Turkish Forum

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  • H.R. 4347, Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act

    H.R. 4347, Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act

    A VICTORY OVER TURKEY AND CYPRUS BY

    COMBINED GREEK-ARMENIAN LOBBY

    WITH SUPPORT FROM PKK

    son DIKKAT 5

    To require the Secretary of State to provide an annual report to Congress regarding United States Government efforts to survey and secure the return, protection, and restoration of stolen, confiscated, or otherwise unreturned Christian properties in the Republic of Turkey and in those areas currently occupied by the Turkish military in northern CypruS

    Thursday, June 26, 2014  |

    BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
    “HAS THE BACK” OF CHRISTIAN MINORITIES IN TURKEY AND OCCUPIED CYPRUS
    Turkish Caucus attempts to gut bill fail; Committee adopts
    Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act

    WASHINGTON, DC – The House Foreign Affairs Committee took a resounding stand in favor of religious freedom this morning, adding a new way to pressure Turkey to return thousands of stolen Christian holy sites.

    Introduced by Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel (D-NY), H.R. 4347 requires the Secretary of State to provide an annual report to Congress regarding United States Government efforts to survey and secure the return, protection, and restoration of stolen, confiscated, or otherwise unreturned Christian properties in the Republic of Turkey and in the Turkish occupied northern part of Cyprus. H.R. 4347 was amended to include Congressman Gus Bilirakis’ Resolution calling for the immediate reopening of the Halki Theological Seminary. An amendment by the co-chair of the Turkish caucus that would have gutted the Act was decisively defeated, and the Act was adopted by voice vote.

    “Despite overly generous claims of ‘progress’, the truth is that religious freedom and human rights have suffered setbacks over the past few years in Turkey,” said HALC Executive Director Endy Zemenides. “As Congressman Chris Smith said before the Committee, the ‘sword of Damocles hangs over these Christian minorities. We thank Chairman Royce, Congressman Engel and their Committee for — as Congressman Smith put it — rising up to “get the backs’ of these minorities.”

    HALC worked closely over the past year with the Armenian National Committee of America, which spearheaded the advocacy efforts on H.R. 4347. “Americans of Armenian, Greek and Assyrian heritage – the descendants of those subjected to genocide by Ottoman Turkey from 1915-1923 and whose churches continue to be held captive by the Turkish Government – join with friends of all faiths in welcoming Committee passage of the Royce-Engel Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act,” said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. “The adoption of this measure sends a strong signal to Ankara that it must stop its anti-Christian conduct and start coming to terms with its moral, material, and legal obligations to Armenians, Syriacs, Cypriots, Pontians, and other victims of Turkey’s still unpunished genocidal crimes.”

    H.R. 4347 builds on a 2011 measure (H.Res.306) spearheaded by Chairman Royce and then House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Howard Berman (D-CA) calling upon the government of Turkey to honor its international obligations to return confiscated Christian church properties and to fully respect the rights of Christians to practice their faiths. Years of advocacy on the opening of Halki Theological Seminary and Congressman Bilirakis’ previous legislative efforts also helped pave the way for H.R. 4347.

    The full text of the legislation will be posted at www.hellenicleaders.com as soon as the amendments are incorporated.

     

  • ANA service to Istanbul and expanded partnership with Turkish would need balance with Lufthansa

    ANA service to Istanbul and expanded partnership with Turkish would need balance with Lufthansa

    Asian airlines are expanding partnerships and collaboration with new hubs. Following Singapore Airlines’ expanded partnership with Turkish Airlines and Cathay Pacific’s with Qatar Airways, All Nippon Airways – now Japan’s largest international carrier – is likely to open a service from Tokyo to Istanbul and deepen its partnership with fellow Star carrier Turkish Airlines. This would be the first Japanese service to Turkey, complementing those from other Asian countries including Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. It would also be the first strategic partnership between a Japanese carrier and an airline from a new hub in Turkey/the Gulf.

