Turkey

US president visits Ankara, backs Turkey’s EU bid

ANKARA, Turkey – US President Barack Obama arrived in Ankara late on Sunday (April 5th) on his first official visit to Turkey since taking office in January. During his two-day stay, Obama is meeting with counterpart Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other government officials. They will focus …

Read More »

Christofias rejects possible UN arbitration on Cyprus issue

NICOSIA, Cyprus – President Demetris Christofias said on Saturday (April 4th) that Greek Cypriots will not accept any change to the ongoing negotiation process aimed at reunifying the divided island. This includes setting deadlines for completing talks or possible UN arbitration. “These principles have been accepted by the international community, …

Read More »

Turkish Kurds to Ask Obama to Help End PKK War

Turkey’s only legal Kurdish party will call on U.S. President Barack Obama during a rare meeting next week to help end a 25-year separatist conflict, signalling the expanded role Kurds play in Turkish politics. Obama will make his first visit as a president to a Muslim country next week, seeking …

Read More »

Two dead in clashes between Kurds, police in southeast Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey – Two people died and nine were injured in clashes between Kurdish protestors and police in southeast Turkey on Saturday (April 4th). It happened during a rally organised to mark terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan’s 60th birthday. Demonstrators threw stones at police who tried to …

Read More »

Romania, Turkey to participate in Black Sea naval operation

ANKARA, Turkey – Romania and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding in Istanbul on Friday (April 3rd) regarding Romania’s participation in the Black Sea naval operation Harmony. The two countries will take part in the exercises, along with Ukraine and Russia. Black Sea Harmony is an initiative launched by Turkey …

Read More »

Turkey to build housing for Georgian war victims

The Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TİKA) will construct 100 residential units for Georgians displaced by the country’s most recent war. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony near the Georgian city of Gori on Saturday, TİKA head Musa Kulaklıkaya said that the construction of the units will be completed soon and …

Read More »

Turkey’s Erdogan mulls government changes

ANKARA, Turkey – Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday (April 1st) that he is mulling changes in the government after his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered its worst election result in seven years. The AKP won 39% of the votes in Sunday’s local elections, falling well …

Read More »

Turkey hosts trilateral meeting with Afghanistan, Pakistan

ANKARA, Turkey – President Abdullah Gul hosted the third trilateral meeting among counterparts from Afghanistan and Pakistan on Wednesday (April 1st). Gul, Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai and Pakistan’s Asif Ali Zardari discussed ways to strengthen relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, joint economic projects, and the fight against terrorism in the context …

Read More »