All eyes on a Euro cup chock full of euros

PROFITABLE: Every game the Turkish national team plays at EURO 2008, which starts Saturday, is expected to contribute around 42 million euros to the economy.

European Football Championship 2008, which will kick off next Saturday, raises hopes concerning its impacts on local and global economy. It is estimated that each game Turkey plays at EURO 2008 will contribute around 42 million euros to Turkish economy

TUĞRUL AKŞAR ISTANBUL – Referans

Thousands of football enthusiasts from all over Europe will flock to Austria and Switzerland this month while millions will sit at home in front of their televisions to follow the showpiece event of European football.

The European Championship 2008, or EURO 2008, to be co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria, begins Saturday. As the sport's biggest event after the World Cup approaches, its potential impact on the local, national and global economy has started to make mouths water. Like all participating countries, Turkey is expected to enjoy its share of the tournament pie, as an analysis reveals.

Just before the 2006 World Cup, three prominent international financial institutions – the Amro Bank, Union Bank Switzerland and Goldman Sachs – published projections of the Cup's impact on the global economy. No such detailed report has been drafted on EURO 2008; however, a brief MasterCard survey paints a possible financial picture of EURO 2008.

Football, once just a game, has become a socio-economic force to reckon with. Football has definitely become “big business.”

Turkey will be competing in the European Championship finals for the second time. Every game the country's 11 plays at EURO 2008 will contribute around 42 million euros to the Turkish economy, according to research conducted under the supervision of Simon Chadwick, sports economy expert at MasterCard. The tournament's total contribution to the European economy is expected to reach 1.4 billion euros.

The survey delves into increases in ticket, food and drink sales, travel, trade, sponsorships and advertising revenues, and positive local, national and global economic impacts that may accompany a rise in the use of telecommunications and new media services.

Revenue from the most profitable matches is expected to be amount to around 49-56 million euros per match. With total revenue of 168 million euros, the Group C France - Italy (Zurich), Holland - France (Bern) and Italy - Holland (Bern) matches, are expected to provide the greatest spike to the economy.

Other matches expected to yield high revenues are Switzerland - Portugal (Group A), to be played in Basel; Austria - Germany (Group B) to be played in Vienna, and Spain - Russia (Group D), to be played in Innsbruck.

The Germany-Italy, Germany-France and Germany-Holland games are likely to supply the highest first-round revenues.

“Matches played in the later phases of the championship will provide higher economic yield,” said Chadwick.

Although Chadwick expects the teams to contribute around 42 million euros per match to their respective country's economy, other calculations reveal that the Turkish national team will contribute 209 million euros to the country's economy, including external impacts.

Within this framework, the team's direct or indirect contribution to the national economy may reach 34.9 million euros per match, should it go on to the finals.

The 2002 World Cup provided Turkey's textile sector some $50 million in revenues through sales of uniforms, flags and other logo products. That figure is expected to climb to $70 million during this tournament. The entertainment sector is expected to gain approximately $5 million from giftware on national team and tournament as well as PC games, DVDs and Play Stations.

Boom in electronics and communication

TV and satellite sales, which boomed in 2002, provided approximately $75 million to the electronics and communications sectors. At least $100 million is expected to flow into the sector this time around, thanks to plasma TV and satellite sales.

TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation), which received tournament broadcasting rights for $10 million in 2002, obtained advertising revenue worth $15 million. This time, official tournament broadcasting rights belong to ATV and Digitürk.

During the 2002 World Cup, around 2,000 people from Turkey visited tournament venues South Korea and Japan. Considering the proximity of Austria and Switzerland, this figure is expected to climb to 20,000. This activity is expected to yield approximately $5 million for tourism agencies and travel tours. Around 3.5 billion people watched the 2006 World Cup. The 2006 World Cup creates macro added value of $10.5 billion euros in just one month. Considering the $35 million Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry allocated for Turkey's promotion in 2004, advertising revenues of at least $50 million should be generated this year. The trade volume of the communications sector is expected to reach $5 million at minimum particularly due to the mobile phone sales.

National team participation in EURO 2008 should yield Turkey some $285-300 million. The macro impact of the tournament on the country, which has a $482 billion GNP, should be eight per 10,000.

Germany, if not Turkey

In case Turkey fails to go all the way to the cup, the best candidate for the economy seems to be Germany. A possible triumph of Germany, which has a population of 82 million, may trigger domestic consumption in the country, fostering external purchases. This development may provide an opportunity for Turkey in terms of additional foreign trade revenues.

Italy's winning is also likely to create positive results for the economy. Italy, which expects 1.5 percent growth this year, may grow 2 percent should it receive the cup. While the situation is not bright for the United States, growth in the Euro Zone is ongoing. Within this framework, EURO 2008 will be a relief for the Euro Zone, albeit not as much as in 2006. If Germany becomes the winner of a possible Italy-Germany final, it will be beneficial both for Turkey and Europe.

Russian revolution in football

It is observed that the economy of a country that wins the cup grows by 0.5 or 0.7 percent on average while the economy of a country that loses shrinks between 0.1 and 0.3 percent on average. There is also a correlation between the economies of the emerging countries and their success at football.

Russia, over the past 10 years, has participated in a European Football Championship just once, in 2004. The country has recently experienced economic growth and witnessed an increase in overseas tourism expenditures and football. A possible increase in Russia's monetary power may make it a dominating figure in the world football scene.

