Abstract/Sommario: Turkey has made astonishing progress in the past decade; but how will it fare if the IMF and the EU are not there to keep it on the straight and narrow? Doing it by the book (The economy has had a big boost from much sounder managemet); The Davutoglu effect (over the past few years Turkey has a new policy of "zero problems with the neighbors); A fading European dream (Will Turkey ever join the EU?) Immovable object (Cyprus remains a stubling-block); Balance of power (a mildly Islamis ...; [Leggi tutto...]
Turkey has made astonishing progress in the past decade; but how will it fare if the IMF and the EU are not there to keep it on the straight and narrow? Doing it by the book (The economy has had a big boost from much sounder managemet); The Davutoglu effect (over the past few years Turkey has a new policy of "zero problems with the neighbors); A fading European dream (Will Turkey ever join the EU?) Immovable object (Cyprus remains a stubling-block); Balance of power (a mildly Islamist government fights it out with the generals); All Turks together? (Turkey is overcentralised and treats minorities badly); Silk road to riches (Gaziantep, which with a population of some 1,350m is the country's sixth-largest city, in the the past few years has blossomed. Dotted around the city are factories making carpets, shoes, plastic, packaging and much other. The secret of the region's new strength lies in its ancient links with Syria and Iraq, partly thanks to the abolition of visa requirements for Syrians, cross-border trade is booming); In it for the long haul (but a liberal democracy ready to join the EU is still the best bet)