Turkish Forum

Category: Turkey

  • US urges EU to diversify energy supplies

    US urges EU to diversify energy supplies

    BRUSSELS, Belgium: Russia’s fight with Georgia has added new urgency to the Europe Union’s need to find alternatives to Russian oil and gas imports, the new U.S. ambassador to the EU said Monday.

    “Russia’s willingness to defy the international community, act in violation of international law, (and) be threatening in its neighborhood is a reminder of why progress on this issue is so important,” ambassador Kristen Silverberg said.

    At an emergency summit on the Georgia conflict early this month, EU leaders called for a study into how the 27-nation body can find alternative energy sources to diminish growing dependence on Russia, which currently supplies a third of EU oil imports and more than 40 percent of the natural gas European Union countries buy from abroad.

    Silverberg told reporters the EU should work with Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia and other nations to diversify sources of energy and supply routes for oil and gas from the Caspian and Central Asian regions.

    “We hope that Europe will engage with active outreach with some of the supplier countries, the Azeris for example,” she said. “We have always thought that it was in Europe’s interest to diversify its supply routes generally.”

    In particular, the EU should work closely with Turkey to develop pipelines and other infrastructure to ensure oil and gas can flow westward through routes not controlled by Moscow, she told reporters Monday.

    “We hope that Europe will work closely with Turkey to help make sure that Turkey is a viable and active transit route for Caspian gas,” Silverberg added.

    “That involves negotiating with Turkey over reasonable terms for a transit agreement. It means working with Turkey on helping to improve its infrastructure so helping to make sure its an efficient transit route.”

    One project under consideration is the so-called Nabucco pipeline, which would deliver gas from Turkmenistan and other Central Asian and Caspian countries westward through Turkey while bypassing Russia.

    The project, however, has been slowed by high costs and uncertainty over sources of supply, and Russia is promoting rival routes through its territory as a cheaper and safer alternative.

     

    International Herald Tribune  22 September 2008

  • The Great Turkish Rip-off

    The Great Turkish Rip-off

    By Robert Ellis, September 22 2008

    Corruption in Turkey is endemic, stretching back to the Ottoman empire in the sixteenth century, but it was not until the liberalization of the Turkish economy in the 1980’s under Turgut Özal it took on a new dimension. Özal’s remark, “My civil servants know how to take care of business”, has become apocryphal, but there was a lift-off in the 1990’s.

    Tansu Ciller, who became Turkey’s first female prime minister in 1993, bowed out in style three years later, when she issued an order for the release of 500 billion Turkish lira ($6.5 million) from the state slush fund for “secret service expenses”, and a convoy of lorries travelled round Ankara at the dead of night to collect the cash from various banks. A parliamentary majority later acquitted her of any wrongdoing.

    Bertolt Brecht’s conclusion, “Robbing a bank’s no crime compared to owning one”, took on a new take in Turkey under Mesut Yilmaz, who became premier three times from 1991 to 1999. With the right political support it was possible to open a bank and siphon off the liquidity, but with the financial crisis of 2001 21 banks were taken into receivership with a cost to the state of $60 billion.

    The Great Turkish Rip-off | EuropeNews.

  • Five myths about travel in Turkey

    Five myths about travel in Turkey

    By Darren Cronian on Sunday, September 21st, 2008

    I am really glad that I made the decision to ignore the negative comments about Turkey, which ranged from the Turkish people hate English tourists to Turkey is dangerous due to too many bombings on tourists. Even in resort, I heard so many English people complaining about one thing or another.

    I have written my responses to five myths about Turkey.

    The locals use camels as the main form of transport

    Do not laugh, a friend asked me if I was comfortable riding around on camels because this was their main form of public transport. He was deadly serious. I am sure in some parts of Turkey, camels are widely used, but no, I did not find a camel parked up outside of the hotel entrance waiting for me.

    Turkey is cheap as chips

    Not true anymore, it is very expensive, and I think a lot of people, myself included, were surprised how expensive it was. The price of food and drink was the same as the UK, the beer a little bit cheaper. From speaking with tourists that visit Turkey every year, prices have shot up in the last 12 months.

