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Political History and Economics of the Russian Federation in Vilademir Putin’s Leadership Period by Elnur MIKAYILOV

March 20, 2011 By
Vilademir Putin

Vilademir Putin

This research investigated Russia’s past and today from its economical and political dimensions as well. Putin’s aim is to make Russia big and powerful country as how USSR was a strong government 15 years ago. Analyzes also show that’s since Putin’s term in Russia there’re much economical growth in Russia’s economy and political chaos has been changed to politically stability in Russia. Putin placed special importance on the rights of Russian citizens living abroad.

In summary, by giving priority to political reforms through his first year in power, President Putin will probably be trying to extend reforms to several other areas. Another priority of Russian foreign policy would be to achieve integration with Europe. Though not making any clear reference to the United States, Putin saying that the United States should abide by the rules of international law.

Keywords: NIS(Newly Independent States), Putin, Russia, Russian Economy, Russia’s Political History. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Other, Politics, Think Tanks

Nuclear Energy and Turkiye – An Update – February 24, 2006

March 20, 2011 By

It is very likely that several companies in the Unite States, the pioneer in the atomic energy, will soon start investing in nuclear power plants again, possibly followed by some European countries, Russia and others. China has already announced building 30 to 40 new nuclear power plants through 2020, India up to 30 and Japan 18 in the next 15 years (Figure 1). There has been a continued interest (since the 70s) and an ongoing debate whether Turkey should also include nuclear energy in its long term plans that envisions more than doubling its present installed capacity of 39,000MW within the next 17 years. It seems that an announcement will be made soon by the government for Turkey’s first nuclear power plant, estimated to cost  over $2 billion, to be completed by 2012, and plans for bulding three to five nuclear power plants with a total capacity of 5,000 MW.

 

One of the conditions, among many others that would require amendments to the Electricty Market Law 4628, is that the electricity distribution companies, which are yet to be privatized, purchase  7 to 10 percent of the energy produced by the nuclear power plants. On the financing model, the Minister of Energy has indicated that the Private/Public Participation (PPP) model could be used, however emphasizing that the preference would be total private sector participation. Earlier reports have stated that there would be no treasury guarantees in order not to jeopardize the free market conditions which are expected to be provided by the energy sector itself.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Economy, Politics

Power, Faith and Fantasy America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present

March 13, 2011 By

By Michael B. Oren, a senior American – Israeli fellow at the Shalem Center in Jerusalem who lives there with his wife and three children. Published in 2007.

The book is a survey of U.S. involvement in the Middle East over the past 230 years, beginning in 1776, with a chronology of events listing major events from 1776 to 2006 and presents a map of the Middle East and Israel,

For the year 1923, the the chronology includes the following:

1923 Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet is published.

There is no mention of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey and incredibly, nothing about the accomplishments of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who is still an inspiration to many leaders in the Middle East and other countries around the world. This is what Michael B. Oren writes about Mustafa Kemal under the title “Postwar Postmortem.”

 

“The Ottoman Empire , the forbidding and exotic polity that, for centuries, had dominated the crossroads of the world, alternately terrorizing and enchanting Westerners – Americans included – was demolished.

But not Turkey . A forty-year-old general named Mustapha Kemal, the hero of Gallipoli, refused to accept the San Remo dictate and rallied the army against it. Three years later, Kemal – later to take the title Ataturk (father of the Turks) had succeeded in driving all foreign troops from Anatolian homeland. Collaborating with the Soviets, Kemal crushed the Armenian independence movement and suppressed Kurdish separatists. In the Symrna area, tens of thousands of Armenians and Greeks were killed and 250,000 people expelled as Turkish troops sacked and burned the city.”

That is all about Turkey and Ataturk, except a reference to the Lausanne Treaty signed on July 24, 1923 (p.394) and notes on minor incidents during the Ottoman period. No mention of the creation of the Republic of Turkey or the many reforms in the 778 page book with 32 pages photographs, excluding Turks.

