Category: America

U.S. to punish Turkey through Armenian Genocide

Official Washington is quite likely to recognize the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey early last century, Alexander Khramchikhin, Head of the Analytical Department, Moscow-based Institute for Political and Military Analysis (IPMA), told NEWS.am.

“At present Turkey is showing a most high level of independence, which is not to the United States’ liking. So the U.S. may use this lever to re-establish it control over Turkey,” the expert said. Khramchikhin believes such a scenario is quite probable. “Over the recent years, since the Justice and Development Party came to power, Turkey tendency to independence has been an accomplished fact,” the expert noted. Turkish Premier Recep Erdogan’s latest statement is one more piece of evidence thereof.

According to the expert, Turkey may revise its foreign policy and decline its pro-western policy. “A number of factors, including its ‘flirt’ with Iran, Turkish-Israeli conflict and so on, are indicative of this,” he said.

As to the possibility of deterioration of U.S.-Turkey relations, and even severance of diplomatic relations, Khramchikhin rules it out. “Severing diplomatic relations is tantamount to declaring war. I rule it out. However, the present tendencies will inevitably lead to cooling off in bilateral relations,” he said.

In his recent interview with Pakistani mass media, Turkish Premier Recep Erdogan accused the U.S. of supporting international terrorism. The flotilla incident unmasked Washington, which is overtly supportive of Israeli act of terror.

via U.S. to punish Turkey through Armenian Genocide | Armenia News – NEWS.am.

October 24, 2010
The Turkish Flag Controversy | Christian Action Network

The Christian Action Network has received thousands of emails about the cover of our new documentary, Sacrificed Survivors: The Untold Story of the Ground Zero Mosque. This controversy could result in protests at the premiere of the film in New York City on October 28. We regret any hurt feelings caused by the use of only the Turkish flag on the cover of the film. We did not mean to single out Turkey and therefore, the cover will be altered to include the flags of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, Sudan and Syria.

The decision to include these flags is being made in order to reinforce one of the themes of the film: Radical Islam seeks to bring the world under Sharia law and the U.S. is no exception. The flags that will be depicted are of countries that have instituted Sharia law in their country and/or sponsor the spread of radical Islam.

Turkey was chosen because the country serves as a reminder of what can happen if “stealth jihad” is successful. Turkey was once a staunchly pro-American ally with a secular identity. Unfortunately, it is today governed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party, which has brought Turkey in the opposite direction.

Erdogan and his party’s initial 2002 election victory encouraged the Muslim Brotherhood, with its political chief saying the victory came as a result of the “exposing of the failure of the secular trend.” Turkey has become a leading provocateur of Israel and bastion of anti-Americanism. Erdogan has moved the country much closer to Iran, Syria and Sudan, going so far as to oppose U.N. sanctions on Iran for their nuclear program. He has even said, “I do not think that Hamas is a terrorist organization.”

The Turkish flag was originally chosen because of the presence of the Islamic star and crescent on the flag. As the CIA World Factbook explains, “the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for the Turks, as well as being traditional symbols of Islam.” Those symbols were chosen to signify Turkey’s status as a country with a Muslim identity—and will be used in the same fashion on the American flag should the country be overtaken by radical Islamic forces.

We do not mention this to try to portray a negative image of the Turkish people. Although their votes put Erdogan’s party (and therefore, him) in power, we know not all Turks can be characterized as Islamists. Polls show the vast majority of Turks oppose Osama Bin Laden, Hamas and Hezbollah, and we hope the election next July will reflect this opposition to radical Islam and the aligning of Turkey with enemies of the West. But the fact remains—the “stealth jihad” of political Islam has been successful in Turkey. And this is something the West must learn from.

The flags of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran and Sudan were chosen because their governments are using Sharia law as a basis for government and because of their support for the spread of radical Islam. The Syrian flag was chosen because, although the government is secular, it undoubtedly contributes to the spread of radical Islam by sponsoring terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

The cover of Sacrificed Survivors: The Untold Story of the Ground Zero Mosque will not single out Turkey, but the editing omission should not take away from the film’s premise and the stories of the survivors of 9/11 and the families of the victims as the Ground Zero Islamic center and mosque controversy continues.

