November 29, 2006
"EU mulls Turkey talks suspension
The European Commission is set to recommend that parts of the EU's talks with Turkey about EU membership should be suspended, the BBC has learned. Therefore, Talks With Turkey Now "on Lower Level": Germany's Steinmeier says.
Merkel says EU can't ignore Turkey's refusal to change stance on Cyprus.
Istanbul Tory continues to provide analytic resolutions to Turkey's entanglements: Strange Days in Turkey..... Turkey's long road to a reawakening By Sabrina Tavernise is in a similar task... SABRINA TAVERNISE also comments on the Allure of Islam Signals as a Shift Within Turkey
Pope supports EU membership, Turkish leader says; he also says Military Takeover No Longer Option for Turkey' but he is not the one to decide that of course....
In the mean time, The Pope has been celebrating Mass in the ancient city of Ephesus in western Turkey, on the second day of his landmark visit to the country. Before that At Ataturk's tomb, Pope prays for peace. Celal points out another angle: Converts’ Trial Shows Tensions Before Papal Visit. This is in line with Annette Grossbongardt who says "Christians are only a tiny minority in Turkey. But they have high hopes for Pope Benedict XVI's visit this week. Many feel their religious rights are severely limited in the predominantly Muslim country...."
Joh Esposito on Turks Troubled by Pope's Refusal to Apologize And some argues Pope's visit is only a yawn for Turks:
"The only tangible sign for most Ankara residents of Pope Benedict XVI's presence in their city was that their daily traffic snarl-ups were worse than ever...."
In other developments, World Bank Appoints New Director for Turkey: Ulrich Zachau
Mavi Boncuk notes from the 2006 |World Economic Forum in Turkey
Turkish participation in International Organizations
Athens on breakdown of Finnish EU-Turkey initiative
Cengiz Candar in Increasingly self-confident Turkey of Istanbul versus Ankara-Brussels
FROM ALL SIDES: Reflecting on EU-Turkey relations
On November 8, in its annual report on Turkey, the European Commission criticised Ankara for slowing down reforms on human rights and for refusing to open its ports and airports to Greek Cyprus, whose government is recognised by the EU as the government of the whole island. As a result, Turkey was given until mid-December to come to terms with the EU or risk a crisis in its EU accession talks. Turkey’s ambassador to Bulgaria Mehmet Gucuk commented to Yana Moyseeva on the report.
SERDAR TURGUT recommends Strategies For 2007
Handan T. Satiroglu in Resurgence of Nationalism and Islam Threaten to Turn Turkey Away From West
Posted to Cyprus | EU Summits/Reports | Enlargement | Field notes | Pope/Pope's Speech