Issue 3/January 2000 

Editor, Prof. Barry Rubin

Assistant Editors, Linda Sharaby and Cameron Brown

Research Assistant, Ozgul Erdemli

CONTENTS

RESEARCH GUIDE: KURDISH STUDIES by Hamit Bozarslan  

RESEARCH GUIDE:RESEARCHING TURKEY ON THE INTERNET by Ozgul Erdemli  

RESEARCH GUIDE: KURDISH STUDIES

By Hamit Bozarslan

"Kurdish studies" began during the first three decades of the Twentieth Century with the works of Basil Nikitin, Vladimir Minorsky and Thomas Bois. In spite of some major studies (F. Barth, I. C. Vany, D.N. MacKenzie...), the later decades however, saw a decline of Kurdish studies. The apparent pacification of Kurdistan by the central governments of Iraq, Iran and Turkey explains largely this lack of interest for this issue from the 1940s up to 1960s.

THE RENEWAL OF THE 1970s-1990s

From the 1960's to the 1990's, however, this situation changed gradually. The Barzani rebellion in Iraq (1961-1975), the guerrilla warfare in Iran (1979-1980) and in Turkey (1984-1999), the two Gulf Wars  (1980-1988, 1991) and the establishment of a "Safe Haven" in Iraqi Kurdistan (1991) put the Kurdish issue once again on the regional and international agenda. These events increased the interest of the Western mass media on the Kurdish issue. At the some time, some "raw materials" and works of Kurdish and Turkish researchers become accessible. Parallel to this evolution, academic Kurdish studies in Europe and, to a lesser extent, in the United States also increased both in quantity and in quality.

Martin van Bruinessen, a Dutch anthropologist, played a decisive role in the renewal of these studies from the 1970s up to now. Alongside his major work, Agha, Sheikh and State. The Social and Political Structures of Kurdistan (Zed Press, 1992), van Bruinessen has published a countless number of articles on various aspects of the Kurdish issue as well as on Kurdish society (history of the Kurdish emirates, tribal structures, urban society, religion, nationalism, Kurdish diaspora abroad). His linguistic skills allowed him to acquire a deep knowledge of the Middle East and to attain a high degree of erudition that goes hand-in-hand with a constant theoretical concern that is in sharp contrast with the Orientalist traditions.

During the last two decades, and partly due to the lead of van Bruinessen, other scholars in Europe and in the United States have also contributed to the development of the Kurdish studies. A non-exhaustive list would include the following names : Salih Akin (France, languages and politics), Ali Babakhan  (France, Kurdish issue in Iraq), Henry Barkey (USA, Kurdish issue in Turkey), Gunter Behrendt (Germany, emergence of Kurdish nationalism), Joyce Blau de Wengen (France, Kurdish language, religious studies), Gerard Chaliand (France, Kurdish issue), Michael L. Chyet (USA, Kurdish language), Nelida Fuccaro (U.K., Yezidism, Iraqi Kurdistan), Graham Fuller (USA, Kurdish issue in Turkey), Gulistan Gurbey (Germany, conflict solution), Hocham Dawod (France, state-tribe relations), Farhad Ibrahim (Germany, civil society), Michael Leezenberg (Netherlands, contemporary Iraqi Kurdistan), David MacDowell  (U.K., modern Kurdish history), Amir Hassanpour, (Canada, culture and politics), Mirella Galetti (Italy, Kurdistan observed by travellers), Philip G.  Kreyenbroek (U.K.-Germany, language, Yezidism), Hans-Lukas Kieser (Switzerland, Kurdish Alevis), Kendal Nezan  (France, Kurdish issue), Robert Olson (USA, modern Kurdish history), Abbas Vali (U.K., Kurdish nationalism and historiography), Jelle Verheij  (Netherlands, Kurdish-Armenian relations), Heidi Wedel (Germany, Kurdish migrants, gender studies), Paul White (Australia, Kurdish nationalism), Andreas Wimmer (Switzerland, state-tribe relations), Lale Yalcin-Heckmann (Turkey-Germany, state-tribe relations), Burhaneddin Yasin (Sweden, Kurdish issue in Iraq).

The SOAS in London (Philip G. Kreyenbrok, Maria O'Shea, Christine Alison), the INALCO in Paris (Joyce Blau de Wengen, Halkawt Hakim), Berliner Institut fur Vergleichende Sozialforshung (Robin Schneider, Jochen Blashke) and the student circle on the Frei University of Berlin, as well as collective initiatives due to the Kurdish Institute in Paris, Navend in Cologne and the Kurdish Library in New York also contributed to the development of the Kurdish studies.  Finally, some remarkable works have been accomplished by reporters such Chris Kutchera, Jonathan Randal and Susan Meiselas.

