Turkey Telegraph

Holiday apartments for sale in Antalya, Turkey.

2007-02-13T14:33:00.000+02:00

We have found some new apartments at an amazing low price:
1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom: €39,500
2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom: €67,500
Swimming pool
Gymnasium
Sauna
Landscaped gardens
10 minutes walk to the sea
10 minutes drive to the airport
Nearest beach has the blue flag award

Click here for more details

Turkey delays power grid sales to after election

2007-01-11T12:05:00.000+02:00

9 January 2007 - Turkey will delay the sale of electricity distribution grids until after parliamentary elections that must be held by November, according to Energy Minister Hilmi Guler.

Turkey told the International Monetary Fund in November that the sale of the power grids would head the 2007 program of asset sales planned under a $10 bn loan accord. Turkey is seeking to reduce the role of the state in the power sector and draw in foreign investment to narrow a widening current account deficit.

"It wasn't seen as suitable to hold such an important distribution tender before the election," Guler told a news conference in the capital Ankara.

"This could complicate relations with the IMF,'' Tim Ash, an economist at Bearn Stearns in London, said in a note to investors. "It will also raise something of a concern over balance of payment financing in 2007, given the wide current account deficit.''

Turkey is scheduled to accept initial bids for the sale of three power grids on 19 January. The government also plans to sell a further 17 grids.

"A statement will be made by the privatization administration later today on whether the three tenders will be delayed or cancelled,'' Guler said.

Enel of Italy is bidding on the power distribution grids together with Turkish construction company Enka Holding Yatirim AS. Germany's Eon and Bilbao and Spainish-based Iberdrola have also expressed interest in the sales.

The sale of power companies may lead to an increase in electricity prices and voters would blame the government, the Referans newspaper reported on 5 January, citing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey is seeking to attract foreign investment to help finance a current account gap that widened to $28 bn in the first ten months of last year, surpassing a record $23.2 bn in 2005. The lira lost 15 per cent against the euro last year, partly on concern that the current account was becoming unsustainable.

WE'RE BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-01-09T11:42:00.000+02:00

After a period when our readers felt a little neglected we can announce that our period of silence is over!

We have acheived a lot on the ground since our last blog post including moving to new offices and setting up a new web site for global property for sale all over the world in addition to our listings for the Turkish riviera.

We now have luxury property for sale in the following destinations:
Spain,
Canary Islands,
Bulgaria,
Cape Verde,
Brazil,
Dubai,
Philippines...and we're only just getting started!!!
Take a look at the global property for sale available.

EU issues stern warning to Turkey on progress

2006-11-09T15:12:00.000+02:00

ISTANBUL: The European Commission on Wednesday issued its strongest warning yet to Turkey to open its ports to Cyprus and make more progress on human rights or face a possible suspension of its membership talks.

Speaking after the release of a report highly critical of Turkey's efforts to make reforms requested by the European Union, Olli Rehn, the EU's expansion commissioner, delivered what appeared to be an ultimatum to Turkey: to soften its intransigence over Cyprus or risk seeing its EU bid collapse.

"Failure to implement obligations will affect the overall progress of negotiations," Rehn warned. "This is likely to be the last opportunity to make real, serious progress for some years to come on the issue of Cyprus."

Ankara has refused to meet an end- of-year deadline set by the EU to open its ports and airports to the Greek- speaking part of Cyprus, which belongs to the EU. It insists it will not compromise on Cyprus unless the EU lifts a trade embargo against the northern Turkish side of the divided island, which Ankara alone recognizes.

For complete article CLICK HERE

Chirac says sorry to Turkey for bill: Erdogan

2006-10-16T12:36:00.000+03:00

By Paul de Bendern

ANKARA (Reuters) - French leader Jacques Chirac has told Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan he is sorry French lawmakers approved a bill making it a crime to deny Armenians were victims of genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turks.

"Chirac called me and told me he was sorry and he said that he is listening to our statements and he thinks we are right and he will do what he can in the upcoming process," he told his AK Party, in broadcast comments, during a dinner on Saturday.

France is home to Europe's largest Armenian diaspora.

Turkey denies any genocide, saying the Armenians were victims of a partisan war that also claimed many Muslim Turkish lives. Turkey accuses Armenians of carrying out massacres while siding with invading Russian troops during World War One.

The French president's office did not comment when contacted about Chirac's call to Erdogan on Saturday morning.

Erdogan, facing a rise in nationalism ahead of next year's parliamentary elections, warned on Friday that Ankara was considering retaliatory measures against France.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul repeated the government's call for France to scrap the bill, which has complicated Turkey's European Union accession bid.

"We are worried. Turkish-French relations have been very deeply wounded. I hope that French politicians and statesmen will see this and will take the necessary measure to prevent further damage to France's credibility," Gul told reporters.

FEAR BACKLASH

French businesses fear the bill will have repercussions for their business in Turkey, a fast-growing market which imported 4.7 billion euros' worth of French goods in 2005.

About 100 people protested outside the French consulate in Istanbul on Sunday, throwing eggs at the building.

Immediately after Thursday's vote, the French Foreign Ministry said it did not support the lower house bill, calling it "unnecessary and untimely" and indicating it might never become law as it still needed to be ratified by both the upper house Senate and French president.

