The case for realism in Turkey-Europe relations
Güven Sak, PhD
20 August 2017
“Not a day has passed in Turkey without a domestic security operation against an active ISIL cell,” a security expert noted the other day. “Just follow the news.” We had been talking about the Barcelona terror attack, but the conversation was coming back to Turkey very quickly.
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From the Adriatic Sea to the Great Wall of China
Güven Sak, PhD
13 August 2017
I recently read Henry Kissinger’s remarks in June about Turkey. I compare it to what he said about Turkey back in 1992, and the difference within the 25 years is heartbreaking. Developments in Syria are poisoning Turkey’s intimate relations with its allies. Let me elaborate.
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How it begins, how it ends
Güven Sak, PhD
06 August 2017
I borrowed the title of today’s column from an old essay by the late Umberto Eco. The Western reaction to the Gülenist putsch attempt in Turkey last year made me go back to it. Eco was a columnist for Il Verri, an Italian literary magazine, between 1959 and 1961. “How to travel with a Salmon & Other Essays” is a translated English language collection of his essays from that period. Just have a look at this particular essay and see what I mean.
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Turkey and Germany need to increase bandwidth
Güven Sak, PhD
23 July 2017
“How dare you consider vacationing in Turkey with my children?” said a wife to her husband in the back of a Berlin taxi. At least that’s what the driver – who was of Turkish origin - told me afterwards. This driver was anxious, eager to talk about what he and many others feel is a growing anxiety between the Turks and the Germans in that country.
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The G20 Hamburg Leaders’ Declaration is out: Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is on the agenda again
Selin Arslanhan Memiş
11 July 2017
Following the G20 Leaders’ Summit held on 7-8 July, the G20 Hamburg Leaders' Declaration was announced yesterday. In general, when compared to the exciting declaration announced last year during China’s presidency, it is possible to say that this year's G20 communique is back to its old static self. The Chinese presidency of the G20, in addition to main global affairs agenda being written up year-in-year-out, had given space to new rhetoric and actions showing that it had transformed into a 21st century platform. However, especially regarding its general framework, it is not hard to see that the G20 has gone back to square one.Many issues such as sustainable development, climate change and migration, which gained attention during the 2015 Turkish presidency period and continued in the 2016
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Why do Turks smile less than before?
Güven Sak, PhD
09 July 2017
“There is something rotten in the state of Denmark” says Marcellus in the first act of Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. Living in Ankara, I can relate to that. Gallup’s 2017 Global Emotions Report was recently released and I can see an interesting trend. Every year, fewer Turks answer the question “Did you smile or laugh a lot yesterday?” affirmatively. Last year, half of the respondents said they had smiled or laughed on the previous day. This year, it’s just 38 percent.
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Syrians in Turkey: Is Work Permit Regulation Enough?
Omar Kadkoy
05 July 2017
Since 2011, the Syrian Civil War has created five million displaced Syrians. With the world struggling to accommodate them, most of the responsibility has fallen on to the shoulders of neighboring countries, especially Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. Six years into the war, the initial emergency phase is over, as the outflow of displaced Syrians has declined. International aid interventions and institutions are in place, and for the most part, working. Now, the issue is less about emergency humanitarian aid, and more about sustainable integration. Hence, the role of public policy to enable labor market integration becomes more pressing and challenging.
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‘Unbelling’ the cat in Cyprus
Güven Sak, PhD
02 July 2017
In Aesop’s Fables, a group of mice get together to discuss how to rid themselves of the danger of the cat. After much discussion, they decide to put a bell on it, so that they can hear it when it approaches. Who though, the question then becomes, will bell the cat? The moral of the story is that it is relatively easy to agree on what should be done, but much harder to make the sacrifice when executing the task.
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Is Turkey growing faster in 2017?
Güven Sak, PhD
25 June 2017
“People who love sausage and people who believe in justice should never watch either of them being made.” So said Otto von Bismarck, the great German statesman of the 19th century, according to legend.
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Qatari investments in Turkey: An urban legend
Güven Sak, PhD
18 June 2017
The sudden embargo on Qatar by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates perplexed us all this month. It was a half-baked regional response to the half-baked American ideas presented during President Donald Trump’s recent visit. The tiny Qatar is probably going to resist a bit to preserve its dignity, but will eventually have to bow to the powers that be. The Turkish response to the crisis has been more clear-cut. Ankara stands by Qatar, its seemingly closest friend in the region; that much is clear. The motivations for that stance are more interesting. Why is Turkey so vocal on this point?
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