Turkey’s growing ties to Iran and opposition to NATO missile defenses targeting Tehran are raising “many doubts about Turkey’s future” among officials in the alliance, Greece’s No. 2 defense official says.
“I’m a bit pessimistic about the Turkish future,” Greek Deputy Defense Minister Panagiotis A. Beglitis said in an interview with The Washington Times. Mr. Beglitis was in Washington on Thursday for meetings with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen and other Pentagon officials.
Mr. Beglitis said Turkey’s government recently “objected to mentioning Iran as a potential threat in a NATO text concerning” missile-defense doctrine.
“Also, they objected very, very recently to [the Security Council] of the United Nations concerning sanctions against Iran. They voted against sanctions. That’s the reality. We have to pay attention to that,” he said.
Mr. Beglitis said he does not know what the future holds for Turkey’s place within NATO, but he said Greece “share[s] the same concerns with many, many colleagues within the alliance.”
Greek Deputy Defense Minister Panagiotis A. Beglitis says he is concerned about the Turkish government’s growing ties with Iran. In an interview Thursday, he said it may have an impact on the NATO alliance. (Associated Press)”I can tell you I would not be surprised to see a Turkey outside of the Western institutions and playing an autonomous strategic role in the whole region.”
Turkish officials declined to comment on Mr. Beglitis’ statements.
Turkey also had a strong alliance with Israel until December 2008, when Israel launched its 22-day war against Hamas in Gaza. Relations further deteriorated after May 31, when nine Turkish nationals were killed in a confrontation with Israeli commandos aboard a ship seeking to run Israel’s blockade of the territory.
Turkey has demanded an apology from Israel for the deaths. Israel has refused.
Greece, a historical rival of Turkey, meanwhile, has been developing closer ties to Israel.
Turkey’s Armenian community is facing difficulties in electing an administrative board for the Üç Horan Armenian Church Foundation, with some claiming society officials are guilty of discrimination.
“Armenians from [the Central Anatolian province of] Sivas are dominant in the administrative board, and they do not want Armenians from [the Southeast Anatolian province of Şırnak] and [the Black Sea province of] Sinop to have any influence whatsoever in the community foundations. They call them Kurds. Such discrimination is unacceptable in a 50,000-person community,” Üç Horan Foundation chairman candidate Efrim Bağ told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.
Sarkis Elbe, a prominent member of the Armenian community in Turkey, said the election process has been “painful,” adding that the elections should be open to all members of the Armenian community in Istanbul to prevent problems in future elections.
Misak Hergel, president of the Istanbul-based Vakıflıköy Armenians Association, also believes that the elections should be open to public. “A general election should be held not only for Beyoğlu but all foundations,” said Hergel. “Many foundations do not have a congregation and the current election process is not fair.”
The Turkish-Armenian community owns 42 foundations, all of them based in Istanbul. Üç Horan has the largest amount of revenue among them.
In May 2009 the foundation applied to the General Directorate of Foundations to elect their administrative board. Some, however, said after the polls that the administrative board had conducted an unlawful election for its own ends. The election was canceled and the issue was taken to court.
The General Directorate of Foundations demanded a new election, which was scheduled for Nov. 21 of this year. However, the same administrative board was found to have unlawfully prepared an election list and the election was postponed again, this time until February.
The Turkish Armenian community in Istanbul wants the board elections to be open to participation by all members of the community. According to the community’s attorneys, there is no legal impediment to that in the Turkish law for foundations.
Bağ further said the patriarch’s word used to be considered a holy order, but the lack of a proper patriarch at the moment has complicated the community’s internal affairs.
“The deputy patriarch invited all the parties to the Patriarchate to discuss the issue, but nobody went. This is openly denying the Patriarchate and its status,” Bağ said.
Turkish Armenian Patriarch Mesrop II has developed frontal dementia, preventing him from fulfilling his duties. Following intervention by the Turkish Interior Ministry, Archbishop Aram Ateşyan was appointed deputy patriarch.
