Russia, Turkey, Iran and Syria

06/04/2018

Iran, Russia and Turkey plan Syria’s future as Trump seeks an exit

By Erin Cunningham
April 4. 2018

ISTANBUL — The leaders of Iran, Russia and Turkey met Wednesday for high-level talks on ending the Syrian war, cementing their influence on the outcome of the conflict and isolating the United States from the region’s most crucial diplomacy.
The three presidents — Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Iran’s Hassan Rouhani and Russia’s Vladimir Putin — gathered in the Turkish capital, Ankara, where they pledged to cooperate on reconstruction and aid. They also vowed to protect Syria’s “territorial integrity,” even as all three nations maintain a military presence inside the country. The leaders called for more support from the international community and emphasized their opposition to “separatist agendas” in Syria.
Read more at www.washingtonpost.com

Russia will move forward S-400 delivery dates for Turkey – Putin after meeting Erdogan

3 Apr, 2018

During Vladimir Putin’s first foreign visit since his election last month, the Russian and Turkish presidents agreed to broaden military cooperation, and launched the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant.

At a press conference in Ankara, Putin announced that Russia would push forward its delivery dates for the S-400 defense systems, which are now due after a contract was signed between the two countries in December, despite objections from Turkey’s NATO allies.
Read more at www.rt.com

The Syrian Conflict and The Crisis of Islamist Nationalism in Turkey

March 21, 2018

The 79th anniversary of Atatürk’s passing on 10 November 2017 meant more than a routine official commemoration of the founder of the Republic, once Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised Atatürk with the following words the same day:
Our Nation has an eternal respect for the Gazi. There is not the slightest hesitation concerning the respect of our nation for Mustafa. Our nation does not have the slightest problem with Kemal. We know very well that our nation has no difficulty with the surname Atatürk, which itself gave him this surname. So, why has there been a debate about it?
Read more at turkishpolicy.com

Nicosia to protest construction of Akkuyu nuclear plant

05.04.2018

The Republic of Cyprus will make the necessary representations and protests against the construction and operation of the nuclear power plant in Akkuyu, Turkey, government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou has told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).
Replying to a question about the ceremony for Turkey’s first nuclear power plant in Akkuyu that was held on Tuesday, Prodromou said that the decision for the construction and operation of this nuclear power plant on the southern coast of Turkey “raises concerns for a possible impact in terms of safety because such a power plant in this area affects our country much more than the largest part of the Turkish territory.”
Read more at www.ekathimerini.com