CONTENTS
I. DOMESTİC
II. RELATİONS WITH GREECE AND CYPRUS İSSUE III. RELATİONS WITH THE EUROPEAN STATES AND
THE EU
IV. RELATİONS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE NATO
V. RELATİONS VVİTH THE FORMER SOVİET REPUBLİCS AND THE BALKAN STATES
VI. RELATİONS WITH ISRAEL, ARAB STATES AND IRAN, AND THE NORTHERN IRAQ QUESTION VII. OTHERS
I. DOMESTİC
January 6- With regard to the 80th aııniversary of the founding of Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MİT), the Undersecretary Emre Taner issued some vvarnings aboııt Turkey's future. İ le argued in a statement thal some nation-states in ihe Middle East might not last for long and that Turkey should be more pro-active to ensıııe its existence.
'Prepared from Turkish Daily News by Research Assistants Ersin Embel, Gökhan Erdem and, Özge Özkoç, Faculty of Political Science, Ankara University.
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January 9- The IJndersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM) has official ly laıınched a bidding process to acquire a batch of 10 heavv lift helicopters for Turkish Armed Forces.
January 18- Parliament discussed and a censure motion. submitted by the center-right Motherlaııd Party (ANAVATAN), acctısing Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül of neglecting his dtıties. The Proposal vvas rejected.
January 19- .lournalist Hraııt Diıık. a Turkish citizen of Armeniaıı descent vvho vvas east into the international spotlight by a 2006 trial for "insulting Tıırkishness," vvas killed by a gunman in front of Agos. the nevvspaper he had edited for a decade.
February 6- The president Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed the bili regulating tlıeexport ofoil and petroleum prodııcts because of its possible risks to national security.
April 6- The rights of three deputies of the novv-delüııct Virtue Party (FP) vvere violated vvlıen they were stripped of their status as memlıers of Parliament. decided the European Couıt of Human Rights yesterday, oıderiııg Turkey to pay the court expetıses of the plaintiffs.
April 25- The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) yesterday picked Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül as a eandidate to become Turkey's 11 tin president. "After ali oıır survevs and discussions vvith regaıd to the Iltlı president. our dear Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül has been pıoposed for the presidency." Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told his lavvmakers at the party's parliamentary gıoup meeting.
April 28- The povver ful Tıırkish military said late Friday that it vvas vvatching a parliamentary presidential vote vvith concern and issııed a lıarsh vvarning against questioning the country's secular system and said it vvould "openly display its position and attitudes vvhen it becomes necessary."
May 2- İn a decision expected to force early elections. Turkey's C'onstitutional Court ruled late yesterday that quorum rules used in l'riday's ııonıination by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül is "against the constitution."
May 4- Turkey vvill go to the polis on July 22. Ali parlies in Parliament yesterday agreed for general elections to be held on July 22. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) called a motion in the assembly to hold elections and ali the 458 lavvmakers present in the 550-seat Paliament approved it.
May 5- The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) have agreed on a constitutional change that vvill allovv the direct election of a president by the nation in tvvo rouııds and for the president to serve a fıve year term.
May 7- On the eve of general elections, Turkey's two vital center right parties, the True Path Party (DYP) and the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN), on Saturdav. announeed their merger in the shape of a ııeu party, the Democrat Party (DP).
May 10- The Turkish parliameııt on Tuesday adopted a Iaw setting a legal franıe\vork for the construction of the country's first nuclear po\ver plants. The legislation aııthorizes the energy nıinistry to rım and finalize the tender for the construction of the plants and also to decide on their capacity and location.
June 2- Turkish troops killed tvvo PKK members in an overnight elash in the southeast. the goverııor's of ilce said Friday. bringing the number of terrorists killed in fighliııg this vveek to 16. The PKK nıeanvvhile, attacked a military vehicle near the border vvith lraq, iııjuring six soldiers.
June 4- The Democratic Society Party (DTP) presented the independent candidates it vvill support in the forthcoming elections to the media on Saturdav, the Anatolia nevvs agencv reported. The party decided to rım in the polis vvith independent candidates to vvlıom the ten percent threshold rule does not apply.
June 7- Tvvo center-right parties, the Democrat Party (DP) and the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) yesterday started planning for an eleetion alliance follovving their failed attempt at a merger.
June 9- The Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) on Friday vvithdrevv from the general elections in a move to let the center-right eleetorate vote for a single party, the nevvly founded Democrat Party (DP). As the Supreme Eleetion Board (YSK) shut the path for ANAVATAN candidates to run for eleetion from the DP lists, party leader Erkan Mumcu and many other officials vvill stay out of Parliament.
June 12- The Supreme Eleetion Board (YSK) Sunday blocked 33 independent candidates and 132 from political parties from running for Parliament in the July 22 general elections. The board completed its preliminary investigation on the candidates and yesterday published the lists of temporarily approved candidates in the Official Gazette. The Democratic Society Party (DTP) vvithdrevv from the eleetion and applied to run for Parliament vvith independent candidates. The board had already barred three former depııties of the banııed Democracy Party (DEP). The YSK said 30 of the 33 vetoed applicants are not eligible to stand for eleetion since they have been convieted in the past.
June 16-A bombing on a bıısy street in the city of Diyarbakır early Friday injured seven people, ineluding a ııoncommissioned arıııy offıcer, the city's chief prosecutor said.
June 19- President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday vetoed a lavv reducing the vvaiting period for holding a referendum from the current 120 days to 45 days, a move that blocks the government's iııtentioıı to hold sinıultaııeous ballots on July 22.
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June 26- Thousands of mourners crammcd into the courtyard of a mosque in the Turkish capital and surrounding streets for the funeral of a soldier killed by a roadside bomb. jeering at Cabitıet ministers and accusing the government of being soit on PKK.
June 28- The Turkish Armed Forces once again called on the government to authorize a cross-border operation into northern lraq to crush the outlavved PKK. bv declaring the number of terrorists inside and outside the country.
June 29- Eight PKK eight members vvere killed on Wednesday in a majör security svveep in Turkey's restive southeast
June 29- The Motherland Party's (ANAVATAN) deputy leader. Süleyman Sarıbaş accused the government and the Treasury for not being able to enter the eleetions, during his conversation vvith a delegation lVonı the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Eıııope's (OSC'E) Office for Democratic İnstitutions and Iluman Rights (ODII1R). tlıe Turkish Daily Nevvs learned from party officials.
July 2- The first lıearing of the 18 defeııdaııts in the mıırder case of tlıe Armenian Turkish journalist Ilrant Diıık, assassinated in istanbul in January, starts today at istanbul High Criminal Courts in Beşiktaş. Maııy are expected to gather in front of the courtlıouse to demonstrate that the public follovvs the case closely. The hearing is elosed to public and ıııedia as one of tlıe nıurder suspects is less than 18 years' old.
July 6- Turkey's top court on Thursday unexpectedly backed the lslaıııist-rooted government's plans to lıold a referendıım on constitutional reforms that vvould allovv voters instead of parliament to elect future presidents.
July 23- For the first time in 53 years a ruling party vvon an eleetion victory vvith an inereased number of votes in Turkey. Follovving the victory of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Prime Minister Recep Tavyip Erdoğan promised ııon-diserimination and unificatioıı, and preferred not to reply to chants calling for Foreign Minister Gül to be president. in his first speech at the party center last night.
