TUSIAD Turkey Letter: 5 August 2014

This week:

Foreign Policy

  • Turkey in effort to make regional peace, stability permanent: Erdoğan
  • Radar in Turkey not linked to Israel’s security: NATO top commander
  • Sunni Extremists in Iraq Seize 3 Towns from Kurds and Threaten Major Dam

Domestic Politics

  • OSCE Slams use of public funds for Turkish PM Erdogan’s presidential campaign
  • Concerns for women’s social space in Turkey on rise as key treaty enters into force
  • Turkish expats not keen on voting abroad

Economy & Energy

  • Local tank production contract litmus test for Koc’s defense business
  • Unexpectedly high food prices accelerate Turkish inflation in July
  • Lufthansa excited for 3rd Istanbul airport

Foreign Policy

Turkey in effort to make regional peace, stability permanent: Erdoğan

Concerns that have prompted Europe’s security body to deploy a mission to observe Turkey’s upcoming first direct presidential election have apparently been proven right, as an interim report by the mission has highlighted a wide range of flaws.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, 1 August 2014, OSCE Slams use of public funds for Turkish PM Erdogan’s presidential campaign

Radar in Turkey not linked to Israel’s security: NATO top commander

Amid rising criticism from Turkey’s opposition about the possible use of the Kürecik Radar Base for Israel, NATO’s top commander clarified its mission as “strictly for European Security.”
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, 2 August 2014, Radar in Turkey not linked to Israel’s security: NATO top commander

Sunni Extremists in Iraq Seize 3 Towns from Kurds and Threaten Major Dam 

Sunni extremists seized control of three towns in northern Iraq on Sunday after fierce battles with Kurdish security forces, sending thousands of people fleeing to the nearby mountains and threatening the country’s largest dam.

Keeping the dam, and other important infrastructure of the Iraqi state, out of militant hands has been a priority of the Iraqi government and the American military advisers who recently rushed back to Iraq.
~~~
New York Times, 3 August 2014, Sunni Extremists in Iraq Seize 3 Towns from Kurds and Threaten Major Dam

Domestic Politics 

OSCE Slams use of public funds for Turkish PM Erdogan’s presidential campaign

Concerns that have prompted Europe’s security body to deploy a mission to observe Turkey’s upcoming first direct presidential election have apparently been proven right, as an interim report by the mission has highlighted a wide range of flaws.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, 1 August 2014, OSCE Slams use of public funds for Turkish PM Erdogan’s presidential campaign

Concerns for women’s social space in Turkey on rise as key treaty enters into force 

At a time when concerns are growing in Turkey due to an increasingly conservative and authoritarian political culture, which directly impacts the lives of women, the Istanbul Convention, a landmark treaty of the Council of Europe (CoE) dedicated to preventing and combating violence on women and domestic violence, is entering into force as of August 1.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Gülsün Bilgehan has warned that the treaty should not remain solely on paper for Turkey and called on the government for the urgent implementation of an action plan.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, 31 July 2014, Concerns for women’s social space in Turkey on rise as key treaty enters into force

Turkish expats not keen on voting abroad

Turkish citizens living abroad have not been rushing to the ballot box for Turkey’s presidential elections, as only a small number of citizens have obtained an appointment to cast their vote.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, 30 July 2014, Turkish expats not keen on voting abroad

Economy & Energy

Local tank production contract litmus test for Koc’s defense business

A multibillion-dollar government contract to select the maker of Turkey’s first indigenous main battle tank will be a litmus test for the defense arm of the country’s industrial conglomerate, Koç Holding.

Koç’s armored vehicles manufacturer, Otokar, designed, developed and produced four prototypes, under a $500 million contract, of the Altay, the new-generation Turkish tank, but a much bigger contract for its serial production will likely see a three-way competition.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, 5 August 2014, Local tank production contract litmus test for Koc’s defense business

Unexpectedly high food prices accelerate Turkish inflation in July

Turkish inflation accelerated above expectations in July, climbing to 9.32 percent on an annual basis due to disappointing food price levels, official data has shown, marking the fourth consecutive month that the rate remained above 9 percent.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, 4 August 2014, Unexpectedly high food prices accelerate Turkish inflation in July

Lufthansa excited for 3rd Istanbul airport

Lufthansa Airlines are excited by the possibility using Istanbul’s third airport once constructed, a regional Lufthansa director in charge of Turkish business affairs has said.
~~~
Hurriyet Daily News, 29 July 2014, Lufthansa excited for 3rd Istanbul airport

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