Despite a last-minute deal involving Iran, Turkey and Brazil for a diplomatic solution to the dispute over Tehran's controversial nuclear program, the United States late Tuesday announced an agreement with all permanent members of the U.N. Security Council for new sanctions on the Islamic republic.

"We have been working closely with our P5+1 partners [United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany] for several weeks on the draft of a new sanctions resolution on Iran. And today, I am pleased to announce to this committee we have reached agreement on a strong draft with the cooperation of both Russia and China," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"We plan to circulate that draft resolution to the entire Security Council today," she said at a committee hearing, according to a transcript released by the State Department.

"This announcement is as convincing an answer to the efforts undertaken in Tehran over the last few days as any we could provide," Clinton said.

She said the United States "acknowledged the sincere efforts of both Turkey and Brazil to find a solution regarding Iran’s standoff with the international community over its nuclear program," but that the P5+1 partners were "proceeding to rally the international community on behalf of a strong sanctions resolution that will, in our view, send an unmistakable message about what is expected from Iran."

Clinton did not elaborate on the details of the new draft resolution on Iran, but The Washington Post quoted a senior U.S. official as saying that among other measures, the draft resolution would expand an arms embargo against Iran but stop short of a total ban on weapons sales to the country, and it would impose no restrictions on Iran's oil.

Iran voices frustration .....

Continued

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Activists Ask Congress to Investigate Planned Wilson Center Award to Davutoglu
By: Weekly Staff

WASHINGTON—Citizens from across the United States are asking their Members of Congress to look into the controversial decision by the Woodrow Wilson Center to award Armenian Genocide denier, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, with their public service award, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Through an ANCA Action Alert, Armenian American and other anti-genocide activists are expressing “profound anger and disappointment” over the Woodrow Wilson Center’s plans to travel to Turkey to bestow the award on Davutoglu, who had recently openly threatened the United States against speaking honestly about the Armenian Genocide.

“This award dishonors President Wilson’s vision of justice for the Armenian nation,” explains the letter to Senate and House members. “Mr. Davutoglu represents a government that, in its aggressive denial of the Armenian Genocide and ongoing obstruction of justice for the Armenian nation, makes a mockery of the Wilson Center and its founding commitment to fostering scholarship commemorating ‘the ideals and concerns of Woodrow Wilson.’”

The letter makes special mention that “Mr. Davutoglu leads a Foreign Ministry that reflects and actively reinforces the anti-Armenian hatreds and intolerances that fueled the Armenian Genocide in the first place,” noting that the Turkish Embassy in Washington, DC hosted a group of demonstrators who insulted and mocked Armenians gathered on April 24th, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, to mark the murder of 1.5 million men, women, and children, and the exile of a people from their ancient homeland. Video from the Turkish protest can be viewed at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNfpYNeSyfE

The Woodrow Wilson Center receives one-third of its annual funding from Congress. Senators and Representatives are being encouraged to “formally investigate this matter and to share [their] concerns on this deeply troubling development directly with the leadership of the Woodrow Wilson Center.”

The ANCA Action Alert can be viewed at: http://www.capwiz.com/anca/issues/alert ... d=15045776

The complete text of the letter is provided below.....

Continued

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David

[Exit40]

Mild Turkish politician earns nickname 'Gandhi'

Wednesday, May 19, 2010
GÖKSEL BOZKURT
ANKARA — Daily News Parliament Bureau

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is a candidate to lead Turkey's main opposition party.

Known as a symbol of decency amid Turkey’s tumultuous politics, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s claims that he is a man of honesty committed to social democratic values have helped him earn the nickname of Turkey’s Gandhi.

True to his nickname, Kılıçdaroğlu is walking determinedly for the top post of the country’s main opposition party.

Born in 1948 in the Nazımiye district of Tunceli, an area where the population is predominantly ethnic Kurds, Kılıçdaroğlu would never have forecast that he could one day become the chairman of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP. Nor would his family and friends. His parents were from modest Anatolian families. His father was an ordinary state employee at the land registry office with limited income to raise their seven children. Kemal was the only one in the family who graduated from university.

More on CHP leadership
Baykal can be honorary leader, says Kılıçdaroğlu

Kılıçdaroğlu’s family comes from a local tribe called the Kureyşan, known as a holy kin group among the Alevis. The tribe is considered to have descended from Caliph Ali and Kılıçdaroğlu does not deny this. This also brings clues about his dignified character and cool and tolerant approach to almost every issue, even in strained times. The reflections of this culture and philosophy of Alevi belief surely can be found in Kılıçdaroğlu’s identity.....