July 23- The forces of history hit Turkey vvith tvvo fists in yesterday's general eleetions: First the landslide Justice and Development Party (AKP) victory and then scores of "independent" candidates vvho managed to get into Parliament. As of yesterday night, vvhen more than 99.5 percent of ali votes vvere counted, up to 27 independent candidates earned the right to be lavvmakers. One of them is Mesut Yılmaz from Rize, a former prime minister. Another is Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, the leader of the fiery but small, nationalist Grand Unity Party (BBP), vvho ran as an independent candidate from Sivas. The rest, it seems as of 10:20 p.m., are politicians affıliated to the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP).
July 24- 35,804,716 people out of the 42.527,063 registered electorate voted Suııday, vvhich makes the turnout 84.19 percent. around 5 percent higher than in the 2002 elections. The ruling .lustice and Development Party (AKP) received 46.49 percent of the votes vvith 340 scats. vvhile the Republican People's Party (CHP) 20.89 percent of votes vvith 112 deputies. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) enters Parliament after a gap of five years vvith 71 seats and 14.28 percent of the votes. Independent candidates received 5.28 percent of votes vvith 27 seats. Out of 27 seats, 23 went to the Democratic Society Party (DTP) and four to noıı-DTP candidates.
July 25- The Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal on Tucsday said that he vvon't resign despite a clear disappointment of the elections results.
August 1- The victorious Justice and Development Party (AKP) is pushing for a nevv constitution it describes as more democratic, civilian and simpler. A commission set by the AKP is drafting the nevv constitution to introduce in Parliament after the presideııtial election.
August 6- President Ahmet Necdet Sezer gave a mandate to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to form his second cabinet follovving a landslide victory for tlıc Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the general elections.
August 28- The process of eleeting Turkey's 1 lth president ofFıcially started in April but vvas later stalled follovving interference by the military and judiciary. The process vvill be fınalized today vvith the election of Abdullah Gül, the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) candidate.
October 8- Shocked by the deadly attacks carried out by the PKK that killed 15 troops yesterday. Turkey started ıırgent discussions on taking "strong measures" to address the problem of terrorism as soon as possible.
October 21- The PKK made a terrorist attack iıı the southeastern province of Hakkâri near the Iraqi border that left 12 Turkish soldiers dead, 16 vvounded and eight missing.
December 6- Turkey's Anti-Terror Board decided to boost diplomatie initiatives to ensure delivery of PKK terrorists vvanted by Interpol Red Notices.
December 11- The decree on some appointments of ambassadors to Turkey's missions abroad vvas announced.
II. RELATİONS WITH GREECE AND CYPPRUS İSSUE
January 4- Ahmet Mete has been eleeted Xaııthi mufli by the Turkish minority in Greece. replacing Mehmet Emin Aga, vvho died in September 2006.
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January 6- Tension ıose betvveen Greek Cypriot villagers and the UN Peacekeepiııg Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) vvhen villagers attempted to surfaee a road passing through the butTer zoııe under UN control vvith asphalt vvithout perıııission fronı the UN authorities.
January 6- A group of Turkish Cypriot nationalists demonstrated yesterday against plans to demolish an elevated vvalkvvay in the heart of divided Cyprus' capital, vvhich is at the core of a rovv vvith Greek Cypriots över opening a nevv crossing point betvveen the tvvo sides.
January 6- According to a public opinion poll. carried out by the Kapa Research company for Greek daily To Vima. revealed that 39.7 percent of respondents extended support to Turkey's bid to join the EU, vvhile 3.3 percent abstained.
January 6- Recent Greek press reports have dravvn attention to the possible in(lux of Bulgarian T uıks to soııtheın Cyprus vvith the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the European Union.
Jaııuary 9- A firsl-ever goodvvill exehange betvveen the religious leaders of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot commıınities vvas cancelled amid controversial remarks made by the Greek Cypriot Archbishop Chrysostomos prior to lıis scheduled meeting vvith the Turkish Cypriot Mufti Ahmet Yönlüer.
January 9- According to the report of the Anatolia Nevvs Agency. Greek jets five times "harassed" Turkish vvarplanes on training flights in international airspace över the Aegean Sea on January 7.
January 10- Turkish Cypriots began pulling dovvn a controversial footbridge (Lokmacı) yesterday in the heart of the divided Cyprus capital.
January II- Labor and Social Security Minister Muıat Başesgioglu aırived today in northern Cyprus to seal a protocol on a vocational training and employment project aiıned at training technicians for ihe construction sector in Turkish Cyprus.
January II- The Turkish government has launched an education scheme for Turkish Cypriot vvorkers. The education program is being launched vvith the cooperation of the Turkish Ministry of Lahor and Social Security. Northern Cyprus Labor Ministry, TİKA. Turkish Labor Institution. Lefke European University. Turkey Construction Employers' Union (INTES) and the Road Construction Workers' Union (Yol-İş).
January 12- Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt has described neighboriııg countries Turkey and Greece as having mutually good intentions in the military sphere.
January 13- Turkish and Greek Cypriots demonstrated on Satuıday for the demolition of a Greek Cypriot \vall in Ledra Street and reunitlcation of the long-divided island.
January 22- Turkey protested the signing of an exelusive economic zone agreement betvveen Lebanon and Greek Cyprus to allovv offshore oil and gas exploration in East Mediterranean.
January 30- Turkey vvarned Lebanon not to press ahead vvith an oil and gas exploration deal signed vvith Greek Cyprus, hinliııg at Turkish decisiveness to protect the rights and interests of Turkey and northern Cyprus.
February I- The population of northern Cyprus stands at 256.644 according to the results of a 2006 ceıısus that vvas made public today.
February 2- İti retaliation to the Greek Cypriot administratioıı's decision to explorc oil and natural gas off the Mediterranean island. the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) is planning to do the same off northern Cyprus.
February 2- The European Commission backed Greek Cvprus' riglıt to grant offshore oil and gas e.vploratioıı rights to Egypt and Lebanon. amid reports of a naval build-up in the region from neighboring Turkey.
February 23- The Uritislı Civil Aviation Authority has rejected the Turkish Cypriot application for the start ofdirect flights betvveen London and Ercan Airport in northern Cyprus.
March 1- Ankara raised concems över a defeııse and military agreement betvveen France and Greek Cyprus. saying that such attempts had a negative impact on efforts aimed at a coıııprehensive solııtion to the decades-old Cyprus problem.
March 2- Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali l'alat met vvith Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Guclıt. a first such meeting betvveen Belgitim and a Turkish Cypriot leader.
March 24- Foreign Minister Abdullah Cıiil has said Egypt suspended an agreement it signed vvith Greek Cyprus for oil and natural gas exploration off the easterıı Mediterranean. a development vvhich is likely to alleviate Turkish concems on Cyprus.
April 5- Turkey yesterday signed an economic program and agreement protoeol vvith northern Cyprus, an annııal financial assistance delivered by the Turkish government to lıelp improve the vvelfare of Turkish Cypriots suffering from international sanetions for decades.
April 10- Turkey plans to give YIL 783.6 million in aid to northern Cyprus in 2007. The fuııds vvill lıe used in 415 infrastrueture and real sector projeets.
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April 19- Chief of General Stalf Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt has suggestcd that Turkish and Greek jet llghters stop armed llights över the Aegean Sea. in apparent reference to military tensioııs that led to a fatal collision last year.
June 1- Greek jets intereepted Turkish F-16 jets three times on Wedııesdav during a military exereise in the international air space över the Aegean Sea, the Turkish General SlafPs Web site said.
June 6- Deputy Chief of General StaffGen. Ergin Saygun said yesterday that Turkey would not allovv Greek Cyprus' participation in the cooperation betvveen the European Union and NATO. during a symposium held in istanbul. Turkey recently vetoed a Greek Cyprus poliçe team to take part in the multinational task force in South Kosovo. "The fundamental problem in Kosovo is EU's insistence on the participation of Greek Cyprus," said Saygun.
