May 07, 2007

Presidential elections (last time)

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So now we have "Sarko" for the next five years. As an immigrant I was not allowed to vote so you can neither blame me nor praise me for this.

Posted by Peter at 7.5.07

19 comments:

Seda said...

I don't know if it is a good news. I don't think he likes Turks...
Seda
Istanbul Photo

7/5/07 9:50 am
Peter said...

Seda: In last week's TV debate, he clearly expressed his esteem for Turkey and it's people, but he also repeated his clear NO for you joing the European Community (but to go for trade agreements etc). For him, Turkey = Asia. On the other hand, yesterday he made a strong point about a Mediterranean cooperation. Let's see - and reamin optimistic.

7/5/07 10:42 am
Seda said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
7/5/07 11:01 am
Seda said...

We, Turks, don't claim we are purely Europeans because we are not...What we claim is that we are very very unique nation- in the middle of Europe and Asia. We don't surely belong to each side. When I was US, I had very interesting experience. I was in classroom and the teacher wanted to separate people by continent such as Asians to the left, Europeans to the right. His point was to seperate us to make a mixed group later. Everyone in the classroom went to their corners without hesitating or thinking. And there I was in the middle of classroom, looking to people of different countries. I neither looked like exactly European nor like Asian. (very Mediterranean though)And then I realized the difficulty of this situation. Even though the teacher sent me the European side ( My personal success to gain the access to EU), I knew I was very unique and did not belong to any place...But I know for sure that is the reason Europe needs us. We are the bridge between Europe and Asia; between world peace...

7/5/07 11:04 am
Peter said...

I perfectly see your point. You could be the "bridge". I'm not "Sarko", but what I have understood from his arguments is that he wants a strong Europe, not further enlargened.

This is somehow a change of French politics, where Chirac always has said that he was open for discussions for a possible Turkish adhesion (when?)

In any case, I trust we will remain friends.

How strong is the wish in Turkey ot "join Europe"?

7/5/07 11:14 am
Seda said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
7/5/07 11:27 am
Peter said...

That's a clear and strong message. You should forward it to "Sarko" (www.sarkozy.fr). I hope he is or will be aware of what you express. :-)

We must also remember that we now are referring to election messages. Reality politics are often different.

7/5/07 11:42 am
Chuckeroon said...

Peter, tks for visiting Richmond upon Thames DP the other day. You have an inteesting retirement "nest" there in Paris. Many Englishmen, including me, might do they same: but French chauvinism and pig-headedness annoys me. However, I have enormous respect for them, and would not want them to become too supine.

The question of Turkey is interesting....a nation that is also worthy of respect. I know Turks and have a high regard for them. I would love to see a very close relationship with Turkey, but actual membership of the EU as a "National Entity" seems bizarre. Why do the Turks want that sort of relationship? Let me put it this way....can "Europe" spread all the way around the world so that Japan and China become members of the EU? The whole thing becomes unworkable. Turkey and Europe are perhaps better off forming a very close alliance and interchangeability of opportunity.

7/5/07 12:04 pm
Olivier said...

la seule chose tres amusante hier, c'etait le clip des guignols pour annoncer la victoire de Sarko....Maintenant 5 ans (p(beep)n c'est long 5 ans)

7/5/07 1:04 pm
Seda said...

Peter and Chuckeroon, thanks for your nice attitude. But, Chuckeroon, actually Japan is very far away from Europe; however, Northern west of Turkey is geographically Europe. So it is not a fair comparison between Japan/China and Turkey. And what about Cyprus? So it is not matter of geography. I don't know maybe it is a matter of religion but then comes the question. Does Europe define itself with religion? Isn't it a conservative perspective?
Why we, Turks, want to be part of Europe is a tricky question. It is the same reason why Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom wanted to be part of this Union. It surely has its advantages.
And as far as I understand, our politics is "either we are in or not". There is no in between. I don't know if it is good though...

7/5/07 1:15 pm
Peter said...

I think we got an interesting discussion here. Chukeroon's message resumes also Sarko's ideas, as I understand. This is probably the reasonable way? The main thing is to avoid hostile feelings - on both sides. I hope there will be a fruitful dialogue.

7/5/07 1:18 pm
Seda said...

By the way, what I wrote about peace wasn't anything about treat. It was just a concern. Excluding Turkey from EU means the line between west and east are not fine anymore. West is west; east is east. And it would mean that there will be no way to build a positive and unprejudiced relationship between west and east. Examining the world's situation, this message could not be a good one. That's why, Turkey is a unique country. There is no other country in the exact position of Turkey. Neither Japan, Chine, India nor Iran, Iraq, Syria. But of course this is my personal opinion.

7/5/07 1:25 pm
hpy said...

I recently read a very interesting book by Richard (?) Lewis about cultural differencies between people. It might be good for everybody to understand why we seem different to other people even though we all wish apprx the same things in our lives.

7/5/07 1:52 pm
Seda said...

Not to differentiate people as others by the help of understanding of our humanity would help the world peace...

7/5/07 2:01 pm
Olive said...

I second Seda's last comment!
And I'm pretty upset about this Sarko thing... A lot of the people who will later be affected by this vote were not allowed to vote. I think it's wrong that immigrants cannot vote for so long.
The work is now a dangerous place. Bush, Sarko, and a soon-to-be conservative UK... (not that anyone cares, but Canada also has a far right government).
I don't have anything against the far right, I just believe in balance.

7/5/07 5:04 pm
hpy said...

Let's give Sarko some time and then we'll see if we'll praise or blame.

7/5/07 5:27 pm
Seda said...

FOR PREVENTING ANY MISUNDERSTANDING, I EDITED MY COMMENT BECAUSE IT SOUNDED SOMETHING I DID NOT MEAN!

Majority's wish is very strong (of course there are always some people who is in objection)
We like to be part of something bigger than us and want to share the culture. But I think if the process lasts for too long, Turkey's attitude will change.

7/5/07 6:01 pm
Zhang Chunhong said...

Je ne sais pas si c'est une mauvaise chose que Sarko soit élu président. Ségo manque de diplomatie et les deux discours qu'elle a faits, après le premier tour et le second tour, ne sont pas terribles. Ceux de Sarko sont plus riches et plus ouverts. Et intellectuellement, Ségo est moins fort que Sarko. En fait, je ne connais pas grand chose à la politique et mes paroles sont celles d'une profane.

7/5/07 7:48 pm
lyliane six said...

Je ne veux pas m'attarder sur la politique, car cela amène souvent des malentendus et des incompréhensions. Chaque pays a ses idées et son identité et je les respecte et il faut vivre dans le pays pour savoir ce qui s'y passe réellement.

7/5/07 8:38 pm

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