    The rationale is clean cut. Turkey has become a popular tourist point for Japanese passengers, who would pay a premium to fly on a Japanese carrier to Istanbul. ANA can use Istanbul to open new destinations in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa that it and competitor Japan Airlines cannot reach but Middle East Gulf carriers can.

    ANA’s challenge is tapping these new markets while sustaining its important relationship with the Lufthansa Group, whose seven daily flights to Japan are under a JV with ANA. An expanded Turkish Airlines partnership would have sensitivity in its overlap with Lufthansa, which has recently very publicly terminated most of  its cooperation with Turkish as the fast growing “fourth Gulf airline” increasingly challenged its hub role.

    via ANA service to Istanbul and expanded partnership with Turkish would need balance with Lufthansa | CAPA – Centre for Aviation.

  • Poor Richard’ Report

    Poor Richard’ Report

    POOR RICHARD’S REPORT
    THE TRUMPETS ARE ROARING
    Part One
    The cloudless blue sky become a grey and black sky with ominous thunderheads suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Nations are powerless for the coming economic calamity even though intermittent rays of sunshine give false hope of a recovery.
    There is a battle between socialism – the false promise of security through government sponsored entitlements – and democracy. A true democracy has freedom of religion and free movement between the social class infrastructure depending upon one’s ability.
    Socialism breeds an elite upper class of the privilege few to govern the many.
    Two countries stand out. The United States of America which was founded on the principal of freedom of religion. Many immigrants came for the “Pursuit of Happiness”.
    The other country is Turkey whose history is littered with major religious movements with individual freedoms versus a state religion.
    One of the greatest world leaders of the 20th Century was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who instituted freedom of religion in modern Turkey in 1923. Just compare modern day Turkey with it’s Mideast Neighbors. The average citizen is held in high esteem by the rest of the world.
    Their armed forces based upon the Korean Conflict in 1948-1953 are held in high honor. However , and unfortunately , the political system in Turkey is turning away from democracy and religious freedom. Sadly the USA is trotting down the same path.
    The problem with democracies is when socialist leaders are elected they start instituting entitlement programs to secure reelection. Many of these programs were needed, but over subsequent years have been raided to fund other programs . In the united States The Social Security has been illegally raided. Instead of buying bonds and investing the income for compound interest- the government has been borrowing from it , and in a few years we will have a deficit. Correct actions are always hard to swallow by politicians; since the general population suffers.
    A south American country , namely Argentina, was a very prosperous nation in 1914. The President decided it would be a good idea to share the wealth with the less fortunate, and they kept doing it . At That time the Argentina Peso was equal to the US Dollar. Today it would take a billion Argentina Peso’s to equal one US Dollar.
    Today democracies must keep a constant vigil on socialist countries; especially where they have little respect for human life.
    We need each other to explore the avenues of faith and prosperity. One nation cannot sustain itself anymore. We need each other, but we must play by the same rules and it is the people who must decide.
    The trumpets are roaring……………
    Part 2 Coming—–

  • Turkey Has Never Been Better: Constantinople to Istanbul

    Turkey Has Never Been Better: Constantinople to Istanbul

    From Constantinople to Istanbul, Turkey Has Never

    Been Better

    By Frank Holmes

    CEO and Chief Investment Officer

    U.S. Global Investors

    COMM-Ulker-Chocolate-Factory-Turkey-05302014Every time he travels to Turkey, portfolio manager of our Emerging Europe Fund (EUROX), Tim Steinle, says the country continues to develop. Although technically classified as an emerging market, one wouldn’t think to label the country as such upon arrival. The population is young and growing, there are improvements to infrastructure everywhere you look, beautiful green parks are more prevalent, and the professional staffs that run many of the shops and businesses are both well organized and thriving.