June 14- Greek jets intereepted Turkish F-16 fighter jets during a military exercise in international airspace över the Aegean Sea. the General StalT announced yesterday on its Web site. Greek F-16 and M-2000 jets, vvhich took off from Tanagra and Linınos air bases in Greece intereepted a Turkish F-16 squadron tvvice on Tuesday. Agaiıı, on Monday Greek jets intereepted Turkish jets live times in the Aegean, said the military.
June 18- Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomevv arrived in Athens Saturday to visit Greece's Orthodox Church leader, Archbishop Christodoulos, vvho is in intensive care follovving intestinal surgery earlier this vveek. Greek Education and Religious Affairs Minister Marietta Giannakou accompanied patriarch Bartholomevv, vvho is based in the Fener district of istanbul, to the Athens Aretaion hospital.
June 25- Muslims living in Athens inaugurated their lirst purpose-built prayer site on Friday, vvith the opening of a nevv Müslim eultural ceııter that has a place of vvorship accommodatiııg tııore than 2.000 people.
June 26- The first meeting of Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis follovving his arrival in istanbul yesterday vvas a visit to the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos at the Patriarchate in Fener. Karamanlis addressed the Patriarch saying that today's challenges called for the spiritual contribution of churches and said that the "Ecumenical Patriarchate" had a leading role at an international level due to the Patriarch's leadership.
June 28- Greek President Karolos Papoulias, vvho began a three-day official visit to Armenia to hold talks vvith his Armeııian counterpart Robert Kocharian said Turkey should consider that it cantıot pursue accession to the European Union vvith an occupation force amountiııg to 35,000 in Cyprus during his meeting vvith President Kocharian.
July 9- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urgetl Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders Friday to sho\v "iınagination and political courage" and start serious negotiations to ünite the divided Mediteıranean island. Ban said it vvas "regrettable" that nearly a year after the July 8, 2006 agreement by the tvvo sides to immediatelv start tvvo-tiered negotiations there has beeıı no movement.
July II- The President of noıtherıı Cyprus, Mehmet Ali Talat Tuesday accepted a proposal by Tassos Papadopulos, the Greek Cypriot president, to mcet and break the deadlock in reunification talks on this divided island.
August I- Turkey filed a complaint vvith the United Nations över Greek Cyprus' attempts to search for petrolcüm in the east Mediteıranean. Turkey's UN representative Baki İlkin cotıveyed his country's concerns in a letter sent to Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon last week.
Augııst 16- Turkish F-16 figlıter jets vvere intercepted oııce by Greek fıghter jets during a military exercise in international airspace över the Aegeaıı Sea.
announced the general staff yesterday on its vvebsite. Greek M-2000 jets that took off from Tanagra Airport. vvest of Midilli İsland. intercepted the Turkish jets över the Aegean.
September 18- President Abdullah Gül paid his first visit since he being elected. to Turkish Republic ofNothern Cyprus.
September 22- Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus startcd a ferry tun betvveen the Mediterranean island and Syria in a bid to break its international isolation. The ferry' left from Famagusta in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for the Syrian coastal tovvıı of Latakia.
October 8- The Greek Foreign Miııistry blamed Turkey for a sıııge in illegal immigration. İn a statenıent Ankara vvas accused of insufficient border policing and ııeglecting its obligations under a 2001 agreement to send illegal immigrants back to the country of entry.
November 15- A parade to celebnıte the 24th anniversary of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus vvas organized in Nicosia.
November 18- Turkish-Greek natural gas pipeline vvas inagurated in İpsala vvith the attendace of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, his Greek counterpart Kostas Karamanlis and Azerbaijani Presidentı İlham Aliyev. The 300-kilometer pipeline vvill provide the European Union vvith its first supply of gas from the Caspian region. bypassing Russia and the volatile Middle East. İt vvill link the Greek and Turkish netvvorks, and eventually carry gas from Azerbaijan to Italy.
December 4- During his official visit to Athens, Ministiry of Froeign Affairs Ali Babacan and his Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyanis anoounced that Greece and
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Turkey pledged to enter a nevv period in bilateral relations and agreed on fıve nevv confidence-building measures.
III. RELATİONS WITH THE EUROPEAN STATES AND THE EU January 4- Italiaıı Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema has implied in a message sent to the Vaticaıı on the oeeasion of 2007 World Peace Dav that Turkish membership in the European Union vvill be ııeeded in the future.
January 5- Aecording to a sıırvey conducted by research company A&G for Turkish dailv Milliyet, more than hal T of Turks do not believe Turkey vvill ever become a memberofthe European Union.
January 8- President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's official three-day visit to Italy began today.
January 14- Germatı Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Stcinmeicr said that the European Union should foster cooperation vvith both Turkey and Russia. stressing that the tvvo vvould become inıpoıtant countries in Europe in the future.
January 16- European Union Enlargemeııt Commissioner Olli Relin yesterday criticized French Interior Minister and presideııtial hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy for opposing Turkey's bid for full EU membership. "T lıe continuous questioning of the accession perspective of Turkey is eroding the credibility of the European Union in Turkey and eroding the reforms in Turkey." he said.
January 16- The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey violated the rights of a Turkish applicant. Veli Tosun, ruling that the country pay 17,000 euros in compeıısation for infringing certain articles of the European Convention on Human Rights vvith regard to ili trealment, maximum detention period and the riglıt to petition.
January 22- Italiaıı Prime Minister Romaııo Prodi came to Turkey for an official tvvo-day visit.
January 22- lıı an address to tlıc Parliamentary Assemhly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartolomcos voiced support for Turkey's bid to join the European Union bul ııoted that the Greek Orthodox community living in Turkey stili eııcountered problems.
January 23- Polish President Lech Kaczynski came to Turkey for an official tvvo-day visit.
January 30- The European Court of Human Rights ruled yesterday that a H) percent election threshold that is reqııired to secııre seats in the Turkish Parliament did not amount to a violatioıı of the riglıt to fı ee elections.
February 14- A demand for a new trial from Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned head of the PKK, was rejected by the Committee of Ministers, the exeeutive body of the Council of Europe.
February 26- Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga, vvho visited Yerevan on Feb. 25-27, said at a joint press conference vvith her Armeniatı counterpart, Vartan Oskanyan. that Poland could mediate betvveen Turkey and Armenia, since her country has excellent ties to both nations.
February 27- Beatrix Wilhelmina Aımgard Queen of the Netherlands came to Turkey for an official four-day visit to boost commercial ties betvveen tlıe tvvo countries. Turkey hosted a Dutch qucen for the first time since the establislıment of tlıe Turkish Republic in 1923 at tlıe request of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.
March 13- Danish Parliament Speaker Christian Mejdahl yesterday voiced support for Turkey's hid to join the European Union, saying that his country vvas ready to do its best in that respect.
March 14- l'lıe European Union has vvarııed Ankara not to lose momeııtum of reforms during the upcoming eleetions vvhile opening the doors for negotiations on a nevv chapter. during a Tıırkey-EU Troika (Germany, Portugal and EU Coınmission) meeting led by the political direetors in Ankara.
March 20- Commenting on the 50th atıniversary of the EU in Nevvsvveek magazine, f'ormer Frenclı President Valery Giscard d'Estaing stated that Turkey could not become a ınember of the EU. Giscard d'Estaing said Tıırkey vvas not a European country and it did not make sense to expeet Europe to accept Turkey's EU membership since it vvould be the poorest and most populous country in the Union.