It is not a coincidence that Russia climbed from 13th to sixth in the UEFA rankings, and from 30th to 25th place in the FIFA rankings. Russia may obtain a significant competitive power in football due to the allocation of a small fortune to transfers. The increase of social prosperity as well as the increase of funding for football may make Russia the European and world leader. The actual impact of the growth in Russia, however, is likely to be visible more during Euro 2012.

Turkey to gain:

-Around $100 million from the sale of at least 100,000 TVs

-Approximately $70 million from textile products, such as uniforms and flags

-Broadcaster's advertising revenue worth $15 million

-Promotion opportunities of at least $50 million

-Some $5 million from travel agencies

-National team tournament revenue worth $10-35 million

-National team sponsorship revenue worth $15 million

-Around $5 million from the communication and mobile phone sector

-Some $5 million from giftware and PC game sale

-A total amount of approximately $285-300 million

(The aforementioned figures have been calculated in line with 2002 and 2006 World Cup data.)

Economic outlook of 16 countries

*Total gross national product (GNP) is $12.1 trillion

*They create 23 percent of all global income

*Average per capita income is $24,000

*Germany is the top in terms of GNP with $2.8 trillion

*Romania has the lowest income with $80 billion

*With an annual rate of 7.7 percent, Romania is the fastest-growing country

*Average inflation is around 3 percent

*Russia has the highest inflation with 9.7 percent

*The lowest inflation rate (1.1 percent) is enjoyed by Switzerland, Holland and Poland

*Croatia looms large in unemployment with a jobless rate of 17.2 percent

*Italy, with 106.7 percent, has the highest public debt.

*Spain has the highest current account deficit with $106.4 billion.

*The most valuable team ($575 million) is in Italy

*The average value of all countries is around $257 million

*Turkey's value stands at $176 million

Inform,02.06.08

Read more...

New London mayor on holiday in Turkey

DALYAN – Turkish Daily News

Boris Johnson, elected mayor of London three weeks ago, has taken time off to relax with his family and Turkish relatives in Dalyan in southwest Turkey.

His choice of holiday has a cultural emphasis, unlike the standard "beach break" preferred by many British tourists who visit the country. Westminster Classic Tours is an exclusive company specializing in visits to some of the many historic sites on Turkey's Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.

Taking time out from visiting ancient cities in the area, Johnson enjoyed a traditional Turkish lunch in a restaurant on the banks of Dalyan River, overlooking the rock tombs for which the area is known.

Dressed in a casual clothes � bright shorts and an open neck shirt � Johnson still keeps in touch with his office in City Hall twice a day and is no doubt taking the opportunity to recover from the tough election in which he replaced former Mayor Ken Livingstone. The run-up to the election was certainly a tough time for him and it would appear that the British media have not been prepared to give him the customary "honeymoon period."

Ali Kemal Bey, a liberal journalist during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, was Johnson's great-grandfather. Johnson's link with Turkey and Islam (he has described himself as a "one man melting pot") will hopefully be beneficial for Turkey and certainly his choice of holiday destination can only be seen as advantageous for Turkish tourism.

He and his family left the restaurant by traditional riverboat to visit the mud baths up stream. If the mud doesn't stick now one can only wonder what will happen in the future.

Inform,2008

Read more...

Turkish fashion finds its home among relics

ANTIQUE: Çukurcuma is hosting over 150 antique shops. A candelabra engraved with the official signature of an Ottoman sultan is tough to find anywhere else. In above workshop one can find one-of-a-kind hats and handbags from softcotton fabrics.

Discover new Istanbul, the one Europeans fantasize about: Spend an afternoon in Çukurcuma, the city’s hip bohemian district, where tapestries and neon rock-n-roll signs mix with sultan-signed candelabras and mirrors lined with fading starlets

KRISTEN STEVENS
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News

Tucked into the beating heart of Istanbul's style-savvy Beyoğlu quarter, Çukurcuma (pronounced chu-KUR-ju-ma) expresses itself by casting off East-meets-West clichés and peeling back layers of history to reveal designers with a fresh, minimalist sensibility.

With the charm of an old neighborhood flea market in an upscale café and gallery district, the area was once home to a large Greek community. Many shop owners are descendents of non-Turkish residents whose families have inhabited the area for centuries.

Hosting over 150 antique shops, this is not an average stroll through antiquity. A candelabra engraved with the official signature of an Ottoman sultan is tough to find anywhere else. Some shops are bursting with Ottoman-era odds and ends and Turkish cultural memorabilia. Beside them are avant-garde art workshops and high fashion boutiques.

The history of Çukurcuma dates back 550 years and came of age when Ottomans lived here during the rule of Fatih Sultan Mehmet. Part of Pera and Beyoğlu, those who enter Çukurcuma will find the 16th century Çukurcuma Mosque, a masterpiece by Turkey's own Michelangelo, architect Mimar Sinan. Across the street is the 18th century Ömer Ağa Fountain set beside Iskeceli coffee house. This is a good place to get the charge needed to enter this labyrinth of a residential shopping quarter that is part relic, part ahead of its time.

