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Home , Adnan Menderes, Ankara Agreement, Ergenekon (allegation), Republic Protests, Sheikh Said rebellion, Turkish lira

Chronology of the Turkish Republic

1839-1876 1919-1922 Period: reorganisation of the in vari- War of Independence. ous attempts to modernise the country. 1920 1839 April 23 November The Turkish Grand National Assembly is established in . Tanzimat Fermanı is announced: this Royal decree includes many reform measures such justice in taxes, transparency August in trials, and private property guarantees. Treaty of Sévres: the Government signs the treaty with the Entente powers. 1856 February 1922 Islahat Fermanı is announced: this Royal decree covers rights Abolition of the Sultanate: End of the 623-year-old Ottoman of individuals and political organisations, and the establish- Empire. ment of new institutions. 1923 1876 July 24 December : Peace treaty leading to international rec- The first Ottoman constitution comes into force. ognition of the Turkish state.

1877 September 9 The first Ottoman Parliament is opened. Foundation of the Republican People’s Party.

1878 October 29 The first parliament is closed by Abdülhamid. is declared a Republic. The Turkish Grand National As- sembly elects Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as President, a position 1908 he is to hold until his death in 1938. July Reinstatement of the 1876 constitution and re-opening of the 1924 parliament. Abolition of and Islamic law courts.

1912-1913 1925 Balkan Wars: the Ottoman Empire fights against , Bul- February garia, Serbia and Montenegro. rebellion in the south-eastern Anatolia.

1914 Introduction of reforms in dress, Western numeric system November and calendar. The First World War begins: the Ottoman Empire joins the Axis Powers. 1926 Acceptance of the Turkish Civil Code based on the Swiss Civil 1915 Code granting civil rights to women. May 27 Law on the forced emigration of Armenians from Turkey. 1927 Adoption of the law for the encouragement of industry. 1918 October 1928 Signing of the Armistice of Mudros between the Ottoman Em- The phrase “ as a state religion” is dropped from the pire and the allies. Constitution. 229 1929 1954 Adoption of the Latin alphabet. Turkey signs the with Greece and Yugoslavia. Turkey agrees to the presence of the Air Force 1932 at the İncirlik Air Base. Turkey joins the . Turkey joins the United Nations Security Council as a non-per- manent member for a mandate of two years. 1933 Acceptance of the first Five-Year Development Plan. May 2 Adnan Menderes, leader of DP, wins the parliamentary elec- 1934 tions. December 5 Country Profile: Turkey Profile: Country Turkish women are granted the right to vote and to be elected 1955 in parliamentary elections. Turkey signs the Baghdad Pact with , , Pakistan and Britain. 1938 President Atatürk dies, İsmet İnönü becomes president. September 6-7 Istanbul Riots, also known as the “Events of September 6-7”, 1939 accelerate the emigration of ethnic . Hatay joins Turkey. 1957 1942 October 27 November 11 Adnan Menderes, leader of DP, wins the parliamentary elec- Law of “Wealth tax” comes into force: This heavy tax is lev- tions. ied on the wealthy citizens of Turkey who are mainly non- Muslims. 1959 July 31 1945 Turkey applies for association to the European Economic Com- World War II: Turkey remains neutral. However, it declares munity. war on and Japan towards the end, but does not fight. 1960 May 27 Turkey joins the United Nations Military coup against the ruling Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party, headed by Adnan Menderes, is author- August ized. The Republic of is founded after the Zurich and London Agreements are signed between the UK, Greece and Turkey. 1946 The era of multiparty politics begins. 1961 January 1947 Turkey joins the United Nations Security Council as a non-per- Aid from the United States starts (). manent member for a one-year period.

1949 July 9 Turkey joins the Council of Europe. The new Constitution establishes a bicameral parliament.

1950 September Korean War: Turkey is part of the UN operation. Former Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, former Foreign Minister Fatin Rüştü Zorlu, and former Minister of Finance First open elections: the Democratic Party wins. Adnan Men- are executed by the National Union Commit- deres becomes prime minister. tee, which is established by the military coup.