March 23- The government has prepared a seven-year roadmap on vvhat it vvill do to harmonize vvith the European Union as a vvay to bring European Union membership eloser. The plan covers the period of 2007-2013 and lists the lavvs and regulations Turkey vvill pass in order to harmonize the country vvith the EU. İt also iııcludes a timetable on vvheıı the measures vvill be uıken.
March 26- Turkish Parliament Speaker Bülent Arınç. vvho vvent to tlıe Italian capital of Ronıe to attend the 50tlı aııniversary celebrations of the Roıııe Agreement. said Turkey should continue vvalkiııg its EU path vvitlıout changing its directioıı. reported the Anatolia nevvs agenev yesterday. İncreasing the Standard of lavv and democracy in Turkey vvas the main issue, commented Arınç before departing from Rome for Turkey.
March 29- The European Union yesterday agreed that Turkey could begin negotiations today on the enterprise and industrial policy chapter, vvith State Minister Ali Babacan. Turkey's chief negotiator for EU talks, hailing the 27-natiotı bloc's decision.
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April 5- Turkey has suspended talks vvith Gaz de France över a pipeline project that vvould briııg Caspiaıı natural gas to Europe in reaction to a French bili on the mass killings of Armetıians during Ottoman rule. senior Turkish energy offıcials told Reuters 011 Thursday.
April 17- The government offieially unveiled a seven-year plan outlining reforms Turkey hopes to implemeııt during its membership talks vvith the European Union, vvith Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül saying the program vvould primarily bene fi t the people, as vvell as lıelp the country advance İ11 negotiatioııs vvith the EU.
April 28- The European Parliament criticized Turkey in a 2006 report for not protecting religiotıs freedom and free speeeh. nevvs reports said late 011 Thursday. The global human rights report. vvhich vvas adopted by the European Parliament, called on Turkey to expaııd lreedorns of Turkish citizens of Kıırdish origin in the southeasterıı part of the country and change Article 301 of the penal code.
May 15- Turkey yesterday leveled criticisnı at a report drafted by the Human Rights Commission of the Parlianıentarv Assemblv of Council of Europe (PACE) vvith regaıd to the situation of the Greek minority on the isltınds of Bozcaada and Gökçeada.
June 7- French President Nicolas Sarkozy insisted VVednesdav 011 opposing Turkey's membership in the European Union, saying he vvill propose a strategy aimed at eııdiııg Ankara's bid to joiıı the ııovv 27-nation bloc.
June 8- Turkey last vveek vvithdrevv its commitment to contribute its air and naval ıınits to the European Union's joint battle group, in a move to protest against the 27-nation union for exclııding it from the decision-ınaking bodies of NATO-EU cooperation.
June 22- According to a recent survey released Wednesday by Eurobarometer. the EU institution responsible for public opinioıı polis. 52 percent of Turks support Turkey's bid for EU membership. a tvvo percent decrcase since last fail. Support for the EU vvithin EU countries is at its highest since 1994, vvith 57 percent backing the EU. a four point lıike since last fail.
June 22- Turkey-EU membership ııegotiations should go on in "full gear". German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinıneier said yesterday. "Leaving Turkey. a country of utmost importance for the region. vvithout any diıection cannot be the EU's target," Steinıneier told German nevvs agency DPA. Steinıneier also emphasized the importance of keeping promises made to Turkey.
June 26- The European Union yesterday agreed to extend membership talks vvith Turkey to tvvo nevv policy areas or chapters but stopped short of opening discussions on the key area of economic and monetarv policy.
July 23- European Commissioıı President Jose Manuel Barroso vvas qııoted on Sunday as saying in a Greek nevvspaper that Turkey vvas not ready to joiıı the European Union, but that its membership negotiations should continue.
July 24- European Union Commissioner for Enlargenıent 01li Relin described the result of Sunday's eleetioııs as a clear sign of funetioning democracy in Turkey. Rehıı established Brussels' expectations, saying: "The nevv government and the nevv Parliament should not only say they are in favor of EU membership. because i i" yon say this theıı you should also be in favor of the reforms to improve lives of Turkish citizeııs. There has been substantial progress in Turkey duıing the last fi ve years. And this explains the victoıy of the AKP (The Jııstice and Development Party)." He emphasized the need for a positive signal from the nevv government on reforms, pointing at coııcrete steps to improve fundamental and religious freedoms.
July 27- Tıırkey, Greece and Italy yesterday signed an agreement on constructing a pipeline to briııg natuıal gas from central Asia to European markets by 2011.
August 17-'The grovving rovv betvveen Turkey and the Greek Cyprus över the latter's initiative for oil and natural gas exploratioıı off its southern shore has negatively affected Turkish - European Union (EU) relations. The Greek Cypriot administration. angered by Aıtkara's reaction. Ihreatens to block Turkey's EU talks. said the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister said last vveek. But the threat is not jııst rhetorical. The Turkish Daily Nevvs learned that the Greek Cypriots have already been blocking talks on the energy chapter.
September 12- The European Union vvaıned Turkey to complete long-avvaited reforms, especiallv in the field of freedom of expression. before the publication of its annual progress report in early November.
September 24- Turkey-skeptic Frcııch President Nicholas Sarkozy and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan agreed Monday to continue talks on Turkey's accession to the European Union during a ırıeeting in Nevv York vvlıere the tvvo leaders vvere present Tor the United Nations General Assembly meeting.
September 25- On his second day in Nevv York. Erdoğan met vvith German Chancellor Angela Merkel vvhere during the half-hour meeting the tvvo leaders locused mainly on Turkey's EU process, Geıman- Turkish relations and ıhe integration issue of Turkish immigrants into the German system.
October 1- A sub-committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) yesterday turned dovvıı the Turkish government's üst of candidate judges for the European Court of Human Rights. Professor Ruşen F.rgeç of Brussels University, Professor Mustafa Erdoğan of Hacettepe University and Professor Arzu Oğuz of Ankara University vvere the caııdidates one of vvhom vvas expected to
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replace Turkey's respeetable judge in tlıe European eoıırt. Rıza Türmen, for the next term.
October 3- President Abdullah Gi'ıl, the first Turkish president to visit the Council of Europe. headed to Strasbourg yesterday to participate in the Council's fail session and delivered a speech before the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) today.
October 3- The European Parliament rapporteur for Turkey Ria Oomen-Ruijten's first resolution on EU-Turkey relations vvas approved by the Committee on Foreign Affairs in Brussels.
October 10- The European Commission urged Turkey to coııtinue tackling the PKK terrorism through cooperation vvith relevant authorities in tlıe region, vvlıile the Commission's spokesperson for enlargement, Krisztina Nagy, made clear that the EU underslands Turkey's concerns regarding a possible cross-border incursion into ııorthern lraq.
October 18- İn a letter to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Miklos flaraszti. media freedom envoy of the Organization tor Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), urged Ankara to repeal Article 301.
October 22- Prime Minister R. Tayyip Erdoğan vvent to Londoıı to nıeet his counterpart Gordon Brovvn. On 23 October. it vvas signed a strategic a strategic partııership documcnt for broader cooperation in ali areas betvveen the tvvo countries.
November 6- The European Commission released the anııual progress report for Turkey. Comnıissioner 011 i Rehıı said tlıat Turkey ıııust make "signifıcant further efforts" on freedom of expression and religion in order to nıove forvvard in its bid for EU membership.
November 15- Parliament's I Iuman Rights Commission has decided to seııd a delegation to Germany to discuss tlıe dravvbacks of tlıe lavv expected to create serious problems in the integration process of nearly 3 million Turks in Germany.
November 15- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid an official visit to tlıe Czech Republic, follovving an iııvitation by Czeeh Prime Minister Miıek Topolanek.
