Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey wants to continue helping the Balkan countries solve their long-standing problems through dialogue and cooperation.Erdogan said Monday in Belgrade that Turkey will continue to play a “constructive role” in boosting stability in the Balkans where it maintains historic influence stemming from the centuries-long Ottoman rule.Erdogan is on a two-day visit to Serbia during which Turkey, Serbia and Bosnia will inaugurate the start of work on a key regional highway linking Belgrade and Bosnia’s capital Sarajevo.Turkey has close relations with the Bosniaks —who are mainly Muslims — in both Serbia and Bosnia. Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic has described relations with Turkey as “perhaps the best in modern history.” … [Read more...] about Erdogan says Turkey plays constructive role in Balkans

By Paul Johnson on Oct 09, 2019 in Middle East, Regions, Turkey Floating over the fairy chimneys, honeycombed hills, and underground villages of Cappadocia, Turkey, it’s easy to believe you’re about to spot a hobbit, pixie or other fanciful creature scurrying between rock and cave. This landscape straight out of Grimms’ Fairy Tales really lends itself to flights of fancy (and hot air balloon flights), but, as is so often the case, the truth of this region is far more fascinating than fiction. Three to four million years ago a series of volcanic eruptions shook the stark Anatolian plains in central Turkey. Thick volcanic ash solidified into a soft porous rock called tuff which, over time, was eroded by wind and water. The end result? The geological oddity and chimerical topography that is known as Cappadocia. Thanks to the soft stone left behind so many millions of years ago, people have long used the region as an escape, carving hiding places out of the soft rock and … [Read more...] about Photograph of the week: Cappadoccia, Turkey

One of the participants mentioned the name of the mosque I frequent for a Friday prayer in Boston, prompting praise by Turkish finance minister Berat Albayrak, who is also Erdogan’s son-in law. So it wasn’t a surprise when pro-Erdogan people gathered outside my mosque to harass me. Constant pressure by Turkish consulates across the United States, as well as pervasive and continual harassment by the government in Turkey, has so far failed to stifle my dissent. As they increase the pressure, I raise my voice. I won’t be deterred. They’re wasting their time. How can I stay silent? There are tens of thousands of people — including teachers, doctors, members of the judiciary and military, lawyers, bureaucrats, journalists, and activists — in prisons for years just because they’re not die-hard followers of Erdogan. Hundreds of babies are growing up in small prison cells with their mothers. Democracy today is on life support, if not dead, and … [Read more...] about Enes Kanter: I will not be silenced over Turkey

The president of the European Council has called on Turkey to stop illegal drilling off the coast of Cyprus, saying it’s harming efforts to reunify the ethnically split island nation and undermines good relations with the EU.Donald Tusk said Friday that his presence in the Cypriot capital is a demonstration of the European Union’s “full solidarity” with Cyprus.He said EU leaders have already “strongly condemned” Turkey’s drilling inside waters where Cyprus has exclusive economic rights and that the EU “stands united” with the country in light of Turkey’s latest actions.Last week, Turkey stepped up its actions by dispatching a warship-escorted drill ship in waters where the Cypriot government licensed Italian energy company Eni and partner Total of France to conduct an oil and gas search. … [Read more...] about EU Council chief calls on Turkey to stop drilling off Cyprus

Kurdish forces previously allied with the U.S. said they had reached a deal with President Bashar Assad’s government to help them fend off Turkey’s invasion. In Washington, Trump said in a statement that he was halting trade negotiations with Turkey and raising steel tariffs. He said he would soon sign an order permitting sanctions to be imposed on current and former Turkish officials. American troops consolidated their positions in northern Syria on Monday and prepared to evacuate equipment in advance of a full withdrawal , a U.S. defense official said. The hurried preparations, triggered by Trump’s decision Saturday to expand a limited troop pullout into a complete withdrawal, came as Trump’s national security team considered imposing what he called ‘‘big sanctions’’ on NATO ally Turkey. The U.S. pullout raised many questions, including how and whether the Trump administration would continue putting military pressure on the … [Read more...] about Trump says he plans to issue new sanctions against Turkey