The Turkey Analyst

Vol. 3 no. 9, 10 May 2010

ANALYSIS

No Longer "Convergence of Aspirations": the AKP and the Kurdish BDP Part Ways over Constitutional Overhaul
Halil M. Karaveli
The interests of the Islamic conservatives and the Kurds converged when both challenged the authority of the Turkish state. Today, however, the ruling Justice and development party (AKP) has little incentive to act differently toward the Kurds than its republican predecessors. And the Kurdish Peace and democracy party (BDP) has concluded that the cause of the Kurdish movement will not be advanced by supporting the AKP’s bid to tailor the constitution after its own needs.

The Security Goals of the EU and NATO Require Turkey's Role to be Addressed
Richard Weitz
Turkey has presented a unique challenge to the efforts of NATO and the EU to restructure their roles, missions, and capabilities to address Europe’s 21st-century security challenges.  It is impossible to construct an effective European security architecture without addressing Turkey’s role. Yet, finding an appropriate place for Ankara in the evolving EU-NATO balance has proven exceptionally difficult given the country’s continued exclusion from the EU and the dispute between Turkey and the government of Cyprus. Turkish officials have waged a protracted battle to secure some influence on EU security decisions as well as to compel Greek Cypriots to reach a political settlement with their Turkish minority. In pursuit of these ends, they have proved willing to block EU-NATO cooperation on important security issues.

What the Columnists Say
The Kurdish issue has continued to dominate the headlines in Turkey. During the last two weeks fifteen Turkish soldiers were killed when the outlawed Kurdistan workers party (PKK) attacked military outposts. The military High command was subjected to heavy criticism in the media for what was described as its neglect to ensure the protection of the soldiers. The chief of the General staff General İlker Başbuğ reacted angrily to the suggestion that the military authorities had willfully neglected to take proper measures, accusing the critics in the media of treason to the fatherland. Meanwhile, the Kurdish Peace and democracy party (BDP) was sharply criticized by liberal commentators after the party withheld its support for the constitutional amendment that would have made party closures dependent on the approval of the parliament. 

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NEW Silk Road Paper published

Between Fact and Fantasy: Turkey's Ergenekon Investigation, by Gareth H. Jenkins, August 2009.


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
The Joint Center, created in 2005, is the product of the merger of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, and the Silk Road Studies Program, at the Stockholm-based Institute for Security and Development Policy.

The Turkey Initiative
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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