Beneath the terraces of French colonial townhouses the color of smog, unassuming storefronts conceal sleek contemporary ateliers and shops and galleries that could easily find themselves in New York's Soho. But upon closer inspection, these daring young designers are uniquely Turkish and are creating a space, a chic, that is all their own. The antique legacy of the neighborhood shares the same snaky streets with the up-and-comers, revealing antique treasures and odd collectibles.

Another entry point can be reached from the green mosque (Yeşil Cami) in the center of Cihangir. Walk toward the fruit stall before the road bends downhill and walk against the one-way street called Ağa Hamam Cad. When it bends to the left, Çukurcuma begins on the street ahead and cascades along streets to the left.

Tourists used to buy antique knives and pistols at the bend in the road where Levantine (33 Ağa Hamam Cad.) greets visitors like a gourmet candy shop for collectors. �Technology and minimalism, this is the fashion today,� Melih Gülay told the Turkish Daily News. Otherwise, he said not much has changed in the historical neighborhood since he took over his father's shop in 1975. �The costumes and hairdos have changed and the buildings have new make-up, but fashion's latest adherents also seek objects to define their style.

Generally purchasing objects from Greek, Armenian, Italian and French estates, Gülay recounted the history of rosary beads he pulled from his drawer made from whale bone. He said they retained a rare scent believed to have been used as an aphrodisiac at the turn of the century.

Taking the first street to the left one arrives at Mine Kerse's atelier (Faik Paşa Yokuşu, No 1). In a workshop above her tiny shop, she makes one-of-a-kind hats and handbags from soft cotton fabrics. Her hats which range from YTL 110 to 145 impress with her devotion to original lines and warm tones.

Down a couple of doors also on the left is Nahide Büyükkaymakçı's gallery-like shop (Faik Paşa Yokuşu, No 7) that illuminates hanging bodices to draw the eye to artistic clothing design. His shop features a rack of specially designed leather jackets, backlit tortoise shell jewelry and handbags so chic that they would make someone wearing a uni-tard or a sheet look cool. The black stenciled floor opens onto a generous patio that faces the steam and bulbous rooftop of a turn-of-the-century hamam.

Germans and Russians used to find plenty of Ottoman buyers, said Mehmet Koşedağ, who sells many such items a little further down the street on the right. �Everything here awaits a specific buyer and sooner or later they find one,'' said Koşedağ, who is known to have played a major role in the shaping of Çukurcuma's appeal among collectors. Beside a miniature diner jukebox, old scissors, puppets, buttons, boxes and oil lamps can be found amid the clutter of Tombak II (Faik Paşa Yokuşu, No: 34/A).

On the right, the window of Minyatür Deniz Eskisi appears like a deep-sea diver's found treasure chest. Inside a maritime aroma hovers over ship wheels, maps, and antique naval pieces such as diving suits, telescopes and compasses.

As if pulled from a Paris side street, Kiki Çay Evi (Faik Paşa Sokak 30/A) is a warm alcove under a chandelier made of old teapots baking up cookies, tiramisu and cheesecakes served with gourmet teas. Across from Kiki Café, a man was bent over large machinery caressing the feminine leg of an antique chair. This is one of many restoration shops in the area using old production methods and antique materials.

Backstreet boom time

Suspended in time is Leyla Seyhanlı's shop, a trunk-sized boutique packed with old clothing, between 250-300 hats, hat boxes, embroidery, linens and purses. Seyhanlı has been sharing her decades-old romance with woven fabric and old textiles in Çukurcuma since 1986. Her 100-year-old Ottoman caftans and tunics are stunning. She also provides costumes and accessories for the film industry. Fabrics date between 18th and late-19th centuries (Altıpatlar Sok. No 10).

Modernist local interior design guru Halide Didem showcases the city's nouveau identity at Halide D (Turnacıbaşı Sokak 71, www.halided.com). Alice in Wonderland inspires lamps the shape of apples and colored tiles reinvent coffee tables.

�Eski Fener� (Old Lantern), located on Çukurcuma Ağahamam Street offers wooden antiques ranging from carved tables and chests to ornate Ottoman doors. Owner Murat Çete said he serves not only antique lovers but also people buying objects for music clips or TV serials. �Our prices are reasonable,� he said. �The demand is keeping us afloat.�

For an alternative to the regular grind, try one of the coffee shops that provide tarot card and coffee cup readings for the price of coffee. Head up hill from Turnacibasi Caddesi onto Ayhan Isik Sokak where a few cafes house fortunetellers seated outside on the patios or in the backrooms, wherever customers prefer their psychic coffee. (Melekler Kahvesi Ayhan Isik Sokak No 36 and Kadinlar Kahvesi across the way)

If a bloodhound for elusive shopping districts one is not, ask anyone in to direct one to the famed Galatasaray High School along İstiklal in Taksim � it's a five or 10 minute walk down the hill from there.

Inform,31.05.08

Read more...

Turkish opposition parties complain of phone taps

ANKARA, Turkey -- The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Action Party have accused the government and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of wiretapping. CHP leader Deniz Baykal told a news conference Wednesday (May 28th) that bugging by state organisations undermines democracy and the rights of the citizens. He called the press event after a newspaper affiliated with the government published a conversation Monday between CHP deputy leader Onder Sav and a governor, verbatim. Interior Minister Besir Atalay and prosecutors say they will launch an investigation.