THREE OBSTACLES

In spite of this evolution, Kurdish studies remain insufficient and one cannot assume a prosperous future. Most of the work done has been the result of individual investments, forbidding scholars of this field to project long-term research programs. Parallel to the scarcity of material resources and adequate academic structures, those scholars face three major obstacles.

The first obstacle should be sought in the very nature of Middle Eastern studies both in Europe and in the United States. They are unequally developed. While studies on the "ancient" and "medieval" Middle East are fortunately well institutionalized, modern and contemporary history--as well as some disciplines as sociology--are rather poorly developed. Similarly, some countries are more studied than the others. Kurdish studies, as well as some other crucial issues, thus become "marginal subjects," being only mentioned rather than properly explored in the scientific literature.

The second obstacle is linked to political situations in the countries concerned by the Kurdish issue. The states in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria largely control academic life, deciding which subjects are "scientific" ones and how they should be studied. Even in Turkey, the most democratic among those countries, some subjects, like the Kurdish issue, are either discouraged or become practically non-existent. This ideological domination is partly reproduced in the Western countries. A scholar working on the Kurdish issue becomes automatically suspect of perhaps being linked to the PKK or even a disguised terrorist. Such a scholar must constantly explain and justify his/her personal positions on the Kurdish issue, resist the pressures and public denunciations of the Turkish mass media, and, at the some time, try to create working conditions equal to colleagues studying "non-dangerous" aspects of Middle Eastern societies. To complete this picture, one should also add that the Kurdish nationalist movements themselves impose an ideological mortgage on the Kurdish studies. Subjects like the intra-Kurdish ethnic groups, "linguistic plurality" of Kurdish society, and sociological aspects of the Kurdish nationalist movements remain largely "forbidden" subjects.

The final obstacle is linked to the difficult conditions of conducting research in the field. In fact, Kurdish scholars can return to their home countries and conduct field work only if they pay a very high cost that can include imprisonment and death. But for non-Kurdish scholars the work conditions are also hard. Many of them are refused a visa and almost none of them can have access to the field. They must worry about compromising the security of the people interviewed for academic purposes. None of them can access archives.

In spite of those obstacles, one should recognize that during the last decades, some remarkable progress has been accomplished in the field of the Kurdish studies. The increase of the number of Ph.D. students studying the Kurdish issue and society in Germany, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Sweden and the United States, could be understood as an ongoing interest for this field. One should hope that these students will be able to overcome the above-mentioned obstacles by innovating new research methods and new scientific approaches.

*Hamit Bozarslan is an Associate Professor at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris. Author of La question kurde. Etats et minorites au Moyen-Orient (Paris, Presses de Sciences-Po, 1997), he is currently working on the issues surrounding violence in Turkey and the Middle East.

RESEARCH GUIDE: RESEARCHING TURKEY ON THE INTERNET

By Ozgul Erdemli

The internet is perhaps the greatest tool for researching Turkey.  It offers easy and immediate access to a host of sources on Turkish history, politics, foreign relations, business and economics, news, and research institutes.  This guide provides information on useful websites covering all of those topics and more, including government agencies, newspapers, and corporations and universities, most of which maintain sites in both Turkish and English. Unless otherwise stated, the following sites are either in English or have English versions.

HISTORY AND GENERAL INFORMATION

A wonderful place to start exploring the country through fascinating images of people, wildlife, landscapes, geography, ancient sites, villages, architecture, arts, and handicrafts is <www.turkishodyssey.com/gallery/gallery.htm>.  For geographical information, including maps of Turkish cities and regions, see <www.access.ch/tuerkei/GRUPA/grupa.htm>.

Information on the three great civilizations that occupied Anatolia before the Turkish Republic--Hittite, Byzantine, and Ottoman--can be found at <www.turizm.net/turkey/history>. For the Byzantine empire, see <www.turizm.net/turkey/history/thebyzantium.html>.  For the Ottoman period, click on <www.turizm.net/turkey/history/Ottoman.html>.  The site also contains information on prehistoric eras and this can be accessed through <www.turizm.net/turkey/history/paleolithic.html>.

You can also find a few useful sites on the history of the Turkish Republic, beginning with a brief chronicle of Ataturk’s accomplishments at <www.turizm.net/turkey/history/ataturk.html>. To read short histories of Anatolian civilizations, go to <www.turkishnews.com/DiscoverTurkey/anatolia>. This site also contains links to information on Turkey’s regions, cities, culture, art, architecture and sculpture, and language and literature.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also maintains a site that provides basic information about Turkey at <www.mfa.gov.tr>. Look for the “All About Turkey” link and choose from the headings; history of Anatolia, history of Turks and Turkey, Ataturk and his reforms, language, constitution, religion and secularism. For a brief snapshot of the Republic’s history starting from the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, visit <www.mfa.gov.tr/grupk/history.htm>. For those interested in learning specifically about Istanbul, the historical capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires and Turkey’s largest city, <www.boun.edu.tr/istanbul/history.htm> offers detailed historical background on the city from its founding through the modern Turkish period.