France is believed to be home to the largest Armenian immigrant community in western Europe, with up to half a million people of Armenian descent living there.

They make up a powerful political lobby which cannot be overlooked just seven months ahead of a presidential election.

However, some Turks think French politicians have a broader agenda and are using the bill to try to block Ankara's EU bid.

Chirac and the two leading candidates to replace him in polls due next May -- Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal -- all say Ankara must accept the genocide before joining the bloc.

The European Commission has said that recognition of the genocide was not a precondition for Turkey entering the EU.

(Additional reporting by Selcuk Gokoluk in Ankara)

Copyright © 2006 Reuters, All Rights Reserved.

Merkel to deliver firm EU message to Turkey

2006-10-06T13:35:00.000+03:00

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel will highlight the robust economic and human ties between Germany and Turkey on a visit this week, but also deliver a firm message to Ankara on its troubled bid to join the European Union.

Since taking power nearly a year ago, Merkel has tempered her public statements on Turkey's bid to placate her Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners who support the largely Muslim country's effort to join the bloc.

But Merkel and leading members of her conservative party still prefer a "privileged partnership" solution for Turkey that stops short of full membership and she has vowed to ensure that Turkish entry talks are tough.

German officials said on Wednesday that Turkey's failure to open up Turkish ports to traffic from EU member Cyprus was of particular concern to the government ahead of Merkel's first trip to Turkey as chancellor.

"If the Turkish side does not send a clear signal about its willingness to deliver on its commitments, an accident will be impossible to avoid," said a senior official close to Merkel who requested anonymity.

Merkel will arrive in Ankara on Thursday afternoon and hold talks with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, where topics of discussion are likely to include Iran's nuclear program, Iraq and the Middle East.

On Friday morning in Istanbul she will meet Turkish businessmen. Before returning to Berlin, both she and Erdogan will meet with Islamic, Christian and Jewish leaders in a show of religious tolerance and dialogue.

TIES AND TENSIONS

Ties between Germany and Turkey run deep and both sides will be keen to highlight areas of agreement.

Thousands of "Gastarbeiter", or guest workers, from Turkey helped fuel Germany's postwar economic miracle and about 2.5 million people of Turkish origin live in Germany today.

Bilateral trade reached a record 21.1 billion euros ($26.77 billion) in 2005 and Germany is the biggest foreign investor in Turkey and its biggest trade partner.

Alongside the areas of cooperation, however, lie tensions.

Erdogan has accused Germany of making mistakes in integrating immigrants, calling its treatment of Turks and Muslims unacceptable.

The Turkish prime minister also annoyed German conservatives with his strong public condemnations of the Pope's comments in August linking the Muslim faith to violence.

In response, allies of Merkel have openly questioned whether Turkey is fit to join the Christian-dominated EU.

"If we don't see significant advances in reforms, I think the talks between Ankara and the European Union should be suspended from January," said Juergen Ruettgers, deputy leader of Merkel's Christian Democrats.

Government officials say Merkel's message will be more subtle, echoing the one delivered by EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn on Tuesday -- that Turkey must move on reforms and show a willingness to compromise on the Cyprus issue.

Copyright © 2006 Reuters, All Rights Reserved.

Bush Backs Turkey's Bid to Join EU

2006-10-03T10:53:00.000+03:00

President Bush on Monday endorsed Turkey's drive to join the European Union, commending the nation's leader for overseeing economic reforms.

Bush and Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said their countries share an agenda of stability in the Middle East.

'Our desire is to help people who care about a peaceful future to reject radicalism and extremism,' Bush said with Erdogan at his side in the Oval Office, after their private meeting. The two discussed Iraq, Iran and a series of issues related to combatting terrorism.

Erdogan, speaking through an interpreter, said: 'It was important to hear the president say that support for Turkey's membership in the European Union will continue.'

A day earlier, in remarks at Georgetown University, Erdogan made a pitch for Turkey's membership, saying that 'despite all the uncertainty surrounding us, we have become a country ... that is exporting security and stability to the region.'

Including Turkey in the EU, he said, would add 'strategic depth' to the organization, moving it from a regional actor to a global power.

In the speech, he also said a deep cultural misunderstanding between Western and Muslim societies is fueling radical groups around the world. Erdogan said overcoming differences between the West and Muslims 'requires global cooperation.'

Turkey trip seen as chance for Pope to make amends

2006-09-19T13:30:00.000+03:00

ANKARA (Reuters) - Pope Benedict should use a planned trip to Turkey in November to rebuild ties with the Muslim world, badly strained by his comments that portrayed Islam as a religion tainted by violence, analysts say.

Some say Benedict should even rethink his opposition to Turkish membership of the European Union as a way of helping to narrow the gap between the Western and Islamic worlds and thus reducing the risk of a "clash of civilizations".

Benedict is due to make his first trip as Pope to a Muslim land on November 28-30. Ankara has said it wants the trip to go ahead despite Muslim anger that has only partially been quelled by the Pope's expressions of regret over the hurt he has caused.

"It is better that he come. It can help repair relations. The fact that he will be in Turkey can help Muslims see he is a man of goodwill," said Mehmet Dulger, head of the Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee.

Dogu Ergil of Ankara University echoed this view.