    Tim told me the entire taxi system has improved upon each visit that he makes. There are newer, cleaner cars, and more professional drivers who run meters without being asked to do so. The same higher quality of service holds true when it comes to hotels, restaurants and employees of bus systems and airlines. Tim says these kinds of improvements are merely a side show in comparison to even larger companies that are run by world-class management teams.

    A sweet spot in Turkey.

    As Tim saw first hand, wanting the richer things in life can start with something simple, like chocolate. During his time in Turkey, he visited the Ulker Chocolate factory, a highlight for him and the group of individual investors he was traveling with.

    via Turkey Has Never Been Better: Constantinople to Istanbul.

  • Turkey mine owner and government deny negligence

    Turkey mine owner and government deny negligence

    SOMA, Turkey (AP) — In the aftermath of a deadly explosion and fire in a Turkish coal mine, the mining company and Turkish officials are on the defensive.

    Original

    Miners rest as they await their trapped friends on May 14, 2014 in Soma, Turkey. Rescuers pulled more dead and injured from the coal mine in western Turkey on Wednesday more than 19 hours after the explosion, bringing the death toll to 238 in what could become the nation’s worst ever mining disaster. Hundreds more are still believed to be trapped in the mine. (Ahmet Sik, Getty Images)

    At least 284 miners were killed. The country’s energy minister says 18 others remain missing — tamping down earlier fears that more than 100 victims were still in the mine.

    The disaster has set off protests and public outrage at allegedly poor safety conditions at Turkish coal mines, and what some perceived as government indifference. One banner held by workers who marched through Istanbul yesterday read, “It’s not an accident, it’s murder.”

    But the owner of the mine where the disaster occurred is defending its safety record. He says he had spent his own money improving standards at the mine. And he says he hopes to continue operations at the mine after correcting any problems found by investigators.

    Senior Turkish officials, meanwhile, are denying allegations of lax government oversight. A deputy leader of the ruling party says there are no problems with inspections and supervision of mines — and that this mine was “vigorously” inspected 11 times in the past five years.

    Turkey’s energy minister says anyone who’s found to have been negligent about safety at the mine will be punished.

    via Turkey mine owner and government deny negligence – ABC36 News WTVQ Lexington Kentucky.

  • Turkey’s Borsa Istanbul dismisses three senior staff

    Turkey’s Borsa Istanbul dismisses three senior staff

    May 7 (Reuters) – Borsa Istanbul, Turkey’s state-run stock exchange, has dismissed three senior personnel after a restructuring eliminated their jobs, an official at the exchange told Reuters on Wednesday.

    The decision to discharge two deputy general managers and the head of research at Borsa Istanbul came at a May 2 board meeting, the official told Reuters on condition his name was not used.

    It was not immediately clear whether the dismissals were linked to a series of purges at other state institutions in recent weeks after a high-level corruption scandal broke late last year.

    The Capital Markets Board, Turkey’s financial-markets regulator, dismissed three deputy chairmen and 11 other senior members on April 25 in a move that one source said was government retaliation for the graft investigation, which involved Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s inner circle. Members of the state banking regulator have also been removed from their posts.

    “As part of the ongoing organisational restructuring at Borsa Istanbul, deputy general managers Ali Coplu and Mustafa Baltaci were relieved of their duties,” the exchange official said. “Because the research and business-development sections were merged, the research manager Orhan Erdem was also relieved of his duties.”

    Borsa Istanbul declined to comment. The three who lost their jobs were not immediately available for comment.

    Nasdaq OMX Group took a 5 percent stake in Borsa Istanbul, which houses the stock, gold and derivatives exchange, at the end of 2013.

    Erdogan has denounced the graft probe as a plot against his rule orchestrated by his former ally Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric who has many supporters among Turkey’s police, judiciary and other arms of the bureaucracy. Thousands of police officers and prosecutors have been reassigned. (Reporting by Birsen Altayli; Writing by Ayla Jean Yackley; Editing by Larry King)

    via Turkey’s Borsa Istanbul dismisses three senior staff | Reuters.