    Turkey is dirty and unhygienic

    I have done a fair bit of travelling over the years and I would say that Turkey stands out as one of the cleanest places I have visited. For a start, did you know that the refuse bins are emptied three times a day, not once a week like in Britain? The toilets in general were okay, I came across a few dodgy ones.

    Locals drag you in to the shops

    Up until two years ago, owners would drag you into their shop or restaurant but the government acted on complaints and asked them not to do this anymore. You will still find that owners stand outside to entice you into the shop or restaurant. It is a little annoying but you quickly get used to it.

    All the locals wear red fez hats

    One work colleague said that all of the locals wear red fez hats. You know what I mean, right? The hat that the comedian, Tommy Cooper used to wear. I had this vision in my head that I would walk into the airport, they would be fez hats everywhere, and I was disappointed when I did not see one.

    It is funny hearing what people see when you mention a destination.

  • Image of the day – NASA

    Image of the day – NASA

     
    Satellite: Terra
    Date Acquired: 09/12/2008
    Resolutions: 1km (584 KB)
    500m (1.2 MB)
    250m (5.2 MB)
    Bands Used: 1,4,3
    Credit: Jeff Schmaltz
    MODIS Land Rapid Response Team,
    NASA GSFC

    A clear day over Turkey gave the MODIS on the Terra satellite this view on September 12, 2008. There are eight countries that border Turkey, including Iraq and Syria in the southeast, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east, Georgia in the northeast, Bulgaria in the northwest, and Greece to the west. South of Turkey is the Mediterranean Sea – visible in it is the large island of Cyprus.

    One of the most visible features in Turkey is Lake Tuz. Because of its shallow depth and salt content, during the summer, most of the water dries up, leaving just a salt bed that averages 30 cm in depth.

    Source : NASA

  • Turkey: Big surprise hit with tourists

    Turkey: Big surprise hit with tourists

    TO the surprise of almost everyone in the travel industry, Turkey welcomed a near record number of 500,000 American tourists in 2006, even more than in the heady travel days before 9/11.

    That’s as it should be: Turkey is a colorful and friendly destination that is ranked among the 10 most popular nations for tourism. It receives more than 20 million tourists a year.

    Among that group, American visitors are especially valued. Unlike European visitors, many of whom buy inexpensive air-and-land packages to the Mediterranean and Aegean beach resorts of Turkey, Americans seek out the culture and history of the country and spend far more than the average European. And although the decline of the American dollar (now exchanged at about 1.4 Turkish lire to $1) has made Turkey more expensive than before, it remains a moderately priced tourist destination. Family-run boutique hotels are available for $100 to $140 a night for a double room. Accommodations at unpretentious private hostels often can be had for $20 per person per night.

    Turkey: Big surprise hit with tourists – Travel – LATimes.com.

  • Turkey: Syria-Israel talks to continue with Livni in charge

    Turkey: Syria-Israel talks to continue with Livni in charge

    By Yoav Stern , Haaretz Correspondent

    Sources in Turkey told Haaretz on Saturday that peace talks between Israel and Syria will continue as planned with Tzipi Livni in charge of the Kadima Party.

    The sources said that they agree with recent assessment printed in a Turkish paper that predicted Israel will not try to freeze the talks.

    “There is a benefit to Israel and to Syria in these talks. For the first time, there is a powerful obligation and need in Syria to use them.”

    The sources also said that it is clear that at this moment there will be a stage of uncertainty, but once a new government is assembled in Israel, the talks will be able to continue as planned.

    The English-language Turkish daily “Turkish Daily News” has published reports from Turkish diplomats stating that in spite of recent delays, the talks are expected to renew in the near future.

    Shortly before the Kadima Party primaries, Livni hinted that she would not rush to send envoys to meet with Syria unless the country severs its ties with Iran and stops supporting Hezbollah and Hamas

    Source: www.haaretz.com, 20.09.2008