Turkey Analyst, 23 April 2008

NEWS DIGEST, April 9-22, 2008

SECTION II: FOREIGN NEWS

Summary: Foreign relations continued to be dominated by the international reaction to the court case against the ruling party and its effect on EU relations, particularly given EU Commission Barroso’s visit to Turkey. In other news, Armenia-Turkish relations fail to move forward, while Ankara, Baghdad and Washington discussed the PKK.

SOLANA: THERE WILL BE PROBLEMS WITH THE EU IF THE AKP IS BANNED
8 April
EU Common Foreign and Security Policy High Representative Javier Solana said that Turkey is in a serious constitutional crisis. Mr. Solana stated that if the AKP, which is recognized by the EU and came to power through democratic elections, was banned as a result of the case opened against it, the EU-Turkey relationship would be damaged. Mr. Solana said, “It appears that banning the governing party which came to power through democratic elections is on the agenda of Turkey. The AKP is a legitimate political party in Turkey. The importance of the issue is increased by the fact that the two highest representatives, the President and Prime Minister, are from this party. I hope that banning parties in Turkey will become more difficult with the planned amendments in the law. With these regulations, Turkey can move faster in her route to becoming a more democratic country.” (Sabah)

EU IS CONTENT WITH THE AMENDMENT OF ARTICLE 301
8 April
The proposal of the AKP to amend article 301, which seeks to criminalize insulting ‘Turkishness’, was brought to the parliament and received positive reactions from EU circles in Ankara. An EU ambassador said, “This is a long awaited move and the message delivered concerning the freedom of speech is very important. However, everything certainly depends on the application.” EU diplomats said that the EU has frequently requested this move and stated that the proposal would be examined closely, although the direction thus far was considered ‘good’. EU circles further described the issue of the proposal as ‘important’ and ‘interesting’. (Sabah)

SOLANA: THE JUDICIARY MUST BE SENSIBLE IN ITS DECISION
April 9
The High Representative of EU Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, said that the ban of the AKP could generate “very serious results” for EU-Turkish relations. In a speech delivered at a European Parliament Committee, he stated that the ban of the AKP would comprise “a significant setback” to relations between the EU and Turkey. Mr. Solana stated, “That is why the Constitutional Court must be reasonable in its decision on this subject”. In a seminar in Brussels yesterday, the EU Commissioner responsible for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, stated that the AKP closure case was another test for ‘the stability anchor’-claim of Turkey in its relations with the EU. Mr. Rehn noted that last year’s presidential and general elections seriously tested Turkey’s claim of being a stability anchor and added that “this test will repeat itself with the case to ban the AKP”. In his speech at the opening ceremony of the communication platform “Istanbul Center-Brussels”, marking the candidature of Istanbul as the European Culture Capital in 2010, Mr. Rehn maintained that the EU accession process was a guarantee for Turkey’s ‘democratic secularism’. He also said that the removal of Article 301 would be good news in the context of the need for additional reforms in Turkey. (Milliyet)

KACZYŃSKI: POLITICAL CRISIS HARMS EU ambitionS
10 April
Polish President Lech Kaczyński stated that the political crisis in Turkey is harming the aim of EU membership.  Mr. Kaczyński confirmed that Poland supports Turkey’s EU bid but warned that the former Soviet republics of Ukraine and Georgia, which also want to join the EU, could surpass Ankara. During an interview with Reuters, Mr. Kaczyński stated that in contrast to Ukraine and Georgia, the problems of Turkey are largely cultural. Analysts assert that although Poland is one of the strongest supporters of Turkey’s membership, its support can decrease if the Polish government receives the backing of the countries opposing Turkey’s bid for the inclusion of Poland’s eastern neighbor Ukraine to the EU. (Sabah)

BARROSO TO BAYKAL: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO JOIN EUROPEAN UNION?
11 April
President of the EU Commission José Manuel Barroso has met with the opposition party leaders in the parliament. During his meeting with CHP Chairman Deniz Baykal, he inquired if they truly wish to join the EU. “We have supported this project since the beginning. However, the question remains is if there is a desire in the EU for the full membership of Turkey. If we are assured full membership, we can wait for 20 or 30 years. We will be more motivated if we know that Turkey will become a member.”  Mr. Baykal responded. After the meeting Mr. Baykal said, “Mr. Barroso’s speech in the parliament was predictable. We saw the reflection of our sensitivity not to make a comment regarding the legal process. We appreciate this. Our meeting was beneficial and well-balanced.” Mr. Barroso maintained that it was not possible to prioritize democracy or secularism and stated “There are three important elements that we underline; compatibility with the constitution, democracy and the supremacy of law. We want to see these three elements together.” (Milliyet)