"His trip will provide a window of opportunity to rephrase what he said, to show that he does not accept the negative stereotypes of Islam often found in the Western world," he said.

Even before his latest remarks on Islam, Turks were distrustful of Benedict, who before becoming Pope said Turkey as a non-Christian country would not fit into the EU.

"The Pope should come here but he should give a message that he now supports Turkey's efforts to join the European Union," said Cengiz Aktar of Istanbul's Bahcesehir University.

For complete article CLICK HERE

2nd Eurasia International Film Festival officially kicks off

2006-09-19T13:29:00.000+03:00

The 2nd Eurasia International Film Festival, held as part of the 43rd Golden Orange Film Festival in Antalya, officially started with a ceremony at the Antalya Culture Center on Sunday, one day after the Golden Orange began.

Screenwriter, producer and director Irvin Kershner, famous for the films “Star Wars: Episode V” and “Robocop 2,” received a recognition award during the ceremony from Antalya Mayor Menderes Türel.

Kershner told reporters he had been to Turkey previously but that he found Turkey somewhat different during this visit. He said he was currently studying Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's life story for a documentary he is planning to shoot.

Members of the Eurasia Film Festival's jury were introduced to the press during the ceremony. The grand jury, which will choose the best film and the best director among 10 films to compete within the competition, is composed of young Iranian director Samira Makhmalbaf, the director of "Panorama" section of the International Berlin Film Festival, Wieland Speck, director of Berlinale European Film Market, Beki Probst, Czech-Italian actress Barbara Bouchet, famous American actor James Cromwell, actor Padraic Delany and Turkish TV and film star Mehmet Aslantuğ.

The festival's first screening was held Saturday with the opening film “The Banquet” by Chinese director Feng Xiaogang.

On Sunday, a gala showing of “Valley of Flowers,” directed by Pan Nalin, was also held. The gala was attended by the film's lead actors, Mylène Jampanoi and Milind Soman, who met and fell in love during the shooting of the film.

The 155-minute film portrays “a Himalayan legend that reflects the hindrance of death.” Along the highest mountain passes of the Himalayas, tough, intrepid Jalan (Soman) and his gang earn their living by stealing from unsuspecting travelers. Abiding by their own, unique codes of honor and dividing the spoils equally, all is routine until the arrival of the mystifying, beautiful Ushna (Jampanoi). Appearing mysteriously after the raid of a pilgrim caravan, Ushna adheres to Jalan, claiming to have seen him in her dreams, and refusing to leave his side. Sensing the unsettlement of the rest of the men, Ushna offers to help them in their endeavors, under condition that they not ask why or how she is able to guide them to success.

In the time that follows, Ushna leads the gang to tremendous exploits, gaining the respect of the men, and the admiration of Jalan, who begins to fall passionately in love with this mysterious woman. As their success increases, seemingly unstoppable, so the love between Jalan and Ushna mounts in intensity, until they seem to have entered a world of their own. No longer heeding of the world around them, Jalan and Ushna venture too far in their exploits, progressing from the theft of material objects to tampering with forbidden elements; stealing energy, luck and even the powers of levitation, the two cross over into the bounds of the supernatural …

Following the screening Soman told reporters he was proud of being a part of Indian cinema, which has a history of 100 years.

Asked if there has been any reaction to the erotic scenes in the movie, Soman said Indians are open to innovations in movies. His wife, Jampanoi, meanwhile, said this was her first feature-length film and added that “it was unbelievable that I found the love of my life with this movie.”

Greek Cyprus opens debate season on Turkey’s EU bid

2006-08-31T11:38:00.000+03:00

Following a considerably long period of silence, Greek Cypriot officials have apparently decided to refresh a familiar debate on Turkey's European Union bid as the release of a key progress report on Turkey by the executive European commission approaches.

“It's out of the question for us to give consent for starting and concluding another chapter in Turkey's negotiation process. Yet, this will not be the only measure that we will take,” Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas was quoted by the Greek Cypriot daily Alithia as telling Greek Cypriot ambassadors on mission abroad during a meeting in Nicosia, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday.

The article continues:

Meanwhile, English-language Greek Cypriot daily Cyprus Mail yesterday quoted Greek Cypriot government spokesman Christodoulos Pashardis as saying that “the government saw no reason to make sacrifices to smooth Turkey's path to the EU, when the obligation was on Ankara to fulfill its obligation to the bloc.”

Pashardis was commenting on reports that the United States had come up with a plan to resolve the issue of the EU customs union protocol obliging Turkey to open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot traffic, the daily noted, referring to reports saying that the U.S. plan was being revised by Matt Bryza, deputy secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs. The plan focuses on the opening of the ports and airport of the north in exchange for Turkey's compliance with the protocol, according to reports.

Pashardis said the government had not been informed of any U.S. proposal. “If there are some circles which are interested in not having an EU-Turkey crisis, the safest way to prevent it is to convince Ankara to fulfill its European obligations and engagements,” he said. Pashardis said that although Greek Cyprus supports Turkey's accession, “it is not willing to take-up the cost of Turkey's road to European accession.”