Many books and articles are published around the world frequently by Armenians who present a one sided view their relocations  that took place during and after the First World War without ever mentioning the Armenian rebellions, which is a sad chapter in the history of the Armenians and the Turks.  And there are those like Michael B. Oren who simply present information that supports the Armenian point of view, totally ignoring the Turkish side of the events, as if they are totally against the presence of Turkey in the Middle East. There are over 35 pages devoted to the Armenians and the Armenian genocide and, in a review of the book included in the back cover, Henry Kissinger states:  A tour the force, brilliantly researched and written, and extremely interesting, as well as informative.”

 

Yuksel oktay, PE

27 June 2007

Filed Under: History, Politics

Coverage of Committee of Foreign Affairs Hearing on HS – 106 on HaberTurk TV Channel

March 13, 2011 By

Wednesday, 10 October, 2007,  20:30- 24:00 PM

HaberTurk was the only Turkish TV that covered the Committe meeting for one and a half hour with a journalist and the presenter live in the studio and Tulin Dalaglu reporting from the Rayburn Office Building in WDC . Several people participated by phone and gave their personal opinion on the outcome of the committe hearing and their observations on the hearing and what has been done to date.. At the begining of the special program ‘’Eye on Washington’’, almost all participants stated that the Resolution had 50/50 chance of passing, including journalist Sedat Sertoglu. Below is a summary of comments made by the presenter and the participants, some with incredible statements, others wihout any meaning.

The presenter (whose name I did not catch, she did not give her name at the end of the program) gave brief summaries of what was happening at the Committee hearing at intervals and introduced Sedat Sertoglu, a famous journalist, whose first statement was ‘’this things don’t get done this way.’’ Than, he reminisced his activities back in 1994 where he met with the representatives of the Jewish Lobby who told him how the lobies in the US work and that the price of the passage of the Armenian resolution by the US Congress would be close to $300 billion, referring to the indemnity that may be demanded by the Armenian survivors.

When asked by the presenter on the activities of the Turkish lobby in the US, Sedat Sertoglu said, ‘’What lobby? There are two associations who are fighting among themselves. One of them has even taken their members to court. They have no use for themsleves, how can they help Turkey?’’. Than Serdar Sedatoglu explained how lobby activities are done in the US and gave examples of these, such developing personal friendships, going out to dinners, having a drink or two as ways to get the members on your side. He also claimed that he had many friends in the US and has been active in this field for a long time.

The presenter asked on the number of Armenians living in the US. His rsponse was 2.5 million and that they all vote and that they live in mansions and are very rich. Than the presenter asked what was the difference between this resolution and the others, including the two that had passed by the Committee. Sertoglu said that there was really no difference. He said that he knows Tom Lantos who has always opposed the Resolution, but somehow Turks has lost his support. At 21:00 PM Tulin Daloglu reported from WDC that there were heated debates and that a lady member of the committee had stated that she was opposing the resolution although she had voted for it earlier. Daloglu also stated that if the resolution woul not pass, it would be a historical event.

Around 21:00 PM CNN International and BBC reported on the Committee meeting and BBC had the Turkish Ambassador to UK, Yigit Alpogen, on, who did not say anything meaningful and did not respond to the reporters question as to what Turkey would do if the resolution passes. One of his comments was (as everyone knows, there was no genocide.. Another comment.. there are 70,000 Armenians from Armenian Republic workþng þin turkey who are very happy.)

The fist guess participating from WDC was the President of TABA (Turkish American Businesmens Association) Ugur Terzioglu. He complimented Sedat sertoglu for his comments but stated that there was Turkish lobby, who have done somethings up to a point. He said that even if the Committee rejects the resolution, Nancy Pelosi can bring it to the congress anyway. Than Terzioglu complained about the lack of proper attention fromn the Turkish government and the presence of only 9 diplomats at the Turkish Embassy in WDC, suggesting that it should have at least 50 diplomats to be effective. Around 21:30, teh Honorary Chairman of TABA, Zeynel Abidin Erdem participated by phone and suggested that people should get together and try to do something. He gave the work being done in Australia as an example on how to fight againts the resolutions. He admitted that we don’t really know what to do and that someone should tell them what to do..

Sedat Sertoglu continued with his evaluation and, after commenting on the futility of sending Turkish Parlimetarians at the last minute, influential people should be sent to the Sates to meet with top people, such as Sahir Ozan (?) but would not name the others. He even suggested that Nancy Pelosi does not even want to meet with the parlimentaries that go to the States and that they meet with the staff of the committee members.

