Turkey Letter: 26 November 2018

Foreign Policy:

  • Turkey says Kerch Strait must remain open after Russia-Ukraine standoff
  • Trump shows he will turn blind eye to Khashoggi killing, Turkey says
  • Turkey urges US to complete Manbij deal by the end of 2018
  • Turkey, U.S. discussed return of jailed Halkbank exec – Turkey minister
  • Turkey gives list of 84 FETO members to US: Cavusoglu
  • US to build outposts along Syria-Turkey border, Mattis says

Economy and Energy:

  • Confidence up in Turkey’s services, retail sectors, down in construction
  • Iraq to raise Kirkuk oil export to Turkey’s Ceyhan port
  • Turkey rejects U.S. deadline to cut energy imports from Iran

Domestic Politics:

  • Military helicopter crashes in Istanbul; 4 soldiers killed
  • CHP, Felicity Party leaders meet to discuss local election alliance
  • Erdogan wins critical support of ally for local elections

Foreign Policy

Turkey says Kerch Strait must remain open after Russia-Ukraine standoff
Turkey said on Monday it was worried by reports that Ukrainian ships had been fired on off the coast of Russia-annexed Crimea and said that shipping in the area should not be obstructed.
Reuters, Turkey says Kerch Strait must remain open after Russia-Ukraine standoff, 26 November 2018


Trump shows he will turn blind eye to Khashoggi killing, Turkey says
Donald Trump’s comments about Jamal Khashoggi’s killing show the U.S. president will turn a blind eye to the issue no matter what investigators uncover, Turkey’s foreign minister said on Friday.
CNBC, Trump shows he will turn blind eye to Khashoggi killing, Turkey says, 23 November 2018


Turkey urges US to complete Manbij deal by the end of 2018
Turkey has urged the United States to complete the implementation of a bilateral deal that stipulates the withdrawal of all YPG terrorists from the Syrian province of Manbij by the end of 2018 and to expand the scope of the deal to the east of Euphrates River to avoid a confrontation between the Turkish and American troops.
Hurriyet, Turkey urges US to complete Manbij deal by the end of 2018, 23 November 2018


Turkey, U.S. discussed return of jailed Halkbank exec – Turkey minister
Turkey and the United States have discussed returning a jailed executive from state-owned lender Halkbank to Turkey where he can serve the rest of his sentence from an Iran sanctions-busting case, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.
Reuters, Turkey, U.S. discussed return of jailed Halkbank exec – Turkey minister, 21 November 2018


Turkey gives list of 84 FETO members to US: Cavusoglu
Turkey has given the United States a list of 84 members of the FETÖ that it wants American authorities to extradite, the nation’s foreign minister said.
Hurriyet, Turkey gives list of 84 FETO members to US: Cavusoglu, 21 November 2018


US to build outposts along Syria-Turkey border, Mattis says
The U.S. military will set up observation posts along the border of Turkey and Syria to observe and report militant forces moving in the area, the Defense Department announced Wednesday.
The Hill, US to build outposts along Syria-Turkey border, Mattis says, 21 November 2018


Economy and Energy

Confidence up in Turkey’s services, retail sectors, down in construction
Sectoral confidence in Turkey rose for services and retail trade and fell for construction in November compared with last month, the country’s statistical authority announced on Nov. 26.
Hurriyet, Confidence up in Turkey’s services, retail sectors, down in construction, 26 November 2018


Iraq to raise Kirkuk oil export to Turkey’s Ceyhan port
The Iraqi prime minister has said Baghdad would increase oil export from fields in the northern province of Kirkuk to a Turkey’s southern port. In a weekly news conference on Nov. 21, Adil Abdul-Mahdi told reporters plans were underway to increase the export of current daily 60,000 barrels to 100,000.
Hurriyet, Iraq to raise Kirkuk oil export to Turkey’s Ceyhan port, 22 November 2018


Turkey rejects U.S. deadline to cut energy imports from Iran
Turkey’s foreign minister objected to the Trump administration’s demand that it slash imports of Iranian petroleum products in six months, arguing that the time frame is too tight given his country’s reliance on its neighbor for energy supplies.
Bloomberg, Turkey rejects U.S. deadline to cut energy imports from Iran, 20 November 2018


Domestic Politics

Military helicopter crashes in Istanbul; 4 soldiers killed
Four Turkish soldiers died while another was fighting for life after their helicopter crashed Monday into a residential area of Istanbul.
AP News, Military helicopter crashes in Istanbul; 4 soldiers killed, 26 November 2018


CHP, Felicity Party leaders meet to discuss local election alliance
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu met Felicity Party (Saadet Partisi) chair Temel Karamollaoğlu on Nov. 26 to discuss cooperation in the March 2019 local elections.
Hurriyet, CHP, Felicity Party leaders meet to discuss local election alliance, 26 November 2018


Erdogan wins critical support of ally for local elections
A key ally of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his nationalist party won’t field candidates for mayors in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara in support of the ruling AK Party in local elections scheduled for March.
Bloomberg, Erdogan wins critical support of ally for local elections, 24 November 2018