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New Atlanticist

Jun 21, 2013

Turkey’s Problems Go Beyond Erdogan

By Sabine Freizer

What started as a protest to preserve a park behind Taksim Square morphed into large-scale leaderless action against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s rule. But against heavy handed police tactics, the movement’s ability to have a lasting effect on policy is likely to be dependent on its ability to move their struggle to the polls, starting […]

Elections Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Jun 18, 2013

Dancing in the Streets

By Barbara Slavin

Finally, Iranians got the chance to party in the streets. The solid election victory on Friday of the least hard-line candidate — moderate cleric and former nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani — touched off spontaneous celebrations in the major squares and avenues of Tehran that authorities did not try to stop.

Iran Turkey

New Atlanticist

Jun 7, 2013

Turkey’s Unique Democracy

By Matthew Bryza

As a resident of Istanbul, it is clear to me that Turkey’s unique form of democracy has reached a defining moment. A quiet protest by a handful of environmentalists has exploded into a nationwide outcry by the half of Turkey’s electorate that did not vote for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Politics & Diplomacy Turkey

Event Recap

Jun 5, 2013

Protests in Turkey: What’s Next?

By Jason Harmala

On June 5, 2013, the Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center hosted a members’ conference call with former US Ambassador to Turkey and Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center Ross Wilson and the newly appointed Council Nonresident Senior Fellow Dr. Sabine Freizer on the current protests in Turkey and what to expect next.

Turkey

New Atlanticist

Jun 3, 2013

Erdogan’s Self-Inflicted Wounds

By Ross Wilson

In soccer, an “own goal” is scored when a player accidentally hits the ball into his own net. The poor handling by Turkish authorities of demonstrations in Istanbul’s Taksim Square that spilled over to Ankara, Izmir and cities all over the country constitutes an own goal that now undermines the political prospects of Prime Minister […]

Politics & Diplomacy Turkey

New Atlanticist

May 16, 2013

How Turkey and Israel Could Force US Action in Syria

By Sarah Grebowski and Maksymilian Czuperski

Early this week, the world looked to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a response to the bombings in Reyhanli that killed 47 people and left more than 100 wounded. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in Turkey since the 2003 Istanbul bombings, shocking the nation and fueling anxiety over the war in neighboring […]

Security & Defense Syria

New Atlanticist

May 15, 2013

Stand with Our Allies on Syria

By Ross Wilson

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan comes to Washington at a time of domestic crisis over car bombings at Reyhanlı on the Syrian border that killed over 50 and resulted in hundreds of wounded, many seriously. The Turkish public, which has never supported Ankara’s tough line on President Bashar al-Assad, is alarmed. Syria was already […]

Syria Turkey

New Atlanticist

Apr 23, 2013

5 More Questions for Henrik Liljegren

By James Joyner

Henrik Liljegren, an Atlantic Council board member, served 42 years in Sweden’s diplomatic corps, including stints as Ambassador to the United States, Turkey, East Germany, and Belgium.  In June 2009, we discussed the Russia “Reset” and the political climate in Turkey. Today, I had the opportunity to revisit these issues with him.

Russia Turkey

Event Recap

Apr 23, 2013

Private Meeting with Istanbul Stock Exchange Chairman and CEO M. Ibrahim Turhan

The Atlantic Council and Herrick, Feinstein LLP held an off-the-record breakfast meeting with Dr. M. Ibrahim Turhan, chairman and CEO of Borsa Istanbul, on Tuesday, April 23 in New York City. The Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) and the Istanbul Gold Exchange have merged to become Borsa Istanbul, which will create new investment opportunities and dramatically […]

Turkey

New Atlanticist

Apr 9, 2013

Kurdish Opening: Opportunities and the Challenges Ahead

By Selin Bolme and Mujge Kucukkeles

On March 21, 2013 Turkey entered a new period with the reading of a letter from Öcalan to the crowds gathered in Diyarbakir on Newruz day, the traditional Kurdish Spring festival, calling for a cease-fire and the withdrawal of PKK fighters from Turkish territory. The letter did not contain the technical details of the withdrawal; […]

Politics & Diplomacy Turkey

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