#PresidentErdogan – European Affairs Magazine

The United States and Turkey clash with the Kurds and Syria

12 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The United States will arm the Kurds in Syria, a decision announced on 9 May. Turkey reacted indignantly. On May 11, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged Washington to “come back to his footsteps”, but more or less at the same time the US military confirmed that “very soon” will begin delivering mortars, heavy machine guns, light weapons and vehicles armored. For Turkey, the emergence of autonomous Syrian Kurdistan is therefore a huge problem. Turkey, in fact, can not do anything to prevent it. Ankara can not approach Russia more than it has already done, because it can not break with the Americans at a time when its relations with the European Union are at the lowest level.

PKK says it's ready for fight against Turkish military.

21 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

PKK Executive Committee member, Murat Karayilan, said in footage released by Firat News Agency that PKK fighters would prove to everybody that they will not be defeated. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in December that Ankara intended to launch an offensive against the PKK in the Qandil Mountains. The PKK’s three-decade armed struggle against the Turkish government flared up again in 2015 after the collapse of a two-year cease-fire and settlement process, plunging Turkey’s predominantly Kurdish southeast back into open conflict between Turkish security forces and the PKK. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has continued for over 25 years and claimed more than 40,000 lives.

EU says will assess planned Turkish constitutional changes.

14 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The European Union will assess planned constitutional changes in Turkey in light of the country’s status as a candidate for membership in the 28-member bloc. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have both said the referendum is needed to stabilize the country, though several European politicians have criticized his approach. The dispute also led to problems in a Turkey-EU deal on immigrants that includes European aid to Turkey for migrants in exchange for a readmission agreement to cut the flow of migrants to the continent from Turkey. Separately, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on March 12 that it was difficult to continue working with Turkey on economic aid because of a row over Turkish ministers campaigning in EU countries and the arrest of a German-Turkish journalist in Turkey.

President Erdogan: Respect for people’s lifestyle is reciproca

5 Gennaio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Some Western media outlets have already contended that the way of life of Turkey’s secular circles are under attack, pointing to the recent nightclub attack. President Erdoğan rebuked these claims, saying that those who put forward such contentions should prove their solvency: “It does nothing but confuse people’s minds to make comments about people’s lifestyles,” he said. In addition, some opposition circles in Turkey have claimed that the attack by the terrorist group was actually against the secular way of life, adding that the secular lifestyle is under threat. However, the public remains united in the face of the recent terrorist attack. President Erdoğan asserted that such speculations and claims regarding the lifestyles of people in Turkey aim to polarize society: “I know that there is no obligation for anyone in our country and the world to have the same lifestyle,” he said, adding that respect for people’s way of living is reciprocal.

President Erdogan explained his statements on President Abbas to his counterpart Vladimir Putin

2 Dicembre 2016 BreakingNews @en/Middle East - Africa di

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan explained his comments about a plan to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the RIA news agency cited Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov as saying on Thursday. Erdogan said earlier this week his forces in Syria were there to topple Assad, a statement which came as a surprise to Moscow. Ushakov gave no details about what kind of explanation Erdogan provided.

Russia asks for explanations about President Erdogan's statement on President Assad

1 Dicembre 2016 BreakingNews @en/Middle East - Africa di

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s statement that his forces in Syria were there to topple President Bashar al-Assad had come as a surprise to Moscow and that it expected an explanation from Ankara. In a speech on Tuesday, Erdogan condemned what he said was the failure of the United Nations in Syria and cast Turkey’s incursion in August, when it sent tanks, fighter jets and special forces over the border, as an act of exasperation. “We are there to bring justice. We are there to end the rule of the cruel Assad, who has been spreading state terror,” Erdogan said. “It is a very serious statement and one which differs from previous ones and with our understanding of the situation. We hope that our Turkish partners will provide us with some kind of explanation about this.”, Kremlin Spokeperson Bogdanov said.