Ataturk Related Sites

A good place to start any research on Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder and first president of the Turkish Republic, is at <www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/tsa/ata/ata.html>, a site with more than 20 links to Ataturk pictures and more than 10 links to other Ataturk pages. The site <www.cc.umd.edu/~kandogan/FTA.Ataturk/ataturk.html> also links researchers to Ataturk’s views on areas such as women’s rights, culture and the arts, social reforms, education, economic growth, and peace. To learn about Ataturk’s principles, his political revolution, social reforms, education, and cultural reformation go to <www.turizm.net/turkey/history/ataturk.html>. More Ataturk links inside and outside Turkey, totaling nearly 100, can be accessed from <http://web.bilkent.edu.tr/inet-turkey/ataturk.htm>. If your browser supports Java, you can search the Ataturk library from <www.ataturk.turkiye.org>

Archival Information

Founded under the patronage of Ataturk, the Turkish Historical Society (Turk Tarih Kurumu) studies the history of Turkey and the Turks and publishes the results of these studies. Its webpage <http://www.ttk.gov.tr> has a link to the Society’s Archives. Also the publication of the Turkish Historical Society, “Belgeler” (Documents), is devoted to notes and commentaries on records or documents held in Turkish archives. For more information go to the communication link which provides free fax service or e-mail <tttkinfo@ttk.gov.tr>.

The History Foundation of Turkey (Turk Tarih Vakfı) <www.tarihvakfi.org.tr> is a non-governmental organization that promotes publications and research relating to Turkey’s economic, social, and cultural heritage.  It maintains a specialized archive and library with more than 25,000 books, around 800 periodicals, 90 meters of shelf space containing original documents, manuscripts, maps and plans, about 20,000 slides and photographs, and hundreds of other items such as documentary films, commentaries, and articles that are available to researchers and to the general public.  Unfortunately, there is no online access to the archive or the library from the website.  For more information, send e-mail to <bbm@tarihvakfi.org.tr>.

A specialized diplomatic archive can be found at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ webpage at <www.mfa.gov.tr>.  To view texts on national regulations, basic multilateral conventions, bilateral agreements, and a chronological list of Turkish governments, click on “Diplomatic Archives” from the main page.

FOREIGN POLICY

Official government sites can be good starting points for searching Turkey’s politics and foreign policy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website <www.mfa.gov.tr> and its mirror sites, such as the Turkish embassy in Washington, D.C. <www.turkey.org>, Consulate General  in Zurich <www.access.ch.tuerkei>, embassy in Bonn <www.tcbonnbe.de>, and Directorate General of Press and Information <www.byegm.gov.tr> cover a large variety of issues in Turkish politics and foreign policy.  The Ministry’s sites offer comprehensive, if not frequently updated, information on the Turkish government and its policies as well as information about the ministry, main policies and issues, press releases, selected articles, joint declarations, and statements

General Foreign Policy

Two particularly useful sites on Turkey’s international relations and its stand on various global issues are <www.access.ch/tuerkei/GRUPF/grupf.htm> and <www.turkishnews.com/DiscoverTurkey/politics/foreign>. For a brief summary of the goals and principles of Turkish foreign policy, visit <www.byegm.gov.tr/REFERENCES/ForeignPolicy99.htm>. An overview of specific objectives in areas like the Balkans, the Black Sea region, the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, the Russian Federation, Cyprus, and Europe is available under the link “Foreign Policy” on the MFA’s homepage. Another site, <www.access.ch/tuerkei/GRUPF/role.htm>, provides information about Turkey’s relations with international organizations including the United Nations (UN), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Council of Europe (COE), Western European Union (WEU), and Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization.

The Center for Strategic Research (SAM) at <www.mfa.gov.tr/grupa/sam> is a research institute that examines international conflicts, makes scholarly and scientific assessments, and focuses on the future of Turkish foreign policy. In addition to its role as a think tank, SAM publishes Perceptions, a journal of international affairs. Perceptions, <www.mfa.gov.tr/grupa/percept/default.htm> is an excellent online source for gaining insight into Turkish policies as well as the opinions of leading thinkers, from Turkey and abroad, regarding developments in the region.

The Foreign Policy Institute (DPE) <www.foreignpolicy.org.tr>, the first of its kind in Turkey, has studied issues related to Turkey’s international relations since 1974. DPE has continued to study issues such as Turkey's relations with the European Union, Cyprus, the Mediterranean, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Turkey's foreign policy objectives.  Current projects include European Security and Turkey, Situation in the Balkans, and New Horizons of Turkish Foreign Policy.

