TUSIAD Turkey Letter: 28 May 2013

THIS WEEK:
FOREIGN POLICY
• The tenth Turkey-U.S. Economic Partnership Commission
• Turkey likely to move ahead on EU path in June
• Turkey builds wall at Syrian border
• Turkey’s EU ministry to grant funds for media, NGOs
DOMESTIC POLITICS
• Turkey bans alcohol advertising, curbs sales 

FOREIGN POLICY

The tenth Turkey-U.S. Economic Partnership Commission

Ambassador Mehmet Tuğrul Gücük and United States Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose W. Fernandez held a press conference on May 23 after the tenth Turkey-U.S. Economic Partnership Commission (EPC) meeting. Fernandez said “I am glad to say that each meeting I participated in has better impact than the previous one.
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Anadolu Agency, 23 May 2013, U.S.-Turkey relations, in a special moment, says United States Assistant Secretary of State

Turkey likely to move ahead on EU path in June

Turkey is likely to take a long-awaited step on its path towards European Union entry next month, EU officials said on Monday, after France eased its opposition to Ankara’s accession talks.

On May 23 Turkey and the European Union pledged to press ahead with Ankara’s stalled bid to join the EU during European Council President Herman Van Rompuy’s visit to Ankara. In a news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Van Rompuy said that in meetings with Erdoğan and President Abdullah Gül, he discussed lifting visa requirements, energy relations, the conflict in neighboring Syria, and economic developments. Van Rampuy has given strong support to Turkey’s EU membership bid, Kurdish peace process and other reforms, while underlining the importance of a solution to the Cyprus issue and Turkey’s importance in the trade talks between the EU and the United States.
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Wall Street Journal, 23 May 2013, EU and Turkey seek to tighten relations
Hurriyet Daily News, 24 May 2013, Turkey gets crucial EU messages on 5 issues
Today’s Zaman, 26 May 2013, Turkey to insist on “reasonable” conditions for visa talks at EU meeting
Reuters, 27 May 2013, Turkey likely to move ahead on EU path in June

Turkey builds wall at Syrian border

Turkey is constructing 1.5-mile twin walls at a border crossing with Syria to increase security at the frontier following three deadly bombings this year. The concrete walls will be built on either side of the road leading from the Turkish side of the crossing at Cilvegözü to the Syrian border gate and will be topped with barbed wire, the Turkish Customs Ministry said in a statement.
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NBC News, 25 May 2013, Turkey builds wall at Syrian border after deadly bombings

Turkey’s EU ministry to grant funds for media, NGOs

Turkey’s European Union Ministry (EU) will provide 9 million euros in grant funds to media and civil society organizations as part of the Turkey-EU joint “Civil Society Dialogue III Grant Scheme.”
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Anadolu Agency, 24 May 2013, Turkey’s EU ministry to grant funds for media, NGOs

DOMESTIC POLITICS

Turkey bans alcohol advertising, curbs sales

Turkey banned alcohol advertising and tightened restrictions on its sale on May 24, drawing criticism from secular Turks as well as the country’s brewing industry. The new law includes a ban on shops selling alcohol from 10pm to 6am. Alcohol producers will have to place health warnings on packaging.
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Reuters, 24 May 2013,

These news items are compiled by TUSIAD Washington Representative Office (TUSIAD-US) from major news publications. They do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of TUSIAD. To subscribe or unsubscribe from this electronic publication, please send an e-mail to usoffice@tusiad.org. These materials may be reproduced and/or distributed, in whole or in part, provided that its source is properly indicated as “TUSIAD-US Web site: www.tusiad.us

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