Erkan's field diary: in Ankara...

March 05, 2007

in Ankara...

well, in the middle of the night, in the darkness of a night travel and in an uncomfortable seat, an intense loneliness did strike me but thanks God i am alive. what to do in the cold early morning of Ankara? have breakfast, read dailies and start your field trip. I overcome my laziness. I went to the office of EC Delegation to Turkey in Uğur Mumcu Street and met Ms. Selda Düzenli, press and information Assistant to Delegation, who has promised me access for new interviews and their archive. Then I stopped by Hürriyet's Ankara Office (or building one should say) to talk to the secretaries of Enis Berberoğlu and Emin Çölaşan. But I could not even pass the security. I guess they could at least let me talk to them. I know very well that I cannot talk to those guys directly. First one should persuade their assistants. But even they were busy (!) Anyway, I will keep bugging them.

Here are some old and new stuff in the world of news:

Birthday declaration puts Merkel to EU constitution test; The German chancellor is facing the first real test of her efforts to push a revised EU constitution as she seeks to convince EU leaders this week to include a reference to a new treaty in the EU's 50th anniversary declaration.

Joost Lagendijk: I have doubts about the AKP's EU approach
Joost Lagendijk, co-chair of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliament Commission, has told opposition DYP leader Mehmet Agar, during a visit between the two in Ankara this week, that he has doubts about the current ruling AKP administration's approach towards EU accession.

Sabah found the map of Turkey divided into eight states Evren prepared 24 years ago.
* Turkey's ex-president Evren probed for Kurd remarks

* Turkish, EU officials confident entry talks can be intensified despite standoff over Cyprus
* Turkey defies EU with own accession agenda

Turkey late to wish Talabani well By Nicholas Birch

Verheugen warns against climate 'hysteria'; EU industry commissioner Gunter Verheugen has warned against hysteria in the climate change debate as the bloc considers setting stringent new caps for greenhouse gas emissions at a summit later this week.

French commissioner worried by presidential election campaign; Jacques Barrot, the French EU commissioner, has warned the French presidential candidates that France could lose out if it does not resume its leadership role in Europe.