BARROSO DELIVERS SPEECH IN THE TURKISH PARLIAMENT
11 April
President of the EU Commission José Manuel Barroso made his speech in the parliament yesterday. While delivering messages on a variety of issues from secularism to Cyprus, Mr. Barroso refrained from mentioning the case to ban the AKP. He stated, “Don’t expect us to take sides on the issue of secularism. The issue of the Islamic headscarf requires a decision that should be taken by every woman according to her beliefs. Democracy should be more effective in the civil-military relations”. When expressing his content about the steps taken to amend Article 301, Mr. Barroso delivered the following messages: “Turkey’s and Europe’s support for the conducted activities, such as those in Bosnia, is of crucial importance. We admire the professionalism of the Turkish army.” “Turkey plays a very important role in the dialogue with the Muslim world. It is integrating in Europe by demonstrating that it is a secular and democratic country. As a Muslim country, Turkey presents a strong alternative to Islamic fundamentalism. Turkey has become a central player, particularly after the end of the Cold War.” “Nationalist sentiments, feeling that you are a part of a country or a nation, do not contradict peace, democracy and being a member of the European Union. There is no shortcut for membership. It is the responsibility of the Commission to support the preparations of the reforms while the candidate states realize them. This is not interfering with the internal politics of this country. Turkey has realized many effective changes. Freedom of speech and democratic principles in civil-military relations should be emphasized. These are of key importance to us. “I recognize the importance of the secularism debate in Turkey. Other countries also underwent this in different periods and found solutions of their own. Do not expect the EU to take sides and impose standards in this matter.” “There is no standard concerning the Islamic headscarf issue in the EU. This is a decision that should be taken by each woman, according to her own beliefs.” “We stand side by side in the fight against terrorism. The PKK is a terrorist organization and is on the list. There is no misunderstanding here. We think that the problems in the southeast regions of the country can be solved within the framework of a more comprehensive strategy. The problems can be solved by granting political and cultural rights to the Kurdish citizens. There is a great opportunity in Cyprus. The wall in Nicosia is the last wall dividing Europe. We fully believe that Turkey supports a comprehensive solution that can be formulated under the UN umbrella. Responsibilities stemmed from the Ankara Agreement and the supplementary protocol are important for Turkey. When looking at previous enlargement processes, it is clear that Turkey is not an exception. Be sure that discussions will last until membership is granted. Turkey should fully engage with the reforms. (Sabah)

HARSH MESSAGES FROM ERDOĞAN TO THE EU
11 April
Prime Minister Erdoğan delivered a number of harsh messages during his speech at the Turkey-EU Joint Consultation Committee meeting. Mr. Erdoğan stated that Turkey was determined in her bid to join the EU. He criticized the suspension of the 8 chapters as being unacceptable. Mr. Erdoğan also criticized the views expressed by those opposing Turkey’s membership on the basis that Turkey is not geographically part of Europe, by pointing out that there were already member states that are not geographically part of Europe. He added that Turkey was ahead of at least 10 countries according to the Copenhagen and Maastricht Criteria. Lastly, he called on the EU to be more honest. Mr. Erdoğan also complained about the opposition in his speech. He noted that the opposition was doing every move to prevent the reforms while the AKP government regarded the year 2008 as the year of reform. (Hurriyet)

BARROSO: LATE IN TERMS OF REFORMS ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
12 April
The President of the EU Commission José Manuel Barroso underlined that Turkey needs to find a structural acceleration in her political reforms and said, “The reforms about freedom of expression are long overdue. The Ombudsman law, the judicial reform, the development of the cultural and minority rights parallel to the union and social rights are other necessary areas where reforms should gain pace. Full membership can only be achieved when there is a strong political consensus.  The delegation visited the Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul, and met Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chief Negotiator Ali Babacan. While pointing out that the timing of this visit was very important, Mr. Babacan added “Turkey is not a burden but an asset for the EU”. Mr. Barroso, among others, said that the economic success of the Turkish economy needs to be sustained though structural reforms. (Milliyet)

