US Senate confirms John Bass as ambassador to Turkey
Hurriyet Daily News The U.S. Senate has finally confirmed John Bass as the ambassador to Ankara. Bass, who was nominated in June but had his nomination held up by the Senate until after the August recess, was approved Sept. 17 by a vote of 98 – 0. Read more from Hurriyet Daily News here.
Turkey, US pledge joint struggle against terror
US Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Çankaya Presidential Palace in Ankara, Sept. 12. (AA Photo) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held talks in Ankara on Sept. 12 to shape the strategy in the fight against jihadists in Iraq and Syria, as Turkey reiterated its readiness for “merely humanitarian assistance” in the region, instead of getting involved in combat operations. Read more coverage from Hurriyet Daily News here.
The Gezi Park Protests: Time for a New U.S. Approach to Turkey
By: Howard Eissenstat / POMED To read the full version, click here. Amidst ongoing protests in Turkey, the media has focused its attention on both the causes of the crisis and the Turkish government’s response. Despite this focus, there have been noticeably few assessments of potential outcomes, or recommendations for a broader U.S. response. This brief attempts to help fill that gap, with a view towards informing U.S. policy.
White House calls for an investigation of excessive use of violence in Turkey protests
White House Spokesperson Jay Carney answered questions in regards to the ongoing protests in Turkey on June 3. Carney reiterated the full support of the United States for full freedom of express and assembly, including right to peaceful protest, expressed that the U.S. concern over reports of excessive police violence, and called for an investigation of these events. Read the full excerpt below:
A New Boost to Transatlantic Ties: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the EU-Turkey Customs Union
By: Eray Akdag / The German Marshall Fund Eray Akday is the TUSIAD Permanent Ankara Representative. The below article was published by The German Marshall Fund in their “On Turkey” series. You can find the original here. During Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent visit to the United States, the White House declared that “the United States and Turkey decided today to establish a bilateral High Level Committee led by the Ministry of Economy of Turkey and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, associated with…