Turkey – Pagina 10 – European Affairs Magazine

The arrested HDP co-chair Demirtas asks for release

16 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en/Middle East - Africa di

Selahattin Demirtas, the arrested co-chair of the Kurdish issue-focused Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), has requested his release from jail in a petition written to the Eighth Heavy Penal Court in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır. Demirtas, who is currently jailed in the northwestern province of Edirne, stated in the petition that he was arrested with “an exaggerated and non-proportional raid aimed at creating a political sensation”. “We have no doubt that the [arrests of HDP lawmakers] are being directed from a center” he said, noting that 31 summaries of proceedings were prepared for him and 11 of the prosecutors who prepared them had themselves been arrested for being members of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), believed to have been behind Turkey’s failed July 2016 coup attempt. “My indictment was increased to 501 pages and the sentence being sought for me was determined as 142 years in order to create a negative perception in the public. They wanted to create the impression that my arrest was necessary” Demirtas added. The HDP co-chair said in his petition that his right to a fair trial was violated and his rights stemming from being a deputy were seized from him through his arrest. At present a total of 11 HDP figures, including Demirtas and the HDP’s other co-chair, Figen Yüksekdag, remain in prison and face hundreds of years in jail.

Saudi Arabia and Turkey have same views on regional conflicts. Salman and Erdogan discussed security cooperation and terrorism

16 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en/Middle East - Africa di

During the talks between King Salman and Turkish President Erdogan in Riyadh on Tuesday they focused on political,security and commercial bilateral subjects. As turkish ambassador Yunus Demirer said the two leaders discussed key regional issues like Syria,Yemen,Lybia and Iran besides bilateral security cooperation and terrorism. The turkish President also met the Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the two focused on combating terrorism and cooperation on security issues. Due to the call for a safe zone in northern Syria by Erdogan on Monday, Syria was a key issue during these talks with top Saudi officials and Foreign Minister al-Jubeir said the Kingdom and Turkey have identical positions on that.

Turkey: national education to refugees in our country

15 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en/Middle East - Africa di

Turkey has so far offered free education to 483,000 Syrian schoolchildren, the country’s education minister said yesterday. İsmet Yılmaz said over half of the 850,000 Syrian refugee schoolchildren in the country were being educated in Turkey’s public schools alongside local children. “We want to provide national education not only to our own children but also to those who have taken refuge in our country and those who are not able to live in their own country. If a person is uneducated, he or she will be open to additional risks wherever they are” Yılmaz said. He said the authorities carried out intensive studies into the education of Syrian refugee students after Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım’s order last June to immediately complete an offer for free schooling. Yılmaz said the curriculum had been scheduled with Arabic and Turkish teachers together because Turkey believes Syrian refugees will be able to back to their homeland after the war is over. Refugee students have missed years of education due to the closure of schools in their home countries and prolonged traveling. The European Union has contributed to Turkey for their education and pledged to send 300 million euros.

Saudi Arabia and Turkey share same views on issues such as Yemen, Syria, Iraq and terrorism

14 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en/Middle East - Africa di

Turkish ambassador Yunus Demirer talking about the visit to the Kingdom of turkish President Erdogan, told the source that “the visit comes at a significant time and context”. Saudi Arabia and Turkey share same views on regional issues such as Yemen, Syria, Iraq and terrorism and for that reason their cooperation is very important to guarantee the stability in the region. Turkey ambassador also said that Gulf region is a priority in their external relations and he also added that Saudi Vision 2030 is an excellent opportunity for the future of bilateral economic relations.

Turkey is hosting three million refugees without much support

13 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en/Middle East - Africa di

The generosity of Turkey regarding taking care of Syrian refugees should be matched by other countries, UN Chief Antonio Guterres said in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım on Friday. Guterres had high praise for Turkey’s efforts to deal with the millions of refugees pouring into its country. He stressed that Turkey is effectively handling the situation single-handedly at a time when other countries are closing their borders and walking away from responsibility. “This generosity should be matched,” he said of Turkey. “This is also a moment to launch an appeal – when we see so many borders being closed and when we see so many escaping their responsibilities-this is a moment to appeal for effective burden-sharing and to make sure that the integrity of the international refugee protection regime is maintained.” On Cyprus, he said the UN is in service to the two communities and the guarantor states stand ready to support a solution accepted by everyone. Prime Minister Yıldırım once gain urged the world to do its fair share to help solve problems in the region. Yıldırım said Turkey is hosting three million refugees without much support from other countries and the entire world is aware. “We want everybody to accept their responsibilities and not to be stingy on sharing burdens to end the problems in this region,” he said. Referring to Cyprus talks, Yıldırım said any new administration there should be just and the two communities, Turkish and Greek, must be equally represented.

