Turkey
Fundamental information for understanding the state of political reform in Turkey
Prospects for Political Reform
» Turkey Update: The Latest
The PKK announced it would extend its unilateral ceasefire. Kurdish politicians, meanwhile, continued to call for the Turkish military to halt its operations against the PKK in return. The military has refused to do this. Recent military operations resulted in a clash with PKK forces in which several Turkish soldiers were killed. The AKP government said it would not yield in the face of what it characterized as attacks by people intent on undermining their Kurdish initiative. Syrian President Bashar Assad also strengthened the government’s hand by saying that he would grant amnesty to the numerous Syrian citizens fighting with the PKK in Northern Iraq. Radikal announced that Turkey would most likely offer amnesty to all but the highest-ranking 300 PKK members who would be encouraged to accept some form of asylum outside of Turkey.
While most coverage of last week’s UN meeting focused on Obama’s speech and nuclear disarmament, Turkish press covered PM Erdogan’s call for the world to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 2010 if Greek Cypriots continue to block efforts at unification. Without a major breakthrough on Cyprus by the end of this year, Turkey’s EU bid will suffer a major setback. Ongoing negotiations between Greek and Turkish leaders on the island have raised renewed optimism, but also fears that their failure now could permanently dash hopes for a settlement on the island. Cyprus’s EU membership has, according to many Turks, led the Greek side to be intransigent in negotiations, while European countries opposed to Turkey’s EU accession have refused to apply pressure on the Greeks.
For anyone who wants to read more on Turkey’s Kurdish initiaitve, here is an article in Foreign Policy that summarizes some recent developments and looks at the international angle with Northern Iraq as well.
» From The POMED Wire
Protests and Hope in Turkey
[Oct 7] A meeting of the IMF and World Bank in Istanbul has sparked protests across the city, Al-Arabiyya reports. Demonstrators have destroyed property and thrown…
Turkey Takes Turn for Worse?
[Sep 30] Soner Cagaptay worries that “Turkey’s experiment with Islamists-turned-democrats might be coming to a tragic end.” While the Justice and Development Party (AKP) began…
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The State of Political Reform
Political Parties and Participation
- The Politics of Personality: Erdogan's Irascible Authoritarianism
Turkey Analyst, February 13, 2009 Gareth Jenkins - Turkey's Justice and Develoment Party and EU Reform
Umut Refik, April 3, 2009 - The Court Blinks
The German Marshall Fund of the United States, August 2008 - more »
Human Rights
- Headscarf Dilemma: Implications for Turkey and the United States
Washington Institute for Near East Policy, February 2008 - Progress, or Regress?
Haaretz analysis of the headscarf ban, Article 301, and the Islamist-secularist clash, February 2008 - Human Rights in Turkey: Events in 2007
Human Rights Watch - more »
Elections
- The Electorate's Tune Up
Soli Ozel, March 31, 2009 - The Future of Turkish Democracy - an analysis of the March 2009 elections
Brookings Institution, April 1, 2009 - Ergenekon, AK, and Turkey's Municipal Elections
Radio Free Europe, March 30, 2009 - more »
Press Freedom
- Eye of the Storm
Taraf and the Media Landscape in Turkey, Suzy Hansen, Jan 2, 2009 - AKP Strengthens its Hold on the Turkish Media
The Jamestown Foundation, Eurasia Daily Monitor, May 2008 - Government Amendments Will Not Protect Free Speech: Article 301 Should Be Abolished
Human Rights Watch, April 2008 - more »
Political Institutions
- Arrest, Court Case Reveal that Turkey is Dangerously Polarized
Eurasianet, July 2008 - Turkey 2007 Progress Report
The European Commission, November 2007 - How Will the Turkish Military React?
Washington Institute for Near East Policy, July 2007 - more »
U.S. Democracy Promotion Policy
Legislation
- For an overview of U.S. legislation relating to political reform in Turkey, see the Congressional Policy and Foreign Assistance section of the Turkey backgrounder
- H.Res.106: Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution (Summary | Full Text)
- S.Res.65: Condemning the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist and human rights advocate Hrant Dink (Summary | Full Text)
- S.Res.331: Expressing the sense of the Senate that Turkey should end its military occupation of the Republic of Cyprus (Summary | Full Text)
- H.R. 1268: Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005 (Summary | Full Text)
- H.R. 2673: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Summary | Full Text)
- H.R. 1646: Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Summary | Full Text)
- H.R. 1559: Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 (Summary | Full Text)
Congressional Hearings
- Hearing of the House Subcommittee on Europe: “U.S.-Turkish Relations and the Challenges Ahead,” March 15, 2007 (Transcript)
- Hearing of the House Subcommittee on Europe: “Turkey’s Future Direction and U.S.-Turkey Relations,” October 1, 2003 (Transcript)
Assistance Programs
Public Statements
Sean McCormack, DoS Press Briefing, 7/30/08: Comments on the Constitutional Court’s decision not to close the AKP, “We would also encourage Turkey to use this moment to reinvigorate its efforts with the EU.”
Matt Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, 7/27/08: Comments on the AKP closure case, “If Turkey is going to get into the EU, which we strongly support, it has to adhere to European standards. So there needs to be an evolution of the democratic system, and that’s what is under way.”
Stephen Hadley, U.S. National Security Adviser, press availability, Ankara, 7/17/08: “Turkey has made some important democratic political reforms and free market economic reforms in the last several years and the United States believes strongly that this reform effort should continue.” Later he says, “This reform effort is supported by the people of Turkey and it will also bring Turkey closer to the European Union. The United States strongly supports membership for Turkey in the EU.”