It is difficult to cover all the important issues in Turkey’s foreign affairs, which have become more complex in the post-Cold War era of multiplying regional challenges and demands. Below are internet sources on a few long-standing issues such as the Cyprus question, accession to the European Union (EU), water issues regarding Turkey, Syria, and Iraq and newer issues such as the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Caspian oil diplomacy and bilateral relations with countries in the Middle East.

Turkey and the European Union (EU)

Turkey has not yet been able to join the EU, despite contractual relations dating back to 1963 and a unique customs union. For information tracing the important stages of the Turkey-EU relationship, see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ page <www.mfa.gov.tr> which hosts the full texts of the Turkey-European Economic Community Association Agreement (1963), the Protocol of the Agreement Establishing Association between Turkey and EEC (1970), the text of the Association Council of the Customs Union Decision No: 1/95 (1995), and the Turkish government’s reaction to the Luxembourg Summit conclusions (1997). Foreign Minister Ismail Cem’s speech, “Turkey and Europe: Looking to the Future from a Historical Perspective” can also be accessed from the MFA’s site.

For information on economic relations between Turkey and the EU, <www.foreigntrade.gov.tr/ab/ingilizce/turkeyeu.htm> has links to Turkey-EU Free Trade Agreements, Turkey-EU Financial Cooperation, Pan-European Cumulation System, and Free Trade Agreements with European Free Trade Area states.  Information and basic documents relating to the Turkey-EU customs union can be found at <www.access.ch/tuerkei/GRUPF/customs.htm>. Marmara University’s European Community Institute <www.aef.marun.edu.tr/ec_institute> publishes the semi-annual Marmara Journal of European Studies, which is the only academic journal on European studies in Turkey.  For more information, contact <acakir@marun.edu.tr>.

For information on the EU enlargement process, accession criteria, and pre-accession strategy visit the official site of the EU Commission on Enlargement at <http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement>. This site also has a link to the European Strategy for Turkey where you can find the Commission’s October 1999 report that recommends elevating Turkey’s status from applicant to candidate country. The “Regular Report on Turkey’s Progress towards Accession” found at <http://europa.int/comm/enlargement/turkey/rep_10_99/index.htm> covers relations between the EU and Turkey, recent developments, criteria for membership including political and economic criteria, the ability to assume obligations of membership, and the administrative capacity to apply the EU acquis (legislative program). The representation of the European Commission to Turkey (Avrupa Komisyonu Turkiye Temsilciligi) <www.eureptr.org.tr> is another source with links to the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, legal texts involving Turkey and the European Economic Community (and later, the EU), Turkey’s 1999 progress report, and the 1999 composite report on candidate countries. 

For a study on European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI) which examines the incongruence between NATO, EU, and WEU memberships go to <www.foreignpolicy.org.tr/ing/files/iver.html>.  Furthermore, the web server of the European Community Studies Association (ECSA-NET) <www.ecsanet.org> is a good source of information on almost any topic on European studies.

Cyprus

 Despite a long history of UN involvement and numerous rounds of negotiations, a settlement has yet to be achieved on this divided island. The Cyprus issue remains a flashpoint between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, and between the governments of Greece and Turkey.  For historical background on Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, go to <www.trnc.washdc.org> and follow the “history” link. This page covers the pre-Turkish period (Neolithic age-1571), the Turkish period (1571-1878), the British administration period (1878-1960), the 1960 settlement and independence, the July 15, 1974 coup, and the Turkish Operation leading to the declaration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

The MFA’s Cyprus link <www.mfa.gov.tr/grupa/default.htm> includes background information, legal opinions about the status of the two peoples in Cyprus, Turkish views on the current state of Cypriot affairs, press releases and statements, letters sent by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas to Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides and to the UN Secretary-General. This site also links to documents that might be useful as primary source material for researchers. The Turkish Cypriot Network <www.tc-net.demon.co.uk> also features links about the TRNC and other subjects regarding Cyprus.

Perceptions published a special September-November issue on Cyprus with 10 interesting articles written by experts on Cyprus and politicians assessing the causes and dynamics of the conflict, political and legal realities, a solution through statehood, Greek Cypriot application for EU membership, and more. The online version of the journal can be accessed at <www.mfa.gov.tr/grupa/percept/default.htm>.

For the official Greek Cypriot view on the island’s international position, go to the official website of the Republic of Cyprus <www.pio.gov.cy> or its mirror site <www.kypros.org/PIO>.  These sites provide the Greek Cypriot perspective on the issue, and information on the island’s relations with the UN, EU, COE, OSCE, the British Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement, as well as information on the government. Hellenic Resources Network (HR-Net) <www.hri.org/news> has a special link on Cyprus, Turkey, and EU expansion. In addition, it features further links to articles and web pages from the international press that have been published on other web sites that can be easily accessed at <www.hri.org/news/special/cyprus#Links>.  The Cyprus Mail’s electronic version is available at <www.cynews.com> and provides the latest addition and the archives of the newspaper.