October 22, 2010
Turkey Maintains Reservations About US Missile Defense

Turkey Maintains Reservations About US Missile Defense

Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 7 Issue: 190

October 21, 2010 02:11

By: Saban Kardas

Turkey’s position on US efforts to create a ballistic missile defense (BMD) system in Europe has emerged as another source of tension in US-Turkish relations. The Bush administration originally contemplated the installment of a missile shield in Eastern Europe, yet failed to achieve its stated objectives in the face of strong Russian opposition. At the time, Turkey expressed a cautious position on such proposals, arguing that it should not proceed in a manner threatening to Russia. Recently, the Obama administration revived the idea as a central component of its policy of containing the threat posed by the Iranian nuclear program.

Turkey has been considered as a possible location for the system, possibly hosting a radar battery on its soil, which would detect missiles launched from its surrounding regions so that they could be intercepted by missiles stationed in Turkey or Eastern Europe. The US also moved to present the revamped program as a joint NATO project, in obvious attempts to garner wider diplomatic support, and perhaps ease Ankara’s concerns. However, given Turkey’s position on the Iranian nuclear issue, which already had pitted it against the US, Ankara has remained lukewarm towards invitations from Washington to join the project. The recent trend in Turkish foreign policy towards pursuing independent policies and growing questions as to whether it is still committed to the Alliance and its traditional relations with the US has made Turkey’s position all the more puzzling.

This issue has been at Turkey’s doorsteps visibly at least since Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Turkey in early September (EDM, September 8). Similarly, during his visit to Turkey in early October, NATO Secretary-General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, discussed this issue (www.cnnturk.com, October 8). Ankara’s position was again one of the main items when NATO foreign and defense ministers met on October 14 in Brussels to discuss the Alliance’s new strategic concept, which will be adopted at the NATO summit in Lisbon next month. Rasmussen urged alliance members to consider the proposal for adopting a missile shield seriously against threats from rogue states, as underlined in the draft strategic concept.

In Brussels, Turkish foreign and defense ministers, Ahmet Davutoglu and Vecdi Gonul, respectively, held a separate meeting with their US counterparts Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates. They conveyed Turkish concerns, especially its uneasiness with the proposed system being perceived as targeting Iran and Syria. They emphasized that the project must proceed as a defensive system, without designating any country as a potential aggressor. Otherwise, it could make these countries feel encircled and heighten tensions in the region. Turkey also reportedly expressed its desire to place the system under NATO’s command, and have it cover the entire territory of NATO members. Regarding the use of Turkish territory as a possible site for the system, the Turkish side apparently maintained its reservations (Dogan, October 14; Cihan, October 16).

Speaking to reporters upon his return to Turkey, Gonul, however, did not rule out Turkey’s participation. Gonul rejected labeling Turkey’s stance as simply putting up objections, noting that the two sides were negotiating, which will continue until the Lisbon summit. Interestingly, Gates also denied speculation that the US was pressuring Turkey and said they were simply continuing negotiations with an ally. Gonul preferred to highlight the potential benefits of the missile shield for Turkey’s own security. Referring to some smaller scale defense systems Turkey is undertaking, Gonul maintained that if a future NATO missile shield also covers Turkey, it might help the country save huge costs (Zaman, October 16, October 17).

Gonul apparently sees some opportunity for Turkey to participate in the missile shield project, since most of the costs would be borne by the United States. Turkey has considered missile defense systems since the 1990’s, but has failed to build an operational system, given its inability to shoulder the enormous costs of such a project and its limited technological know-how. One Turkish defense expert, Mustafa Kibaroglu, stressed that Turkey might opt to benefit from this project by seeking to gain a say in the decision making processes of the system and sharing technological expertise (Hurriyet Daily News, October 20).

During his trip to the US where he attended the 29th annual American-Turkish Council (ATC) conference in Washington, Gonul, accompanied by Turkish government officials and diplomats, continued the talks on the issue with their American counterparts. “Contrary to some press reports, we are not pressuring Turkey to make a contribution. But we do look to Turkey to support NATO’s adoption at the Lisbon summit of a territorial missile defense capability,” Gates said, underscoring the ongoing difficulties in bridging the differences of opinion (Today’s Zaman, October 20).

Unlike Davutoglu, who has been the architect of Turkey’s controversial Iran policy, Gonul might be less concerned about Turkey’s Iran portfolio and more sympathetic to the idea of benefiting from the missile shield project. Nonetheless, Ankara’s reservations over the ramifications of the project for its relations with its neighbors still run deep. Davutoglu has emphasized on many occasions that Turkey does not perceive any threats from the Middle East, and recently added that regional countries do not pose a threat to NATO, either (www.cnnturk.com, October 20).

