World Press on Iran, Turkey and the Caucasus (May 18, 2011)

The Washington Post published an article by David Ignatius devoted to the current situation in Syria. Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad is becoming increasingly isolated and vulnerable as major nations conclude that his regime cannot survive, Ignatius thinks. Even Turkey that was always al-Assad’s major ally admits regime needs serious reforms.

The New York Times published an article about the missing Al Jazeera reporter Dorothy Parvaz, who has apparently been in Iran for more than two weeks and is possibly in Iranian custody. According to Iranian officials the reporter committed several offences including travelling without a valid passport.

The Los Angeles Times published an article headlined “Obama's upcoming speech will spell out his Mid-east rationale”. The author says that in his coming address President Obama will pay special attention to the situation in the Middle East. The President will spell out the US line on democratic revolutions in the region, issues of Arab-Israeli relations, and Iran’s nuclear program. US attitude to the ongoing Arab Spring   is a target of vehement criticism, underlines the author, now the President has a chance to make his position clear.

The Guardian published an article devoted to political crisis in Iran, where parliament starts the procedure of presidential impeachment. President Ahmadinejad is now under such intense political pressure that expert observers wonder if he will see out his term, says the author of the article.

“Who will write Turkey’s new constitution?”, an article with such a headline was published by Hurriyet. On June 12, Turkey faces general parliamentary elections. Opinion polls show that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will win the polls for the third consecutive time since 2002. In anticipation of its victory, the ruling AKP has promised to draft a new constitution for the country. “Turkey is indeed in need of a new constitution to replace its outdated and illiberal 1982 text,” thinks the author arguing that AKP members will write a better version. The country needs a new democratic constitution and AKP with its conservative allies can hardly elaborate such an edition, thinks the author.