For complete article CLICK HERE

Antalya bomb blast - 28.08.06

2006-08-30T16:12:00.000+03:00

Three people were killed and around 20 others injured by an explosion in Turkey's top tourism destination of Antalya on Monday, one day after three blasts injured 21 tourists in the south-western resort of Marmaris while another in Istanbul injured 6 people.

Monday's blast in the southern Turkish city of Antalya occurred at 4.40 pm outside a shopping mall in the city center. A fire broke out at the scene after the blast.
The motive behind the blast has not yet been ascertained. However, police suspect the PKK terror organization which has carried out terror attacks in the city.

Antalya last year attracted more than 7.2 million tourists and it is this income to the national revenues which the terrorists are attempting to disrupt.

I was walking by the spot where the bomb went off just 30 minutes before the blast.

Although I am quite fatalistic believing that you never go before your time, I'm also counting my blessings for still being here. As a christian (with a small 'c') I save a prayer for the poor families of the three people killed, ordinary hard working Turks going about their daily business who didn't deserve to die for somebody else's argument.

It is at this point we should do as they did in London. To continue with our lives with as high a sense of dignity and normality as is possible for if we alter the way we live our lives one bit, they have already won.

Disney or not Disney?

2006-08-25T12:08:00.000+03:00

Recently you heard about the theme park land for sale in Antalya and we said we'd update you with more information.

Owners of the Rixos hotel group won the auction. Fettah Tamince is paying 22,720,000 YTL for a 49 year lease.

The auction started at 5,220,000 YTL and 4 companies were bidding for the land.
The total area is 3,500 donum (3,500,000m2) an dthe new owner did state he wanted to get Disney to set up shop but for some reason they are now not involved. A theme park on a similar scale will be constructed instead, keeping as much of the environment unchanged in line with government standards of ecological awareness.

He has pledged to invest at least 306,000,000 YTL in the site to create his dream and has guaranteed many hundreds of jobs for the people of Antalya.

If we get any more info I'll update you...

Güler launches $5 bln Afşin Elbistan project

2006-08-24T14:24:00.000+03:00

Energy Minister Hilmi Güler announced the start of the biggest project in the history of the Turkish Republic, the $5 billion Afşin Elbistan lignite mine, during a press conference in Ankara on Wednesday.

Güler presented details of the project and told members of the press that the bidding process had begun. With the private sector's investment of $5 billion over five years, some 15,000 people would be employed during the accompanying construction process and 8,500 during the management process, he said. When the project is completed, it will have the capacity to produce 30 billion kWh of electricity annually, Güler explained, adding that the mining operation alone would require 100 million shuttles by 50-ton trucks.

The Afşin-Elbistan project includes the rehabilitation of Power Plant A and the building of power plants C and D over five years. The ash produced by Afşin Elbistan would be used in cement production.

Electricity Generation Inc. (EUAS) General Manager Sefer Bütün said power plants C and D would produce energy equivalent to 18 percent of Turkey's electric production. The construction of power plants A and B took 17 years to complete, Bütün said.

Hitachi, Minex, Alsthom, Babcok, Demir Export, Unit Int., Doğuş, Köseoglu Madencilik and Özdogru are reportedly interested in various phases of the project.

Disney Turk! It's Official

2006-08-21T13:51:00.000+03:00

We just read some great news if you're thinking of coming to Turkey in the next few years.

A huge piece of land was bought by a successful hotel chain near the Lara beach district in Antalya even though they can only utilise 2% for construction.

Why would they do such a thing?

2 words - DISNEY FRANCHISE

So now in addition to the popular resorts in the USA and France it seems the Disney net has broadened to eastern Europe to maximise the potential from the new tourism boom.

Turkey is host to tourists from all over the world and the advantage they have over more popular resorts in Spain or France is their proximity to the east.

Every year millions of visitors pour in from a mixed bag of countries including India, japan, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and many more countries from the sub continents unable to afford the air fare to, or the prices of visiting western resorts.

Turkey has been at the centre of the cultural world since before Christ's time. It was the centre of the Christian church under the Roman Emperor Constantine and is still a melting pot of all the world's cultures.

Turkey mulls contribution to UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon

2006-08-16T15:32:00.000+03:00

Signalling again its readiness to join a proposed UN-led peacekeeping force in Lebanon, Turkey decided on Monday to wait for a new Security Council resolution that will shed more light on the mission's mandate before committing troops.

Hours after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and top government and military officials met on Monday (14 August) to discuss the country's possible contribution to a proposed UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

In recent weeks, Turkey has repeatedly expressed its readiness to join an international mission to stabilise Lebanon. After almost two hours of discussions Monday, however, officials decided to wait until the force's mandate is clarified before committing troops.

A statement issued after the meeting welcomed UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted unanimously on Friday. Turkey, it added, was "evaluating its role" in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has been in place since 1978 and currently numbers 2,000 troops, but -- as proposed by the Council -- is due to expand to a 15,000-strong force.

The peacekeepers are expected to keep Hezbollah fighters out of a 30km-wide zone between the Blue Line -- the border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel, drawn by the UN in 1978 -- and the Litani River in Lebanon.

Under Friday's resolution, the Lebanese government and UNIFIL are expected to begin deploying their forces together throughout southern Lebanon, in parallel with the Israeli forces' withdrawal from the region.

