Turkish Politics & Internal Affairs

[Islamic faith&Secularism]

 

[Bahoz]

Turkish military apologizes to BDP deputy for army statement

A deputy from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) has said that the Turkish military apologized to him for a statement that portrayed the BDP as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) after a soldier was stabbed by a group of assailants linked to the BDP.

Hasip Kaplan, a BDP Şırnak deputy, said the military's correction of the statement is a positive step and is of critical importance to resolve any misunderstandings in the fragile settlement process, which aims to end the decades-old Kurdish dispute and problem, which have claimed 40,000 lives over the past three decades.

Kaplan said the BDP has been in Parliament since 2007, and this is the first time an army official from the General Staff has called one of their members to make a correction.

He said constructive communication and dialogue will help to develop better relations.

 

[Worf]

Minareye Türk Bayrağı asınca... | GAZETE VATAN

TÜRKİYE Cumhuriyeti’nin kurucusu Büyük Önder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, ölümünün 75’nci yılında Edirne, Tekirdağ ve Kırklareli’nde düzenlenen törenlerle anıldı. Edirne’de Atatürk anıtının önünde çelenklerin konulmasından sonra törene katılanlar topluca andımızı okudu. Tekirdağ’daki törenler sırasında yakındaki bir caminin minaresine çıkan emekli Astsubay Gündoğan Uygunbaş, Türk Bayrağı açarak hükümetin Kürt açılım politikasını eleştirince gözaltına alındı....

 

[Islamic faith&Secularism]

The link:

İŞTE CHP'NİN DÜNYAYA İZLETTİĞİ GEZİ VİDEOSU - Hürriyet TV Haber


What happened at Gezi Park and why it happened.
Gezi park video with english subtitle.

 

[RangerPK]

Not sure if it is relevant to the topic.. but

The soft power of Turkish television (SETimes.com)


"The soft power of Turkish television

The popularity of Turkish television series, from the Balkans to the Middle East, has brought Turkey to an international audience, and is subtly transforming the image of the country abroad.

Since 2001, 65 Turkish television series have been sold abroad, bringing in over 50m dollars to the booming Turkish television industry. Turkish actors and celebrities are now well-known figures in some countries and scenes of Istanbul have drawn tens of thousands of tourists.

According to Izzet Pinto from the film distribution company Global Agency, Turkish series are quite a novelty for a public very much used to watching only American or Latin American TV productions.

"The TV series are a big commercial opportunity for Turkey," Pinto tells SETimes.

However, more than the millions of dollars in sales, the emergence of Turkey as a popular brand is equally significant. In the Balkans and Middle East, regions traditionally wary of Turkish influence, the soft message of television holds the power the country to re-market itself.

According to a recent Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation report entitled "The Perception of Turkey in the Middle East 2010", 78% of the respondents said they have watched a Turkish TV series. The report states that the series have become an important part of Turkey's soft power by creating a lasting influence on Turkey's image in the region.

Although unplanned, the spread of Turkish television falls neatly into the soft-power strategy of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as outlined in his seminal 2001 book "Strategic Depth".

Davutoglu advocates a pro-active and multi-dimensional foreign policy that sees Turkey's shared history and culture with former Ottoman lands as a strategic advantage -- forming one prong of Turkey's soft-power strategy.

However, the appeal of Turkish television, mixing emotionally rich images with a sense of well-kept "traditionalism, has also received criticism from some conservatives in Turkey who feel the basis of family is being threatened through images of sultry kisses, adultery stories, murder and crime.

According to AKP deputy from Istanbul Halide Incekara, Turkish TV series don't represent the Turkish family and morals. "The TV series hurt the image of Turkey abroad as they are so full of corrupt storylines and unacceptable behaviors," she tells SETimes.

On the other hand, Orhan Tekelioglu, a communications professor from Istanbul Bahcesehir University, told SETimes that it is not possible to make any claims on the popularity of TV series without additional research. However, he points out there is actually a strong tendency for the "protection of the family" in the series, which has its roots in the Turkish modernization process."

Pakistan is also hit my Turkey's soft-power. Our television is being dominated by Turkish entertainment.

 

[Islamic faith&Secularism]

Charity, far from home

But now it appears a bit of that money is trickling back. For example, Turkey’s Agency for Cooperation and Collaboration (TIKA) — that country’s Agency for International Development — is giving a $200,000 grant to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, southeast of Portland.

The grant is to help build a water tank as part of an elementary-school construction project and help folks out there “meet their water needs for the next 10 years,” according to an invite we got to a reception Tuesday evening at the residence of our NATO ally Turkey’s ambassador, Namik Tan.

And it should be noted that Turkey and Native Americans have long felt a kinship based on feelings of a shared ancestry.

In the Loop: Loopholes in Lindsey Graham’s Benghazi filibuster threat - The Washington Post

 

[T-123456]

Not sure if it is relevant to the topic.. but

The soft power of Turkish television (SETimes.com)


"The soft power of Turkish television

The popularity of Turkish television series, from the Balkans to the Middle East, has brought Turkey to an international audience, and is subtly transforming the image of the country abroad.

Since 2001, 65 Turkish television series have been sold abroad, bringing in over 50m dollars to the booming Turkish television industry. Turkish actors and celebrities are now well-known figures in some countries and scenes of Istanbul have drawn tens of thousands of tourists.

According to Izzet Pinto from the film distribution company Global Agency, Turkish series are quite a novelty for a public very much used to watching only American or Latin American TV productions.

"The TV series are a big commercial opportunity for Turkey," Pinto tells SETimes.