In other news Wednesday, Amnesty International issued its 2008 report on Turkey and voiced concern over judicial impartiality and a rise in violence. The human rights watchdog also expressed concern over Turkey's offensive against members of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party. Officials say two more of them were killed late Tuesday in clashes with soldiers in the Van province of eastern Turkey. (Hurriyet - 29/05/08; Anadolu Agency, NTV, Zaman, Turkish Daily Dews - 28/05/08)

Inform,29.05.08

Read more...

Diyarbakır readies to host new culture center

DİYARBAKIR - Anatolia News Agency

A plan for a new culture center in Diyarbakır, enabling the city to take its place among those with considerable culture centers in Turkey in 2010, is already being implemented.

Diyarbakır, a city of culture and history, is known as the �cradle of civilizations.� The city was considered relevant in history due to its location at the major crossroads between Anatolia and Mesopotamia, as well as between Europe and Asia. In the past it was known by various names, such as Amida, Amid, Kara-Amid, Diyar-Bekr, Diyarbekir.

The first step toward a new culture center was the purchase of a former Agricultural Combat Research Institute Office building, located in the city center, by the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Construction work is already underway. The culture center will cost YTL 7 million.

The culture center will consist of concert and exhibition halls, cafes, as well as conference rooms.

Diyarbakır administrative culture and tourism manager, Tevfik Arıtürk, said the complex will include three main halls with 137 balconies, where the smallest one will contain 136 seats. �The culture center will have an international character,� Arıtürk said.

Apart from events held in the culture center, tourists and visitors will also have a chance to see the historical sites of the city, including caravansaries, palaces, fountains and arches. Since 3000 B.C. the city was controlled by different ethnic groups (e.g. Assyrians, Arameans, Persians, Macedonians, Selucians, Byzantines, Omayyads, Abbasids and Mongols), however the civilizations contributing the most to the city's heritage were the Roman, Abbasid, Mervani, Seljuk, Artukid, Christian and Ottoman. Archaeological studies have revealed signs of cavemen living in the region in the Stone and Mesolithic ages.

Inform,29.05.08

Read more...

New hotel investments to boost tourism in Gaziantep

GAZİANTEP - Anatolia News Agency

The problem of insufficient accommodation facilities in the southeastern province of Gaziantep, which has significant tourism potential due to its historic and natural beauties, will be solved with 11 hotels, which are under construction in the city center.

According to information provided by the Gaziantep Provincial Tourism Directorate, the construction of four five-star hotels, two four-star hotels, two three-star hotels, a two-star hotel and a special facility with 94 beds is ongoing in the city. The construction process is expected to end by 2009 at the latest.

Fames Hotel, Gaziantep's third five-star hotel, which is being constructed by Zafer Hotel Management in Nesimi neighborhood, has a capacity of 144 rooms and 298 beds. The five-star Anatolian Hotel in Gazi Muhtar Paşa neighborhood is being constructed by Kısacıklar A.Ş. and has a 90-room, 263-bed capacity, as well as 21 suites. Dedeman Hotel, under construction in Aktoprak neighborhood, will consist of 139 rooms, two rooms for the handicapped, 46 suites, a king size room and 456 beds. The hotel's construction company is Çağlar Patrol. Among these hotels, Anatolian Hotel is scheduled to open next month.

Divan Hotel, constructed on the Silk Road in Mücahitler neighborhood, will have 102 rooms, including two for the handicapped and 16 suites. The hotel will have the capacity to host 1,460 guests.

The four-star Uğur Plaza, constructed by Uğur Ticaret A.Ş. in İncilipınar neighborhood, will have 272 beds, 116 rooms, 12 suites and two rooms for the handicapped. Among other hotels under construction River Park Hotel is to have 35 beds, Celal Saygılı Hotel - 24 beds, four-star Nova and three-star Ibis, which are constructed in the fair area, will have 264 beds each.

Great interest from local and foreign groups

Gaziantep Culture and Tourism Provincial Director Salih Eflioğlu said Gaziantep currently had two five-star hotels, five four-star hotels, seven three-star hotels and 11 two-star hotels with a total capacity of 3,500 beds.

He said the city's need would not be met even when the current constructions are finished. Noting that the city of Gaziantep was a brand and the rising star of Anatolia, Eflioğlu continued, �The city's position in the field of industry and trade has been strengthened with the Southeastern Anatolian Project, or GAP. Economic and social development brought health, fair, culture and business tourism sectors customers to town. It also influenced local gastronomy, culture and tourism. But without the completion of physical infrastructure, it is not possible to become a real tourist center. In recent years international hotel chains have shown great interest in Gaziantep, which is going through a process of urbanization. This is an important development.�

Eflioğlu mentioned that Gaziantep has become popular among local, but not foreign tourists. He said foreigners would prefer to stay in ancient cities like Rumkale, Yesemek, Kargamış Ruins and Zeugma. �Currently, the occupancy rate is full in all hotels. We need to increase bed capacity as soon as possible. When Fıvat River basin opens to tourism and constructions start there, promotional activities should be carried out well.�

He noted that international hotel chains showed great interest in Gaziantep to meet the need for accommodation. �Kaya Ramada, Hilton and Koç groups are looking for places for new hotels. Particularly, Koç group is planning a big investment in the region. The group came to Gaziantep 15 days ago and visited the Fırat River Basin. It will announce its decision later. Investors do not invest without being sure of profit. Now the city's bed capacity is increasing to 8,000 from 3,500. There is a 100 percent growth in the sector. This is a world record. Our goal is to increase the bed capacity to 10,000.�

Eflioğlu said investors began to choose Gaziantep for their new investments, adding, �This is a rapid growth and we have begun to take measures. We have started certified tourism programs with the Bosporus University. We are also giving 170-hour courses at Gaziantep University.�

Inform,29.05.08

Read more...