For an objective departure from the official views of both sides, it is worthwhile to visit the following sites to hear what people, rather than politicians, think about mediating the dispute. The Cyprus Forum <www.cyprusforum.com>, an internet-based organization, was created so that Greek and Cypriot citizens could devise new solutions to the island’s problems.  To join the discussion, send e-mail to <cyprusforum@listbot.com>. The Forum for Friendship and cooperation between Greek and Turkish Cypriots <www.cy-peaceforum.demon.co.uk> advocates, develops, and supports initiatives to bring about a lasting peace between the two communities.

 Water Issues among Turkey, Syria, and Iraq

Water, a scarce resource in the Middle East, has long been a point of contention in Syrian-Turkish and Iraqi-Turkish relations. For background on the issue, start with <www.turkey.org/today/ttm12.htm>. To gain a better understanding of the countries’ attitudes towards the problem and how it can be resolved, go to <www.access.ch/tuerkei/GRUPF/water/contents.htm>. There you will find a foreword to the water problem and Syrian and Iraqi arguments concerning the Euphrates-Tigris Basin, as well as Turkey’s views on its neighbors’ claims. The site also includes sections entitled “Criteria Which Would Satisfy Each of the Three Countries in Allocating Transboundary Waters,” “International Codification Efforts in the Field of the Non-Navigational Use of Transboundary Watercourses,” and “The Three Staged Plan.” Another site, <www.muslimedia.com/archives/world98/euphrate.htm>, contains a study titled “Conflicting claims to Euphrates water muddy Syrian-Turkish relations” which examines the impact of the water issue on Syrian-Turkish relations. The best place to find out about a specialist’s views on the Middle Eastern water crisis is <http://infoserver2.ciesin.org/docs/006-304.html>

 Turkey and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization

The Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization (BSEC) is a regional economic body based in Istanbul with eleven participating states: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine.  BSEC aims for comprehensive multilateral cooperation in a broad array of fields ranging from banking and finance to the exchange of statistical data and economic information, energy, transport and telecommunications, trade and industry, agriculture and agro-industry, environmental protection, tourism and science and technology. The Bosphorus Statement of 1992, BSEC’s founding document outlining its structure, interests, and priorities, can be found at <www.iews.org/srd/bsec.nsf/pages/HTML1>. The Additional Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the BSEC organization (1999) is available at <www.mfa.gov.ge/english/news/all_news/bsec/add_protocol.html>.  To read “The Black Sea Economic Cooperation Project,” which evaluates BSEC from the perspective of globalization efforts in the Middle East and the Balkans, see <http://ideas.uqam.ca/ideas/data/Papers/fthecrefo9806.html>. Another paper examining regional cooperation using the Balkans and the Black Sea region as a case study is available at <www.foreignpolicy.org.tr/ing/files/XVIII124.html>.  For statistical figures concerning Turkey’s foreign trade with the BESC countries visit DIE’s (the State Institute of Statistics) site at <www.die.gov.tr/BSEC/bsec.html>.

 The Caspian Pipeline

Starting in 1991, Turkey began intensive cooperation with the Turkish republics of the Caucasus and central Asia in the spheres of politics, economics, culture, and education. For a survey of Turkey's economic relations with these states go to <www.foreignpolicy.org.tr/ing/files/erol.html>

One of the goals of Turkish foreign policy in the Caucasus was realized at the November 1999 OSCE summit in Istanbul with the signing of a deal between Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia to build a pipeline to transport oil from the Caspian region through Turkey. Another agreement was drawn up between Turkmenistan and Turkey concerning a pipeline to carry natural gas from Turkmenistan across Iran to Turkey and the Mediterranean.

Information about the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline can be accessed at <www.ataa.org/spotlight/scaspian.html>, and OCSE summit information can be found at <http://osce.istanbul-summit.org>. Background information on Caspian oil reserves, transportation options such as the northern route or the Mediterranean route, and western interests in the region are available at <www.ch/tuerkei/GRUPF/caspian>. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has a Caspian Sea Oil Study Group that focuses on foreign investment in oil production and export in the Caspian Sea states, taking into consideration current political and economic climates. To follow the recent developments on the Caspian Sea visit <http://webu6102.ntx.net/energy/Caspain.html>. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy has a special policy forum report about the Azerbaijan oil pipeline in a 1997 Policy Watch publication, which can be found at <www.washingtoninstitute.org/watch/PolicyWatch/policywatch1997/237.htm>. For an academic study of the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline go to <www.wws.princeton.edu/~cases/papers/pipeline.htm> and for Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem’s views on the Eurasia order, the pipeline, and Turkmen gas go to <www.turkpulse.com/turkey11.htm>.

