Monthly Archives: April 2011

Critics who have been bashing Turkey for fraternizing with Syria for almost a decade now should realize just how valuable that engagement has become at a time when the regime in Syria is trying to figure out how to cope … Continue reading →

The past decade saw a fundamental shift in the way Turkey and the five-nation Nordic countries conduct foreign and domestic affairs with respect to transcending issues that have an impact on both sides. What used to be an adversarial encounter, … Continue reading →

The U-turn by Turkey’s election commission on its controversial decision to bar independent candidates endorsed by the pro-Kurdish party eased the tension in the country. Nevertheless the ensuing chaos and violent clashes for the last three days claimed the life … Continue reading →

The good news came on Friday, confirming the resilience of the Turkish economy. The budget deficit shrank by 64 percent in the first quarter compared to same period last year, Finance Minister Mehmet Şimsek announced. Thanks to a robust economy … Continue reading →

I have been advocating mending fences with Israel for some time, even though the right-wing coalition in the Israeli government seems to be reluctant to reconcile their differences with Turkey. There was a brief glimmer of hope when Turkey rushed … Continue reading →

The primaries for the run-up to national elections on 12 June will be over on Monday evening when the parties registered to compete in upcoming elections submit the official list of nominees to the Supreme Election Board (YSK) as required … Continue reading →

With a little over two months’ time left to national elections in Turkey, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is acting like a huge 18-wheeler truck with a tractor pulling in one direction while a trailer with a heavy … Continue reading →

Was it wise for Ankara to open itself up to African and Middle Eastern markets where the growing regional unrest is now hurting Turkey’s foreign trade numbers? Would it not have been more reasonable to stick to the more stable … Continue reading →