What others say

A Turk at Cannes

ALİ BAYRAMOĞLU, Yeni Şafak

This time there is no right, no left, no Kurd, no Turk, no politics nor orientalism. This time only man and cinema exist. A Turkish film director Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the Best Director Prize with “Three Monkeys” at the Cannes Film Festival; a first in Turkish cinema history.

Ceylan was born and raised in this land by this culture. His success is today more important, more meaningful and durable than what's happening in the country nowadays.

In 2003, Ceylan won the Grand Jury Prize in Cannes with his work “Away.” In 2006, he won the FIPRESCI award with “Climates.” Last year, another Turk, Fatih Akın won the Best Scenario Prize in Cannes. The new Turkish cinema makes what no institution has ever made before and with the help of literature turns Turkey into a center of attraction.

As the French saying refers the “Strong Turk” is being represented by Nuri Bilge Ceylan and the Nobel Prize Winner novelist Orhan Pamuk.

Inform,28.05.08

Read more...

Event

ISTANBUL

Concerts and Parties

Caddebostan Culture Center / Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra / 8:00 p.m. / Price: YTL 22.5 - 45 Tel: 0212 276 2214 - 15

Studio Live / 4x4 / 9:00 p.m. / Price: YTL 15 Tel: 0212 244 7712

Beyoğlu Hayal Kahvesi / Zeynep Casalini / 10:00 p.m. / Price: YTL 23.5 Tel: 0212 244 2558- 0212 243 6823

MKM Attila ilhan Hall / Ingrid Fliter / 8:00 p.m.

Ingrid Fliter is an Argentinean pianist who began her formal piano studies with Elizabeth Westerkamp. She debuted in the recital at 11 and only five years later she performed her first concerto at the Teatro Colón. In 1992, following the advice of Martha Argerich, Fliter moved to Europe to continue her studies with Vitalj Margulis at the Hochschule fur Musik, Freiburg, and later with Carlo Bruno in Rome, and with Franco Scala and Boris Petrushansky at the Academy Incontri col Maestro, Imola. She has participated in master classes with Leon Fleisher, Alexander Lonquich and Louis Lortie; Zoltan Kocsis is considered as her mentor. Fliter won several competitions both in Argentina and in Europe, including the first prize at the Cantu International Competition and fourth prize at the Ferruccio Busoni Competition in Italy. In 2000, she was awarded the silver medal at the International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland. Fliter was the fifth recipient, and the first woman awarded with the 2006 Gilmore Artist Award. She was entitled a New Generation Artist by the BBC Radio 3 in 2007-2009. Fliter made her American debut as the featured soloist with the Warsaw Philharmonic and Kazimierz Kord in January/February 2002, however her first concerto appearance with American Atlanta Symphony Orchestra was in January 2006. �Chopin's music has been one of the great standards of the classical repertoire for generations, and many audiences have enjoyed hearing it played well; however, and especially in this unique class of the art, there is to be found a rare, untouchable nuance that speaks directly to the heart," as Fliter says, �and it is truly an extremely rare artist who can well demonstrate this treasure.� She is in love with her work, and it is her love that gives life to her art, so much appreciated by the public. Price: YTL 60 - 80 - 100 Tel: 0212 351 2456 / 351 9390

Sakıp Sabancı Museum

Masterpieces from Louvre Collections: The Three Capitals of Islamic Art

The exhibition at Sakıp Sabancı Museum (SSM) is in its latest week. �Masterpieces from Louvre Collections - The Three Capitals of Islamic Art: Istanbul, Isfahan and Delhi� exhibition, which displays a collection of major Islamic artifacts will be over on June 1. The exhibition consists of a unique selection of 250 artworks from Ottoman, Iranian Safavi and Indian Mughal Empires and is organized with the cooperation of Paris Museum of Decorative Arts. The collection selected from Louvre's Islamic Section shows the similarities and differences in the artworks of Ottoman (1299-1923) and Iranian Safavi (1501-1722) Empires, as well as Timur-i (1396-1510) and Indian Babur Dynasties, reigned in different regions of the world.

This exhibition is the first major event of a five-year cultural and scientific partnership between SSM and Louvre, established in March 2007. Address: Sakıp Sabancı Caddesi, 22 Emirgan. Tel: 0212 277 2200

ANK

Performing Arts

MEB Şura Hall / Zeynep Tanbay Dance Project / 9:00 p.m. / Price: YTL 23 Tel: 0312 442 72 00

Dip Hall / TNK / 9:30 p.m. / Price: YTL 10

Inform,28.05.08

Read more...

