ANKARA, June 12 (Reuters) – Growing disquiet in Turkey over special courts’ handling of mafia and terrorism trials, that have included coup conspiracy cases against hundreds of military officers, could lead the government to curb their powers, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

The Justice Ministry is working on amendments to the criminal code, and Erdogan’s latest comments will fuel speculation that the courts could be dismantled.

“We are the government who introduced the special authority courts. They worked, and were useful at times, but unfortunately harmful at others. We have to form a balance,” Erdogan told journalists in parliament.

Erdogan, who has previously criticised special prosecutors for acting as if they were “a different power within the state”, refused to rule out the possibility that the special courts could be scrapped.

“Anything could be on the table,” he said.

“What matters to us is the contentment of our people. It is the parliament’s duty to change things into ways people will be content with, if there is discontent.”

Erdogan’s decade in power has been fraught with tension between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and a staunchly secular military that distrusted the prime minister’s Islamist past.

After they were established in 2005 to replace state security courts, the special authority courts began to pursue cases against the military’s officer corps, giving the AKP the upper hand.

They shot to prominence in 2007 when police claimed to have uncovered an ultra-nationalist network, named Ergenekon, running plots against Erdogan’s government.

Many of the hundreds of suspects rounded up and held in lengthy pre-trial detention belong to the military, though others included academics, journalists and social activists.

Critics say cases spiralled out of control, and initial public support for investigations dwindled as fears grew that prosecutors were using their powers to stifle dissent.

During the past few days Turkish media has been filled with speculation that hundreds of defendants in coup conspiracy and mafia trials could be released, including some of the 365 officers currently on trial in the Sledgehammer case.

Prosecutors allege a war game seminar in 2003 laid out plans to undermine Erdogan’s government by planting bombs in historic mosques and tourist sites in Istanbul and provoke an escalation of tension with Greece, in order to pave the way for a military takeover.

Defence lawyers have boycotted the final stages of the trial in protest at the judges’ refusal to admit testimony from expert witnesses who would argue that evidence gleaned from computer files by the prosecution had been falsified.

The issue has renewed speculation of a rift in the ruling AK Party between Erdogan’s camp and followers of Fethullah Gulen, an influential Islamic preacher living in self-imposed exile in the United States.

On Monday, Bulent Arinc, one of Erdogan’s four deputy prime ministers, a former lawyer regarded as close to Islamist factions, denied there was any chance of the special courts being affected by changes under consideration by the Justice Ministry.

“There are no changes regarding the special authority courts, or articles 250, 251, 252 of the penal law in the fourth judiciary package that is being discussed nowadays,” Arinc told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Monday.

Special prosecutors clashed publicly with Erdogan earlier this year when they sought to question his intelligence chief over secret peace talks held in Oslo with representatives of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Many Turks oppose any negotiation with the militant group whose separatist struggle has resulted in the deaths or more than 40,000 people since the mid-1980s.

(Writing by Simon Cameron-Moore; Editing by Jon Hemming)

“We are not allowing any hindrance in our economic and cultural relations with either the Republic of Tatarstan or its friendly, neighboring Russian Federation.

Following the abolishment of visa requirements for travel between Turkey and Tatarstan, mutual visits dramatically increased and were followed by the development of bilateral economic relations,” Davutoglu said after a meeting in Ankara with Minnikhanov, emphasizing the strong relations between the nations of Turks and Tatars.

For his part, Minnikhanov thanked governors of the Republic of Turkey for their contributions to protection of the common culture of Turkish-speaking nations.

Following his meeting with Davutoglu, Minnikhanov proceeded to the Presidential Palace, where he was received by President Abdullah Gul in an official ceremony and later attended a working luncheon hosted by Gul.

Minnikhanov’s visit has particular significance in that it is the first presidential visit from Tatarstan to Turkey.

Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fell in North Africa. Now, it is Hosni Mubarak’s time in Egypt. Then, it appears, Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen will go. These three Arab leaders are like aging walnuts. For 30 years, they have been ruling their countries with iron fists (the police, the military and the intelligence). They and a small group of their relatives have been exerting control over politics and economy in their countries. They would not distribute oil or natural gas incomes to their people. They would not create employment. On the other hand, the slighted increase in world food prices would be felt directly by their people. They would not allow justice, dignity, freedom, democracy, economic and political reform. The opposition was under pressure. The people had enough of the empty promises of the political power.

In order to make sense of the change that has started in the Middle East, we need to realize that the Middle East of the 21st century is quite different from that of the 20th century.

In the Middle East of the 20th century, people were ignorant. They were not knowledgeable about the world. They were receiving only what was given to them. They were being continually saved by their saviors. The intellectuals — writers, engineers, physicians and economists — who were employed or oppressed in their own countries were able to find jobs in the West. A Tunisian physician could practice medicine in Belgium. An Algerian engineer could work at Renault in France. Thus, by keeping its doors open, the West could prevent from the pressure cooker called the Middle East from exploding.