Intense international efforts are under way to secure troop commitments and establish the mandate of the expanded UNIFIL.

"A new resolution to be adopted at the UN Security Council in the coming days is expected to bring more clarity" as regards the terms of the planned deployment, the AFP quoted Erdogan's office as saying in a statement Monday. "Turkey will consider its possible contributions to finding a permanent resolution to the problem (in Lebanon) in the light of developments."

The meeting at Erdogan's office was attended by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul, outgoing Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok and his successor, Land Forces Commander Yasar Buyukanit, who takes office shortly.

A report in the Turkish daily Hurriyet on Monday suggested that Turkey, which has friendly relations with both Israel and Lebanon, was considering contributing a non-combat force of between 800 and 1,200 troops with a strictly peacekeeping role.

Any decision on a Turkish contribution to UNIFIL will require a cabinet decree and its approval by parliament.

France, whose General Allain Pellegrini is the current commander of UNIFIL, is expected to retain responsibility for the force after its expansion. France is reportedly planning to contribute the largest contingent of about 5,000 troops, while Italy is expected to send between 2,000 and 3,000. Other countries considered likely to contribute troops include Australia, Finland, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain.

Britain has ruled out any significant contributions. Germany has not decided yet, but has said it would only contribute non-combat troops.

(The New York Times, The Guardian - 15/08/06; AFP, AP, FT, AKI, EUobserver, NTV MSNBC, Turkish Press, Turkish Daily News, Zama, Hurriyet, Journal of Turkish Weekly - 14/08/06)

6,000 year old history comes to day light in Urla

2006-08-14T11:45:00.000+03:00

6,000 year old history is coming to day light thanks to excavations in western city of Izmir's Urla town both on land and under water.

The excavations take place every summer at Iskele district of Urla. Excavations are conducted under the leadership of Dr. Hayat Erkanal, Chairman of the Archeology Department at Ankara University Language History Geography Faculty.

In an exclusive interview with the A.A, Dr. Erkanal indicated that excavations in Urla began in 1992. “As of the year 2000, we are conducting excavations both on land and in water,” said Dr. Erkanal. According to Erkanal, his team began working with academicians from Haifa University in 2000. “Underwater excavation took place with the help of academicians from the Haifa University,” remarked Dr. Erkanal.

Underwater excavations, which have been going on in Urla for the past six years, will for the first time be watched by residents of Urla on a giant tv screen. “This way, we plan to attract more attention to our excavations,” stressed Erkanal.Artifacts dating 6,000 years back have been found on site at Urla. Some of the found items belong to the Ionian civilization.

Spanish Model For Property Sales To Foreigners

2006-08-08T10:57:00.000+03:00

ANKARA - Turkish experts are studying the Spanish model for property sales to foreigners. To date, 62,486 foreigners purchased 57,472 properties in Turkey.
Turkish Minister of Finance Kemal Unakitan and Minister of Culture and Tourism Atilla Koc were in Spain between July 28th-30th where they held discussions and meetings on the Spanish model for property sales to foreigners.

After studying the Spanish model, Unakitan asked Turkish bureaucrats to implement the Spanish model of property sales in Turkey.

''Most of the residential properties in Spain are designed to be used as homes during the summer. Almost all properties are sold while the project is going on and has not been completed yet. Companies who are responsible for the marketing of the properties use small scale models of the properties in Germany, Britain, France and Holland. There are also sample residences used as scale models with exactly same dimensions as the actual residences. Once the sale is completed, construction of the residential unit takes place with credit obtained from a bank. Spain makes use of golf fields in the construction of private villas,'' said Spanish sources.

So far, Spanish real estate agents have sold around one million units of residences to foreigners at an average price of 178,000 Euro.

57,472 residential units have been sold in Turkey to foreigners since the republic's establishment (in 1923). These residential units comprise a total of 178.9 million square meters.

83 percent of all sales to foreigners went to Syrians. 5.4 percent of all sales to foreigners went to Germans. And, 2.4 of all sales to foreigners went to the British.

The number of residential properties sold in Turkey to foreigners, after the enactment of a new law on residential purchases on January 7th, 2006, has been 4605.

Turkish bureaucrats are working on how the Spanish model may fully be implemented in the Turkish market.

Erdogan: We Will Continue Seeking Peace And Advocating Justice Both In Middle East And The Other Parts Of The World

2006-08-01T13:10:00.000+03:00

ANKARA - ``Turkey will continue to seek peace and advocate justice in the Middle East and other parts of the world. Recent war in the Middle East has been triggering fury and violence, and further strengthening terrorism. This war is not fair. There will be no winners. On the contrary, it will lead to the defeat of the humanity as a whole,`` Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.
In a televised address to the nation, Erdogan said, ``we want peace, tranquillity, prosperity and justice for the humanity. Unfortunately, the humanity failed to preserve peace and universal values at the age of scientific and technical developments. Today, there are heart-wrenching wars and clashes all over the world. And the industrialized countries, shamefully, cannot keep innocent and defenseless people out of this picture of blood and tears. The humanity should feel the twinge of conscience. Any understanding killing innocent people and destroying cities cannot be justified whatever its motives are. Those who are sowing the seeds of hatred today, should remember that they will need peace and justice for themselves some day in the future.``

``People in the Middle East have still been suffering from endless clashes and bloodshed. I want to reiterate that Turkey is ready to do everything in its power to end those people`s suffering and to provide peace to the region,`` he said.

