Turkey Letter: 19 November 2018

Foreign Policy:

  • Turkish FM to meet US counterpart in Washington
  • Trump: US will not hand over Erdoğan foe for Turkey
  • S. Levels Sanctions on 17 Saudis for Alleged Involvement in Khashoggi Killing
  • To ease Turkish pressure on Saudis over killing, White House weighs expelling Erdogan foe
  • Erdoğan, Trump meet over dinner in Paris

Economy and Energy:

  • Toyota’s new hybrid car to be produced in Turkey: Minister
  • Erdoğan-Putin mark completion of offshore section of Turkish Stream
  • Turkey improves on energy index with new projects
  • Turkish Treasury borrows $360 mln through auction

Domestic Politics:

  • 6 convicted for 2016 Istanbul airport attack that killed 45
  • Turkey rolls back some restrictions on foreign currency use
  • Turkey asks extradition of 452 people in 83 countries for FETO cases

Foreign Policy

Turkish FM to meet US counterpart in Washington
Turkish foreign minister said on Nov. 17 that he will hold talks with his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo on Nov. 20 in Washington to discuss the ties between the two countries “broadly”. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu’s remarks came during his meeting with Turkish citizens at Ankara’s New York consulate.
Hurriyet, Turkish FM to meet US counterpart in Washington, 18 November 2018


 Trump: US will not hand over Erdoğan foe for Turkey
President Trump on Saturday rejected reports that his administration is considering extraditing a foe of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for a trip to California that extraditing exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen was “not under consideration.”
The Hill, Trump: US will not hand over Erdoğan foe for Turkey, 17 November 2018


U.S. Levels Sanctions on 17 Saudis for Alleged Involvement in Khashoggi Killing
President Trump said last week that he would form a “very strong opinion” about how the United States should respond to the brutal killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist, after Saudi Arabia presented the results of its own investigation of the crime.
The New York Times, U.S. Levels Sanctions on 17 Saudis for Alleged Involvement in Khashoggi Killing, 15 November 2018 


To ease Turkish pressure on Saudis over killing, White House weighs expelling Erdogan foe
The White House is looking for ways to remove an enemy of Turkish President Recep Erdogan from the U.S. in order to placate Turkey over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to two senior U.S. officials and two other people briefed on the requests.
NBC, To ease Turkish pressure on Saudis over killing, White House weighs expelling Erdogan foe, 15 November 2018


Erdoğan, Trump meet over dinner in Paris
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump chatted for a while on Nov. 10 during a dinner hosted by the French leader. Erdoğan arrived in Paris on Nov. 10 at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Armistice Day commemorations.
Hurriyet, Erdogan, Trump meet over dinner in Paris 11 November 2018


Economy and Energy

Toyota’s new hybrid car to be produced in Turkey: Minister
Japanese car maker Toyota will start mass production of its new Corolla hybrid in Turkey in January, a top Turkish official has announced. “A hybrid car in this segment will be produced in Turkey for the first time,” Mustafa Varank, Turkish technology and industry minister, said during his visit to Toyota’s factory in the northwestern province of Sakarya.
Hurriyet, Toyota’s new hybrid car to be produced in Turkey: Minister, 18 November 2018


Erdoğan-Putin mark completion of offshore section of Turkish Stream
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Nov. 19 attended the completion ceremony of the offshore section of the Turkish Stream Project (TurkStream). “For us, Russia is a friend we can have long term cooperation with and is an important natural gas supplier,” the president said, speaking at the ceremony.
Hurriyet, Erdoğan-Putin mark completion of offshore section of Turkish Stream, 19 November 2018


Turkey improves on energy index with new projects
Turkey climbed six places to rank 44 in the World Energy Trilemma Index 2018, which the World Energy Council (WEC) administrated, WEC Turkish National Committee has announced, noting the ongoing projects.
Hurriyet, Turkey improves on energy index with new projects, 16 November 2018


Turkish Treasury borrows $360 mln through auction
The Turkish Treasury borrowed 1.96 billion Turkish liras ($360 million) from domestic markets, according to an official statement on Nov. 12. The first auction was held for 13 months zero coupon bonds (new issuance), which amounted to 983 million Turkish liras (nearly $180.6 million), the Treasury and Finance Ministry announced.
Hurriyet, Turkish Treasury borrows $360 mln through auction, 15 November 2018


Domestic Politics

6 convicted for 2016 Istanbul airport attack that killed 45
A court in Istanbul convicted six people and sentenced them to life in prison for involvement in an attack at Istanbul’s main airport that killed 45 people and was blamed on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Turkey’s state-run news agency reported Nov. 16.
Hurriyet, 6 convicted for 2016 Istanbul airport attack that killed 45, 17 November 2018


Turkey rolls back some restrictions on foreign currency use
Turkey has rolled back some restrictions on the use of foreign currencies that were brought in at the height of an economic crisis this year, according to a decree published on Friday, loosening the rules after lobbying from the hotel industry.
Reuters, Turkey rolls back some restrictions on foreign currency use, 16 November 2018


Turkey asks extradition of 452 people in 83 countries for FETO cases
Turkey has sent files of sent extradition requests 83 countries for 452 people on accusation of being affiliated to the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Nov. 14.
Hurriyet, Turkey asks extradition of 452 people in 83 countries for FETO cases, 14 November 2018