'All inclusive' a chance for Turkey

A recent poll, carried out by Öger Tours, reveals that the all-inclusive system is the main reason why German tourists prefer to spend their holiday in Turkey. The result of the poll confirms that a younger generation in Germany sees Turkey as a holiday destination. 'This fact will make Germany an important potential market for Turkish tourism in the long term,' says Öger Tours General Manager Recep Yavuz

ANTALYA - Anatolia News Agency

A recent poll of over 90,000 German tourists to Turkey has revealed that 85 percent chose Turkey as their travel destination because of its �all-inclusive� model, in which a variety of services are included in the price.

�The all-inclusive system is the main reason that German tourists cited for coming to Turkey. Around 85 percent of poll participants gave the same answer to the question �Why do you prefer Turkey?'� said Recep Yavuz, the general manager of Öger Tours, the company that conducted the poll. He added, �Roughly 44 percent of participants mentioned opportunities for children in reply to a question about what Turkish hotels have that is unlike other hotels in the world.�

Noting that the poll results will help create strategies to attract tourists, Yavuz said 55,000 of those surveyed chose Turkey as a holiday destination on more than one occasion. He said hotels in Turkey offer rich activities for children, rooms for families with children, and an �all-inclusive� method of pricing. �This feature makes Turkey different from all countries in the Mediterranean,� he said.

According to poll results, the age of German tourists to Turkey is lower than in past years. Yavuz said this result confirms that a younger generation in Germany now sees Turkey as a holiday destination.

�This fact will make Germany an important potential market for Turkish tourism in the long term,� he said, adding that Germans polled about their experiences in Turkey have consistently cited interesting cultural sites and almost 100 percent satisfaction, demonstrating that Turkey has an important place in the field of cultural tourism.

Hotel and service satisfaction

The poll asked questions about hotel, personnel, and service satisfaction, with around 90 percent of participants expressing their satisfaction. Yavuz said 20 percent of German tourists said they felt at home in Turkey, adding that the all-inclusive system is the main reason participants in the survey listed for coming to Turkey, demonstrating its importance to Turkish tourism.

Yavus argued that, though the all-inclusive system is sometimes criticized, it cannot be abandoned until the industry has found a new and better system to replace it. �It should be discussed how a consistent system can be developed rather than saying �Tourists do not go out,'� he said, adding that the only way Turkey can currently offer natural beauty and comfortable holiday resorts at a very low price is because of the all-inclusive system.

Expectations from the new season

Stating that hoteliers have even higher expectations for growth in the tourism sector this year than in previous years, Yavuz said the Cappadocia and Aegean regions are likely to benefit from a boom in tourism this summer.

He said Europeans have had a chance to become familiar with the İzmir and Aegean regions thanks to the western city's EXPO bid, adding, �This tourism season is better than last year, but we have even more expectations. We foresee that holiday resorts other than just those in Mediterranean Antalya will host more tourists. Europeans are showing greater interest in the Aegean region this year.�

Inform,28.05.08

Read more...

Zico practically says goodbye

Zico practically says goodbye

Fenerbahçe's technical director, Zico, answered questions from fans on the UEFA website, in such a manner it was as if he was saying his farewell. Zico stated: "It was a privilege to be with Fenerbahçe in the Champions' League. I will never forget the fans. I thank Fenerbahçe for the experience they have given me."

yildiz

Zico says goodbye

Fenerbahçe's technical director answered questions from fans, responding as if he was saying goodbye on UEFA's official website. "It was a privilege to be with Fenerbahçe in the Champions' League. I will never forget the fans. I thank Fenerbahçe for the experience they gave me."

Fenerbahçe's technical director, Zico, responded to questions by Fenerbahçe fans and said: "It was a privilege to be with Fenerbahçe in the Champions' League. I will never forget the fans. I thank Fenerbahçe for the experience they gave me. I think, with their current outlook, they will have many achievements. It is hard for me to stay now. Negotiations are not going well. There are some problems with my technical team and it has made me sad that we started negotiations 15 days before the end of my contract."

Inform

Read more...

Private support needed for Istanbul 2010

SEVDA YÜZBAŞIOĞLU

ISTANBUL – Referans

Support from the private sector is crucial to Istanbul's preparations to become European Capital of Culture in 2010, said the chairman of Istanbul 2010's Executive Board over the weekend.

Speaking at a reception held in Dolmabahçe Palace, Nuri Çolakoğlu said they expected $45 million in support from private companies, noting that their aim was to present art and culture as a viable investment tool.

Speaking to business daily Referans after the reception, Çolakoğlu said 12 companies had already become regular contributors to the event. �We have yet to announce our projects but later we will see these companies as project sponsors. We will gradually spread this out to the public because broad-based support is crucial to the success of this event,� he said.

He said this year's budget was YTL 285 million, noting that YTL 250 million of it would be going toward infrastructure investments. �YTL 35 million will finance cultural art events. If a bill waiting in Parliament is passed, the state will contribute YTL 250 million for the next two years,� he said.

Hüseyin Kavi, assembly president of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry, or ISO, and also the president of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Consultation Council noted that 10 to 12 million tourists were expected to visit the city in 2010, leaving behind $10-15 billion in revenue. �We must see this as investment. We will start talking with the private sector and explain how this project may contribute to their firms,� he said.

�The real project development is starting now. We have important projects in the pipeline but they are not enough for 2010,� he argued.

Efforts are focused on rehabilitating Istanbul's heritage, introducing art and culture to districts that have seldom hosted such events and development of Istanbul's tourism potential and infrastructure.