Calling on Israel to put an immediate end to use disproportionate force, Erdogan said, ``we guaranteed Israeli authorities to find and hand over those kidnapped soldiers. However, we failed to convince them to declare a cease-fire. We hope the international community and especially the United Nations Security Council will take urgent action.``

Erdogan recalled that the Turkish Red Crescent had begun dispatching humanitarian aid to the region.

``No one should expect us to remain silent. We will never give up our hopes for a peaceful world. We believe that peace will prevail one day,`` he emphasized. -PKK TERROR-

``The terrorist organization PKK has been continuing to kill our citizens. Our patience is about to exhaust. We will pursue our fight against the terrorist organization with great determination and belief,`` PM Erdogan emphasized.

Referring to the Cyprus issue, he said, ``embargoes imposed unfairly on the Turkish Cypriot people for years, should come to an end now. Both Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are ready to fulfil their commitments to reach a fair and lasting solution on the island. As we pointed out in our Action Plan on January 24th (2006), all restrictions should be lifted by the relevant parties simultaneously till a solution is reached. This will be the first step on the path leading to the settlement. No one can expect Turkey to make unilateral concessions in this process.``

``We are determined to extend all kinds of support to the TRNC to accomplish its economic and social development. TRNC economy has grown steadily in the last four years. Turkish Cypriot authorities set their growth rate target for the year 2006 as 7.1 percent. In the meantime, Turkey`s annual financial assistance to the TRNC climbed from 80 million USD to 360 million USD between 1974 and 2005`` he added. -ECONOMIC INDICATORS-

Touching on economic developments within the country, Prime Minister Erdogan said, ``recent economic turbulence in the world had a small and temporary impact on our interest rates and disinflation targets. We will preserve our medium and long-term objectives. Today, the Turkish economy has a sound structure capable to deal with all kinds of turbulence both on the national and global levels. As a result of rooted reforms accomplished in the last four years, Turkish economy has become a powerful and reliable one with a sustainable growth. We succeeded in reducing inflation to 7.7 percent in 2005. Even if we face some small increases in inflation due to local or global fluctuations, we do not expect any deviation in our medium and long-term targets.``

Giving information about export figures, Erdogan said, ``Turkey`s exports were merely 36 billion USD in 2002. In 2005, exports reached 73.4 billion USD. On the other hand, when we look at the export figures in the first seven months (of 2006), we see that exports reached a record level of 43.7 billion USD. We hope that year-end exports will be not less than 80 billion USD.``

``Another important element of our economy is direct foreign investments. They reached 9.7 billion USD in 2005. This is a record in the history of Turkey. In the first five months of 2006, those investments attained 8.1 billion USD,`` he said.

Turkey to Consider Role in Peacekeeping

2006-07-26T16:53:00.000+03:00

Turkey, NATO's only Muslim member, would consider playing a major role in a peacekeeping force in Lebanon, a Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday.

The official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, said Turkey would first want to see a strong U.N. mandate for the force that would define its role, where it served and its rules of engagement.

Top NATO and Middle Eastern officials, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, meet Wednesday in Rome to discuss possible solutions to conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, including a peacekeeping force that could be deployed on the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Turkey has close ties with both Israel and Arab countries and wide-ranging experience in international peacekeeping. It has led peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan and participated in missions in Bosnia, Kosovo and Somalia.

Lebanese Ambassador George Siam was quoted as saying that 'we believe Ankara would be successful in such a mission.' His remarks were printed in Tuesday's The New Anatolian newspaper.

The Foreign Ministry official said Muslim Turkey was a logical choice for a key role in such a force but cautioned that Turkey was also likely to demand a cessation of hostilities and broad international participation.

The official also said that discussions over the role of such a force were likely to be very difficult.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Associated Press
By LOUIS MEIXLER
July 25, 2006

Babacan warns of consequences of killing Turkey’s EU bid

2006-07-13T10:35:00.000+03:00

If the EU kills Turkey's aspirations to join the 25-nation bloc, the consequences could be far beyond the imagination, Turkey's top EU negotiator Babacan says

State Minister Ali Babacan, who is also Turkey's chief negotiator for European Union entry talks, warned yesterday that if the EU killed the country's membership aspirations due to problems over Cyprus, the impact across the Muslim world “could be far beyond the imagination.”

“If it fails, very few people will blame Cyprus,” Babacan was quoted as saying during a meeting with the foreign media in Istanbul. “Instead, it will be taken as a message that ‘East and West don't mix'.”

“The consequences could be far beyond the imagination,” he added, without going into detail.

Babacan also said after Sept. 11 it was obvious that the region had to change and that the example of a predominantly Muslim country reforming to join the EU was critically important.

“We are sending the right kind of signals to a big part of the world,” he said. “The way the changes in the region will take place is of the utmost importance.”

Turkey is under fire from the 25-nation bloc to open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot vessels by the end of this year under a customs union protocol. Ankara argues that international trade and political restraints imposed on the Turkish Cypriots on the northern part of the island must be lifted first.