1951 October 15 Turkey joins the United Nations Security Council as a non-per- Ismet Inömü, leader of CHP, wins the parliamentary elections. manent member for a mandate of two years. October 31 1952 The Turkish Labour Force Agreement is signed between Turkey joins NATO. Germany and Turkey. Start of the first official wave of guest- CIDOB International Yearbook 2011 Yearbook CIDOB International

230 workers to Germany. The Turkish population of Germany has 1974 reached three million in 50 years. Military invasion of Cyprus by Turkey after a coup d’état on the island supported by the Greek Junta. 1963 September 12 1975 The Ankara Agreement is signed establishing a Customs Un- February 5 ion between Turkey and the European Economic Community. The US Congress declares an embargo on Turkey.

Turkish Cypriots withdraw from the government of the Repub- February 13 lic of Cyprus after intercommunal violence in the island. The Turkish Federated State of Cyprus is declared.

1964 The ASALA (Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Ar- Turkey attempts to intervene in Cyprus, however, the initiative menia) is founded. It assassinates Turkish diplomats in various is frustrated by a harsh letter from the US President, Lyndon countries until 1986. B. Johnson. 1977 1965 May 1 Chronology of the Turkish Republic Turkish the of Chronology The (AP), descendant of the Democratic Party, About one million people gather at Square in Istanbul wins the parliamentary elections. Süleyman Demirel becomes for Workers’ Day. 39 are killed after gunfire from a nearby prime minister. building, the police intervention and subsequent panic.

1967 June 5 Start of protests against the United States Sixth Fleet. These The Republican People’s Party (CHP) headed by Bülent Ecevit continue until 1969. wins the parliamentary elections with 41% of the votes.

1968 1978 January 31 Lifting of the US embargo resulting from the invasion of Cy- First broadcast by the state television channel, TRT. prus.

1969 PKK ( Workers’ Party) is founded. January Car of the US Ambassador, Robert Komer, is set on fire in the 1979 Technical University, Ankara. The next day, the March 15 university is occupied the students. Turkey resigns from the Baghdad Pact.

October 12 1980 The Justice Party (AP) headed by Süleyman Demirel wins the January 24 parliamentary elections with 46% of the votes. A new economic stability program is announced. of Turkish . 1971 The Army forces the Demirel government’s resignation after September 12 issuing a memorandum. The Turkish Army takes state power in a coup. Martial law is imposed. Political parties are closed down. Party members 1972 and thousands of people are arrested and 50 people were May 6 executed. Execution of three leading student protesters, Deniz Gezmiş, Hüseyin İnan, and Yusuf Aslan, who become legends of the 1982 Turkish socialist left Promulgation of a new constitution.

1973 1983 The Consul General of Turkey in Los Angeles and the deputy November 6 Consul are killed by an Armenian activist. ’s Motherland Party (ANAP) wins the first general elections after the military coup, gaining 45% of the votes. October 14 The Republican People’s Party (CHP) headed by Bülent Ecevit November 15 wins the parliamentary elections with 33% of the votes. The The Turkish Republic of is declared. AP of Süleyman Demirel gains 30% of the votes.

231 1984 Tansu Çiller is elected Turkey’s first woman prime minister. May 8 Turkey is accepted into the European Council. May 24 Break down of ceasefire with PKK after the killings of 33 un- August 15 armed Turkish soldiers. The PKK launches its first attack in south-eastern Anatolia. 1994 1985 January 26 Turkey signs the UN CEDAW (Convention on Elimination of All Devaluation of the Turkish . Forms of Discrimination against Women). March 2 Country Profile: Turkey Profile: Country 1987 Six Kurdish MPs are arrested. Turkey applies for full EEC membership. 1995 Turkey approves in referendum the rehabilitation of ancient 35,000 Turkish troops enter northern Iraq in order to inter- political larders. vene against the PKK.

October 29 December 24 Motherland Party (ANAP) wins again the parliamentary elec- The Islamic party REFAH wins the parliamentary elections tions gaining 36% of the votes. Turgut Özal re-elected prime gaining 21% of the votes. becomes prime minister. minister.