Because the current patriarch is still alive, a new patriarch cannot be elected, according to the canon of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
The Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review called the foundation board to ask for comment about the claims, but the board refused to answer its questions.
Turkey will start talks with Japanese industrial giant Toshiba over its plans to build a nuclear power plant on its Black Sea coast after negotiations with South Korea hit a snag over money.
Korea’s state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. had reached a preliminary agreement with Turkish state power company EUAS in March to jointly bid for the contract to build the northern Turkey power plant, which is to be completed by 2019 and estimated to be worth about $20 billion.
However, the conflict over the plant’s price tag appears to be a significant issue, with Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ending their summit in Seoul Saturday without a deal in place.
Although the Ministry of Knowledge Economy insists that the pause in the talks is just a speed bump and says that the talks will resume as soon as possible. However, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz commenting about inviting Toshiba to the picture shows that the country is open about exploring other options, which would give them better leverage in the talks with Korea at the least.
Yildiz said the talks with Korea had snagged on issues concerning financial terms, treasury guarantees and the distribution of shares in the planned company that would build and operate the plant.
“Turkey has agreed to consider some additional and renewed offers presented by us in the recent negotiations. We believe that the negotiations will resume quickly and the countries will be inking a deal soon enough,’’ said an official from the ministry’s nuclear-energy development division.
“The contract has to include financial terms related to the plant construction as well as electricity sales price.’’
Korea has been accelerating its attempt to strengthen its position in an expanding market for nuclear-plant construction and operation. The country currently has 20 nuclear-power plants, which provide around 40 percent of the country’s electricity needs.
In December last year, a team of Korean firms won an $18.6 billion project to build four power-generating nuclear reactors in the United Arab Emirates, beating out rival candidates from the United States and France.
Korea aims to secure $400 billion of contracts by 2030 as demand for nuclear plants increases. Potential deals are expected in India, Malaysia, Thailand, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for a higher level of trade with Bangladesh on Sunday, vowing to support the South Asian Muslim country in international platforms.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the International Turkish Hope High School in Bangladesh and was moved by a warm welcome from students of the educational institute.
“We will never leave Bangladesh alone,” Erdoğan told reporters in a joint press conference with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina in capital Dhaka during his two-day visit. This visit, which was the first Turkish prime ministerial visit in 21 years to the country, was to bolster growing trade relations and bilateral ties between the two countries. The two prime ministers held bilateral talks and meetings with delegations before the news conference, which Erdoğan defined as “very useful.”
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, State Minister Mehmet Aydın, who is also the co-Chairman of the Turkey-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission, Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız, Deputy Chairman of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Nükhet Hotar and Samsun Deputy Suat Kılıç accompanied Erdoğan during his visit.
Noting that he is pleased to be in a “friendly and brotherly” country, Erdoğan said he assessed the current level of bilateral ties between the two countries today with his counterpart.
Erdoğan said, “Turkey is one of the first countries that recognized Bangladesh’s independence. Our relations have increasingly strengthened. We appreciate and follow Bangladesh’s steps in its path to development. We are monitoring its successful record in human rights, rule of law and gender equality. There have never been problems between Turkey and Bangladesh. In addition, the two countries also display solidarity in international organization. We want to continue to enhance our economic, cultural and political cooperation,” Erdoğan told the news conference.
Pointing to the fact that trade volume between the two countries was only $47 million in 2002 but reached $658 million by 2009, Erdoğan said these numbers don’t reflect the potential between Turkey and Bangladesh. The prime minister said they have increased the previously set $1 billion goal for 2015 to $3 billion. “There should be more, not less,” Erdoğan underlined.
Erdoğan also noted that Turkish Airlines will launch direct flights to Dahka on Dec. 23 this year, which he believes will increase trade and tourism and solidarity between the two nations.
Turkey and Bangladesh are also in the Developing-8 (D-8) — an arrangement for development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey — that enhances dialogue between the two countries.