Relations with Israel

In the post-Cold War period, Turkey has practiced a much more activist foreign policy in areas like the Caucasus and the Middle East. The opening of a bold diplomatic and military relationship with Israel is a departure from traditional policy in the region, as is threatening force against Syria and applying force in northern Iraq.

A recent study by the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA) in Israel, “The Remarkable Turkish-Israeli Tie” is available in hardcopy and can be requested by contacting <besa@mail.biu.ac.il>.

The Ari Movement <www.ari-tr.org> has an interesting project about Turkish-Israeli relations called “The Bilateral-Regional Cooperation Opportunities for Turkey and Israel.” Another useful study, “Turkish-Israeli Relations through the Lens of the Turkish Identity Debate” can be accessed at <www.ipsjps.org/html/yavuzart.html>. For a summary of the address given by General Cevik Bir, former Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff and co-signer of the Israeli-Turkish military agreement, to the Washington Institute’s policy forum on Turkish-Israeli relations click on <www.washingtoninstitute.org/turkey>.

DOMESTIC POLITICS

Links to information on Turkey’s current government, legislature, executive, judiciary, election system, defense and security, and local administration are available at <www.mfa.gov.tr> under the title “Politics and Policy". Web sites of government institutions including the prime ministry, national ministries, and municipalities can also be accessed from this page. The Republic of Turkey prime ministry <www.basbakanlik.gov.tr> (in Turkish) has links to the cabinet, division of power, press releases, government decrees, projects, and programs. Further, an index of Turkish political sites available on the internet, with links to parties, organizations, and governments is available at <www.agora.stm.it/politic/turkey.htm>. Also, visit a detailed page on Turkish governments since 1990 <http://personales.jet.es/ziaorarr/Og-tur.htm> to learn more about the ruling parties.

Political Parties and the Electoral System

Political parties are an indispensable part of Turkish political life. For detailed information on political parties and the electoral system go to <www.turkey.org/f_politics>, where you can find a list of Turkish political parties, results from the elections and distribution of seats in Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA). Brief information is also provided on the election system, conditions for elections, terms of office and calls for new elections, and the administration and supervision of elections.

The Turkish Grand National Assembly has an official page, <www.tbmm.gov.tr>, with links about the government, political parties represented in the TGNA, and historical information about the legislative branch. Even though the TGNA’s page is mainly in Turkish, it maintains a section called “pages in English” that provides information on the history of the TGNA, the political parties, and the country’s constitution.

The following political parties represented in the parliament have web addresses:  Democratic Left Party (DSP) <http://members.xoom.com/dspecevit>, the National Action Party (MHP) <www.mhp.org.tr>, the Motherland Party (ANAP)  <www.anap.org.tr>, the True Path Party (DYP) <www.dyp.org.tr>, the Virtue Party (FP) <www.fp.org.tr>. For the list of web addresses for other political parties, see <http://web.bilkent.edu.tr/inet-turkey/org-webs.html> or <www.agora.stm.it/politic/turkey.htm>. In addition, <www.cc.columbia.edu/~sss31/Turkiye/politika.html> is a good page for Turkish politics on the net, with links to every major political figure and party.

The PKK problem

The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), formed in 1978 by Abdullah Ocalan, has been waging a terrorist campaign against Turkey since 1984. The International Policy Institute for Counterterrorism <www.ict.org.il> provides background information and articles on Ocalan and the PKK, news archives about the PKK (including Ocalan’s capture, trial, and sentencing), the Syrian-Turkish agreement signed in October 1998, documents from the PKK leader’s trial, and the full text of the verdict. The text of the PKK party platform devised at the fifth Congress of the PKK in January 1995, which outlines the separatist claims of the organization and its open call to wage war against Turkey, is also available on this site. For a focus on PKK and Ocalan-related documentation, the best site is <www.turkey.org/f_apopkk.htm>. This site also links researchers to MFA publications on the PKK and terrorism.

The Turkish Forum’s website <www.turkishforum.org> contains links to detailed editorials on the PKK, articles from the international media, questions and answers regarding the judicial aspects of Ocalan’s capture and trial, and other related links about the PKK and terrorism. Prime minister Bulent Ecevit’s statement about how the Kurdish rebel leader was brought to Turkey is available at <www.ataturk.org/pkk/capture.html>.  For a case study of the PKK in Turkey by the Foundation of the Middle Eastern and Balkan Studies go to <www.access.ch.tuerkei/GRUPF/f641.htm>, and for a report on the PKK by the Ankara Journalists’ Association go to <www.access.ch.tuerkei/GRUPF/f642.htm>.