In line with Istanbul 2010's slogan, �City of four elements,� 2010 will be divided into four quarter-year periods named after earth, air, water and fire.

Among the projects planned are the building of Ayazağa Culture Center, Istanbul Library and Youth Art Center.

Eminönü Square Management Project, renewal of the Atatürk Culture Center, or AKM, restorations at Topkapı Palace and Hagia Sofia Museum, protection of city walls in line with UNESCO norms and Kumkapı's rehabilitation are also among the projects.

*Nuri Çolakoğlu is chief executive officer at the Turkish Daily News.

Inform,27.05.08

Read more...

US report urges European allies to act against PKK

The United States has urged European allies to support Turkey's fight against the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and criticized some capitals for allowing the group to maintain a large extortion, fundraising and propaganda network.

Ayhan Simsek

Photos: US State Department

The PKK continues to use northern Iraq as a launch pad for terrorist attacks against targets inside Turkey.

The US State Department's recently published Country Reports on Terrorism 2007 said that the majority of the European countries improved their capabilities to counter the terrorist threat, but due to various deficiencies, presence of terrorist support networks in Europe, including the PKK, remained a source of concern.

"Efforts to combat the [terrorist] threat in Europe were sometimes slowed by legal protections that made it difficult to take firm judicial action against suspected terrorists, asylum laws that afforded loopholes, the absence of adequate legislation, or standards of evidence that limited the use of classified information in holding terrorist suspects," the report stated. "Terrorists also sought to take advantage of the ease of travel among Schengen countries."

Turkey has long criticized several of its NATO allies for failing to combat PKK activities and blamed them for allowing PKK members to found associations, even TV channels in their territories. The PKK, which is also known as Kongra-Gel, is considered by the United States and much of the international community as a terrorist organization.

The violence of the Kurdish separatist group have claimed more than 37,000 lives since 1984. The PKK continues to use northern Iraq as a launch pad for terrorist attacks against targets inside Turkey. PKK's one of the major financial sources and propaganda is rooted in Europe, among the Diaspora Kurds; and the group is known to have an "octopus-like structure", with illegal activities including fundraising, drug and people smuggling.

Last year, US President George W. Bush committed to provide Turkey "real-time, actionable intelligence" to counter the PKK existence in northern Iraq, and he also urged European allies to cut off the logistic and propaganda bases of the terrorist group.

The US State Department's Country Reports on Terrorism 2007, however, showed that only a few European allies moved to take stronger steps against PKK, while some of them even released detained key PKK militants.

"Germany led Europe in maintaining action against the militant Kurdish separatist group Kongra Gel/Kurdistan Workers' Party (KGK/PKK), which raised funds, often through illicit activity, to fund violence in Turkey, but coordination problems across borders in Europe blunted some successful arrests," the report stated.

Austria, Belgium and Denmark criticised

The report criticised NATO member Austria for failing to fully co-ordinate their law enforcement activities with other states working against the PKK. Last July, Austria initially detained and quickly released KGK/PKK operative Riza Altun and allowed him to board a plane for northern Iraq, despite the fact that he had fake documents and faced charges in France and an extradition request from Turkey. In November, Austria also failed to detain Remzi Kartal, another KGK/PKK leader known to be traveling to Austria who was also wanted by Interpol.

Another European country criticized of its weak treatment to KGK/PKK is Belgium.

"The KGK/PKK is a known presence, with television production studios in Brussels. The KGK/PKK continued to exploit Belgium to raise illicit financing for violence in Turkey and its camps in northern Iraq," the report stated.

A key NATO ally, Denmark, has been praised for its close work with the US and the UN against terrorist threats worldwide, but the report noted that a PKK affiliated media outlet, Roj-TV, continued to operate in the country.

According to the report, PKK affiliated organizations also maintained presence in Italy and were thought to have links with affiliated charitable organizations that maintained Italian branches.

Hundreds of people demonstrate in the streets of Istanbul.

PKK's activities in Europe continue to be one of the major factors that contribute to a rising sense of alienation from the West in Turkey. The study of the Transatlantic Trends 2007 by the German Marshall Fund (GMF) revealed a 14% decline in Turkish support for EU membership, from 54% to 40%, and it showed a growing skepticism towards the EU.

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has promised political and socio-economic openings towards the country's ethnic Kurds, but the PKK's continued violence creates strong public outrage which limits possible steps. Turkish military continues air strikes against PKK bases in northern Iraq, and the Turkish troops conducted a llimited land incursion across Iraq's northern border in February. The State Department report expressed hope that a closer work between Turkey, Iraq and the Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq, will be effective in eliminating the PKK threat.

The report pointed out that the Iraqi Kurdish administration has taken new concrete actions, against the PKK activities in the region, including "closing off re-supply routes via additional checkpoints, increasing airport screening for KGK/PKK members, and directing the closure of KGK/PKK-affiliated offices."

Islamist terrorism threat to Turkey

The US report also highlighted that besides separatists, Islamist terror continues to be one of the major security concerns for Turkey. The Turkish National Police (TNP) and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) conducted an aggressive counterterrorist campaign and detained numerous suspected terrorists in a number of raids last year. In January, a multi-city crackdown netted 47 suspected terrorists associated with Al-Qaeda. In March, 48 suspected Islamic terrorists were arrested in Konya and in June, a concentrated effort in Bursa resulted in 23 arrests. In November, in response to a German request, authorities arrested a German-Turkish citizen in Konya allegedly involved in a disrupted terrorist plot.

