Turkey Letter: 28 January 2019

Foreign Policy:

  • Turkey aims to form safe zones in Syria for refugees to return
  • N. investigator arrives in Turkey to start Jamal Khashoggi inquiry
  • Turkey’s Erdogan voices support for Venezuela’s Maduro
  • US envoy for Syria Jeffrey visits Turkey
  • Turkey, U.S. discussed Syria pullout, foreign ministry source says

Economy & Energy:

  • Turkey to begin drilling for resources around Cyprus
  • Turkish Treasury raised 1.25 billion euros from bond auction
  • Turkey’s Albayrak says the country looks set for ‘soft landing’ after lira crash
  • IFC increases collaboration with TUSIAD in support for Turkey’s private sector

Domestic Politics:

  • CHP determines mayoral candidates after internal party disputes
  • Zuhtu Arslan re-elected as chair of Turkey’s Constitutional Court
  • CHP, IYI Party resolve disputes on alliance for polls

 

Foreign Policy

 

 Turkey aims to form safe zones in Syria for refugees to return
Turkey is aiming to form safe zones in northern Syria so that around 4 million of Syrian refugees hosted by Turkey could return, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday. Speaking in Istanbul, Erdogan also said nearly 300,000 Syrians had already returned and that he expected millions of Syrian nationals would return to the safe areas.
Reuters, Turkey aims to form safe zones in Syria for refugees to return, 28 January 2019


 U.N. investigator arrives in Turkey to start Jamal Khashoggi inquiry
A United Nations investigation team arrived in Turkey on Monday to start an inquiry into the killing of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi three months ago inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
New York Times, U.N. investigator arrives in Turkey to start Jamal Khashoggi inquiry, 28 January 2019


 Turkey’s Erdogan voices support for Venezuela’s Maduro
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan phoned Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to offer support, and said on Thursday he was shocked that Washington had backed the opposition leader’s move to declare himself interim leader.
Reuters, Turkey’s Erdogan voices support for Venezuela’s Maduro, 24 January 2019


US envoy for Syria Jeffrey visits Turkey
U.S. special envoy for Syria engagement James Jeffrey will travel to Turkey on Jan. 24 for talks on the war-torn country, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said.
Hurriyet, US envoy for Syria Jeffrey visits Turkey, 24 January 2019


 Turkey, U.S. discussed Syria pullout, foreign ministry source says
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed Syria pullout process and bilateral issues in a phonecall on Monday, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.
Reuters, Turkey, U.S. discussed Syria pullout, foreign ministry source says, 21 January 2019


Economy & Energy

 

Turkey to begin drilling for resources around Cyprus
Turkey will begin drilling for resources around Cyprus, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday, a move that could create tensions with neighboring Cyprus and Greece over ownership of natural resources.
Reuters, Turkey to begin drilling for resources around Cyprus, 25 January 2019


Turkish Treasury raised 1.25 billion euros from bond auction
Turkey has raised 1.25 billion euros from bonds due March 2025, the Treasury and Finance Ministry announced on Jan. 25. The ministry on Jan. 24 had mandated BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan for the bond issuance.
Hurriyet, Turkish Treasury raised 1.25 billion euros from bond auction, 25 January 2019


Turkey’s Albayrak says the country looks set for ‘soft landing’ after lira crash
The man in the cockpit of the Turkish economy is preparing it for a “soft landing” after bouts of severe currency turbulence. While Turkey is increasingly at risk of its first recession in a decade, Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak said the economy is actually showing signs of a slowdown in line with the government’s plan to shift to “quality-based growth” after the lira’s crash capped years of runaway expansion.
Bloomberg, Turkey’s Albayrak says the country looks set for ‘soft landing’ after lira crash, 24 January 2019


IFC increases collaboration with TUSIAD in support for Turkey’s private sector
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group and TUSIAD (Turkish Industry & Business Association) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Istanbul, which will allow the institutions to explore new opportunities for cooperation in several themes to promote the development of Turkey’s private sector.
WebWire, IFC increases collaboration with TUSIAD in support for Turkey’s private sector, 23 January 2019


Domestic Politics

 

CHP determines mayoral candidates after internal party disputes
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has determined mayoral candidates for the districts of the provinces of Istanbul and İzmir following nightlong negotiations at a party assembly meeting until the early hours of Jan. 28 amid a series of disputes between members.
Hurriyet, CHP determines mayoral candidates after internal party disputes, 28 January 2019


Zuhtu Arslan re-elected as chair of Turkey’s Constitutional Court
Turkey’s Constitutional Court re-elected Zühtü Arslan as its chairman on Jan. 24. In the voting, Arslan received the support of nine members, while his opponent, Rıdvan Güleç, received five votes. Kadir Özkaya, who withdrew from the nomination, won one vote only. Arslan will serve as president for four more years.
Hurriyet, Zuhtu Arslan re-elected as chair of Turkey’s Constitutional Court, 25 January 2019


CHP, IYI Party resolve disputes on alliance for polls
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and İYİ (Good) Party leader Meral Akşener have resolved issues both parties have been at odds over the upcoming local elections.
Hurriyet, CHP, IYI Party resolve disputes on alliance for polls, 22 January 2019