The PKK’s site (in Turkish), <www.pkk.org>, features recent news about the Ocalan trial as well as other PKK-related links and documents.  For a briefing on Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, and their struggle for greater autonomy and/or independence, see Policy.com’s related site <www.policy.com/issuewk/1999/0719_83/detail590.html>. For news stories, related websites, opinion and editorials on Kurdish issues go to <http://fullcoverage.yahoo.com/Full_Coverage/World/Kurdish_Issues>.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Turkey is an emerging commercial and financial center that has been liberalizing its economy since the late 1980s. With a population of more than 60 million people, Turkey is second only to Germany as the single largest market in Europe and the Middle East.  An excellent source of information on the Turkish economy is the official page on business and economy of the Turkish embassy in Washington, D.C. available at <www.turkey.org/f_business.htm>.  For general information on the domestic market, international business, or regional trade, click on “A Promising Outlook for Turkey” from among the many links on this page. Other links are titled “Report on Foreign Trade”, “Commitment to Privatization”, “Banking”, “Industry”, “Turkish Capital Markets”, “Investment Opportunities”, and “Contracting Activities Abroad”.

For an overview of Turkish economic development and more connections concerning business and economics, go to <www.access.ch/tuerkei/GRUPC/grupc.htm>.  The U.S. State Department’s page <www.state.gov/www/issues/economic/trade_reports/europe98> has a link to the “Report on Economic Policy and Trade Practices in Turkey” that provides information about key economic figures from 1996-1998, general policy framework, exchange rate policy, structural policies, debt management policies, and export subsidies policies. Dunya, Turkey’s daily newspaper on economics and finance <www.dunya-gazete.com.tr>, is a good source for up-to-date news about markets, exchange and interest rates, inflation figures, and flash news.

Below is a list of further useful pages with brief descriptions of what they contain:

§         Ministry of Finance, <www.maliye.gov.tr>: public accounts bulletin, budget and fiscal control pages, General Directorate of Revenue.

§         Central Bank of Turkey, <www.tcmb.gov.tr>: daily currency rates, Central Bank’s profile and structure, balance of payments developments, implementation of the monetary policy.  Also, links to the bank’s major publications: Weekly Press Bulletin, Monthly Statistics Bulletin, Quarterly Bulletin, and Weekly Statistics of Money and Credit (in Turkish), as well as historical data.

§         Prime Ministry State Institute of Statistics, <www.die.gov.tr>: Economic panorama of the country, financial statistics, main economic and social indicators, the latest figures, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) economic and financial data for Turkey.

§         Prime Ministry Privatization Administration, <www.oib.gov.tr>: 1999-2000 program (expected tender and expected realization), 2000 privatization program, companies in the portfolio, publications.

§          Prime Ministry Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade, <www.foreigntrade.gov.tr>: Trade policy and measures, free trade zones, Turkish economy, information about doing business in Turkey.

§         Treasury, <www.treasury.gov.tr>: Treasury statistics (1990-1998), Turkey-IMF Report for the 1999 Article IV Consultation Discussions and Third Review of the Staff Monitored Program concluding statement.

§         Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB), <www.ise.gov>: Links to the daily bulletin, markets, foreign participation, companies, most recent data about ISE Stock Market indices, and market figures.

MISCELLANEOUS

News Links

The most complete guide to the Turkish media is <www.turkeynews.net>, with links to newspapers, news agencies, news sites, and a special reports archive. For those looking for up-to-date news information, all the major daily newspapers in Turkey maintain pages both in Turkish and English: Hurriyet <www.hurriyet.com.tr>, Sabah <www.sabah.com.tr>, Milliyet <www.milliyet.com.tr>, Cumhuriyet <www.cumhuriyet.com.tr>, Yeni Yuzyıl <www.yeniyuzyil.com.tr>, Turkiye <www.turkiyegazetesi.com>, Turkish Daily News (only English) <www.turkishdailynews.com> The Official Gazette (only Turkish) <www.rega.com.tr>, Dunya <www.dunya-gazete.com.tr>.

Turkpulse <www.turkpulse.com> is an online gateway to political, economic, and international news concerning Turkey with spot updates and an inquiry service. The Assembly for Turkish-American Association <www.ataa.org> is another site with a selection of articles, editorials from the Turkish press.  For a weekly roundup of news about Turkey visit <www.turkeyupdate.com>, and for stories about Turkey reported by foreign news organizations such as the BBC, CNN, and AFP go to <http://fullcoverage.yahoo.com/fc/World/Turkey>. Turkistan, found at <www.euronet.nl/users/sota/turkistan.htm> is a newsletter and discussion list intended to disseminate information and promote discussion about topics relating to the cultures, history, and languages of the “Turks”.  BITIG, <www.turkiye.net/sota/bitig.html> a quarterly Journal of the Research Center for Turkestan and Azerbaijan, seeks to provide a forum for discussions on topics related to Turkic people of the world.