With these raids, the groups were disrupted before terrorist acts could be carried out, but the prosecutions did not always follow the arrests.

According to the report, the definition of terrorism in Turkish laws hinders Turkey of interdicting groups targeting "non-combatants globally."

By Turkish law, "terrorist" activities are composed primarily of crimes outlined in the Penal Code committed within the context of terrorist group activities, which target the structure of the state, changing or destroying the principles of the state, and aiming to create panic and terror in society. The law defines terrorism as attacks against Turkish citizens and the Turkish state.

Another concern expressed in the US report has been relatively weak measures against money laundering and financing of terrorism. In 2006, a new law went into place giving MASAK -- Turkey's Financial Crimes Investigation Board -- sole responsibility for financial investigation of money laundering and financing of terrorism.

In its February peer review report, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) evaluated Turkish standards to combat money laundering and finance of terrorism. This report stated that "the number of convictions for money laundering was relatively low; confiscation measures have not yet produced substantial results; and the number of suspicious transaction reports was also relatively low."

Turkey has continued to circulate UN designated names of terrorists to all law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and to financial institutions. This legal mechanism for enforcing sanctions under UNSCR 1267 was challenged in Turkish courts by UN-designated terrorist financier Yasin al-Kadi. A lower-court reversed the ruling, but the appeals court upheld the Council's authority to freeze. In the meantime, al-Kadi's assets remained frozen.

Turkey's support to US led operations

Country Reports on Terrorism 2007 praised Turkey's support to counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. "Turkey has provided significant logistical support to Coalition operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, authorizing the use of Incirlik Air Base as an air-refueling hub," the report stated. "Establishment of this hub allows six C-17 aircraft to transport the amount of goods it took nine to ten aircraft to move from Germany, and saves the United States almost $160m per year."

Turkey has also been active in reconstruction efforts, including providing electricity to Iraq. Turkey contributed headquarters personnel to the NATO Training Mission in Iraq, helped train Iraqi diplomats and political parties, and completed military leadership training in Turkey for 90 Iraqi officers as a further contribution to the NATO's mission.

This content was commissioned for SETimes.com

Inform,May 2008

Read more...

European Parliament urges democratic consensus in Turkey

With a row between the Islamist-rooted AKP government and the secular judiciary compounding Turkey's political crisis, the European Parliament (EP) has stepped in and urged both sides to refrain from controversial moves.

By Ayhan Simsek for Southeast European Times -- 26/05/08

The EP adopted the Turkey Progress Report 2007 last week. [Getty Images]

In a report last week, the European Parliament (EP) called on Turkey's Islamist-rooted government and secular opposition to seek consensus and stick to democratic principles in order to avoid a deeper political crisis.

The key report, adopted on Wednesday (May 21st), also expresses concern about the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The EP appealed to Turkey's top court to respect the rule of law, European standards and the guidelines for liquidating political parties.

Tensions over a perceived threat to secularism have flared up at intervals since Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party took power in 2002. Last year, when the AKP nominated Abdullah Gul as president, the Turkish military warned that it would defend secularism at any cost. A decisive victory in the July 2007 early elections, however, gave the AKP a strong mandate from voters, and Gul was re-nominated and elected.

In March of this year, Turkey's chief prosecutor filed an appeal to have the party closed, charging that it was undermining the secular character of the state. The suit is now before the Constitutional Court, where eight out of 11 judges were appointed by Gul's firmly secularist predecessor, Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

The row between Ankara and its judiciary heated up last week, with the Supreme Court of Appeals blaming the government for pressuring judges and trying to undermine the founding secular principles of the republic. The AKP rejects claims of pursuing a hidden agenda for Islamisation and describes itself as a "conservative democratic" party.

In its Turkey Progress Report 2007, which the EP approved by a 467-62 vote, the parliament acknowledged secularist worries. But it insisted there was no option other than democracy for solving the current stalemate and re-launching Turkey's EU process.

"[We] encourage the Turkish government to make further systematic efforts to ensure that the democratically elected political leadership bears full responsibility for formulation of domestic, foreign and security policy," the MEPs said.

The report also avowed support for a new "civilian constitution", which it called a key opportunity to embed human rights and fundamental freedoms at the core of the constitution.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, a strong supporter of Turkey's EU membership process, addressed the MEPs and expressed hope that Turkey would overcome the crisis. He requested "that a genuine political dialogue is started in Turkey and that both democracy and secularism are respected".

The report also calls on Ankara to enhance freedom of expression, guarantee the rights of non-Muslim minorities and empower women.

The MEPs additionally urged Turkey to seek a lasting settlement of the Kurdish problem.

"This can be based only on tangible improvements in the cultural, economic and social opportunities ... including real possibilities to learn Kurdish within the public and private schooling system and to use it in broadcasting, in daily life and in access to public services," it said. The EP recommended that the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) distance itself clearly from the PKK and seek a peaceful Kurdish solution within the democratic Turkish state.

This content was commissioned for SETimes.com

Inform,26.05.08

Read more...