However, more than the millions of dollars in sales, the emergence of Turkey as a popular brand is equally significant. In the Balkans and Middle East, regions traditionally wary of Turkish influence, the soft message of television holds the power the country to re-market itself.

According to a recent Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation report entitled "The Perception of Turkey in the Middle East 2010", 78% of the respondents said they have watched a Turkish TV series. The report states that the series have become an important part of Turkey's soft power by creating a lasting influence on Turkey's image in the region.

Although unplanned, the spread of Turkish television falls neatly into the soft-power strategy of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as outlined in his seminal 2001 book "Strategic Depth".

Davutoglu advocates a pro-active and multi-dimensional foreign policy that sees Turkey's shared history and culture with former Ottoman lands as a strategic advantage -- forming one prong of Turkey's soft-power strategy.

However, the appeal of Turkish television, mixing emotionally rich images with a sense of well-kept "traditionalism, has also received criticism from some conservatives in Turkey who feel the basis of family is being threatened through images of sultry kisses, adultery stories, murder and crime.

According to AKP deputy from Istanbul Halide Incekara, Turkish TV series don't represent the Turkish family and morals. "The TV series hurt the image of Turkey abroad as they are so full of corrupt storylines and unacceptable behaviors," she tells SETimes.

On the other hand, Orhan Tekelioglu, a communications professor from Istanbul Bahcesehir University, told SETimes that it is not possible to make any claims on the popularity of TV series without additional research. However, he points out there is actually a strong tendency for the "protection of the family" in the series, which has its roots in the Turkish modernization process."

Pakistan is also hit my Turkey's soft-power. Our television is being dominated by Turkish entertainment.

Do you find this developement positive or negative?

 

[Bahoz]

New day, new policy for Erdogan.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has strictly ruled out comments that the government was considering a general amnesty for members of the outlawed groups as part of renewed efforts to restart a stalled peace process involving the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

“That means I couldn’t make my point well,” Erdoğan initially said on Nov. 19 when he was reminded of interpretations of his own remarks delivered in Diyarbakır over the weekend.

“We will witness a new Turkey where those in the mountains come down, the prisons empty and 76 million [citizens of Turkey] become united,” Erdoğan said.

His remarks have been widely interpreted by both media and politicians as a veiled reference to a general amnesty.

“Since when have I been saying that ‘Something called general amnesty is definitely not on our agenda.’ I’m explaining my dreams and you are talking about a general amnesty. There is no such thing. Definitely not,” Erdoğan elaborated as of Nov. 19.

A general amnesty has been a popular topic as part of a government-led resolution process aimed at ending the three-decade long conflict between Turkey’s security forces and the PKK in hopes of paving the way for resolution of the century-old Kurdish issue.

As a probable beneficiary of such an amnesty, PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is serving a life-sentence and playing a central role in the process, also comes on the agenda whenever the issue is whether a general amnesty is possible.

Last year, Öcalan began talks with Turkish officials led by Undersecretary of National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Hakan Fidan to halt the conflict that has left more than 40,000 people dead. He ordered his fighters in March to cease fire.

The PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

The idea of an amnesty which would pave the way for the release of both PKK prisoners and convicts involved in several coup plot cases, such as Ergenekon and Balyoz (Sledgehammer) in which retired top generals are convicted, is also being floated from time to time as a means to secure social peace.

The government, however, has never confirmed its consideration of this option.

Response to ‘Kurdistan’ criticisms

Meanwhile, Erdoğan has defended his weekend Diyarbakır speech in which he said the word “Kurdistan” publicly for the first time following reactions from opposition party deputies.

“[Opposition deputies] can go and read the first assembly of the Turkish Republic’s parliamentary records. They will see the word ‘Kurdistan’ in those minutes, and if they go back in history, they will see Ottoman Empire’s east and southeast parts called ‘Kurdistan,’” Erdoğan said Nov. 19.

Erdoğan held a historic meeting on Nov. 16 with the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Masoud Barzani, amid a concert featuring Kurdish-origin singers İbrahim Tatlıses and Şivan Perwer. During the event, Erdoğan extended greetings to the people “of the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq.”

 

[-SINAN-]

New day, new policy for Erdogan.

What is his new policy can you expand your statement a little bit. It's not like you to have a short post.

 

[Armstrong]

Do you find this developement positive or negative?

Very negative - I can't watch any football anymore because if it ain't my mom then its one of my sisters whose watching one of your soap operas !

 

[Bahoz]

What is his new policy can you expand your statement a little bit. It's not like you to have a short post.

From general amnesty to ' no such thing as amnesty'.

 

[BronzePlaque]

From general amnesty to ' no such thing as amnesty'.

no such thing amnesty was over years ago...Good morning

 

[T-123456]

Very negative - I can't watch any football anymore because if it ain't my mom then its one of my sisters whose watching one of your soap operas !

Still dont get it?
Media is power,you only need to watch one episode of any Turkish Soap then you will only and be hypnotized(secret weapon).
Btw,Pakistani's and Football?
I'm sure you meant Cricket.

 

[xenon54 out]

Very negative - I can't watch any football anymore because if it ain't my mom then its one of my sisters whose watching one of your soap operas !

Ah cmon we all know you are watching sülüman.

 

[-SINAN-]

From general amnesty to ' no such thing as amnesty'.

Yeah.. it's obvious that he won't make a general amnesty. But he still says it... to attract votes.

He does the same thing in Gezi protests. He said they drank alcohol in the mosque, we have footage, we will deliver the footage.. Months passed still no footage.