The Directorate General of Press and Information’s link to Turkish press  <www.byegm.gov.tr/REFERENCES/TURKISHPRESS99.htm> is a good reference for the history of Turkish press, brief information about the daily press (national, regional, local and minority press), magazines, and press organizations. The site also provides information about advertising policy and press legislation in Turkey.

Research Institutes

The Institute of Turkish Studies <www.turkishstudies.org> sponsors meetings and lectures to disseminate knowledge of important scholarly questions as well as contemporary political, social, and economic developments in Turkey. The Foreign Policy Institute <www.foreignpolicy.org.tr> studies issues related to Turkish foreign policy and covers strategic and regional studies as well as international affairs. Selected articles from the Institute’s periodical, Foreign Policy, can be found from its homepage.

The CECES-Bosphorus University Center for European Studies <http://hamlin.cc.boun.edu.tr/~imagepro/webceces/WEBCECES.html> conducts interdisciplinary research in the field of European studies, with an emphasis on the comparative study of Turkish-European relations.  AEF-Marmara University EC Institute <www.marun.edu.tr/ec_institute> offers masters and doctoral programs in three subfields: Politics and International Relations of the EU, Economics of the EU, Law of the EU. The TUNAECS-Turkish University Association for EC Studies <www.marun.edu.tr/ec_institute/TUNAECS.html> studies European integration and coordinates the activities of Turkish universities and academics working on EU issues. KORA-Middle East Technical University Black Sea and Central Asian Countries Research Center <www.metu.edu.tr/home/wwwkora> promotes technical cooperation with the countries of the region through various projects and research-oriented activities (particularly regarding the social and economic transformation of these countries.) The Turkish Historical Society (Turk Tarih Kurumu) <http://www.ttk.gov.tr> has been organizing conferences on Turkish history at regular intervals since 1932. The Society also publishes 28 series of studies related to Turkey and the Turks, and assists specialists carrying out excavations on Anatolian civilizations throughout the ages.

Outside of Turkey, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy has a Turkish Research Program <www.washingtoninstitute.org/turkey> that seeks to discern current and probable trends in Turkish foreign policy and the impact these trends may have on U.S. interests and U.S.-Turkish relations.  Israel’s Moshe Dayan Center and the Council of Higher Education of the Republic of Turkey (YOK) has a joint program, “The Suleyman Demirel Program for Contemporary Turkish Studies,” <www.tau.ac.il/dayancenter> committed to studying Turkey and promoting Israeli-Turkish economic ties. The program sponsors conferences, symposia, and guest lectures at Tel Aviv University. The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA) <www.biu.ac.il/SOC/besa/index.html> also covers topics such as Israeli-Turkish Strategic Ties, Regional Security Regimes, Deterrence and Regional Security, and Mideast Water Resources.  Its publication, the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) <www.biu.ac.il/SOC/besa/meria/index.html>, also contains a large number of useful articles on Turkish politics and foreign policy. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. has a “Turkish Studies Program”<http://webu6102.ntx.net/turkey> that focuses exclusively on Turkey and analyzes fast-changing developments in the country.  It also publishes a periodical, Turkey Update <http://webu6102.ntx.net/turkey/TUpdate.html>, dedicated to the study of Turkish politics and economics, as well as the interaction of domestic and foreign policy issues. The European Association of Turkish Academics (EATA) in Berlin <www.eata.net> is a Europe-wide network of university students and graduates, academics and professionals, which promotes a self-confident and dynamic image of Turks to the European public through by sponsoring and conducting research.  The SOTA Foundation for the Research of Turkestan, Azerbaijan, Crimea, Caucasus and Siberia <www.turkiye.net/sota/sota.html> studies the Turkic peoples of the former Soviet Union and the promotion of human rights, democracy, and just peace in the Turkic World. This site is indispensable for people studying the Turks, Caucasus, or central Asia.

METU Disasters Management Implementation and Research Center <www.metu.edu.tr/home/wwwdmc> provides advice and project support to domestic and international institutions for the mitigation of natural and manmade disasters. The Bosphorus University Earthquake Prediction, Research and Application Center <www.boun.edu.tr/research/eartpre.html> carries out studies leading to earthquake prediction and hazard reduction.

Herewith, a further list of research centers: TUBITAK-The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey <www.tubitak.gov.tr>, ODTU-KOSGEB-Ankara Technology Development Center <www.tekmer.gov.tr>, ANAEM-Ankara Nuclear Research and Training Center <www.anaem.gov.tr>, Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Regional Development <www.gap.gov.tr>, TDV-Turkish Democracy Foundation (in Turkish) <www.demokrasivakfi.org.tr>, Center for Psychological Research and Services <www.boun.edu.tr/research/PsikolojiveArastirma/bupamindex.htm>, ATARC-Applied Tourism and Administration Center <www.atarc.boun.edu.tr>.  

*Ozgul Erdemli is the research assistant for the Middle East Review of International Affairs.

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