The establishment of the D-8, an organization aimed at fostering economic cooperation among its Muslim developing country members, was announced officially by a summit of heads of state and government in İstanbul in June 1997.
Saying that there is also cooperation between Bangladesh and Turkey in the sphere of education, Erdoğan said Turkey is helping the country in bachelor, masters and military education.
Turkey and Bangladesh signed two agreements in health and diplomatic sectors during Erdoğan’s visit. The first agreement envisages cooperation in the health sector between the two countries. The second agreement is about granting plots of land for diplomatic missions both in Ankara and Dhaka.
Hasina also said talks held with Erdoğan and with the Turkish delegation took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Noting that they hold similar views on many topics in international affairs, Hasina said they have an agreement in the struggle against any type of terrorism.
Hasina stated they agreed to continue cooperation in health, education and the defense industry.
“I want to express my admiration to Prime Minister Erdoğan for his success in international relations and his leadership,” Hasina concluded.
Before his meetings with Bangladeshi officials, Erdoğan visited Savar National Cemetery on his second day in Dhaka. Erdoğan later was expected to hold talks with Bangladesh’s President Muhammad Zillur Rahman and was set to proceed to a lunch hosted by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).
During his visit, Erdoğan also visited International Turkish Hope High School, which was established in 1996 by Turkish businessmen, where he was welcomed by traditional Turkish and Bangladeshi dances and songs, congratulating those who have contributed to the foundation and maintenance of the school.
While the host school ran video footage featuring Erdoğan reciting the poem “Canım İstanbul,” Erdoğan and other ministers nearly wept. Stressing that his presence here has a special meaning, Erdoğan said it is pleasing to see Turks and Bangladeshis moving together towards the same goal.
Speaking at a ceremony at the high school, Erdoğan said Bangladesh and Turkey are two countries that have no problems between one another. Noting that Bangladesh could be one of the most modern countries in the world, Erdoğan said the country has a young population of 160 million and could successfully utilize this human capital. Erdoğan also stressed the need for democracy and noted there needs not be compromise to achieve freedom. “Better democracy, better life standards, better economy,” Erdoğan pointed out.
via Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news.
Talks that were carried out in Seoul on construction of a nuclear power plant in Turkey failed.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said, “We can’t reach a consensus with South Korea. Talks with Japan will begin at the end of the Sacrifice Feast.”
Replying questions of reporters, Yildiz said both Turkey and South Korea share the same determination and intention regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant in Turkey but the points of disagreement could not be overcome.
Yildiz said, “Some new reformative conditions had been offered. And, we declared reconsideration. However, we will start to hold talks with other countries. We need a quick negotiation process.”
Taner Yildiz said their decision to build a nuclear power plant in Turkey has remained same.
The Deep State, the name given by pro-democracy Turks to the alliance of the judiciary and military, has gradually lost strength and authority at the hands of the wisdom and vision displayed by the political leadership, a quality rarely found amongst the leaders of our country
Think of a country
marked with a history of frequent military interventions, political instability, human rights violations, and fierce standoffs between its right and left wings; a place where thousands have lost their lives to the quarrels triggered by the religious, ideological, and ethnic differences. Reading these lines, you might be thinking of Pakistan. However, it would be surprising for many people to know that these words describe the history of the Republic of Turkey as adequately as they highlight Pakistan’s past. It is amazing how similar is the (recent) history shared by the two countries, but more astonishing is the fact that Turkey has been able to break itself free from its gloomy past and turned into what can be safely referred to as today’s economic giant.
A recent visit to the country that took place as a result of Rumi Forum’s invitation revealed the aspects of Turkey’s economic and social development that are more than enough to baffle any visitor from a country like Pakistan. Rumi Forum is a Turkish organisation working in Pakistan under the Gulen Movement, a movement known by the name of one of the most influential religious scholars of Turkey — Fethullah Gulen. An initiative that primarily started in the 1960s with establishing dormitories for Turkish students with conservative backgrounds has today turned into a colossal movement providing services in the fields of education and health, and promoting dialogue and inter-faith harmony through media and dialogue forums. These numerous organisation in various fields are knitted together primarily by one simple vision — eradication of poverty and ignorance, and peaceful coexistence between the different sects of society, i.e. promoting tolerance. The impact of the organisation’s efforts on Turkish society is enormous and beyond comprehension.