In the 21st century, the peoples of the Middle East are not ignorant. The use of French in North Africa and of English in the Middle East is quite popular. The use of Spanish is on the rise due to Arabs who settled in Latin America during the Ottoman era. Russian is popular among intellectuals due to the good relations with the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. Thanks to the recent improvement in the ties between Turkey and the Middle East, Turkish is also becoming popular among Arabs. Arab youth are studying and working all over the world. Arabs watch the world via the Internet and international TV channels. They are doing business with the world. We need to see that in the 21st-century Middle East, the young people of 9/11 were not ignorant, but started to wage a war against the West after understanding Western values. The Hezbollah, which Israel faced in Lebanon, was not like the Arabs of the 20th century. They did not escape or give in. They knew how to use weapons and they are well-trained, well-organized and faithful troops.

Just as the 21st-century Middle East underwent a change, so did the 21st-century Western world. The West changed their immigration laws and closed its doors to the immigrants from the East. Middle Eastern and North African people started to face racist pressures although they were born and grew in and were citizens of Western countries. Thus, by keeping its doors closed, the West started to wait for the pressure cooker of the Middle East to explode. Intellectuals who could not migrate from the Middle East to the West were doomed to live with low wages or face unemployed and endure political pressures in their own countries. This gradually increased the rage against the political powers in the Middle East and against the West. Eventually, the threshold of fear and tedium was exceeded and the first explosion came on Sept. 11, 2001. The second explosion came with the Paris incidents of October 2005. The third explosion was in Tunisia in January 2011 and then in Egypt.

The young generations of the 21st century quickly get bored with everything and consume everything speedily; they don’t like long lasting political powers. This new trend in the world is becoming stronger among young Arab people who use virtual — legal or illegal — organization methods made available by the Internet. People can pour into the streets thanks to the Internet. Thus, the Arab world is gaining a more dynamic structure.

The people and youth of the 21st-century Middle East demand a better life. However, the poor and educated Arab middle class youth lack any ideological background or organization. Revolutions — French, Bolshevik or Iranian — on the other hand, have ideological backgrounds and organizations. Therefore, there is the likelihood of new political powers becoming old powers or radicals in the Arab world.

According to media reports on Thursday, the Bible was seized from a gang smuggling artifacts during a police operation in southern Turkey in 2010 and reportedly preserves its originality and many traces of the period in which it originated.

The gang was reportedly convicted of smuggling various items seized during the operation, including the Bible, and all the artifacts were kept in a safe at an Ankara courthouse. The Bible, which was reportedly kept at the courthouse for years, was only recently handed over to the care of the Ankara Ethnography Museum.

Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay said on Thursday that the ministry has received a copy of Bible from the Ankara courthouse which dates back to 1,500 years ago and is thought to have been written in Aramaic, the language of Jesus. He said the Bible needs restoration and it will be opened to public display after this. The Turkish media reports also said on Thursday that the Vatican has requested that Turkey allow it to examine the 1,500-year-old Bible; however, the Vatican Embassy in Ankara denied the reports on Thursday suggesting that the Vatican had asked Turkey to examine the copy of Bible in Ankara.

The leather-bound Bible, which is said to be worth TL 40 million, was written on leather sheets and is now under protection as it is regarded as a valuable cultural asset.

Breaking the ties with Damascus, Ankara ordered yesterday the Syrian charge d’affaires and other diplomats at the Syrian embassy in Ankara to leave the country within 72 hours.

The Foreign Ministry said it ordered the Syrian charge d’affaires and other diplomats at the Syrian embassy in Ankara to leave the country within 72 hours.

The consulate in Istanbul will remain open for consular duties only. “It is out of the question to remain silent and without any reaction in the face of this action, which amounts to a crime against humanity,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday and added that this grave crime against humanity by those who have attempted a massacre of civilians cannot go unpunished.

Touching upon the issue, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “Syria’s ambassador is not here. We conveyed our order to their temporary charge d’affaires and all embassy staff to leave the country,” adding, “Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already made the necessary statement. Our order is part of common sensitivity of international community following killings of 100 people, including 50 children, in Houla. We cannot remain silent. It’s also cruelty to remain silent and allowing cruelty.”

Erdogan added that he believed those who stayed close to Syrian regime would not be able to continue. Erdogan also said new unspecified sanctions might be imposed against Syria in the coming days. The world “cannot remain silent in the face of such a situation,” he said.

Schulz also spoke at the inauguration of “Civil Society Facility – Parliamentary Exchange and Dialogue” at the Parliament, urging minorities to be involved in the reform process and calling for equal protection for religious and ethnic minorities in the new constitution.