Next particpant was the CHP deputy Onur Oymen who did not say anything new but complained about last minute trip by the parlimetarians, giving examples of what he had done in the past, bringing over 150 US congressmen to Turkey, etc..

Serdar Sertoglu continued with his evaluation including an anecdote on books that were sent from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Turkish Emabassy in WDC for distribution to the US Congresman which were all in Turkish.

Around 22:00 PM the presenter asked why the deliberations and the vote was taking so long, which some said heavy deliberations were traking place and the special program ended at 22:10 PM:

At 22:20 . the coverage of the Committee hearing was continued during the ‘Bugun” program and presenter Saynur Terzi (the best TV reporter as far as I am concerned) gave a brief summary with comments from Egemen Bagis, Sukru Elekdag and Gunduz Aktan,  deputies in WDC who are trying to influence the outcome of the vote. Saynur Terzi also read passages from the letters that President Bush, Secreray of State Rice and even Dick Cheney sent to Nancy Pelosi, warning her of the conseuences of passage of the Resolution.  Tulin Daloglu participated by phone, explaining the reason for the long discussions and the delay in the voting, and stated that the members of the committee had to go the Congress building to take part in voting for a bill and would be back in ten to fifteen minutes. In the meantime she said that it was difficult to guess the outcome. She also said that 22 seemed to be against, 18 for and 9 undecided, of 9 undecided, 7 are Republican. She said that if the republicans would listen to President Bush, than the Resolution would be defeated.

 

Yuksel Oktay

Filed Under: Armenian Issue, History, Politics

An Open Letter to the people of the United States of America

March 13, 2011 By

Yuksel Oktay

Yuksel Oktay

This is an appeal from a fellow American to the people of America around the world to oppose the adoption of House Resolution HR-106 pending at the House Committee for Foreign Affairs which may be brought to a vote in the US Congress before November 22nd, the Thanksgiving Day, under the influence of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi without your knowledge .

The Armenian Resolutions have been adopted or recognized over the past several years by 19 countries and close to 40 States in the USA only because of the heavy pressure of well organized Armenian associations and lobbies around the world, unjustly and defiantly, and without the people really knowing what it is all about. A resolution presented to the US House of representatives, HR 106, if passed, would not only hurt the relations between Turkey and the USA, but also give the wrong message on the US Congress itself. The Resolution also discrimates against the Turkish-Americans and their friends.

The United States of America is home to over 300 million people of every nationality and has a long historical realation with the secular Republic of Turkey. The long Resolution submitted to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, obviously prepared by Armenian participants, falsifes history and mis-represents the facts. The Resolution presents the tragic events through forged documents and the Sevres Treaty at the end of First World War, which was never ratified by the Ottoman Government and rejected by the Turkish nation, who fought a war of independence over it under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and replaced it with the Lausanne Treaty in 1923, when the Republic of Turkey was established.

Please take a moment to send your opposition to this non-binding but partisan and deceitful Resolution filled with unfair manipulation of history to your representatives in the Congress and to the Speaker of the House. Thank you.

Restpectfully,

 

Yuksel Oktay

A concerned Turkish American

New Jersey, USA

Filed Under: Armenian Issue, Politics

History of Turkiye – EU Relations

January 5, 2011 By

Turkey EU Accession LogoTurkey is the only pluralist secular democracy in the Moslem world and has always attached great importance to developing its relations with other European countries. Historically, Turkish culture has had a profound impact over much of Eastern and Southern Europe.’, ‘Turkey began westernising its economic, political and social structures in the 19th century. Following the First World War and the proclamation of the Republic in 1923, it chose Western Europe as the model for its new secular structure.

Turkey has ever since closely aligned itself with the West and has become a founding member of the United Nations, a member of NATO, the Council of Europe, the OECD and an associate member of the Western European Union. During the Cold War Turkey was part of the Western alliance, defending freedom, democracy and human rights. In this respect, Turkey has played and continues to play a vital role in the defence of the European continent and the principal elements of its foreign policy have converged with those of its European partners.

Having thus entered into very close cooperation with Western Europe in the political field, it was therefore only natural for Turkey to complete this in the economic area. Thus, Turkey chose to begin close cooperation with the fledgling EEC in 1959. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Politics
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