Turkey Letter: April 30, 2018

Foreign Policy:

  • Turkish FM Says He and Pompeo Agree on Syrian Kurdish Forces
  • US, Turkish army chiefs discuss Syria in phone call
  • Three U.S. senators move to block F-35 transfers to Turkey
  • Turkey Will Move With U.S. in Syria’s Manbij: Foreign Minister
  • Turkey, US agree to approve roadmap on Syria
  • Pompeo Presses Turkey on S-400 Missiles Purchase From Russia
  • Uzbekistan decides to join ‘Turkic alliance’ during Erdogan’s visit
  • Turkish president welcomes historic Korea summit
  • Turkey, Iran, Russia Need to Work With U.N. for Syria Solution-Turkish FM
  • Turkish Foreign Ministry summons German envoy over ex-PYD chair Muslim
  • Greece releases former Turkish soldier accused of terror links by Turkey

 

Economy and Energy:

 

  • UPDATE 1-Ahead of election, Turkey offers $6 billion incentive package
  • Turkish Central Bank raises 2018 inflation forecast
  • Turkey’s tourism income increases in first quarter
  • Turkey develops high-speed grenade launcher munition
  • Turkey to Open Investigation Into Steel Imports, EU Exempted

 

Domestic Politics:

 

  • Prosecutor seeks 5 years sentence for HDP politicians
  • İYİ Party vows to reopen access to Wikipedia if elected
  • Prosecutor seeks 5 years sentence for HDP politicians
  • Opposition slams alleged persuasive visit to Gül as ‘military intervention’
  • Party leaders should not run in presidential election: CHP head Kılıçdaroğlu
  • We’ll be part of AKP-MHP alliance: BBP chair Destici
  • Canal Edirne project by Turkey-Greece border almost complete, authorities say
  • Canal Istanbul post-election priority: Erdoğan
  • 63 suspects detained over FETÖ links
  • Opposition targeting me rather than seeking to rule Turkey: Erdoğan
  • Reports: Turkey Detains 4 Senior Islamic State Militants
  • World Turkish court sentences 14 journalists and newspaper employees to prison

Foreign Policy:

 

Turkish FM Says He and Pompeo Agree on Syrian Kurdish Forces

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says he and new U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have agreed to approve an existing “road map” to getting Kurdish militia to withdraw from a Syrian town.

New York Times, Turkish FM Says He and Pompeo Agree on Syrian Kurdish Forces, April 27, 2018


US, Turkish army chiefs discuss Syria in phone call

U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Joseph Dunford spoke with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar over the phone on April 27, according to the Pentagon.

Hürriyet Daily News, US, Turkish army chiefs discuss Syria in phone call, April 28, 2018


Three U.S. senators move to block F-35 transfers to Turkey

Three U.S. senators introduced a measure on Thursday aimed at blocking the transfer of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to Turkey, a NATO ally and one of nine partner nations involved in producing the high-tech, radar-evading aircraft.

Reuters, Three U.S. senators move to block F-35 transfers to Turkey, April 26, 2018


Turkey Will Move With U.S. in Syria’s Manbij: Foreign Minister

Turkey will take steps together with the United States in Syria’s Manbij region, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday April 27, following his meeting with new U.S. Secretary State Mike Pompeo in Brussels.

New York Times, Turkey Will Move With U.S. in Syria’s Manbij: Foreign Minister, April 27, 2018


Turkey, US agree to approve roadmap on Syria

Turkey and the United States have agreed to approve a road map on Syria “to avoid potential confrontation” between the two allies, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said after meeting with the new U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Brussels on the occasion of a NATO summit.

Hürriyet Daily News, Turkey, US agree to approve roadmap on Syria, April 27, 2018


Pompeo Presses Turkey on S-400 Missiles Purchase From Russia

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday April 27 told his Turkish counterpart that the United States was seriously concerned over Ankara’s decision to buy Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries, which are not compatible with NATO’s defenses.

New York Times, Pompeo Presses Turkey on S-400 Missiles Purchase From Russia, April 27, 2018


Uzbekistan decides to join ‘Turkic alliance’ during Erdogan’s visit

Uzbekistan will join the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said on April 30 during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s official visit to the country.

Hürriyet Daily News, Uzbekistan decides to join ‘Turkic alliance’ during Erdogan’s visit, April 30, 2018


Turkish president welcomes historic Korea summit

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed the historic Korea summit on April 27, saying he would talk to South Korean President Moon Jae-in about the issue on his May 2 visit.

Hürriyet Daily News, Turkish president welcomes historic Korea summit, April 28, 2018


Turkey, Iran, Russia Need to Work With U.N. for Syria Solution-Turkish FM

Russia, Iran and Turkey need to work in coordination with the United Nations to ensure the legitimacy of any political solution in Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday the 28th.

New York Times, Turkey, Iran, Russia Need to Work With U.N. for Syria Solution-Turkish FM, April 28, 2018


Turkish Foreign Ministry summons German envoy over ex-PYD chair Muslim

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry summoned a German diplomat in Ankara on April 27 and asked German authorities to intervene in a meeting in Germany where former Democratic Union Party (PYD) co-chair Salih Muslim plans to deliver a speech.

Hürriyet Daily News, Turkish Foreign Ministry summons German envoy over ex-PYD chair Muslim, April 27, 2018


Greece releases former Turkish soldier accused of terror links by Turkey

Greek authorities released from custody on April 27 one of the eight former Turkish servicemen who fled to the country in a military helicopter seeking asylum, just after Turkey’s failed military coup in 2016.

