Security Council Info/Samples - Please Read!

Hello Security Council members! Below are my sample position paper and draft resolutions. Please read both over so you better understand what yours should look like. Thanks so much!
Rachel

Position Paper:
Rachel Rickles
Turkey – Security Council President
Westfield High School
Historical Simulation Committee

1. Modern-day Turkey was formed in 1922 after the Turks defeated the Greeks and overthrew the Ottoman sultanate; Turkey was ruled by a dictator until 1938. This dictator, Kemal (who eventually took the surname Ataturk), severely encouraged the Westernizing of society, which led to some changes that lasted through the 1960s (for example: he introduced the Western calendar, granted universal adult suffrage, used the Roman alphabet, and established schooling that raised literacy). Ataturk deeply desired a democratic society, although his dictatorship contradicted these intentions. Turkey remained neutral in WWII until 1945, when an Allied victory was essentially guaranteed; Turkey acted in this manner because it wanted to guarantee that the Allied forces would protect it from falling victim to the Soviet sphere of influence. Furthermore, Turkey felt that an alliance with the West would establish internal peace and assure its independence.
To further Turkey’s political interest, it joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1952, which was a political alliance formed three years prior with the intention of organizing American and European allies against the Soviets. (In 1960, the following countries were allied in NATO: the US, the UK, Canada, France, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Greece, and West Germany). By 1960, Turkey had become a reliable NATO ally; Turkey’s strong armed forces allowed it to be a strong NATO threat to the Soviet forces (because it was in close proximity compared to most other NATO allies).
Turkey was also a member of the Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC), which further led Turkey to modernize and Westernize. The OEEC emerged from the US’s Marshall Plan in 1948 (which was intended to help Europe recover from WWII and counter the Soviet communist threat). The OEEC was also developed to promote trade and regulate European the economic structure. Member countries of the OEEC were: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and West Germany. Furthermore, Turkey was a part of the joint UN operation during the War in Korea (1950-1953).
Nationally, elections in May 1950 proved to be a turning point for Turkey – the Democratic Party was voted into power, which set in motion a new process of leadership selection and a broader citizen involvement in government. However, the Democratic Party moved the state back towards religious nationalism: for example, the state radio broadcast religious themes and children were given instruction in Islam, the major religion of Turkey. The success of Turkey’s parliamentary democracy stood in contrast to the harsh governments in many surrounding countries. Also throughout this period, Turkey struggled between a secular nationalism and a religious (Islamic) nationalism.
The Democratic Party reached its peak in 1954, when it won most of the seats in the election. However, economic problems ensued in Turkey and the Democratic Party became increasingly repressive. During this time, the Democratic Party seized Republican Party lands and critics of the Democrats were censured or even executed in the late 1950s. After the debatable vote of 1957, opposition to the Democratic Party became harsher and the Party was accused of reversing the secularism that had been occurring in Turkey.
Menderes, Turkey’s prime minister during the early 1950s, enjoyed a strengthened reputation due to the economic boom. This prosperity was due to positive harvests, rapid expansion and a sharp increase in exports; the latter two as a result of Turkish involvement (and therefore, materials needed) in the Korean War. However, minimal harvests in 1953 and 1954 forced Turkey to import wheat again, which hurt its own economy; inflation also became a serious problem despite government legislation to prevent its advance.
Turkey was a largely agrarian society with approximately eighty percent of its population living in rural areas in 1950. Yet, Turkey did focus on building up its industries and modernizing, which it did slowly but surely. A worsening economy between 1958 and 1960 was somewhat due to a housing crisis because the large towns were growing at an annual rate of ten percent and there was a high demand and a low supply, and therefore not many individuals could afford housing. By 1960, one-third of Turks lived in urban areas.
Before the 1950s, primary qualifications to be in the upper classes in Turkey meant having higher education and serving the country either in the military or the government. However, during the 1950s, socioeconomic changes resulting from new government policies allowed varied opportunities for personal economic development. Furthermore, a wealthy business class emerged. Due to its background in mostly entrepreneurial activities (as opposed to bureaucratic), its views clashed with the ruling elite’s. This nongovernmental elite also emerged in the form of architects, professors, lawyers, engineers and many other professional positions; as a whole, they generally resented the patronizing attitudes of the ruling elite. Clearly, in the economical, political and social aspects, Turkey was in a state of transition during the 1950s with positive and negative points in each area.

