23.07.2008

Newly elected Democratic Society Party (DTP) Chairman Ahmet Türk criticized the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) for its stance over the Ergenekon investigation, at a meeting of the DTP parliamentary group yesterday.

23.07.2008 by ALTAN TAN*

The idea of an ethnic federation is not an ideal response to contemporary needs, just as the idea of recognizing a separate state or government model for every sect and language would not be appropriate.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

THE INITIAL MEDIA coverage of Barack Obama's visit to Iraq suggested that the Democratic candidate found agreement with his plan to withdraw all U.S. combat forces on a 16-month timetable. So it seems worthwhile to point out that, by Mr. Obama's own account, neither U.S. commanders nor Iraq's principal political leaders actually support his strategy.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 | By Sudarsan Raghavan and Ernesto Londoño

Kurds Boycott Vote, Putting Measure's Future in Doubt

BAGHDAD, July 22 -- Iraq's parliament passed legislation Tuesday setting new rules for provincial elections, a step widely viewed here as critical to the country's process of political reconciliation.

July 23, 2008 | By ALISSA J. RUBIN

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Parliament approved legislation on Tuesday to govern provincial elections, but Kurdish lawmakers boycotted the session, vowing to force the measure to be rewritten, and probably delaying the balloting for months.

22 July 2008

The Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives has committed an unconstitutional act by violating the manifesto of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, when today he organized a secret vote in the Council. This is a blatant violation of the Council's internal regulations and is a coup against the Iraqi constitution and the consensus political system prevalent in Iraq since the overthrow of the former regime in 2003.

July/August 2007 | By F. Stephen Larrabee

Summary: In a departure from its traditional foreign policy, Turkey is now becoming an important player in the Middle East. Turkey's growing concern over Kurdish nationalism has brought Ankara closer to the governments of Iran and Syria, which also contend with restive Kurds at home. Although troubling, this shift could be an opportunity for Washington and its allies to use Turkey as a bridge to the Middle East.

July 16, 2008 | By CAMPBELL ROBERTSON

BAGHDAD — The entire bloc of Kurdish lawmakers walked out of Iraq’s Parliament on Tuesday to protest a proposed provincial election law, contending that part of it was unconstitutional.

July 15, 2008 | By Laura King, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

The 86 accused in the indictment face terrorism-related charges. They are said to be ultranationalist secularists who wanted to drive out the Islamist-rooted ruling party.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY -- In an explosive case that reflects political turmoil fueled by this country's religious-secular divide, Turkish prosecutors on Monday brought charges against 86 people for allegedly trying to overthrow the government.

Friday, July 11, 2008 | By Gareth Jenkins

On July 10 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Baghdad in the first official visit to Iraq by a Turkish head of government since 1990 and only the second by a regional leader since the U.S. invasion and occupation of the country in 2003.