EU ALLIES TO BLAME FOR DIMISHED SUPPORT
12 April
Prime Minister Erdoğan, participating in a meeting of the Turkey-EU Consultation Committee, responded to claims made by some EU member countries regarding Turkey's membership. He assured Mr. Barroso that "We have no hesitation regarding participation with the EU. Despite these discouraging developments, we continue on the road to EU membership with the same enthusiasm as ever.  Some recommendations, like 'privileged membership', amount to changing the rules of the game. Two countries started this. It affected the Turkish people. Support for the EU in 2004 was 75%, but has now dropped to 59%. Our EU allies are responsible for this diminished trust," noted the Prime Minister. "We enter the EU not to become a burden, but to lighten the EUs burden. Turkey has more than done its homework. We aim to complete all the relevant legal arrangements by 2013."
(Hurriyet)

“WE ARE OBSERVING THE AKP CASE CLOSELY”
15 April
British Foreign Minister David Miliband stated that the British Foreign Ministry is closely observing the AKP case. Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and British Foreign Minister Miliband held a joint press conference after lunch today. Regarding the AKP case, Mr. Miliband said, “We are observing the developments in Turkey anxiously. We regard the Turkish government as a government representing the will of the people. Hence this government deserves strong support from the international community and of course from Great Britain. We hope that these developments do not disrupt attention from the important matters with which the Turkish government is occupied. We support the Turkish government’s reforms, which are necessary and need courage and responsibility to realize. Regarding the case; the international community believes that the Turkish people made their decision about which government they want in a clear way. We have an efficient relation with the current government and want this to continue.” (Radikal)

TURKEY NOT A "MODERATE ISLAMIC COUNTRY"
April 16
Speaking at the meeting of the US-Turkish council in Washington DC, Turkey’s ambassador to the United States Nabi Şensoy implored American policy makers and journalists not to depict Turkey as a “moderate Islamic country”. “I and many others in Turkey feel disturbed by this description. Turkey is a secular country. It is thus much more accurate to use definitions such as “secular country” or “secular democracy” when speaking about Turkey”, ambassador Şensoy stated.
(Hürriyet)

NEGOTIATION PROCESS OFFICIALLY STARTING IN CYPRUS
17 April
The “Study Groups and Technical Committees”, which will constitute the basis of the negotiations during the meeting of the leaders of both sides of Cyprus on 21 March, officially begin to work tomorrow. After agreeing on a preparation period of 3 months, the leaders of the two communities  had approved the establishment of 6 Study Groups and 7 Technical Committee during their meeting on March 21. The Study Groups will evaluate the Turkish and Greek positions about the Cyprus issue.  The Technical Committees will discuss the everyday issues between the two societies of the island. The heads of the Study groups and Technical Committees will meet in Nicosia tomorrow. While the Study Groups are established under the titles of Administration and Power Allocation, EU issues, Guarantees and Security, Land, Property and Economical issues; the Technical Committees will consist of the following titles: Crime/Issues Related to Crime, Economical and Commercial issues, Cultural Heritage, Crisis Management, Humanitarian issues, Health and Environment. (Milliyet)

U.S. PRESS: COURT SHOULD WARN, NOT BAN THE AKP
17 April
U.S. daily newspaper Boston Globe wrote in its editorial that if the AKP was banned, democracy in Turkey would deteriorate and the bid of Turkey to join EU would weaken. The newspaper asked the Constitutional Court of Turkey not to ban the AKP, but to advise the party to respect the principle of secularism. In its editorial “Tremors in Turkey”, the Boston Globe evaluated recent developments in Turkey and claimed that a new and “ominous” phase in the “power struggle” between the “moderate Islamist” government party and staunchly secular military, jurdiciary and academic elites had started. (Sabah)

EUROPEAN SUPPORT FOR AKP
18 April
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe published a proclamation condemning the dissolution case against the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Among the parliamentarians signing the declaration are the leaders of the Christian Democrat, Socialist, Liberal and United Left parties. The proclamation emphasizes “the importance of the principle of respecting the independence of the judiciary” and “the importance of freedom of expression and organization for the proper functioning of pluralist democracy.” Turkey is encouraged to continue democratic reforms and to enact the necessary constitutional and legislative reforms related to political parties in line with the European Human Rights Agreement. This document does not represent a common position of the Parliamentary assembly and  binds only the signatory parliamentarians. (Zaman)