November 21- Italiaıı Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema paid an official visit to İstanbul to participate in the Tıırkish-ltalian Dialogue Forum.
November 25- C'rovvn Prince of Wales Charles and the Duchess of Cornvvall Camilla Parker Bovvles came to Turkey for a four-day visit.
November 27- Turkey selected its three noıııinees for the positioıı in the European Court of Human Rights. Professor Ruşen Ergeç of the University of Brussels, Professor Işıl Karakaş of Galatasaray University and Assistant Professor Ali
Ulusoy of Ankara University are running for the post. Turkey's llıst list \vas rejected by the court in October.
December 3- Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated in strongly vvorded remarks her Christian Democratic Union's (CDU) opposition to Turkey's bid to become a full member of the European Union during a speech to the CDU's annual convention in Hanover.
December 4- European Commission rejected German Chancellor Merkel's cali for privileged partnership with Turkey and stated that EU should persue negotiations vvith Turkey for membership.
December 6- A protocol that vvill al lovv Turkey and Germany to establislı a university in İstanbul vvas signed betvveen diplomats from the tvvo countries.
December 19- The European Union agreed on December 17 to opeıı tvvo more of the 35 negotiating chapters. Tlıe tvvo ehapters - "Trans-European Netvvorks" atıd "Consıtmer and Health Protection" — officially opened this mortıing.
IV. RELATİONS VVİTH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE NATO
January 4- Armenian groups in the United States have launched a campaign for congressional recognition of the alleged Armenian genocide, calling on U.S. Armenian voters to urge their representatives to agree to sponsorship of a planned resolution soon to be submitted to the House of Representatives.
January 11- IJ.S. President George W. Bush atınounced his long-anticipated nevv İrat] strategy. The nevv strategy ereated disappointment in Ankara över a lack of support for the fight against the PKK in lı;ıq. as vvell as sensitivities regarding Kirkuk. Signs of a stiffened U.S. policy tovvard Iran and Svria vvere also not vvelconıed by Ankara.
January 12- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey expected the United States to take eonerete steps in the fight against the PKK.
January 14- At an international conference organized by the United States, some businessmen from Aımenia and Turkey meeting at Armetıia's capital Yerevan över the vveekend came out in favor of opening the border betvveen the tvvo countries vvhich has been elosed since 1993.
January 30- Gen. Joseph Rolston, the U.S. special envoy to eoıınter the PKK, began his tvvo-day visit to Turkey to revievv vvith Turkish officials the effectiveness of the coordination mechanism against the terrorist group.
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January 30- Pro-Armenian lavvmakers in the U.S. Hou.se of Representatives introduced a resolution on Tııesdav calling for the recognition of World War l-era killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genoeide.
February 4- Minister of Foreign AiTairs Abdullah Gül vvent to the US for an official four-day visil.
February 11- Chief of General S ta (T Yaşar Büyükanıt wentto Washington for an olTıeial five-day visit.
February 20- A group of six Democratic eongressmen paid a visit to Turkey and had talks with members of the Turkish Parliament and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül in Ankara. I hey discussecl several issııes of mutual interest including the llght against the PKK, lraq and the Armenian genoeide resolution recently introduced to the U.S. I louse of Representatives.
March 2- Turkish government spokesınaıt Cemil Çiçek criticized Rice for her terminology, saying that "Turkey's border is the border vvith Iraq. We do not aceept any other statements and vve do not ıvcognize anyone else but lraq." IJ.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's reference the prcvious dav to northeı n lraq as "Kurdistan,"
March 2- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has cleared her government's haııds of the Turkislı-l'KK dispute vvherı slıe suggested a "ınııltilateral mechanism" eonsistiııg of Turkey, the lraqi government and lraqi Kıırds for a solution.
March 3- İn its annual report on the global llght against drugs trafllcking. money laundering and financial crimes. the IJ.S. State Department urged the Turkish government and Parliament to expaııd the country's legal definition of terrorism to eover matters not directly related to Turkey.
March 5- According to a nevvs storv published on the Web site of the Canada-based independent defense joıırnal Middle East Nevvsliııe on Feb. 27. there vvere toııglı negotiations ongoing concerııing İncirlik Air Base betvveen IJ.S. and Turkish officials. reported the nevvs channel CNN-FÜRK. The nevvs report quoted U.S. officials as saying İncirlik could be used for lliglıt missioııs to northern lıaq and Iran.
March 6- The IJnited States yesterday urged Turkey to develop its ovvtı nıissile system against a possible Iraman attaek in the future. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Victoria Nuland said NATO vvould pıoteet ali its allies from long-ıange missiles but Turkey should lake care of its ovvn security for short and medium long-range missile attacks.
March 14- The United States made il elear on Monday that it "certainly" opposed any Turkish military actioıı inside northern lraq to llght the PKK's presence there.
March 14- Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül yesterday said Turkey vvas not part of a project aimed at developing a U.S.-proposed anti-ballistic missiie shield vvithin NATO. saying that the country vvas capable of ensuring air security through its ovvn military resources.
April 3- Supreme Allied Commander Europe, U.S. General Bantz J. Craddock visits Turkey today upon an official invitation of Turkish Chief of General StafT General Yaşar Büyükanıt. Gen. Craddock, vvho is expccted to stay in Turkey till Thursday to lıold talks vvith Turkish officials vvill meet today vvith Gen. Büyükanıt at the headquarters of General StafT in Ankara.
April 7- The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) assumed on Friday the Kabul Regional Commaııd. vvhich vvas formed under the joint leadership of Turkey. France and ltaly in August 2006. The commaııd. under vvhich Turkey is rcpresented vvith 1,150 personnel. undertakes a mission to restore stability and security in vvar-torn Afghanistan. Turkey assumes the task until Dec. 6.
April 19- The Spokesman for the US Department of State Sean McCormack said on Tuesday that the US did not approve of a possible cross-border military opcration by Turkey in northern lraq. Statiııg that Syria and İran have no intention of attacking Furkey at the moment. McCormack iııdicated that the real problem vvas betvveen lraq and Turkey and both countries should vvork together to solve their problems.
May 12- Turkey signed a $1.78 billion deal on Friday to buy 30 F-16 llghter jets from U.S.-based Lockheed Martin Corp.
May 30- The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) yesterday took commaııd of NATO-led peacekeepers in southem Kosovo.
May 30- Turkey formally asked the United States not to repeat any airspace violation. follovving an iııcident last vveek vvhere tvvo US F-16 fighters infritıged the Turkish air corıidor.
June 2- Michael Rubin. a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institııte and a former Pentagon official, claimed on Friday that Turkey caused radical Islamic organization Tlamas to gaiıı international legitimacy by inviting its leaders to Ankara in February 2006.
Jurıc 7- The Foreign Ministry last vveek sent a vvritten request to tlıe government in a move to extend the permission granted to the United States to use Turkey's İncirlik and other military bases Tor another year.
June 16- The United States signaled on Thursday that il did not back Turkish iııtentions to set tıp a narrovv buffer zone inside lıaq to bolster defenses against iııfiltration into Turkey by terrorists from the PKK. but U.S. remarks fell short of an outright rejection of the idea.
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June 23- U.S. special envoy lor countering terrorism, retiıed General Joseph Ralston said yesterday that northern lraqi Kurds should assume a more efTective attitude against the terrorist PKK adding that. he vvould like to see the Kurds in northern Iı aq claıııp dovvn on and expel PKK terrorists.
July 18- The Turkish government is not convinced by the U.S. explanatioıı in regard to allegations that U.S. forces in lraq vvere supplying vveapons to members of the outlavved PKK based in the Kandil Moııntains of northern Iraq.
