Turkey: Update on Selected Issues (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Aug. 12, 2004 |
| Report Number |
RL32071 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Carol Migdalovitz, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) remain
popular
and have a firm hold on power in Turkey. The AKP is trying to recast itself from an Islamist-rooted
party to a centrist "conservative democratic" party. Although some AKP actions fuel secularist
suspicions of a hidden Islamist agenda, the high priority that the party gives to attaining European
Union (EU) membership may mitigate fears about its intentions and support its centrist ambitions.
The government remains focused on the economy. With the aid of the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), it has undertaken major macroeconomic reforms, achieved solid growth, and reduced
inflation. The IMF has reviewed the government's economic performance positively and is expected
to approve a new three-year stand-by agreement for 2005-2007.
The government also has been challenged by terrorism and is dealing with both Kurdish
terrorism, a radical religious terrorist threat with possible international links, and remnants of leftist
terrorism.
In order to obtain a date to begin accession talks with the European Union (EU), the Turkish
parliament has passed many reforms to harmonize Turkey's laws and Constitution with EU
standards. The EU is expected to scrutinize implementation of the reforms carefully before setting
a date for accession talks. The situation on Cyprus is not expected to affect EU decision-making.
U.S.-Turkish relations were shaken on March 1, 2003, when the Turkish parliament rejected
a resolution to allow the deployment of U.S. troops to Turkey to open a northern front against Iraq.
Bilateral ties have been strained by other developments in Iraq. The Turkish parliament's October
2003 decision to authorize the deployment of Turkish peacekeepers to Iraq helped to improve ties,
even though the offer was not accepted. However, Turkey continues to be concerned about the
situation in Iraq and U.S. actions there, which fuel anti-Americanism.
Turkey remains important to the United States. Turkish air bases were used in the Afghan war
and its airspace in the Iraq war. Its ports, airbases, and roads are used to resupply coalition forces
and for reconstruction efforts in Iraq. U.S. troops rotate to and from Iraq via Turkey. Turkey will
be an important transit route for pipelines carrying energy resources from the Caucasus and Central
Asia to the West, and the often sabotaged oil pipeline from Iraq to Turkey could be helpful to Iraq's
recovery. Turkish and U.S. intelligence agencies are cooperating closely in the war on terrorism.
Turkish peacekeepers have served in many hot spots in support of U.S. policies, and commanded
the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Finally, some U.S. officials and
analysts believe strongly that Turkey, as a predominantly Muslim, democratic country, could serve
as an example to others.