1988 1996 Turkey ratifies UN Convention Against Torture. 1 January Entry into force of the Customs Union between Turkey and the 1989 . Turgut Özal becomes president. Crisis between Turkey and Greece over offshore waters in the 1990 Aegean Sea. Turkey allows the US-led coalition against Iraq to launch air strikes from Turkish bases. 1997 February 28 The Directorate General on the Status of Women is founded. The Turkish Army issues decisions against religious reactions at the meeting of the National Security Council. The following The IMF approves convertibility of the , which then period, which leads to the resignation of coalition government becomes international currency. and the banning of the pro-Islamist Welfare Party, is named the “February 28 Process”. This episode is later called a “post- May 5 modern coup d’état”. The first private television channel, Magic Box Star 1, starts broadcasting. August 18 Compulsory basic education is increased from five years to 1991 eight years. October 20 The Right Path Party (DYP) headed by Süleyman Demirel wins 1998 the parliamentary elections gaining 27% of the votes. January The Supreme Court decides to ban the Welfare Party - the 1992 biggest party in parliament. Turkish troops enter Iraq in an anti-PKK operation. The party leader and former Prime Minister Necmettin Er- bakan and some other party executives are banned from poli- Turkey joins the Black Sea alliance. tics for five years.

Earthquake in Erzincan: 653 people are killed; 4,000 are in- November 5 jured. The Council of State approves the ten-month jail sentence of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan whose position as the Mayor of 1993 the Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul is rescinded. He Turgut Özal dies in a sudden heart attack. Süleyman Demirel is imprisoned because of a poem he recites at a public becomes the president of the Republic. meeting. CIDOB International Yearbook 2011 Yearbook CIDOB International

232 1999 August February Approval of reforms by the parliament in order to secure EU Arrest of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in Kenya. membership: the death penalty and bans on education and broadcasting in the Kurdish language are to be revoked. April 18 Bülent Ecevit, leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), November 3 wins the parliamentary elections gaining 22% of the votes. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) wins the elections The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) gains 18% of the and comes to power occupying two thirds of the seats in the votes. parliament.

May 2 November 16 Merve Kavakçı is made to leave the parliament amidst pro- The president of the Republic Ahmet Sezer appoints Abdullar tests because she wears a headscarf during her parliamen- Güll, vicepresident of the Justice and Development Party tary oath taking. (AKP), as new prime minister.

June December 12-13 Öcalan receives a death sentence, which is later commuted European Council Summit Meeting in Copenhagen: Negotia- Chronology of the Turkish Republic Turkish the of Chronology to life imprisonment. tions are to begin if the Copenhagen criteria are met. The EU fix December 2004 as the date to decide the beginning of the August 17 Turkey’s EU membership negotiations. Earthquake at İzmit, in the economically developed northwest region of Turkey. According to officials, 17,000 people are December 19 killed; but unofficial figures estimate 50,000 deaths. The approves a second payment for Turkey amounting to 75 million within the Structural Co- November 12 hesion Assistance. A second earthquake in the same region kills 845 people. 2003 December 11-12 January 19 European Council Summit Meeting in Helsinki: the status of EU Turkey ratifies the Protocol no. 13 to the European Conven- candidacy recognised for Turkey. tion on Human Rights, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances. 2000 May January 23 The president of the Constitutional Court Ahmet Necdet Istanbul holds a regional summit on the Iraq crisis with the Sezer becomes the new president of the Republic, replacing participation of the foreign affairs ministers of Jordan, South Demirel. Arabia, , , Iran and Turkey. The Sextet of Istanbul releases a common declaration demanding more cooperation November between UN and Iraq for its disarmament. Liquidity crisis. March December 19 AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins a seat in parliament “Back to Life Operation”: 30 prisoners are killed and hundreds and shortly afterwards becomes prime minister. are injured during this operation against hunger strikers in 20 prisons in Turkey. March 1 The Turkish parliament refuses permission for US forces to 2001 enter Iraq from Turkey. February Turkey is hit by an economic crisis. Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit June-July says, “There is crisis at the cutting edge of the state” during The Parliament passes laws on freedom of speech, use of the an argument with the President and in a couple of hours, five Kurdish language, and the role of military in moves to ensure billion dollars are withdrawn from the . EU membership.