July 23- The United States yesterday praised Turkey's general elections earlier in the day as a "great suceess.""Once again the Turkish democracy vvorked. lt's a great success," Malt Bryza. deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs.
July 28- The United States has agıeed to accept applicatioııs of lraqi refugees in Turkey. The transfer of refugees vvill begin this vveek. There is concern, hovvever, that the move vvill create an influx of nevv !raqi refugees vievving T urkey as a vvay to reach the United States.
August 3- Turkey should accept the concept of a semi-autonoıııous Kurdish region vvithin a loosely united lraq as an alternative to a much vvorse option: Kurds declaring an indepeııdent state, a leading U.S. Democratic senatör said Wednesday.
September 13- Uııdersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns. said in a speech on U.S.-Turkish relations at the Atlantic Council. a think tank. that The United States, vvhile praising Turkey's nevvly-elected civilian Ieaders as fıiends of America, called on Ankara to take a series of critical political steps. itıcluding refraining from energy dcals vvith Iran. opetıing its border vvith Armenia. lifting obstacles before freedom of speech and reopening a Greek Oılhodox rcligious sehool.
Septeınber 14- The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Democracy. Human Rights. and Labor said in a repori titled "International Religious Freedom Report 20Ü7" released today in Washington D.C. that the Turkish government generallv respects the freedom of religion but stili itııposes some restrictioııs on Müslim and other religious groups and on Muslini religious expressiotı in government and state-run institutions. ineluding universities.
October 5- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called U.S. President George W. Bush and told lıim that ties betvveen the tvvo countries vvill be hurt if the U.S. Congress passes a bili on the Armenian genocide.
October 7- Turkish Parliament vvarned the United States Congress by sending a letter stating that the bilateral relations could be seriously damaged if the resolution that characterizes the 1915-1916 ineidents as genocide is approved.
October 9- The U.S. State Department confirmed that retired General Joseph Ralston, a former NATO supreıne commander vvho last year became VVashington's special etıvoy for eountering the PKK, had quit his job.
October 10- The Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. Congress vvas set to vote yesterday on a resolution that vvould declare the World War l-era killings of Armenians an act of genocide.
October 10- Bush's administration urged Turkey to refrain from acts of radical retaliation follovving the approval of a resolution calliııg for formal American recognition of World War I-era Annenian killings in tlıe Ottoman Empire as genocide, by a U.S. panel. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives voted 27 to 21 in favor of the measııre, rejecting a plea by Bush and his top aides to stop the bili.
October 23- The Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives late Tuesday approved a bili to grant three decommissioned U.S. military ships to Turkey and to seli a fourth at a large discount.
November 2- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice paid an official visit to Turkey.
November 3- Prime Minister R. Tayip Erdoğan vvcnt to the IJS to meet President George W. Bush.
November 5- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President George W. Bush agreed to establish an "operational eoordiııation" system that vvill provide better communication to combat the PKK.
November 14- Foreign Minister Ali Babacan announced that the United States had started providing Turkey vvith "aetionable and timely intelligence" to use in its fight against the PKK terrorists based in northern lraq.
November 20- Tvvo top American commanders. General James Cartvvright, vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in lraq. paid a brief visit to their counterparts and met vvith Turkey's Depııty Chief of General Staff General Ergin Saygun at the military's hcadquarters in Ankara to discuss jointly combating the PKK and the nevv mechanisms of "timely intelligence sharing."
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V. RELATİONS VVİTH THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLİCS AND THE BALKAN STATES
January 17- Ukrainian Prime Minister Victor Yanukovich said in his first day offical visit to Turkey that Ukraine and Turkey are not rivals but but partners on the vvay to integration vvith the European Union. He also expressed his country's vvillingııess to participate in the Austria-led Nabucco pipeline project. vvhich vvould ship Caspian and Iranian gas through the Balkans to Hungary.
January 20- Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham Garibcanyan has expressed a vvillingness to participate in the constıuction of the Caucusus rai I vvay project linking Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
March 2- Turkey donated various military equipmenl to the Albanian Armed Forces. reported the Anatolia nevvs ageııcy. T urkey's donation vvas received officially by Albanian Deputy Interior Minister Gjegj Lezhla in the capital Tirana and included body and mine searclı detectors. tvvo Land Rover vehicles and MP 5 automatic rifies.
March 7- Pipeline construction of the Slıah Deniz (Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum) natural gas project vvas completed on Moııday, reported the Anatolia nevvs agency. Deputy director general of Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (Botaş), Şakir Arıkaıı, said the 230-kilometer pipeline vvas constructed in 18 months and added that Azerbaijani natural gas vvill reach Turkey through the pipeline vvithin March.
March 13- One-hundred-eighty poliçe officers from Kosovo vvill receive training in security units in Turkey, said Yüksel Çelik, head of the Turkish poliçe forces under the Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo. reported the Anatolia nevvs agency. Kosovo policemen are expected to be traitıed in 13 different units of the Ankara poliçe department including the intelligence. terrorism and narcotics units.
March 19- Bulgaria cancelled a transportation agreement vvith Turkey on March I, 2007. implying a majör shift in Bulgaria's approach to its transportation of goods. The original agreement, signed in 1979, had unilaterally allovved for unlimited transportation of goods to third countries by transiting through each other's territories.
March 28- Turkey on Tuesday sent tvvo letters of condolences to Armenia afler Prime Minister Andranik Margarian died last vveekend in Yerevan. Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations and their bordeıs have been closed since 1993. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a letter of condolence to Armenian President Robert Kocharian, expressing his sorrovv över the death of Margarian. A similar mcssage vvas sent by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül to his counterpart. Varkan Oskanian. The messages vvere conveyed via the Turkish Embassy in Tbilisi.
March 31- The Turkish Foreign Ministry believes that U.N. Security Council resolution 1244 concerning Kosovo should be replaced by a nevv resolution to etısure stability in the region. said Foreign Ministry spokesman Levent Bilman. Bilmatı stated
that Turkey stili supported a fair and sustainable solution. whieh would not trigger tension in the region.
April 19- Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül arrived in Belgrade to attend the 16tlı Meeting of the Council of Ministeıs of Foreign Affairs of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organizal'ion (BSEC). FM Gül said Turkey. vvhich vvill lake över the term-presidency of the BSEC as of May 1 plans to exert great efforts to restructure the organization.
May 4- An agreement betvveen the tvvo neighboring countries, Turkey and Georgia, vvitlı regard to the joint tıse of Batumi İnternational Airport vvas published in Turkey's Official Gazette yesterday. The agreement aims at fostering ııeighborly ties. facilitating border crossings and customs procedures betvveen the tvvo countries, and the joint ııse ofGeorgia's Batumi İnternational Airport
May 4- The Turkish Armed Forces granted military equipment vvorth $750000 to the Georgian Armed Forces. Taking the floor at a ceremony at Marneuli Military Airport near Tbilisi, Georgian Deputy Defense Minister Batu Kutelia said Georgia vvould vvork to boost military relations vvith Turkey, underlining that Turkey had extended a great support to Georgia in regard to NATO membership.
June 1- Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders are dııe to meet in St. Petersburg. Russia on June 9 to talk on the basic principles of the settlement on Nagorno-Karabakh. vvhich if successful vvill force Turkey to open its border vvith Armenia.
June 4- Turkish and Russian Federation Customs orgaııizations decided to cooperate against smuggling, Deputy Undersecretary of Turkish Customs Bülent Ertem said yesterday. Erdem stated that a nevv protocol sigııed by Turkish and Russian customs authorities last vveek foresees tighter control of containers shipped from Black Sea ports.