2. Turkey clearly supported the Western allies, as evidenced by its NATO alliance and economic involvement with European nations. Turkey’s official alliance with the US began in 1947, when the US designated Turkey as a recipient of US assistance to resist the Soviet threat (Truman Doctrine). Moreover, in 1955, Turkey became involved in the Baghdad Pact, which was sponsored by the US and Britain. The Pact was intended to keep the Soviet borders from expanding further. Member states were Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and Britain (the Pact was centered in Iraq). The Iraqi leader (the most Western-allied Middle Eastern leader) was politically countered by Egypt’s leader, who convinced several other Middle-Eastern nations not to join the Pact. However, after the Iraqi revolution in 1958, Iraq withdrew its support and the Pact became known as the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO).
Turkey joined the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its formation in 1957, along with twenty-two other states. The objective of the IAEA was to encourage the use of atomic energy to create peace and prosperity throughout the world, and to ensure that atomic energy was not used for military purposes. However, the IAEA did not have much leverage in the world community.
In October 1959, the Turkish government agreed to host some of the United States’ nuclear weapons, with the US Air Force operating the weapons. The US had stationed weapons in Italy prior to stationing in Turkey (Italy’s government controlled its American nuclear weapons). By agreeing to this, Turkey contributed to the US’s policy of deterrence - a threat to use force in response to a specific behavior. In this case, the US, with Turkey’s assistance, implied that if the Soviet Union attempted to use its missiles (which it had been testing since 1949) toward the US, the US would easily be able to retaliate with its missiles positioned in relatively close proximity to Soviet Union.

3. Turkey has a varied stance on the major human rights issues of the day. First, Turkey’s alliance with NATO meant that it theoretically supported human rights throughout the world. Domestically, beginning with the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the military had played a significant role in the country’s progress. Especially leading up and during to the revolution in 1960, the military held back change and stifled the development of civil society (yet, the military was the most trusted institution in Turkey rather than the government). The Kurds, the largest minority in Turkey, were harmed by the Turkish government if they asserted their identity publicly (and they were punished according to Kurdish laws). Although Turkey was a secular society according to her Constitution, certain provisions protected the secular state so much so that they impeded the freedom of religion (for example, Turkey forbid women to wear headscarves at public institutions and captured pro-Islamic journalists).
In December 1959, Cyprus elected Archbishop Makarios to be the first president of the future Cyprus Republic, which came just after Turkey, Britain, and Greece signed a treaty formally ending the EOKA’s terrorist campaign. This came after four years of bitter fighting involving Turks and hundreds of Turks and Greeks were killed during the time. Under the deal, a Greek Cypriot would be president of Cyprus and a Turkish Cypriot would be vice president. Makarios called on Turks and Greeks to set aside differences and cooperate. Turkish leader Dr. Fazil Kutchuk congratulated Makarios on the victory, despite once being an enemy (but soon to be vice president, and an ally). Clearly, Turkey had relatively good intentions on human rights but often took these intentions too far and ended up suppressing rights of its people.