Furthermore, Schulz condemned a suicide attack which killed one and wounded 18 others in the central province of Kayseri, stressing that the EU stands with Turkey in its resolve to fight against terrorism and that nothing justifies such indiscriminate violence.

“We may look at this Facility within the broader context of the “Positive Agenda” that was launched during Commissioner Fule’s visit on 17 May of this year and fully supported by the Member States. The best way to further develop the common strategic interests of the EU and Turkey is to engage in a wide variety of frank, face-to-face discussions as foreseen in this Exchange and Dialogue.

It is my sincere hope that the understanding and close ties brought about by this Facility will help to make progress with those chapters frozen for political reasons and in particular those highlighted by Stefan Fule during his visit,” Schulz said, adding, “Having parliamentarians from the European Parliament or from the National Parliaments of the Member States visit Ankara will help those in the Grand National Assembly and Turkish civil society to know that many EU leaders are behind them in this journey towards membership. They can see what being in EU means on a first-hand basis, what implementing the acquis has meant for national legislatures. That joining the EU does not mean losing a sense of self, but rather means allowing Turkey to contribute to the common European narrative.”

The Parliamentary Exchange and Dialogue jointly conducted by both the Turkish Parliament and EU aims to increase inter-parliamentary dialogue between Turkey and the EP and EU member countries and increase the Parliament’s role in Turkey’s EU membership talks.

Following his contacts, Schulz held a press conference in Ankara. Speaking to reporters, Schulz described himself as a strong defender of Turkey’s EU membership and said there were still issues that should be resolved between the union and Turkey. The EP president said the state of Turkey’s negotiation process, visa debate, the Greek Cypriot term presidency ahead and the ongoing constitutional reform process in Turkey were the core issues discussed during his talks with Turkish officials yesterday.

In response to a question on whether he had concerns about the freedom of press in Europe, Schulz said he had always criticized restrictions against the media. “Freedom of media is a world-wide problem, not only in one country,” he said.

Schulz also praised Turkey’s political and material support especially in relation to Syria, defining it as “invaluable.”

Serkan Demirtas – Hurriyet Daily News

Turkey is working on a plan to avert the political and economic difficulties it could face as a result of the Washington-proposed sanctions against Iranian crude oil exports, which make up nearly one third of the country’s daily consumption. Though Turkish officials voiced their intention to seek exemption from sanctions, (as they would only abide by U.N. Security Council resolutions), the government is weighing various ways to gradually reduce Iranian oil imports, including by using Saudi Arabia and Russia as potential alternative suppliers.

The United States imposed a fresh round of sanctions against financial institutions dealing with the Iranian Central Bank late December, aimed at hampering Iran’s crude oil exports to international markets. The U.S. is threatening to impose sanctions on the financial institutions of other countries if they “engage in a financial transaction for the sale or purchase of petroleum or petroleum products to or from Iran after 180 days of the enactment of the law,” signed by President Barack Obama on Dec. 31, 2011.

In official remarks, Turkey has openly said it would only implement sanctions if they were imposed by the U.N. Security Council but also added it would consider seeking an exemption from measures against Iran given its unique position. However, despite whether Turkey abides, the law will have a direct effect on Turkish financial institutions as a result of the country’s nearly 9 million tons of crude oil purchases from Iran. The country’s sole refiner, Tüpraş, renewed the deal to buy the same amount of oil from Iran in 2012, but Reuters reported that it was planning to meet Saudi Arabian oil authorities this month in order to secure an alternative supply. Tüpraş did not comment on the story late Friday.

Purchasing a Franchise is an important decision; you need to take advice from a Solicitor. Whilst many people consider that any Solicitor will do, we believe that it is important that you consult a Solicitor that specializes in commercial and Franchising Law. If you ever have a legal questions pertaining to franchising, and over a period of time, there is a vacuum of lack of knowledge about important legal facts, you’ll need someone knowledgeable to advise you. Attorneys are not as expensive as you might think, and the value you’ll get is significant. Buying a franchise involves a host of legal considerations, which a prospective purchaser should consider before entering into a franchise relationship.

An expertise in key legal questions and a legal advice for franchising, important legal facts key legal questions are essentials that need to be clarified before one actually enters into Franchising.

A specialist Franchise lawyer will check out many aspects on your behalf from studying the Franchise agreement to checking through tenancy agreements. Whilst most Franchise Agreements are, and should be set in stone it is important that you understand fully the crucial aspects of important legal facts that form the essence of key legal questions that will help you sail through a successful venture.

Locations and marketing area, trademark issues, omissions from the franchise agreement, renewable rights are some of the key legal questions that usually loom over our minds and make it more confusing.

What entities and/or individuals will be responsible for performance of various obligations under the contract? If the franchisee is a corporation, will a personal guarantee be required, and if so, what obligations are covered? These are some of the key legal questions that you need to ponder upon.