June 8- Turkey and Kyrgyzstan yesterday sigııed a "Mutual Settlement Agreement" in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek. According to the agreement sigııed by Kv rgyz Foreign Minister Adnan Karabayev and Turkish Ambassadress to Bishkek Serpil Alpman. the land vvhere the Turkish Embassy is located vvill be handed över to Turkey for 49 years to demolish the current building and to eonstrııet a nevv one.
July 4- Turkey received Moııday its tlrst shipment of Azerbaijani natuıal gas from the $4 billion Shakh Deniz pipetine, an official at state-rıın pipeline group Botaş said.
Septenıber 20- Turkey took the first step for the construction of a strategic railvvay line. the İron Silk Road, liııking it to Central Asia. Fourteen companies have submitted bids to participate in the construction of the 76-kilometer long Turkish part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railvvay. Turkey put aside YTI. 380 million from its bııdget
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for the 258-kiionıeter project that w i 11 lıook up its rai 1 netvvork vvith that of Georgia and energy-rich Azerbaijan.
September 30- Kazakh President Nursultaıı Nazarbayev arrived in Turkey for a special friendly visit and met vvith President Abdullah Gül to congratulatc him. The tvvo Ieaders discussed bilateral relations as vvell as regional and international issues concerning the tvvo countries. Nazarbayev is the first state leader received by Gül.
October 25- The "Ankara Declaration," an essential doeument for the implementation of energy, trade, transport and environmental projects vvith the European Union vvas adopted by the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) at the 17th BSEC foreign ministers meeting in Ankara.
November 9- Turkey asked Romaııia to take measures to stop the activities of the PKK.
November 14- Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli paid a visit to Turkey. The Turkish government voiced its support for Georgia's "political uııity, territorial integrity and sovereignty," referring to a dispute betvveen Georgia and Russia and the latter's support for separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
December 6- President Abdullah Gül vveııt to Türkmenistan for an official tvvo-day visit.
December 12- Follovving visits to Pakistan and Türkmenistan. President Abdullah Gül vveııt to Kazakhstan for an official tvvo-day visit.
December 17- Maeedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski came to Turkey for an official tvvo-day visit upoıı the invitation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
VI. RELATİONS WITH ISRAEL, ARAB STATES AND IRAN, AND THE NORTHERN IRAQ QUESTION
January 11- Egypt's Foreign Minister Alımed Aboul Gheit came to Tıırkeyfor an official tvvo-day visit.
Jaııuary 18- Before today's preliminary meeting in Parliament över a motion to discuss recent developments related to neighboring lraq, anıbassadors to Turkey from Middle Easterıı countries yesterday participated iti behind-closed-doors talks at the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Iraqi, Satıdi Arabian, Iranian, Syrian, Lebatıese and Egyptiaıı envoys in Ankara participated in the sunımit. allovving the government to revise its Iraq policy before providing Parliament vvith information on the issue.
January 25- Turkey pledged $20 million in aid for Lebanon to bolster the Western-backed government in Beirut and help the country recover frotıı vvar.
January 28- The lraqi National Oil Company (SOMO) sent statements to Turkish companies exporting oil products to ııeighhoring lraq. suggestiııg that they contact offîcials in northern Iraq if they vvant to continue to do business vvith the Iraqi company.
February 5- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf carne to Ankara for an official tvvo-day visit.
February 14- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert came to Turkey for an official tvvo-day visit.
February 15- At the tvvo-day annual meeting of OIC (Organisation of the lslamic Conference) hosted by current chair Malaysia, the Secretary-General of the organisation Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu said that there vvas grovving support vvithin its ranks to form a Müslim peacekeeping force as part of plans to bolster its image.
February 17- Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül visited Saudi Arabia and threvv Turkey's support behind a nevv peace initiative backed by seven Müslim states for Israel and the Palestinians.
February 17- Iran's Parliament Speaker Glıalamali Haddad-Adel paid an official tlıree-day visit to Turkey.
February 19- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki paid an official visit to Turkey. During his visit Mottaki had talks vvith top offîcials about nuclear program of his country.
February 25- The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia. Pakistan. Jordan. Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt and Turkey met in Islamabad and agreed upon a leaders' summit as soon as possible to focus on a Middle East and Arab peace plan. The Saudi-initiated. Pakistani-backed plan that pledged the recognition of Israel in exchange for the latter vvorking vvith the nevv Hamas-al-Fatah government expeeted to be formed in Palestine.
February 25- Iran vvarned Turkey not to re-export the lslamic state's natural gas to other countries. During Olmert*s visit to Turkey in early February. it vvas said by the offîcials, one of the issues discussed vvas to build a pipelitıe fronı Turkey to Israel.
February 27- Iranian citizcn Ali Rı/.ari Asqhari, 63. vvho receııtly retiıed from the Iranian Defense Ministry. disappeared in İstanbul on Feb. 7 and Iran has made a diplomatic move. sendiııg a delegatioıı to Turkey to obtain more information on the missing man.
March 1- A nevv agriculture agreement cosigned by Turkey and Israel to boost trade betvveen the tvvo countries vvill lake effect March I, the Israeli Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor said Tuesdav.
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March 6- Iran has asked Turkey to investigate the disappearancc of 63-year-old former Deputy Defense Minister Ali Reza Asgari, vvho vvent missing vvhile visiting Turkey, Iran's foreign minister vvas qııoted yesterday as saying. "A director-general from the [foreign] ministry has traveled to Turkey [to follovv the casej. We have asked Turkey to investigate Asgari's case." said FM Mottaki.
March 6- Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül met vvith his Egyptian counterpart. Ahmed Aboııl Gheit. in Cairo during the Arab League meeting at the vveekend. Both ministers agreed for the diplomats to rneet in Cairo. said Turkish diplomatic sources to the Turkish Daily Nevvs. A Turkish delegation from the Foreign Ministry is expectcd to leave next vveek. Ankara aims to clarify the Cyprus problem during the visit and to inforııı hovv such an agreement may turn the Cyprus problem in to a much more complicated one. The Turkish diplomats aim to underiine the seriousness of such a problem, vvhich Gül also told his Egyptian counterpart.
March 6- High-level representatives from Turkey. lraq and the U.N. Iligh Commissioner for Refugees. yesterday held a trilateral meeting in Genevato discuss a possible retuın of some 9,000 Turkish Kurdish refugees from a U.N.-ıun camp in lraq. The United States sat at the negotiating table as an observer.
March 7- High-level representatives from Turkey. Iraq and the U.N. Iligh Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) agreed on Moııday on the closure of a U.N.-run camp in lraq vvlıeıı lastiııg solutions vvere foııııd for the residents. said UNHCR spokesman here.
March 12- l lead of Turkey's land forces. Gen. İlker Başbuğ, reaffirmed on Saturday that Ankara has the right under international lavv to send troops to northeın lraq to crush the PKK there, reported the daily Hürriyet. "Turkey can alvvays take measures against the terrorist organization if military needs require it." Başbuğ said in Diyarbakır.
April 4- Turkey and Syria diseııssed vvavs to incıease their level of the cooperation on energy and security issues, during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's one-day visit to Syria, vvhere he has also attended to the opening cerentony of Aleppo Olympic Stadium and vvatched a mateh betvveen Turkey's Fenerbahçe and Syria's El-Ittihad.
April 4- Accompanied by giant investors, Kııvvaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Alımad Al-Sabah arrived yesterday in Turkey for an official thı ee-day visit at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
April 5- Turkey and Syria carried out joiııt aetions against PKK. reported the daily Hürriyet yesterday. During the operation the PKK's lıead in Syria. Sadık Aslan, and six more terrorists vvere detained. The secret operation vvas conducted after the interrogation of a detained PKK member in Turkey lası montlı.