2002 July 4 January 1 Eleven Turkish soldiers are arrested by US forces in Suleyman- A new Turkish Civil Law comes into effect. Turkish men are iye, Iraq. Turkey protests this move and the Chief of General no longer considered as head of the family by law and Turkish Staff, Hilmi Özkök, defines the situation as the most important women receive full legal equality with men. “crisis of confidence” between the US and Turkey.

233 September threats to impose a boycott if Turkish seaports and airports Turkey ratifies UN International Covenant on Civil and Political are not open to its traffic. Negotiations begin with the chapter Rights and the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social on science and technology. and Cultural Rights. July October 7 Opening ceremony of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. The Turkish parliament gives the green light for the sending of troops to Iraq for a one-year period, voting in favour 358 December 10 deputies and with 183 deputies voting against. The Turkish novelist is awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. November

Country Profile: Turkey Profile: Country A total of 58 people are killed during terrorist attacks in Istanbul. December 11 Two of these attacks target synagogues; one targets a branch The Council of the EU decides to suspend negotiations with Tur- of the HSBC bank and the last target is the British Consulate. key on eight chapters due to Turkish restrictions on open its ports and seaports to traffic from Republic of Cyprus until the EU 2004 eases its embargo on Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus. January Ban on the death penalty. 2007 January May Assassination of , journalist and Armenian com- Prime Minister Erdogan visits Greece to begin a new era in munity leader. the Greek-Turkish relations. March 29 June After a long, ten-month break, the EU has decided to open the Broadcast of the first Kurdish-language programme by the next chapter for negotiations with Turkey. state television channel, TRT. April October 6 “Republic Protests”: Supporters of meet in Ankara The European Commission gives the green light for the begin- to put pressure on Prime Minister Erdoğan not to run in presi- ning of Turkey’s EU membership negotiations. dential elections.

December 15 April 27 The European Parliament recommends the beginning of Tur- Press statement on laicism by the General Staff: The public key’s EU membership. calls it an “e-memorandum”.

December 17 June 26 European Council Summit Meeting in Brussels: The EU agrees The European Union and Turkey open accession negotiations to open talks in 2005 on Turkey’s EU accession. on chapter 18 “Statistics” and chapter 32 “Financial Control”. French diplomats vetoed to open chapter 17 on Economic and 2005 Monetary Union. October 4 Start of negotiations on Turkey’s accession to the EU. The Nego- July 5 tiation Framework Document including 35 chapters is adopted. The Constitutional Court approves a reform of the Constitution of 1982 according to that the president of the Republic will be November directly elected by popular vote, instead of to be chosen by the Opening of the Blue Stream Pipeline carrying Russian gas un- president of the government. der the Black Sea to Turkey. July 22 2006 The Justice and Development Party (AKP), headed by Re- May cep Tayyip Erdogan, wins the parliamentary elections gaining A prominent judge of the Supreme Court is killed by a gun- 46,6% of the votes. man. This is considered by many protesters as an Islamic fundamentalist attack. August Abdullah Gül becomes president. June 12 Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union open October 21 practical negotiations on the 35 chapters of the acquis com- Referendum: election of presidents by the people instead of by CIDOB International Yearbook 2011 Yearbook CIDOB International munautaire on Turkey’s EU accession, despite Greek-Cypriot parliament is the result of the votes.