Continued

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David

[Exit40]

CHP will get 40 percent of votes, says new candidate for party leader

Tuesday, May 18, 2010
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
'I am not only a candidate for CHP leader, but I am a candidate for prime minister,' says Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu


Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has declared that he is not only a candidate for the leadership of the main opposition party, but also for the Prime Ministry.

“Our target is to get 40 percent of votes in the next elections,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, speaking to daily Hürriyet in an interview published on Tuesday.

Following the resignation of Deniz Baykal as the leader of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s announcement that he would be a candidate for party leader further diverged the party that was already split in two.

More on Kılıçdaroğlu
Kılıçdaroğlu receives broad support from provincial chairpersons

Kılıçdaroğlu, however, has remained confident despite the party’s Central Executive Board’s, or MYK’s, calls for Baykal’s return.

"I am not only a candidate for CHP leader, but I am a candidate for prime minister," said Kılıçdaroğlu....

Continued

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David

[Exit40]

Ahmet Davutoglu: “Liberation of occupied territories of Azerbaijan will bring lasting peace to the region”
[ 21 May 2010 20:17 ]
Baku – APA. “Liberation of occupied territories of Azerbaijan will bring lasting peace to the region”, said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at the meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly in Istanbul, APA reports quoting AzerTAC state agency.

According to him, official Ankara is confident upon the realization of normalization process with Armenia in the future and this policy remains unchanged: “Solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict and liberation of occupied territories of Azerbaijan will bring lasting peace to the region”. ...

I wonder if Armenia sees this bus coming ?

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Deputy says new proposal on table in Armenia talks
A senior Turkish official has said there is a “brilliant proposal” for Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and that it is up to Armenia to accept or reject it.
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairman for External Affairs Suat Kınıklıoğlu spoke about Turkish-Armenian reconciliation at a panel discussion in Washington on Wednesday where he said the two sides had agreed to “remain silent” for some time and evaluate “what is on the table.” The Middle East Institute’s Center for Turkish Studies hosted Kınıklıoğlu, who is also chairman of the Turkish-American Interparliamentary Friendship Group, for a discussion on Turkey’s neighborhood policy and its influence in and implications for the Middle East.

“There is something new on the table. Although I cannot go into the details, there is a brilliant proposal on the table, and it is up to the Armenians to accept or reject it,” Kınıklıoğlu stated. Noting that the achieving Turkish-Armenian reconciliation is an important issue at the moment, Kınıklıoğlu said he would personally vote “yes” on the Armenian protocols because he is in favor of normalizing relations. He said he believes this move has the potential to transform the South Caucasus and make it a part of Europe.....

Like maybe an offer they can't refuse ?

God Bless

David

[Exit40]

Turkey in bid to rally support for Iran nuclear deal

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has phoned world leaders to seek support for a deal Iran agreed to earlier this week to ease tensions over its nuclear program as a US-led coalition pushes for sanctions against Tehran to force it to stop enriching uranium.

Erdoğan spoke to US President Barack Obama and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Wednesday evening and was due to call the leaders of France, Britain, China and Germany, all members of what is commonly referred to as the P5+1 -- a group which consists of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany which has pressed for Iran to stop its nuclear enrichment activity.

But Erdoğan, speaking at a joint press conference with Kosovo’s Prime Minister Hashim Thaci in Ankara, said he was also seeking support from neighboring countries, a move that appears to be aimed at broadening the base of international support for the deal. Erdoğan spoke to Azerbaijan’s President İlham Aliyev, Syrian President Bashar Assad, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou. “I would be happy if we can make the slightest contribution to the world peace,” Erdoğan said, urging the West to heed the conciliatory step taken by Iran.

Brazil and Turkey brokered a surprise deal on Monday, in which Iran agreed to send its high-enriched uranium to Turkey in return for fuel rods for a medical research reactor. Turkey, Brazil and Iran have urged a halt to talk of further sanctions because of the deal, but critics in the West insist the deal was only a tactic to avert or delay sanctions.

Despite the deal brokered by Turkey and Brazil, the US proposed a draft sanctions resolution, agreed to by all five permanent UN Security Council members after months of negotiation, to the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

Brazil and Turkey also appealed to the Security Council to consider to the deal Iran has agreed to and refrain from sanctions, saying in a letter sent to council members on Wednesday that the compromise they brokered is the best way to resolve the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program.

In the letter, the two countries criticized the US-proposed draft resolution. “Brazil and Turkey are convinced that it is time to give a chance to negotiations and to avoid measures that are detrimental to a peaceful solution to this matter,” the letter said. Iran criticized the sanctions resolution earlier Wednesday, calling it “illegitimate.”.....

Continued

God Bless

David