Word: turkishly
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...praise for Turkey was plentiful, there was some tough love too. Using the example of the U.S. and its struggle in dealing with the legacy of slavery, he urged Turks to "reckon with their past" in dealing with the killings of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces in 1915. During last year's presidential campaign, Obama had said he would officially recognize the deaths as genocide. But in Ankara, he steered clear of the term - which Turkey rejects - and instead voiced support for Turkey's efforts to normalize relations with Armenia...
...Obama's address met with rousing applause from Turkish MPs and is likely to please Turks, many of whom had chafed at the Bush Administration's efforts to position Turkey as a "moderate Islamic state," weakening its officially secular identity. "He said Turkey is a country that's part of the Western world that happens to be Muslim. He's endorsing Turkey as a role model," said Soner Cagatay, head of the Turkish program at the Washington Institute, on CNN. "It's a speech that many Turks will remember for years to come...
...roses though. Dividing his time between the capital Ankara, where he will address Turkish MPs, and Istanbul, where he is to meet with religious leaders and youths, Obama is also expected to deliver a message urging Turkey to embrace further democratic reforms and to refocus on its long-term goal of joining the European Union. Movement towards membership of the E.U. has stalled, both because of European leaders' unwillingness to contemplate a future with Turkey, and the current government's Islamic leanings, which have led it to turn eastwards and greater involvement with the Middle East. "The United States must...
...Another contentious point on the agenda is the continuing effort in the U.S. Congress to recognize the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces as a genocide, a term Turkey rejects. While campaigning, Obama said he would recognize the killings as genocide but has given no sign that he will raise the issue while here. He may be helped by the fact that Ankara is quietly working to normalize relations with Armenia and is expected to re-open its border shortly. That announcement could be made during the Obama visit...
...despite the likelihood of some disagreements, Turkish officials see the trip as a chance to strengthen ties with an old ally and an opportunity to put the past eight years behind them. "Obama is turning away from previous confrontational policies to dialogue," says Alpay. "And Turkey represents the possibility of a solution through dialogue on many problems which are important...