Finland took over the rotating EU presidency on July 1. A day earlier, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen had warned that the bloc could suspend entry talks with Turkey during his country's presidency if Ankara fails to meet EU accession requirements including the implementation of the customs union protocol.

Cyprus has been divided into Greek Cyprus in the south and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), which is only recognized by Turkey, since 1974 when the Turkish military intervened following a short-lived coup staged by supporters of union with Greece.

Greek Cypriots rejected a U.N.-proposed reunification plan during a referendum two years ago. The Turkish Cypriots overwhelmingly voted for it. Soon after the referendum Greek Cyprus unilaterally joined the EU.

In an ice-breaking move, Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos met over the weekend in a U.N.-hosted gathering to discuss ways to revive stalled peace talks on the long-divided island.

Under the latest U.N. formula, the two sides would begin twin-track negotiations with one level concentrating on day-to-day confidence-boosting issues and the other on thornier long-term political subjects.

On Monday EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said he welcomed the prospect of renewed peace talks on Cyprus, adding that it could help defuse a potential crisis with EU candidate Turkey.

He called it “an encouraging signal that dialogue has a chance on the island, and that there is a perspective of relaunching a new process towards reaching a comprehensive settlement under U.N. auspices.”

In an interview with Reuters Rehn said the progress achieved by Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders could help the EU ease the economic isolation of Turkish Cypriots.

“Making progress on U.N.-led negotiations should make it possible to make progress in parallel on the trade regulation to end the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community,” he said.

Rehn caused some cultural misunderstanding in Cyprus and Turkey this month by suggesting the EU's new Finnish presidency should get Talat and Papadopoulos together for some “sauna diplomacy.”

“I was aware of it being interpreted as sweating and torture but everyone who knows the Finnish sauna realizes it really induces relaxation and peace of mind,” he said.

Parliament may convene earlier than scheduled to pass EU reform package:

Babacan also signaled that the Turkish Parliament may return early to pass EU-inspired reforms after failing to do so as planned before the summer recess.

“Parliament may be back from recess earlier than normal, maybe in September,” he said.

Ankara has been criticized by the EU for an apparent slowdown in the reform process. Parliament went on a recess without passing the 9th Harmonization Package. A top Finnish envoy in Ankara expressed hope last week that the reform package would be passed by September, which is before the release of the EU's progress report on Turkey due for October.

Turkey to donate $1 mln to Palestine in show of support

2006-07-10T11:19:00.000+03:00

The Foreign Ministry will host a ceremony today to mark a $1 million donation from Turkey to the Palestinians for business development, by means of an agreement to be signed by Palestinian Economic and Social Cooperation Coordinator Vehbi Dinçerler and Palestinian Ambassador to Turkey Nabil Maarouf -- in a show of Ankara's firm support for the Palestinian people amid escalating tension between Israel and Palestine.

Yesterday, Israel said it would push forward with its offensive in the Gaza Strip until Palestinian militants release a captured Israeli soldier and halt their rocket attacks, rejecting international criticism that the army has used excessive force during a nearly two-week operation in the coastal area.

Israel's statement came only a day after Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül labeled as "horrifying" the offensive in response to the abduction of an Israeli soldier.

Also on Saturday, his ministry released a statement condemning the military action. “The clashes we have watched with sadness in the past in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have clearly shown that a solution will not be reached through military methods,” the statement said.

The reactions against Israel are not limited to government figures but are also shared among the public, as thousands gathered yesterday in Istanbul to protest Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Thousands of angry protesters began congregating in Istanbul's Çağlayan Square with banners reading “Don't remain a spectator to oppression.”

Yesterday in Tehran, the foreign ministers of Iraq and its neighbors jointly condemned what they said were “inhumane” Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and called for an immediate end to the violence.

Gul: Turkish Economy Gives Confidence To The World

2006-07-07T11:37:00.000+03:00

WASHINGTON - Turkey showed its economy is strong after recent fluctuations in markets, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday.
Speaking to Turkish journalists after his joint news conference with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington on Wednesday, Gul said that U.S. officials told him that Turkey is strong in economic aspect and gives confidence to the world. The U.S. officials told him that Turkey was not considered as a loose link in the chain any more, he added.

Noting that in his meetings in the U.S., the importance of Turkish-U.S. relations was emphasized, Gul said, ''our relations are much stronger and healthier.''

''We have discussed Iran, Iraq, PKK terrorist organization, Middle East problem, recent tension between Israel and Palestine, Cyprus, ending isolations over Turkish Cypriots, drafts about so-called Armenian genocide, recent contacts in Damascus about Middle East problem, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline, Turkey's economic performance in recent period, Turkey-EU relations and Turkey's contributions in regional and international issues,'' said Gul.

Regarding visit of Turkish Prime Ministry Advisor Ahmet Davudoglu to Damascus, Gul said that Turkey launched initiatives to stop tension in Middle East upon demands, and Davudoglu met Syrian President, adding that the meeting was positive.

When asked how recent Israeli-Palestinian tension can be solved, Gul said, ''our position is obvious. Everybody should do their best and a peace process should start. The ministers and kidnapped soldier should be released and operations in Gaza should be stopped. Thus, a new milieu can be established. Both societies should accept the two-state solution.''