Coming back to Turkey, visiting the place puts one in an ambivalent state. On the one hand is the joy of witnessing one of the most successful Muslim countries, particularly in light of its economy. On the other is the depression caused by the realisation of the precious years wasted by our countrymen. Turkey’s development highlights the fact that achieving economic supremacy is no mission impossible (given that the intent is present). It is almost unbelievable that a country that was experiencing one of the worst economic crises of its history in 2002 has managed to achieve such a dramatic turnaround. Government’s nominal debt stock that stood at an alarming level of 74.4 percent of GDP has shown a persistent decrease, falling to around 45 percent by the end of 2009. Today’s Turkey is characterised by a GDP of more than $ 600 billion, which is amongst the top 20 in the world, and a growth rate of over 7 percent per annum, which also makes it one of the fastest recovering economies from the global financial crisis of 2007.
More impressive than the economic highlights of the country are the trust and belief exhibited by the common public in Turkey’s leadership. The Justice and Development Party (AKP), after ruling the land for five years from 2002 through 2007, managed to defend its majority in parliament during the 2007 elections; a clear indication of the success of its leadership that is still quite popular across the various segments of Turkish society.
The new face of Turkey, as many locals refer to it, is characterised by the supremacy of democracy. The recent referendum is believed to have blocked the path of military interventions for good. The 26-point referendum has led to amendments in the constitution that was promulgated by the military coup of 1980. A major amendment aims to abolish the article of the constitution that provides protection to coup leaders. Thus military leaders involved in such plans can now be tried in civilian courts.
The violent quarrels of the past have been replaced by a peaceful dialogue, in most aspects, in a society that still faces a vast ideological distance between the two schools of thought. The liberation of the social and economic structure has been achieved despite the forceful opposition of the judiciary and the military junta, making the accomplishment even more praiseworthy. The Deep State, the name given by pro-democracy Turks to the alliance of the judiciary and military, has gradually lost strength and authority at the hands of the wisdom and vision displayed by the political leadership, a quality rarely found amongst the leaders of our country.
Turkey, even today, faces some serious social challenges that mostly revolve around the issues pertaining to human rights violations, difference of opinion among various sects of society regarding sanctioning of headscarves in educational institutions, etc. It is no anomaly as it is impossible to name a country without any internal conflicts. However, the fact worth mentioning is the determination of the leadership and people for a peaceful solution to these problems. More importantly, these ideological differences have not been able to halt the process of economic liberation. Under the cover of the European Union regulations, Turkey, over the past decade, has vigorously followed a persistent economic line that is primarily characterised by export-oriented industrialisation and increased role of the private sector with a certain degree of regulation. The success of these policies is evident from the fact that its exports, which were a mere $ 36 billion in 2002, rose to a level of $ 102 billion in 2009; the export target for 2013 is set at $ 200 billion.
The development model pursued by Turkey has several important implications for a country like Pakistan. It is a pragmatic demonstration of the fact that economic development can take place despite the presence of domestic conflicts. Leaders are defined by their quality to deliver and overcome the obstacles faced in the path of development. Whining over the problems encountered is not a characteristic of effective leaders. It would be unfortunate if our political elite fail to learn a few lessons from Turkey’s political and economic progress — a country that possesses a very similar recent political history pattern but, so far, a very different future outlook.
The writer is a graduate of Institute of Business Administration, Karachi. He can be reached at usmanshami@yahoo.com
Turkey’s growing ties to Iran and opposition to NATO missile defenses targeting Tehran are raising “many doubts about Turkey’s future” among officials in the alliance, Greece’s No. 2 defense official says.
