For just plain folks, Obama visit promises hell
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 04, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - As U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Turkey nears, many in Ankara and Istanbul are trying to reschedule their lives around his itinerary.
Obama’s plane will land at Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport on Sunday night. On Monday morning, he will visit the mausoleum of the republic’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and sign the guest book there, according to the program released by the Prime Ministry press office.
An official welcoming ceremony will be held for the U.S. leader at the Çankaya presidential palace. Obama will meet with Turkish President Abdullah Gül; after their meeting, the two leaders will hold a joint news conference.
Turkey’s legislature will be an important stop for Obama during his Ankara talks. Not only will he address Parliament, but he will also meet with leaders of the opposition parties. Obama will meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at his office.
For Obama's planned address before Parliament, a "Protocol A" invitation has been applied. Around 200 people, including members of the military, judges, civil society leaders, representatives of professional organizations and union chairmen, as well as the chairman of the Alevi Bektashi Federation, Ali Balkız, have been invited to the special session. Obama's address is expected to last for 45 minutes.
A request from one official on the U.S. president's team to be present at the General Assembly while Obama addresses the legislature stirred up controversy. According to the Parliamentary bylaws, only deputies and clerks, not security officials, are allowed to enter the Assembly. Parliament’s administration tends to allow access to a few advisors on the condition that no security officials will be present.
Meanwhile, after the Turkish Union of Restaurant and Entertainment Laborers, which belongs to the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions, or DİSK announced its decision to strike, the workers of the Hilton Hotel Ğ where the U.S. president was expected to stay while in Ankara Ğ chanted slogans Thursday in front of the hotel building. They unfurled banners reading, "Slaves are serving Obama," "No to Abuse of Labor" and "Workers of Hilton are not slaves."
Seyfettin Baş, chairman of the Turkish union, said negotiations with the hotel management failed when the workers were asked to make concessions on their rights. He added that no agreement was reached on pay increases either. The protests led to a change in accommodation from the traditional venue for visiting U.S. presidents. Obama is now expected to stay at the Sheraton Hotel.
According to the program, Obama will leave for Istanbul on Monday evening, then attend a dinner hosted for the participating leaders of the Alliance of Civilizations summit at the city’s historic Çırağan Palace. He is expected to deliver a speech during the dinner.
On Tuesday, the visiting president will tour the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Islamic Arts Museum, where he is expected to meet with students. He will return home in the afternoon. A number of events and openings planned in Istanbul were delayed due to the traffic problems that are likely to stem from the presidential visit.
An official welcoming ceremony will be held for the U.S. leader at the Çankaya presidential palace. Obama will meet with Turkish President Abdullah Gül; after their meeting, the two leaders will hold a joint news conference.
Turkey’s legislature will be an important stop for Obama during his Ankara talks. Not only will he address Parliament, but he will also meet with leaders of the opposition parties. Obama will meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at his office.
For Obama's planned address before Parliament, a "Protocol A" invitation has been applied. Around 200 people, including members of the military, judges, civil society leaders, representatives of professional organizations and union chairmen, as well as the chairman of the Alevi Bektashi Federation, Ali Balkız, have been invited to the special session. Obama's address is expected to last for 45 minutes.
A request from one official on the U.S. president's team to be present at the General Assembly while Obama addresses the legislature stirred up controversy. According to the Parliamentary bylaws, only deputies and clerks, not security officials, are allowed to enter the Assembly. Parliament’s administration tends to allow access to a few advisors on the condition that no security officials will be present.
Meanwhile, after the Turkish Union of Restaurant and Entertainment Laborers, which belongs to the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions, or DİSK announced its decision to strike, the workers of the Hilton Hotel Ğ where the U.S. president was expected to stay while in Ankara Ğ chanted slogans Thursday in front of the hotel building. They unfurled banners reading, "Slaves are serving Obama," "No to Abuse of Labor" and "Workers of Hilton are not slaves."
Seyfettin Baş, chairman of the Turkish union, said negotiations with the hotel management failed when the workers were asked to make concessions on their rights. He added that no agreement was reached on pay increases either. The protests led to a change in accommodation from the traditional venue for visiting U.S. presidents. Obama is now expected to stay at the Sheraton Hotel.
According to the program, Obama will leave for Istanbul on Monday evening, then attend a dinner hosted for the participating leaders of the Alliance of Civilizations summit at the city’s historic Çırağan Palace. He is expected to deliver a speech during the dinner.
On Tuesday, the visiting president will tour the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Islamic Arts Museum, where he is expected to meet with students. He will return home in the afternoon. A number of events and openings planned in Istanbul were delayed due to the traffic problems that are likely to stem from the presidential visit.