Regarding Cyprus issue, Gul said, ''this issue necessitates patience. We are insistent and determined about negotiations. The important thing is to explain the right cause to everybody. The United States does not withhold its support about Cyprus issue, and their efforts will increase.''

Upon another question, Gul said, ''Iraq's territorial integrity, political unity and stability are common targets of Turkey and the United States. Also, we have discussed (with Rice) the attitude of Armenian lobby in the United States. I said everybody should do their best to prevent adoption of an Armenian draft in the United States.''

Following the news conference, Gul met representatives of Jewish lobby in the United States.

Turkish FM Gul off to US for talks with Rice

2006-07-06T11:56:00.000+03:00

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has flown to the United States for talks with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, aimed at giving a new boost to bilateral ties, badly hurt by the US-led war in Iraq.

Gul was scheduled to hold talks with Rice as well as with National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley on Wednesday.

In remarks to reporters at the Ankara airport, Gul said he and Rice would unveil a "common vision document" outlining the two NATO allies' shared positions on international affairs.

He said the paper was not a treaty but a document "outlining a common vision on which both countries will work and expend efforts."

Turkish-US relations took a severe blow ahead of Iraq's occupation in 2003 when the Turkish parliament rejected Washington's request to deploy soldiers in Turkey, scuppering plans for a northern invasion of Iraq.

Relations have also suffered due to the United States' reluctance to crack down on rebels from the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), blacklisted as a terrorist group by both Ankara and Washington, who enjoy safe haven in northern Iraq.

PKK violence has significantly increased over the past two years, with mounting clashes between the army and the rebels in the countryside and a wave of deadly bombings blamed on the rebels in urban centers.

During a visit to Ankara in April, Rice said Washington was committed to support Turkey's struggle against the PKK, but said measures to curb the rebels should not complicate the already difficult security situation in Iraq.

She called for the revival of trilateral talks between Turkey, Iraq and the United States to discuss measures against the PKK.

A senior Turkish diplomat said the row over the nuclear program of Iran, Turkey's eastern neighbor, would be also high on the agenda of Gul's talks with Rice.

In an effort coordinated with Washington and the European Union, Gul went to Tehran in late June in a bid to cajole Iranian leaders into accepting a proposal from Western powers to resolve the dispute peacefully.

The Cyprus conflict and its repercussions on Turkey's EU membership bid will be also discussed, the diplomat said.

Erdogan: We're Deeply Sad On Developments In Middle East

2006-07-04T09:49:00.000+03:00

KASTAMONU - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has indicated, ''we feel sad over developments in the Middle East. There is a fire in Gaza.''
Stating that he hold telephone conversations with Palestinian and Israeli leaders as well as U.S. President George W. Bush, Erdogan said, ''we want this fire (in the Middle East) to be extinguished. We told them that Turkey is ready to do what is required. Otherwise, those who want peace will fail.''

Erdogan called U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday. Sources from the Prime Ministry said that Erdogan and Bush discussed the tension (between Israel and Palestine) that started after an Israeli soldier was kidnapped.

Erdogan also informed Bush on his conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

Turkish PM urges tolerance toward Muslims

2006-07-03T11:44:00.000+03:00

STRASBOURG, France - Turkey's prime minister urged the West on Wednesday to make a concerted effort to lessen tensions with Muslim societies, saying more tolerance is needed to mend a deepening rift with the Islamic world.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last year's angry protests over cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad reveal a need to discuss limits to free expression in some cases to keep extremists from exploiting growing polarization.

"Islamophobia and xenophobia are gaining ground in the West. In the Muslim world, on the other hand, there is a widening perception that it is besieged and its values are under attack. The combination of these trends threaten to turn the West and the Islamic world into adversaries," Erdogan said in a speech to the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights body.

"The way we see anti-Semitism as a crime against humanity, we need to see Islamophobia as a crime against humanity," he told the council's parliamentary assembly, made up of lawmakers from various European countries.

The 12 Prophet Muhammad cartoons, first published in Denmark's Jyllands-Posten daily last September, were reprinted by dozens of newspapers and Web sites in Europe and elsewhere. Muslims worldwide denounced the drawings, one of which showed Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban.

Furious anti-Danish protests spread across the Muslim world, and rioters torched Danish embassies.

"All freedoms have a limit. You cannot have unlimited freedoms," Erdogan said. "We argue freedom of expression can be restricted, and this has to be defined."

He warned of a possible rise in terrorism if the West ignores cultural differences and does not respect Islamic values.

"Terrorism perpetrated in the name of religion will lead the world to a global crisis," he warned.

Turkey, a mostly Muslim country and U.S. ally that feels increasingly frustrated in its bid for European Union membership, is under pressure from the EU to enhance freedom of expression, religious freedoms and cultural rights for its Kurdish minority.

But Erdogan argued that freedom of expression can be curbed in order to prevent individuals from inciting terrorism and hatred for other cultures.

"There has never been unlimited freedom of expression in history," he said.

The Turkish leader said that while the size of Europe's Muslim population is increasing, Muslim communities are being marginalized, which causes problems in cities such as London and Paris.

He said integrating those communities requires efforts from both sides. European countries, he said, "need to show more affection to the people living in ghettos and integrate them into the society."