Hürriyet Daily News, Greece releases former Turkish soldier accused of terror links by Turkey, April 27, 2018


 

Economy and Energy:

 

UPDATE 1-Ahead of election, Turkey offers $6 billion incentive package

Turkey will roll out a debt restructuring and social reforms package costing nearly $6 billion, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Wednesday the 25th, weeks before snap elections slated for June 24.

Reuters, UPDATE 1-Ahead of election, Turkey offers $6 billion incentive package, April 30, 2018


Turkish Central Bank raises 2018 inflation forecast

The Central Bank on April 30 raised Turkey’s year-end inflation forecast from 7.9 percent to 8.4 percent under a tight monetary policy stance, which focused on bringing down inflation. The forecast announcement comes some 50 days before the June 24 snap elections.

Hürriyet Daily News, Turkish Central Bank raises 2018 inflation forecast, April 30, 2018


Turkey’s tourism income increases in first quarter

Turkey’s total tourism income increased by 31.3 percent, year-on-year, reaching $4.25 billion in the first quarter of 2018, according to a report released by Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) on April 30.

Hürriyet Daily News, Turkey’s tourism income increases in first quarter, April 30, 2018


Turkey develops high-speed grenade launcher munition

The state-run Mechanical and Chemical Industry Company (MKEK) developed MOD78-HE grenade launcher munition for the Turkish Armed Forces.

Hürriyet Daily News, Turkey develops high-speed grenade launcher munition, April 29, 2018


Turkey to Open Investigation Into Steel Imports, EU Exempted

Turkey will open an investigation into whether iron and non-alloy steel imports harm local producers, the government said on Friday the 27th.

New York Times, Turkey to Open Investigation Into Steel Imports, EU Exempted, April 25, 2018


 

Domestic Politics:

 

Prosecutor seeks 5 years sentence for HDP politicians

Prosecutors have demanded five-year jail sentences for former Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş and HDP Ankara deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder on charges of “making terrorist propaganda.”

Hürriyet Daily News, Prosecutor seeks 5 years sentence for HDP politicians, April 30, 2018


İYİ Party vows to reopen access to Wikipedia if elected

The opposition İYİ (Good) Party on April 30 vowed to host the “reopening of Wikipedia,” which has been banned in Turkey for over a year, a day after snap elections on June 24.

Hürriyet Daily News, İYİ Party vows to reopen access to Wikipedia if elected, April 30, 2018


 Opposition slams alleged persuasive visit to Gül as ‘military intervention’

Opposition parties have strongly responded to speculations that Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın have visited former President Abdullah Gül to convince the latter not to run for presidency, stating that such a visit “amounts to a military intervention of politics.”

Hürriyet Daily News, Opposition slams alleged persuasive visit to Gül as ‘military intervention’, April 30, 2018


Party leaders should not run in presidential election: CHP head Kılıçdaroğlu

Political party leaders should not run in presidential elections because the position requires political impartiality, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said on April 29.

Hürriyet Daily News, Party leaders should not run in presidential election: CHP head Kılıçdaroğlu, April 29, 2018


 We’ll be part of AKP-MHP alliance: BBP chair Destici

The right-wing Islamic nationalist Great Union Party (BBP) will be part of the alliance between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) for the upcoming June 24 snap elections, its leader Mustafa Destici said on April 28.

Hürriyet Daily News, We’ll be part of AKP-MHP alliance: BBP chair Destici, April 29, 2018


Canal Edirne project by Turkey-Greece border almost complete, authorities say

The Canal Edirne project located near the Turkey-Greece border has been 99 percent finalized, Murat Acu, General Directorate for State Hydraulic Works (DSİ), said on April 28.

Hürriyet Daily News, Canal Edirne project by Turkey-Greece border almost complete, authorities say, April 29, 2018


 Canal Istanbul post-election priority: Erdoğan 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on April 28 the first initiative of his government after winning elections would be the construction of Canal Istanbul, an artificial sea-level waterway that will connect the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara.

Hürriyet Daily News, Canal Istanbul post-election priority: Erdoğan  , April 28, 2018


63 suspects detained over FETÖ links

At least 63 suspects were detained across Turkey for their suspected links to the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), according to security sources on April 28.

Hürriyet Daily News, 63 suspects detained over FETÖ links, April 28, 2018


Opposition targeting me rather than seeking to rule Turkey: Erdoğan

Opposition parties’ efforts to form alliances in the upcoming snap election only target President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Erdoğan has said, describing the opposition’s strategies as “traps.”

Hürriyet Daily News, Opposition targeting me rather than seeking to rule Turkey: Erdoğan, April 27, 2018


Reports: Turkey Detains 4 Senior Islamic State Militants

Turkey’s state-run news agency says Turkish authorities have detained four suspected senior Islamic State extremists in an operation in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir.

New York Times, Reports: Turkey Detains 4 Senior Islamic State Militants, April 27, 2018


World Turkish court sentences 14 journalists and newspaper employees to prison

A Turkish court on April 25 handed down prison sentences to a group of journalists and employees working for a Turkish opposition newspaper on terrorism-related charges, in a case that has focused attention on the erosion of press freedoms under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

New York Times, World Turkish court sentences 14 journalists and newspaper employees to prison, April 25, 2018