Works Cited
“Britain, NATO and Turkey (1959-1965).” Turkish Weekly. USAK, 2009. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .
“Deterrence.” International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Ed. William A. Darity. 2008. 333-334. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 18 Nov. 2009.
“Jupiter.” GlobalSecurity.org. N.p., 16 Sept. 2008. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .
Karabell, Zachary. “Baghdad Pact (1955).” Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. Ed. Philip Mattar. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. New York: Macmillian Reference, USA, 2004. 363. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 Nov. 2009.
Katie, Belliel. “Turkey, 1950-present.” Encyclopedia of World History: The Contemporary World, 1950 to the Present. Ed. Martha Ackermann, et al. Facts on File, Inc., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .
“1959: Makarios elected president of Cyprus.” BBC News. N.p., 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2009. .
“Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.” oecd.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .
“Statute of the IAEA.” IAEA.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .
Thompson, Damian, et al., eds. The World’s History. 2nd ed. N.p.: Prentice Hall, 2001. Print.
“Turkey.” ABC - CLIO: World History. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2009. .
“Turkey.” countrystudies.us. U.S. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .
“Turkey: The Changing National Elite.” Countrydata.com. N.p., Jan. 1995. Web. 18 Nov. 2009. .
“Turkey Under the Democrats, 1950-60.” Encyclopedia Britannica. N.p., 2009. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. .
“What’s Being Done On...Human Rights and Democracy in Turkey?” World Movement for Democracy. National Endowment for Democracy, 25 July 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2009. .

Draft Resolutions (please send all parts as one document!):
Sample Draft Resolution
HSC Security Council

Country: Turkey Committee: HSC
Delegate: Rachel Rickles Delegation: Westfield High School

Topic: Apartheid in South Africa

Issues to be addressed in resolution on the topic:

· Promotion of world awareness of the apartheid in South Africa
· Call to action for the government of South Africa to end the institution of apartheid
· Emphasis on the necessity of other nations, especially those in NATO, to pressure or threaten the South African government with economic or political sanctions if it does not end apartheid
· Expression of anger about the current apartheid policies and expression of sympathy to the families of the victims

Justification for issues raised:

Turkey feels that this resolution is necessary because the South African government should be urged to illegalize the institution of apartheid and promote liberty for citizens of all races. We are calling on the world community to pressure the South African leaders to condemn the acts of all South Africans against blacks. As a strong member of NATO, Turkey sees the intolerable inequality of this institution and the horrible way blacks are treated in this nation. However, Turkey recognizes that the world political community, especially members of NATO, must be aware of the acts of violence in order to promote a worldwide movement to end apartheid. Furthermore, these nations need to spread information about this institution and inform their citizens about this fatal movement in order to force the South African government to change its policies on its own. However, if pressure is not enough and the South African government still does not conform, Turkey is willing to enforce economic or political sanctions with the help of other allies to save innocent lives. Finally, Turkey expresses deep sympathy to the families of the victims of all acts of apartheid and promises to work to ensure that these lives are honored by ending this institution for future generations. Turkey also expresses disappointment in the South African government for allowing this policy to flourish.
Sample Draft Resolution
HSC Security Council

Country: Turkey Committee: HSC
Delegate: Rachel Rickles Delegation: Westfield High School

Topic: The Loophole in Berlin

Issues to be addressed in resolution on the topic:

Acknowledgement of the thousands of East German citizens immigrating to West Germany by passing through Berlin
Emphasis on the need to use that the influx of individuals into West Germany constructively
Suggestion about how to ensure that the East German citizens are not spies before allowing them into West Germany
Creation of a system of identification and questioning to preserve the everyone’s safety

Justification for issues raised:

Turkey, as a responsible member of the world community, recognizes that a growing number of East German citizens are crossing the border (established after WWII) into the democratized, NATO-recognized West German area. Duly understood that these individuals desire a free and just government, Turkey welcomes them into the NATO-allied community. However, Turkey feels it is necessary to ensure that these immigrants truly desire this lifestyle and are not spies or supporters of the Soviet Union or other communist governments. To do this, Turkey proposes the creation of a West German-run program that will identify and profile all East German immigrants so they can be formally recognized in West Germany. If any individual is under suspicion, Turkey feels that the West German government has the responsibility and permission to imprison the individual until the individual admits to the accused activity or is released. Furthermore, Turkey calls upon other NATO-allied nations to send representatives to assist West Germany in the scanning of the thousands of individuals. Turkey feels that this resolution is necessary to show the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact allies that the West is welcoming of these immigrants but also serious about ensuring they are not allied with the Soviets.