PACKET #4 Document #1:

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1 PACKET #4 Document #1: The original Ottoman peoples were Turkish tribes who migrated to the Anatolian peninsula (modern-day Turkey) in the 15c from Central Asia.

2 Document #2: Turkey - bridge between East and West Tuesday, 9 July, 2002, 12:24 GMT 13:24 UK By Paul Reynolds BBC News Online world affairs correspondent A French foreign minister, when asked once if Turkey should join the European Community (as the European Union-EU then was) replied: "Is it in Europe?" The answer, from both Turkey and the European Union, is increasingly "yes". Although most of Turkey's land mass is in Asia, it has a geographical foothold on the European continent - on which the wonderful city of Istanbul is located - and appears to have taken a national decision that its future lies more in Europe than in Asia. It is sometimes argued in Europe that Turkey's Muslim population would make it hard, if not impossible, for it to join the European Union. But it is a secular state and most Turks seem to want it to remain so. Turkey has already started amending its constitution and laws to enable negotiations for EU entry to begin. The constitution was drawn up in 1982 when the country was under military rule and gives the military the right to intervene if it thinks that national security is endangered. It is possible that within 10 years or so, Turkey could become a member state of the EU. A bridge Ideally, it would be a bridge between Europe and Asia. It would be an important strategic member of the Union, just as it has been as a member of NATO {The North American Treaty Organization}. The stability of Turkey and its development as a democracy therefore matter. What also matters is that a number of serious problems surrounding Turkey's future are solved. There is first the issue of Cyprus. The EU wants Cyprus to join as one of the next wave of entrants in 2004, ideally as a united island. Turkey appears to be withholding approval for reunification as part of its own negotiating position. There is also Turkey's relationship with Greece, which periodically turns into a crisis. This largely depends on there being a settlement in Cyprus. The Greeks have a veto over Turkey's EU entry and will be quick to use it if it is not satisfied. And internally, Turkey has a long way to go. Its human rights record is under constant scrutiny and frequent criticism. It needs to show that it will not veer off into religious extremism on the one hand and political repression on the other.

3 Document #3: Southeastern Anatolian Project The Southeastern Anatolian Project is the largest and most multifaceted development projects in the world. The project includes active farming with extensive irrigation systems and electricity production. It will also benefit the tourism, mining, petrol, education, health, communication, industry and transportation sectors. The Southeastern Anatolia Project vovers the kower parts of the Firat and Dicle rivers and the provinde of Gazi Antep, Sanli Urfa, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Siirt, Batman and Sirnak, on the plains between the rivers. The project will also bring with it a change in the climate of the area. The Ataturk Dam and Hydroelectric Plant, the largest in Turkey and the sixth largest in the world, is situated on the Firat River in the town of Bozova in Sanli Urfa. Ataturk Dam, which is the foundation of the Southeastern Anatolia Project, began operation in 1994 and is important not only for energy production but also for irrigation. ************************************************ Ataturk Dam

4 Document #4: Landslide win for Islamic party in Turkey Monday, November 4, 2002 Posted: 7:00 PM EST (0000 GMT) ANKARA, Turkey -- A party with deep Islamic roots has won a landslide victory in Turkey's elections -- a win that would allow it to rule without a coalition and amend the constitution if it receives enough seats in parliament. With 97 percent of the ballots counted, unofficial results show the Justice and Development Party (AKP), had 34 percent of the vote, paving the way to form a single party government. Observers say the vote reflects popular dissatisfaction with the country's deepening economic crisis and the inability of outgoing Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to turn things around. Only one other party cleared the 10 percent vote threshold to enter parliament, giving AKP more than enough seats to govern alone. The AKP declared victory early Monday morning, with its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, moving quickly to assure the West that he does not have an Islamic agenda and is committed to the secular principles that govern Muslim Turkey. But it is not clear how the government will be formed as the AKP still faces charges from the highest court it broke election regulations when it chose Erdogan, who has been convicted of sedition and banned from standing for parliament. Erdogan, who once served as Istanbul's mayor, spent four months in prison in 1999 for reading a poem that a court said incited religious hatred. Deep suspicion Turkey's powerful army and liberals view the AKP with deep suspicion because of its roots in political Islam, observers say. The party rejects such views, however, saying it considers itself pro-democratic. Erdogan -- a charismatic figure with grassroots popularity -- has deliberately played down the religious credentials of his party. He says he has become more moderate. "I'm not the same person I was 10 years ago," he told CNN. He vowed on Sunday evening to respect the rights of all Turks, impose no changes in lifestyles and continue to push for Turkey's entry into the European Union. The party remained pro-western, he said, and if it was the winner, would work with the EU and the IMF. Erdogan hinted an AKP government would support a U.S.-led operation in Iraq, if it had U.N. approval. "We are obliged by the United Nations decisions, " he said. "The important thing is the United Nations' decisions." But he added: "We do not want war, blood, tears and dead in our region." Turkey, a NATO member, hosts U.S. warplanes at its southern Incirlik air base, which was a staging point for attacks on Iraq during the Gulf War.

5 Document #5: Ms. McKenna warns against fast track membership for Turkey in EU bid to gain military access and questions legality of proposed extension of RRF mandate (2001) Green Party MEP[Member of the European Parliament], Patricia McKenna today expressed her strong concerns at the news that the EU has brokered a deal with Turkey on sharing military access with NATO for the future EU Rapid Reaction Force [RRF]. Minister Brian Cowen is to meet with NATO and other EU foreign ministers this week to formally seal the deal. She called on Minister Cowen to strongly oppose it and put pressure on other EU ministers to ensure that it does not go through. "This deal could effectively mean that the EU is willing to turn a blind eye to continued widespread human rights abuses in Turkey for the sake of military access by the RRF. This is absolutely unacceptable and should be vehemently opposed by Minister Brian Cowen," Ms McKenna said. It was reported today that the deal between the EU military and Turkey would grant that country the right to take part in the Convention to discuss the future of the EU and to get a faster track to accession despite failing to meet political and economic criteria for membership. She added that the proposal to extend the mandate of the RRF to fight terrorism was an alarming development and completely undemocratic. This proposal must be ratified first by the people before being implemented. It was announced last Friday that the EU is studying the possibility of extending the mandate of the RRF beyond crisis management and peacekeeping and eventually include common defense with a view to fighting against terrorism. EU military supreme, Javier Solana, was asked to consider the inclusion of fighting against terrorism in the RRF mandate.