VERHEUGEN: NO EXCLUSION FOR TURKEY
19 April
The President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, transmitted the message of the Vice-President of the European Commission Günter Verheugen: “For every day  my realization that the decision to begin negotiations with Turkey was right grows stronger. The membership of Turkey is very important for the EU. There is a need for vision in this process of participation. Negotiations are held to realize membership. The confused and negative signals coming from the EU are not encouraging; however nobody has the courage to leave Turkey out of the process”. Mr. Hisarcıklıoğlu also announced a meeting with the Chambers’ Union of Greece and the Turkish and Greek sides of Cyprus on 23 May. They will meet on the island and “for the first time we will talk around the same table. This is a positive and promising step,” said Mr. Hisarcıklıoğlu. In the meantime, it was confirmed that the Intergovernmental Conference (HAK), which could give Turkey a possibility to open new negotiation chapters, would not be held as planned on 21 April 2008 as a result of “not having completed the necessary technical work”.  The work on the subject area continues. (Milliyet)

IRAQ, US AND TURKEY DISCUSS PKK IN KUWAIT
April 22
The expanded ministerial meeting of Iraq's neighboring countries, with the participation of  representatives from the U.N. Security Council, the European Commission, the Organization of Islamic Conference and the Arab Leauge, was held in Kuwait on Tuesday. The foreign ministers of Iraq, Turkey and the U.S. met at the conference. Mr. Ali Babacan and his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zabari expressed their pleasure at the improvements in the relations between the two neighboring countries. The US  secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that she is pleased with the cooperation between Iraq and Turkey. Ms. Rice told reporters in Kuwait that everyone is “concerned that Iraq doesn’t become a haven for terrorist attacks on Turkey.” She added ”cooperation is producing some results there.” Ms. Rice also said that the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers Party, is “an enemy of stability and therefore an enemy of Iraq, Turkey and the United States.” Turkey launched several aerial attacks and a major ground operation in northern Iraq against the outlawed PKK positions in February. The Turkish Foreign Minister said that the fight against the PKK continues with the support of the U.S. and Iraq, and that Turkey is ready to contribute to the efforts for stabilizing the country. Turkey is using every instrument in the fight against terrorism, Turkish Foreign Minister Babacan added. The foreign ministers also discussed ways to improve cooperation between their countries in areas such as economy and energy. (Hürriyet)

ARMENIA COLD TO TURKEY’S CALL FOR THE DIALOGUE
April 22
Armenia's stance toward dialogue with Turkey remains unchanged  despite Ankara's calls for the beginning of a new era in bilateral ties between the two neighbors that currently lack diplomatic relations.  Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told reporters yesterday that he had dispatched a letter to his Armenian counterpart, congratulating him on his new post and stating that Turkey is open for dialogue in order to normalize Turkish-Armenian relations. “There is no doubt that there are problems in the two countries' relations, but a solution passes through dialogue. Our doors are open to dialogue,” Mr. Babacan said.  “We received the letter of Mr. Babacan and we considered it very positive,” an Armenian diplomat, who wished to remain unnamed, told Turkish Daily News.  “But this [call for dialogue] should not only be in words, but also in deeds. We expect action,” he said and reiterated the well-known Armenian position that the re-establishment of diplomatic relations and re-opening of the closed borders without any preconditions play a major role in normalizing the ties.  “This is one of the key elements. It is nonsense for a European Union candidate country to keep its borders closed with its neighbor,” added the Armenian diplomat. (Turkish Daily News)

The Turkey Analyst
The Turkey Analyst is a publication of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Joint Center, designed to bring authoritative analysis and news on the rapidly developing domestic and foreign policy issues in Turkey. It is published weekly, and includes a topical analysis, as well as translations and summaries of selected Turkish news reports. It is edited and compiled under the supervision of Svante E. Cornell, Halil M. Karaveli, and M. K. Kaya.

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The Joint Center launched a Turkey Initiative in 2006 in order to improve understand of Turkish domestic and foreign affairs in Europe and the United States.

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