April 9- Infuriated by the threats ınade by Massoud Barzani, president of the autonomous Kurdish region, Turkey immediately vvanıed the United States on Saturday that "Barzani's statements are extremely disturbing" and that he should be urged not to repeat his threats against Turkey, during a telephone eonversatioıı betvveen Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül and his American eounterpart Condoleezza Rice. Barzani on Saturday. in an intervievv vvith Al Arabiyah TV. vvarned Turkey is not to interfere in the Kurds's bici to attach oil-rich city of Kirkuk to the Kurdish autonomous zone and said that, "İf it does, vve vvill interfere in Diyarbakır^ issues and other cities in Turkey."
April 10- Turkey revievved a military option against the PKK terroı ists' caınps located in northem lraq, after a reccııt threat by lıaqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani as vvell as tlıe killiııg of 10 soldiers iıı three davs.
April 13- Turkey's Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Büyiikanıt called for a eross-border operation to northem lraq vvlıere around 4.500 PKK terrorists are based. underlining that political vvill is reqııired for such an incursion. "An operation into lraq is necessary and vvill be useful," said Gen. Biiyükanıt during a one-and-a-half hour press conference at his headquarters.
May 3- The Foreign Ministry said yesterday that the decision över the implementation of Article 140 of the Iıaqi constitution on the future of oil-rich northem lraqi city of Kirkuk should not be ınade fail accompli or by adopting oııe-sided approaches but on the basis of the lraqis' interests. Turkey did not nıean to interfere in Iraq's domestic affairs but its sensitivity stemmed from tlıe importaııce it attaches to regional stability and security. added the ministry. May 24- T urkey signed a framevvork agreement on military education and technical and scientific cooperation in defense vvith Qatarand Bahıain yesterday.
June 1- Chief of General StalT Gen. Yaşar Biiyükanıt yesterday hinted at military action against lraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani and the PKK in northem lraq if the government formally requests a eross-border operation.
Juııe I- Turkey, a elose ally of the United States, agreed to trade electricity, build a dam and a povver station vvith the U.S.'s areh-foe İran yesterday.
June 16- Turkey on Friday started evacuating around 80 Turkish citizens from the Gaza Strip, vvlıere tensions have risen betvveen rival groups Hamas and Fatalı. Turkey's ambassador to Israel, Namık Tan. requested perınission from the Israeli aııthorities for ıhe evacuation of Turkish citizens from Ben Gurion airport vvith seheduled flights, the Turkish Daily Nevvs learned from diplomatic sources.
June 22- Turkey on Thursday started evacuating its citizens from Gaza Strip. through the Jordanian border as Israel rejected Turkey's request to use Ben Gurion airport. Israel only permitted Turkish citizens to be able to exit from F.rez through .lordan.
t h e t u r k i s h y e a r b o o k [ v o l . x x x v ı ı ı
June 27- The Turkish Foreign Ministry coııdemned lale on Monday the deadly assault on the U.N. İnlerim Foree in Lebanon, vvhich killed six members of a Spanish battalion över the vveekend. İn a vvritten statement, the ministry offered condolences to the relatives of the victims and vovved to contribııle to international peace elTorts in Lebanon.
July 18- The recent signing of a document by Turkey and Iran promising cooperation in the field of natural gas has broııghl both countries closcr to resolving differences faced by tlıc countries regarding the gas Turkey curreııtly receives from İran.
July 18- .lordan and Turkey are curreııtly etıgaged in talks about a free trade agreement that vvould lıelp boost economic and trade cooperation betvveen the tvvo countries, an official from the Jordaııian ministry of trade and industry said yesterday. This issue has been tabled for discııssion since a levv years, but progress has been slovv due to oppositioıı froııı Jordaniaıı businessmeıı vvho fear from an invasioıı of Turkish goods to llıe local market.
July 31- Turkey and lraq have drafted a document specifying joint measures to slop attacks by the l'KK sheltered in northern lraq.
August 1- lraqi Kurdislı groııps expresscd their unease at l urkey's elTorts to create a nevv mechanism vvith the central Iraqi administration to crack dovvıı on the PKK terrorists settled in northern lıaq.
August 8- Turkish and lraqi officials yesterday discussed measures to stop terrorists from the PKK infiltrating into Turkey. "Our visit is an effort to develop bilateral relations and cooperation vvith Turkey. especially regarding security, vvhich is the most important thing," lraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said ahead of his talks in Ankara. The meeting betvveen Maliki and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lasted longer than seheduled and the press conference vvas delayed for almost three hours.
August 9- Turkey and Iraq agreed to deepen economic and energy cooperation simultaııeously vvith security talks tlıat vvere held during the tvvo-day visit by lraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
August 13- Despite opposition by tlıc United States to an energy deal betvveen Turkey and its arch foe Iran. Ankara and Tehran are meeting for the second routıd of discussioııs today in the Iranian capital.
August 20- Turkey and İran yesterday agreed to establish a joint company to build a pipelitıe to transport Iraniatı natural gas froııı the city of Asaluye to the Turkish boıder and fiııally to Europe.
August 20- The Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is very elose to fınalizing a significant project as part of a defense deal signed betvveen Turkey and Jordan in
2005. TAI has been modernizing F-16 jets for Jordan's royal air force. The fîrst modernized F-16 jet will be delivered to Jordan in October.
August 24-Turkey asked lraqi Sunnis to continue supporting Nouri al-Maliki's current government, during a surprise visit yesterday by Iraqi vice president and leader of a Sünni group, Tarıq al-Hashimi. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also reiterated Turkish expectations from Iraq in the fight against terrorism in a telephone conversation vvith Maliki and asked him to seek compromise vvith the Shiite and Sünni groups in lraq.
August 30- İn a special session called after the alleged bombiııg in northern lıaq by Turkey and Iran, the parliament of the northern lraqi government called on both its neighbors to find a solution to the conflict through dialogue, reported the NTV nevvs channel yesterday. Parliament speaker. Adnan Mufli, stated that the stability of the region vvas severely threatened due to the shelling of northern lraqi territories
September 26- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, vvho vvas at the United Nations General Asseıııbly in Nevv York for tlıree days, held a surprise meeting vvith Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad on the hot issue of planned energy deals betvveen Turkey and Iran despite probable U.S. sanctions.
September 26- Sixteen Turkish citizens vvho vvere evacuated from the Gaza Strip due to reeent political turmoil earlier this year returned to their lıomes.
September 28- After davs-long diseussions Turkey and Iraq signed a security agreement to llght the PKK but the sides failed to reach an agreement över a clause that vvould allovv the Turkish military to engage in "hot pursuit" operations in the northern Iıaq territory.
October 6- Foreign Minister Ali Babacan paid visits some Middle Eastern countries ineluding Syria. Israel. Paletsine and Jordan.
October 16- Syrian President Baslıar Assad came to Turkey for an official four-day visit.
October 19- Foreign Minister Ali Babacan vvent to Lebanon to meet Lebaııese Prime Minister Fuad Siııiora. After Lebanon Babacan vvent to Saudi Arabia and Kuvvait to lıold talks.
October 21- The lraqi parliament yesterday condemned Turkey's motion allovving the military to eross the border to crack dovvn on the PKK bases. The parliamentaıy counter-motion condemning the Turkish vote vvas approved by 183 deputy of the 275-member national assembly.
November 3- Second meeting of the countries neigboııring lraq vvas held in İstanbul.
