Can Turkey Learn Tolerance?

[phantom]

agree - the whole episode was quite shameful to Armenians....yeah lots of issues with Armenia and the remaining Soviet/post-Soviet legacy...(but at least its not Azerbaijan eh? - )

That's true, Azerbaijan seems to be a total disaster!

[UKTurk]

Turkey and Russia celebrate gas link.

The blossoming relations between Turkey and Russia went on display yesterday, as resentment grows among Turkish nationalists at the mounting influence of America and the European Union on their country.

President Vladimir Putin joined the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the Black Sea Port of Samsun to inaugurate the world's deepest undersea pipeline, which carries Russian gas to northern Turkey.
Washington opposes the pipeline, known as Blue Stream, seeing it as a sign of excessive Russian influence in Nato-member Turkey.

The Turkish prime minister described the launch of the pipeline as an "historic moment" in Turkey's relations with Russia and Italy, which helped construct it. "I hope this pipeline will not only carry gas, but peace, love and friendship," he said.

Mr Putin used the occasion to remind Turkey of the help extended by the Bolsheviks to Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, during his war of liberation against the Allies who occupied the country after the First World War.

Russia currently supplies 60 per cent of the country's gas and 20 per cent of its oil. Moscow is Turkey's second largest trading partner after the EU.

Although Turkey opened membership negotiations with the EU last month, many Turks believe the bloc will never allow a Muslim country to join and is using the negotiating process to weaken and dismember their country.

Hawks in the powerful Turkish military, who resent EU demands that their influence be curbed, have been especially keen to deepen ties with Moscow.

[Kharpert]

UKTurk, if you copy news material please cite the source.

[elendil]

Deals, deals, deals.....

The blossoming relations between Turkey and Russia went on display yesterday, as resentment grows among Turkish nationalists at the mounting influence of America and the European Union on their country.

President Vladimir Putin joined the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the Black Sea Port of Samsun to inaugurate the world's deepest undersea pipeline, which carries Russian gas to northern Turkey.
Washington opposes the pipeline, known as Blue Stream, seeing it as a sign of excessive Russian influence in Nato-member Turkey.

The Turkish prime minister described the launch of the pipeline as an "historic moment" in Turkey's relations with Russia and Italy, which helped construct it. "I hope this pipeline will not only carry gas, but peace, love and friendship," he said.

Mr Putin used the occasion to remind Turkey of the help extended by the Bolsheviks to Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, during his war of liberation against the Allies who occupied the country after the First World War.

Russia currently supplies 60 per cent of the country's gas and 20 per cent of its oil. Moscow is Turkey's second largest trading partner after the EU.

Although Turkey opened membership negotiations with the EU last month, many Turks believe the bloc will never allow a Muslim country to join and is using the negotiating process to weaken and dismember their country.

Hawks in the powerful Turkish military, who resent EU demands that their influence be curbed, have been especially keen to deepen ties with Moscow.

A wise act, to hold up alternative allies in case of failure of negotiations with EU, I hope we will also deepen our trade, military, cultrual alliances with Russia and Turkic Republics to increase our influence across Asia....

[Kharpert]

Although, for cases of safety, it would probably be wise that Turkey distance itself from the radical nations of the Middle East.

[elendil]

Although, for cases of safety, it would probably be wise that Turkey distance itself from the radical nations of the Middle East.

A foreseeing advice however they are our neighbours. Unfortunatly how radical their regimes may be, we sleep next to them. Also these countries are home to millions of our kin, just in case Turkey is home to ( generally Kurdish ) many minorities that feel bound to a authority that exists in religious or national sense expect Turkey or simply does not feel bound to none at all. These relations with neigbours (including Armenia) should be held as well as they can be, since they have every mean to cause disorder, tension in our country. So keeping a leveled relation with them would be the best course of action..

[TurQ]

I know we are being treated unfairly by the EU. But in near future we'll have the problem of clash of civilizations. Eventhough I dont see EU friendly to us, I think we have to patient and establish good relations.

The recent developments in Holland(after the slaying of movie directior, Van Gogh), and riots in France show us that there is really a danger of clash of civilzations. Turkey can play positive role against this problem.

Turkey should also pioneer regional collaborations. KEIB, the blacksea economomic alliance was one of them unfortunetly it was cared only by President TUrgut Ozal, and unfortunetly it didnt go anywhere after him. Armenia was also a member of that initiation. If TUrkey had strong relations with its neighoubours EU can not and wont easily alliniate Turkey. I still believe there are reasonable minds in EU decision making body who are not short sighted.

A wise act, to hold up alternative allies in case of failure of negotiations with EU, I hope we will also deepen our trade, military, cultrual alliances with Russia and Turkic Republics to increase our influence across Asia....

[1.5 million]

Ultimatly you will have to ask what are the economics....what benefit (if any) will Turkey provide the EU economically (or will it be a great drain) (also the issue of increased Turkish emmigration inot other EU nations possibly exaccerbating the cultural problems they are already having). I think that there is no question that politically (ultimatly) the benefits of Turkey in the EU (for the West in general) is great...but these considerations are often secondary when it comes to other factors - economic considerations ultimatly being #1...

[Kharpert]

In economic terms, a lot of Turks are flooding European labor markets, which puts a large stress on their general welfare and government. Acceptance of Turkey into the EU would entail unlimited immigration into European nations (someone correct me if I'm wrong), and the riots and France are testiment to the already harassed state of immigrants in Europe.

[TurQ]

Turkey has a lot to offe economically. Turkey's eeconomic problems have two reasons. First one is political instabilty, the second is how state functions. The other advantage is Turkey's young population, our average age is 26 and EU is 42. What Turkey needs is reforms and change in how state functions. Corruption is an other problem. Eventough Turkey's economy is not a perfect one, it'll be pretty strong in future. Due to decades of unstable political atmosphere, we did not have the chance to make drastic reforms in economy. But times are changing. Even during severe crisis TUrkish economy did not crush. And it is observed that when there is political stabilty economy does well, and people are really fed up with old style stupid politics, this is a strong sign to the political parties both in government or in opposition, they have to renew and restructure their parties.

Ultimatly you will have to ask what are the economics....what benefit (if any) will Turkey provide the EU economically (or will it be a great drain) (also the issue of increased Turkish emmigration inot other EU nations possibly exaccerbating the cultural problems they are already having). I think that there is no question that politically (ultimatly) the benefits of Turkey in the EU (for the West in general) is great...but these considerations are often secondary when it comes to other factors - economic considerations ultimatly being #1...