TUSIAD Turkey Letter: 19 August 2014

Foreign Policy

  • Obama congratulates Erdogan on phone
  • In Turkey, a late crackdown on Islamist fighters
  • US clears air missiles sales to Turkish army
  • Turkey Outraged at Reports of German Spying

Economy and Energy

  • Ruling Party Divisions Keep Turkey Risks High, Moody’s Says
  • Turkey to Expand Food Exports to Russia

Domestic Politics

  • Turkish politics enters critical week to designate next PM, ministers
  • Opposition calls on Gul to appoint deputy PM to end controversy

FOREIGN POLICY

Obama congratulates Erdogan on phone
U.S. President Barack Obama has called Turkey’s president-elect, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to congratulate him for his latest poll victory.
Hurriyet Daily News, August 12, 2014, Obama congratulates Erdogan on phone
White House, August 12, 2014, White House Statement
In Turkey, a late crackdown on Islamist fighters
Before their blitz into Iraq earned them the title of the Middle East’s most feared insurgency, the jihadists of the Islamic State treated Reyhanli, a Turkish town near the Syrian border, as their own personal shopping mall.
Washington Post, August 12, 2014, In Turkey, a late crackdown on Islamist fighters
US clears air missiles sales to Turkish army
The United States has cleared a potential $320 million advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM) missiles sale to Turkey after the country demanded arms from its NATO ally amid increasing security risks in the region.
Hurriyet Daily News, August 14, 2014, US clears air missiles sales to Turkish army
Turkey Outraged at Reports of German Spying
After angrily insisting for months that “friends don’t spy,” the German government struggled Monday to respond to news media reports that its intelligence services routinely spy on Turkey, a NATO ally, and inadvertently captured at least one conversation each involving Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state and her successor, John Kerry.
New York Times, August 18, 2014, Turkey Outraged at Reports of German Spying
ECONOMY & ENERGY

Ruling Party Divisions Keep Turkey Risks High, Moody’s Says
Risks to the Turkish economy remain “skewed to the downside” after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s victory in presidential elections, as infighting in the ruling party looms, Moody’s Investors Service said.
Turkey to Expand Food Exports to Russia
Turkey is preparing to ramp up food exports to Russia, hoping to benefit from Moscow’s ban on Western produce amid the conflict in Ukraine.
Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2014, Turkey to expand food exports to Russia
DOMESTIC POLITICS

Turkish politics enters critical week to designate next PM, ministers
The coming 10 days will mark an important milestone in Turkish politics with a complete overhaul of the country’s executive cadres including a new prime minister and ministers under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s presidency. Ankara politics is heavily focused on the composition of the next government, with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu regarded as the strongest candidate to succeed President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Opposition calls on Gul to appoint deputy PM to end controversy
Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has insisted President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdoğan can no longer legally hold the title of Prime Ministry, calling on the outgoing president to resolve the issue, which is illegal under the Constitution.

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