234 December 19 March 23 Accession negotiations between the EU and Turkey on chap- Turkey’s President Abdullah Gül visits Iraq becoming the first ter 21 “Trans-European Networks” and chapter 28 “Con- Turkish president to visit the country in 33 years. Gül meets sumer and Health Protection” are opened. with Iraq’s President Jalal Talabani to sign an economic agree- ment aimed to reinforce political, economic security, trade 2008 and energy links. January Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis become the first April 23 Greek premier to pay an official visit to Turkey in nearly 50 Turkish and Armenian foreign ministries release a joint state- years. ment claiming they have agreed “on a comprehensive frame- work for the normalization of their bilateral relations in a mutu- February ally satisfactory manner”. The begin an incursion against Kurd- ish positions into northern Iraq. Up to 10,000 troops take June 30 part in the operation and advance 25 km into Iraqi territory Accession negotiations between the EU and Turkey on chapter 16 “Taxation” are opened. June 17 Chronology of the Turkish Republic Turkish the of Chronology Accession negotiations between the EU and Turkey on chap- July 13 ter 6 “Company Law” and chapter 7 “Intellectual Property Officials from Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria Law” are opened. sign in Ankara the agreement for the construction of Nabucco Pipeline. The 3.000 km long gas pipeline crossing Turkish ter- September ritory is expected to be operational by 2015 and it will carry Turkish President Abdullah Gül becomes the first Turkish 31 billion cubic metres (1.1 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas head of state to visit Armenia accepting an invitation of Ar- per year. menian President Serzh Sargsyan to attend a sports vent. July 15 September 3 Turkey and Chile sign a free trade agreement, with 98 percent Turkish Foreign Affairs minister and the six of bilateral trade now tax-free and the rest to follow suit within member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Ku- six years. This is the first trade agreement between Turkey wait, Oman, , Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates) and a South American country. sign a memorandum of understanding with Turkey to achieve a strategic partnership for a future free trade agreement September 10 between Turkey and the GCC. The European Commission opens negotiations with Turkey upon accession to the Energy Community. The Energy Community October Treaty entered into force on 1 July 2006. Albania, Bosnia-Herze- A series of trials begin: Members of an ultra-nationalist govina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, group, known as the “”, are accused of many Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo pursuant to UNSCR 1244, and attacks and aiming at a military coup against the govern- the European Community are parties to this Treaty. Ukraine, the ment. Republic of Moldova, Turkey, Norway and Georgia have currently the status of Observers. The general objective of the Energy December 19 Community is to Create an integrated energy market allowing Accession negotiations between the EU and Turkey on chap- for cross-border energy trade and linked to the EU market. ters “Free Movement of Capital-4” and “Information Soci- ety and Media-10” are opened. Up to now 10 chapters October 10 have been opened since the begging of the negotiations in Armenia and Turkey sign an agreement in Zurich establishing 2005. diplomatic relations.

2009 December January 1 The Constitutional Court bans the Turkey joins the United Nations Security Council as a non- because of claims that the party has links to the PKK. permanent member for a mandate of two years. This is the fourth time that Turkey holds a seat at the Security Council. December 21 Accession negotiations between the EU and Turkey on chapter January 30 27 “Environment” are opened. In the World Economic Forum meetings in Davos, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan argues with the President of 2010 Israel Shimon Peres over Gaza during a panel discussion and January Erdoğan walks off the stage. Istanbul becomes the European Capital of Culture in 2010.

235 May 12 Sources: Agreements on energy between Turkey and Russia are signed. This includes building Turkey’s first nuclear power plant. Rus- BBC Turkey timeline sia and Turkey sign an agreement on visa-free travel. IFES Election Guide IPU Parline May 14 CIDOB International Yearbook Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou sign 21 bilateral agreements on issues ranging from tourism to illegal immigration to economic co- operation.

Country Profile: Turkey Profile: Country May 31 Nine Turkish activists are killed in an Israeli commando raid while trying to bring aid to Gaza with the flotilla ship “Mavi Marmara”.

June 10 Istanbul holds the Third Meeting of the Arab-Turkish Coopera- tion Forum at the level of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs. The Forum welcomed the expansion of trade, investment and eco- nomic relations between Turkey and the Arab League mem- ber states through the conclusion of free trade agreements between Turkey and Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Syria, Palestine and Tunisia as well as visa exemption agreements between Turkey and Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria and Tu- nisia.

June 30 Accession negotiations between the EU and Turkey on chap- ter 12 “Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary-12” are opened.

July 196 people, mainly military officers, are accused by the Istan- bul Court of scheming the overthrow of the government.

September 12 Referendum on constitutional reform: Revisions of the existing constitution give the parliament voice in assigning judges and making military personnel more answerable to civilian courts.

2011 June 12 Holding of parliamentary elections. CIDOB International Yearbook 2011 Yearbook CIDOB International

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