If the franchisee will execute the contract as an individual, does he or she have the right to assign the franchise to a corporation that he or she owns? What restrictions are there on other activities of the franchisee, the relatives of the franchisee and their family members (such as ownership, employment or other participation in businesses that might be competitive)? Aren’t these some of the legal questions about franchising that still remain unanswered in your minds?

Whether you are buying a single unit franchise, starting a new franchise system, or growing your existing system, look to our franchise lawyers to provide you with insightful legal advice that is tailored towards your business operations and mindful of the unique nature of the franchise relationship. All the top legal questions would be answered at franchiselife.tv. Your journey from Question mark (?) to full stop (.) begins here.

Make no mistake – the industry of franchising is BIG. Currently it is the dominant mode of entrepreneurship in retail in the world’s leading countries. In the United States alone, according to recent statistics, there are about 2300 companies who manage franchise chains spread out in over 80 industries and lines of business. According to data, in the United States alone there are 767,000 franchises that employ more than 10 million people. This business also generates around one trillion dollars in sales annually and account for as much as 40 per cent of all US retail sales. Can you imagine the combined worth of the business industry all over the world?

This particular business model is taking over the world. Similar to direct marketing, it is also fast becoming a very common business model. In the United States, the number of outlets increased by 146 percent in just over 20 years. While independent and original businesses still flourish as more unique market niches are discovered every day, many businesses have started to replace independent businesses such as the fast food industry, banking, automotive repair, et cetera aside from the numerous retail chains available. The specific business systems are currently found in more than 80 different industries; with more being added every year. Recent additions include niche markets and products in the telecommunications industry, as well as those in maternal health – there are franchises now for outlets offering three dimensional ultrasound services.

Not only is it dominating local markets, franchises grow internationally too. The American House Committee on Small Business has defined franchising as one of America’s most rapidly growing exports. With McDonald’s and other companies claiming stake over markets in obscure and smaller countries, it is safe to assume that most franchises plan to expand even more internationally, especially now that technology is making things so much easier. Globalization is unavoidable, and its bringing businesses everywhere it can reach.

What does all this information mean for you? Well, if you are interested in the possibility of expanding your business, or you are looking for new business opportunities – then be confident in the fact that franchising is a behemoth of an industry, there’s room for more! What this means is that because of this type of business, there are now more options for entrepreneurs, or at least for business minded individuals. What this means is that anyone with capital can use it to invest in a rapidly growing industry and the opportunities for growth and revenue are numerous.

So if you are seriously planning on entering the world of business, you need to consider, there are many things you need to think about and decide on. Franchising is just an option, a direction you can take for your business (if you have one) or for your capital. It is also true that this may not be for everyone. But with careful planning, analysis, or informed advice from business and franchising experts, then it may well be a great option. Look at all the successful franchises around you. That’s just the beginning.

As with several other areas of the law, franchising is governed by a code of ethics. This code of ethics is known by specialist lawyers and those people whom wish to participate in a franchising agreement.

This article looks at some of the key points of the code of ethics that many specialist solicitors follow when providing franchise legal advice.

In the UK, the code of ethics is based on the code that was developed by the European Franchise Federation. This code has then been interpreted, extended and applied by the British Franchise Association [ BFA]for use in agreements relating to the UK, and all of its member franchise solicitors need to take this into account on any agreement they work on.

Interestingly, the code of ethics describes franchising as involving the marketing of technology, services and goods through collaboration between a franchisor and franchisees. This collaboration must be legally and financially separate and it involves the parent company giving the franchisees the right to use the relevant trade name and ‘know how’ associated with the business within a framework that should be laid out in the initial agreement.

The code of ethics also states that the parent business must meet certain conditions before it can start trying to recruit franchisees. Your franchise solicitor [if they are a BFA member] will be able to explain this in more detail, but essentially businesses must have already been operating successfully for a reasonable period of time, the owner must have the right to the trade name and intellectual property, and they must be willing to provide franchisees with support and training both initially and for the life of their agreement.

In terms of the franchisees, the code of ethics states that they need to be dedicated to the growth of the business, they need to be willing to supply the franchisor with operating data so they can determine how well they are performing, and they must not disclose the ‘know how’ of the business to any third parties at any time.

Both parties are also required to act fairly towards each other and, wherever possible, settle disputes with direct communication and negotiation; franchising solicitors will be able to give you more information about the precise requirements and conditions for each party. The code of ethics also makes it clear that any recruitment material must be unambiguous and that franchisees should be chosen according to their capacity to run the business successfully.

All franchise agreements need to comply with the code of ethics, national law and European law. The agreements must also make sure to include certain information, such as the rights of both parties, what they are both agreeing to, the length of the agreement, payment arrangements and provisions for termination of the agreement.