Curfew imposed in 9 neighborhoods of Mardin (Turkey)

12 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

A curfew was imposed in nine neighborhoods of Turkey’s southeastern Mardin province early Sunday, according to the regional governor’s office. Security forces will locate and destroy explosive devices planted by the PKK terror group in neighborhoods of the Nusaybin, Ömerli and Artuklu districts during the curfew, the office said in a statement. Shelters and ammunition depots of the terror group will also be targeted during the security operation. The governor’s office did not mention an exact date to when the curfew would end. Security forces carried out 905 operations in January against the PKK terrorist organization. A total of 1,463 suspects were detained in last month’s nationwide operations over charges of aiding PKK terrorist organization; 153 were remanded in custody.

Europe was building walls instead of setting up bridges over crises

11 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Turkey’s EU minister warned Friday that Europe was building walls instead of setting up bridges over crises. “The rising far-right movement in Europe is ideologically creating brand-new Berlin walls within the European continent,” Omer Celik told reporters at the Turkish embassy in Paris. Celik said that the only way out was for Europe to turn crises into opportunities as it did in past, referring to the refugee crisis, adding that the EU had failed to strengthen its enlargement policy and negotiation grounds with Turkey. “Because of their undermining approach and withdrawing their enlargement policy, they have not been able to turn this crisis into an opportunity. “They instead came out with an approach that threatens the common peace of all” he said. Minister Celik had meetings with the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault, Minister of State for EU Affairs Harlem Desir and Senate President Gerard Larcher on his first day of visit to the French capital on Thursday. He also spoke at a conference on the future of Europe at IFRI, a French think tank on international affairs.

Erdogan and Putin agreed to increase military coordination in Syria against Daesh

10 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has talked to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by phone about the recent developments in Syria late Thursday, RIA news agency reported. The two leaders agreed to increase military coordination in Syria against the Daesh terrorist group, the Kremlin said in a statement. During their conversation, the two leaders also discussed the Astana process and exchanged views on the upcoming Turkey-Russia High Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) meeting in March. A statement released by the Turkish General Staff later on Thursday said that Russian jets mistakenly targeted Turkish soldiers near Syria’s al-Bab leading to the death of three soldiers and injuring 11 others. The wounded Turkish soldiers were transferred to a nearby hospital after initial medical treatment. A bomb mistakenly hit a building, in which Turkish soldiers were located, while a Russian warplane was targeting Daesh positions in al-Bab, the statement elaborated. Russian authorities also stated that the incident was an accident, expressing their grief and condolences, it added. Both Turkish and Russian parties have launched an investigation regarding the incident.

Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu: “Turkey needs special forces troops for Raqqa”

9 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en/Middle East - Africa di

The strategic hills overlooking the northern Syrian town of al-Bab were captured by the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA), clashes have resumed for the town’s full control, the Turkish military said in a statement on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference in capital Ankara, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said that the FSA have surrounded Al-Bab on all sides and clashes resume for full control of town. He added that coordination with U.S.-led coalition and Russia prevents possible clashes with Assad forces as their troops move closer to al-Bab from southeast. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu said yesterday that Turkey and other regional powers should provide special forces troops for the eventual assault on Daesh’s Syrian stronghold, the city of Raqqa.

Erdoğan, for Turkey’s independence war, hopes Turkish people will vote in favor of change

8 Febbraio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said yesterday that the Turkish people are on course for one of the most critical struggles in the country’s history, but it will continue decisively on its way. Speaking at a council meeting of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Erdoğan said that Turkey’s “independence war” continues in earnest and called on all sectors of society to support their country in the struggle. “I hope that all Turkish people see that truth; Turkey is in one of the most critical fights in its history,” he said. “We call it an ‘independence war,’ because it is only comparable to the Gallipoli War or Turkish War of Independence.” He emphasized that some internal opponents harm Turkey due to their hostility toward himself. “They are trying to sink the ship just because they could not take down the captain,” he said. Erdoğan pointed to the upcoming referendum for the constitutional amendment package that includes a switch to a presidential system, saying that he hopes Turkish people will vote in favor of change.

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Turkey - page 10