Turkey might increasingly find itself between a rock and a hard place. Irrespective of whether NATO designates any targets, Iran, whom the US has already dubbed as a “rogue state,” might nonetheless perceive the missile shield as a threat. Turkey, thus, will find it hard to explain its support for the missile shield to its Middle Eastern neighbors, especially as it pursues a “zero problems with neighbors” policy and forges deeper regional integration in the Middle East. In contrast, given the deep-running problems currently bedeviling US-Turkish relations, caused by the row over the Iranian nuclear issue and Turkey’s disputes with Israel, Turkey might not afford to be the deal-breaker at NATO. Ankara already sparked the ire of the US and other NATO members, when it contemplated vetoing Rasmussen’s election last year (EDM, April 6, 2009).

Nonetheless, it may still be too early to determine the conditions under which Turkey could give its consent. Indeed, Turkey might prefer to continue “negotiations” on this issue until the Lisbon summit, and perhaps beyond.

https://jamestown.org/program/turkey-maintains-reservations-about-us-missile-defense/

October 21, 2010
United States and Turkey Sign Science and Technology Agreement

Office of the SpokesmanWashington, DC
October 20, 2010

The Governments of the United States and the Republic of Turkey signed a Science and Technology Agreement today at the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C. Assistant Secretary Kerri-Ann Jones of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs signed on behalf of the United States while Deputy Under Secretary for Bilateral Affairs and Public Diplomacy Selim Yenel signed on behalf of Turkey.

This new Agreement, which replaces an earlier 1994 text, marks an important milestone in the rich history of U.S.-Turkish scientific cooperation. As President Obama stated during his visit to Turkey in April 2009, “…Turkey and the United States must stand together — and work together — to overcome the challenges of our time.” The Agreement will further this goal by providing the legal framework for increased agency-to-agency collaboration across a broad range of scientific disciplines.

Scientific collaboration is only one facet of the U.S.-Turkish bilateral relationship. This Agreement will deepen and diversify relations between the two countries by facilitating the undertaking of joint cooperative research projects; exchanges for scientists, specialists and researchers; the establishment of science-based public-private partnerships; as well as the sharing of facilities, equipment and materials for scientific collaboration between the United States and Turkey. Areas of potential bilateral scientific cooperation include research on earthquake early warning and preparedness, environmental science, climate change, renewable energy, health, archeology, material science and chemistry.

PRN: 2010/1495

October 21, 2010
US eager to boost trade with Turkey, but not in textiles

Economy Minister Ali Babacan speaking at the 29th Annual Conference on US-Turkish relations with Gary Locke (second from left), US Trade Representative Ron Kirk (L).

Although the US has a strong desire to develop trade relations with Turkey, participating in a fresh high-level initiative, its determination to facilitate trade in textiles, however, is not very strong.

A top US trade official said easing customs procedures to allow Turkish textile goods to penetrate the US market at lower tariffs is unlikely despite the US administration’s commitment to high-level dialogue to boost trade.

“Turkey made a very strong case for what they would like to see happen. We were equally practical in trying to help them understand that this is a matter in which our Congress exercises very strong prerogative,” US Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk said on Tuesday on the sidelines of a ministerial-level meeting as part of American-Turkish Council (ATC) talks.

The US is trying to protect its own domestic market by enforcing double-digit tariffs on clothing and other textile items. Such a high figure prevents an invasion of Chinese goods, but is much higher than the average US tariff rate of less than 2 percent. The measure, however, frustrates other countries, among them Turkey.

Kirk said it would be hard for President Barack Obama to persuade Congress to ignore or ease those duties in favor of Turkey, as the United States has done for several poor countries.

Tuesday’s inaugural meeting of the US-Turkey Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation was co-chaired by Kirk and US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke from the US side, and Economy Minister Ali Babacan and Foreign Trade Minister Zafer Çağlayan from Turkey.

Turkey a priority market for the US

In his speech, Locke said Turkey was a priority market for the current US administration, which aims to double US exports to this country. He said the US would undertake two trade missions to Turkey in 2011.

The two nations pledged to take top-level initiatives to boost trade during President Abdullah Gül’s visit to US President Barack Obama last December. Accordingly, a new US-Turkey Business Council will be established before the end of this year to work on developing trade on 12 key sectors. Furthermore, the two countries are setting up a working group to cooperate on protecting intellectual property rights.

Turkey is one of the few nations that have a trade deficit with the US as it imported $7.1 billion worth of US goods while exporting only $3.66 billion to the world’s largest economy. Turkey’s exports to the US reached their apex in 2006 with $5.4 billion.

Çağlayan is aware of the imbalance in the trade figures and hopes that the fresh dialogue with Washington will mark a new era. “Turkey is determined to do as much trade as it can with every country in the world,” he said.

Babacan added that Turkey has been committed to maintaining “an open economy” with all countries since embarking on economic reforms in the early 2000s. “We are implementing a multidimensional foreign policy and a multidimensional trade policy. We just want to have a high gross domestic product [GDP] for our country … and we know this will flow through more trade and investment,” he said.

Next year’s meeting in Turkey

Attendees of the ministerial-level meeting decided to convene again in the coming year, but this time in Turkey. The ministers also gave the final shape to a letter of intent that aims to establish a connection to work together in foreign direct investment (FDI) between the Prime Ministry Investment Support and Development Agency and Invest in America. The letter is expected to be signed sometime this year. Furthermore, the ministers pledged to improve relations between the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the two countries.

Other measures also came out of the ministerial-level meeting. The USTR, for instance, will organize a non-official workshop in Turkey to publicize the standards of the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) best production practices.

Both sides will be better off

Doug Silliman, chargé d’affaires of the US mission in Turkey, has also confirmed the US’s efforts to create and advance investment and economic opportunities that will in the end make both the US and Turkey better off.

Delivering a speech at one of the ATC panel discussions, he argued that the US is working to introduce policies to facilitate trade, investment and joint initiatives between Turkish and US companies. Silliman called on the entrepreneurs of both countries to establish partnerships and develop projects. Eventually, it is the responsibility of the private sectors to deepen the economic ties, he noted.

The first ministerial-level meeting is an indicator of a high-level will and the presence of an intention of the governments of both nations, he said.

Silliman noted that the six-monthly trade between the US and Turkey in the first half of the year soared by 37 percent over the same period a year ago, adding that, albeit good, it is not enough.

Speaking at the same panel discussion, Koç Holding Chairman Mustafa Koç also focused on the need to improve economic relations between the two countries. He argued that prioritizing military and strategic interests in US-Turkish relations is not functional. “This doesn’t mean these interests are not important, but a solid economic foundation is a must for a sustainable and stable relationship,” he said.

21 October 2010, Thursday
TODAY’S ZAMAN İSTANBUL

October 21, 2010
Gates: U.S.-Turkish alliance strong despite differences

By Ben Birnbaum

The Washington Times

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates said Monday that the U.S. remains committed to its alliance with Turkey despite months of high-profile tensions with NATO’s only Muslim-majority member state.

“Even as our views and approaches on some issues may differ, we are allies,” said Mr. Gates in a speech before American Turkish Council Convention. “We share fundamental interests in the region, and our goals remain the same: a respect for sovereignty and rule of law, economic growth and development, and enduring stability and security.”

Turkey, under the leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has raised eyebrows in the West this year with a number of moves indicating a recalibration of its traditionally staunch pro-Western foreign policy:

• In April, it conducted joint defense drills with Syria.

• In May, it sponsored a Gaza-bound aid ship seeking to break Israel’s blockade of the Hamas-controlled territory and later threatened to sever its longstanding ties with the Jewish state after nine Turkish nationals were killed in a melee with Israeli commandos.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates (right) presents the Distinguished Defense Award to Turkey's Minister of National Defense Vecdi Gonul during a ceremony Monday at the American-Turkish Council's 29th annual conference on U.S.-Turkey relations in Washington. (Associated Press)

• And in June, it voted against a fourth round of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program at the U.N. Security Council.

In his address, Mr. Gates thanked Turkey for its contribution of troops in Afghanistan and praised Turkish leaders for working with the Iraqi government “to reinforce that nation’s emerging democracy, encouraging national reconciliation initiatives and working to rebuild defense and security ties with the Iraqi Security Forces.”

“The United States and Turkey have wisely remembered our friendship during times of agreement and disagreement, and it is incumbent for us to continue to do so,” he said. “There is too much at stake for us not to do so — for our prosperity, for our security and for the credibility of our alliance.”

© Copyright 2010 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

October 20, 2010