Archive for the ‘Erdogan’ Category

What a TV Series Tells Us About Erdogan’s Turkey – New York Times


New York Times
What a TV Series Tells Us About Erdogan's Turkey
New York Times
ISTANBUL With President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey visiting President Trump in Washington this week, it might be useful to briefly turn away from the conventional explanatory sources and consider a wildly popular television series that is ...
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What a TV Series Tells Us About Erdogan's Turkey - New York Times

Erdogan arrives in Washington to fanfare – Anadolu Agency

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON

More than 100 supporters welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he arrived Monday at President Donald Trump's guest house.

As he pulled into Blair House, the crowd chanted Erdogans name and "red and white" -- the colors of the Turkish flag.

"Here today, we are beyond party lines," said Gunay Ovunc, a second generation Turkish-American who co-chairs the Turkish-American National Steering Committee. "We have transcended those divisions."

Ozlem Timucin, a provincial vice president of the ruling AK Party, felt she needed to be present for Erdogan's arrival said it was "an honor" to witness it.

Following Erdogans arrival, Turkey's Washington envoy thanked supporterx, some of whom he said traveled to Washington, D.C. from as far away as California on the west coast.

"This unity and solidarity, especially in these days is very important," Serdar Kilic said. "Especially after the July 15 heinous coup attempt, your presence here, holding and waving Turkish flags while our president arrives -- it is vital," he added. "Our honorable president also salutes all of you guys."

Erdogan will meet Trump at the White House on Tuesday for a bilateral Oval Office meeting followed by a press conference.

A meeting with Turkish-American business and religious leaders at the Turkish ambassadors residence in northwest Washington, D.C. is also scheduled.

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Erdogan arrives in Washington to fanfare - Anadolu Agency

Turkish vessels violate Greek territorial waters after Tsipras, Erdogan meet – Kathimerini

Hopes that tension between Athens and Ankara would subside after the meeting between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday were dashed on Monday after two Turkish missile boats entered Greek territorial waters off the southeast Aegean island of Agathonisi.

The vessels, which were taking part in a maritime exercise code-named Denizkurdu (Seawolf), stayed in Greek territorial waters for about 20 minutes. They were monitored by Hellenic Navy vessels before they left. Last month Agathonisi was described as a Turkish island by Turkeys Minister of European Union Affairs Omer Celik.

Meanwhile, on Monday morning, before the Turkish missile boats approached Agathonisi, Ankara issued another navigational telex (navtex) reserving areas for military exercises in the northern Aegean, including in Greek territorial waters off the island of Zourafa, east of Samothrace. In a previous navtex issued on Saturday, Ankara had reserved large chunks of the central Aegean for June, drawing Greek reaction.

Nonetheless, before Monday's incident, government officials had hailed the meeting between Tsipras and Erdogan in Beijing on Saturday as positive.

Both men agreed on the need to find a way to rebuild confidence, even though the Turkish leader reiterated albeit less aggressively than on previous occasions his call for the extradition of eight Turkish servicemen who fled to Greece after the coup attempt in the neighboring country last year.

However, given the precarious nature of relations with Ankara, Athens is anticipating the results of the meeting on Tuesday between Erdogan and US President Donald Trump.

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Turkish vessels violate Greek territorial waters after Tsipras, Erdogan meet - Kathimerini

Turkey initiates terrifying DEFENCE strategy making Erdogan’s army … – Express.co.uk

GETTY

The huge machine has been created almost entirely using Turkish parts and signals the start of a major push for domestically-sourced military equipment.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced his intention to make the countrys army completely self-sufficient by 2023.

This date marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of modern Turkey and will be marked by huge celebrations and ceremonies.

Currently the Turkish army is largely made up of second-hand equipment and parts, something Erdogan is keen to bring an end to.

The drone, which has been nicknamed the Turkish word for National, is the first of a huge order by Mr Erdogan.

READ MORE: Will Turkey join the European Union (EU)?

GETTY

Another 24 drones have been ordered for construction by the Turkish firm Bayraktar, who have close links to the controversial Turkish leader after the son of its founder married Mr Erdogans daughter last year.

The drones construction comes at a time of heightening tensions in the country as President Erdogan continues to crackdown on opponents and perceived enemies of the state.

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A police officer talks with the soldiers involved in the coup attempt after they surrendered

Following last years bloody failed military coup the Turkish leader has arrested thousands of teachers, lawyers, police officers, soldiers, professors and journalists.

Now an MEP has declared the country is acting in too authoritarian a manner to be accepted as a member of the European Union.

NC

Gianni Pittella, leader of the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament, said: We cannot accept an authoritarian country ever being a member of the EU.

We would have liked to keep Europes doors to Turkey open.

Unfortunately, the referendum called by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan has forced us to request the suspension of the accession negotiations.

The way the amendments to the constitution will be now implemented will turn out to be crucial for the future of the EU-Turkey relations.

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Turkey initiates terrifying DEFENCE strategy making Erdogan's army ... - Express.co.uk

Erdogan wins Turkey referendum as opposition cries foul

Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan narrowly won a historic referendum on Sunday that will tighten his grip on power, but the knife-edge result left the country bitterly divided and the opposition crying foul.

The sweeping constitutional changes approved in the vote create a presidential system that will grant Erdogan more power than any leader since modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his successor Ismet Inonu.

The result could also have even wider implications for Turkey which joined NATO in 1952 and for the last half-century has set its sights on joining the European Union.

The 'Yes' campaign won 51.4 percent of the vote against 48.6 percent for 'No', the election commission said in figures quoted by state news agency Anadolu, in a count based on 99.5 percent of the ballot boxes. Turnout was a high 85 percent.

As huge crowds of flag-waving supporters celebrated on the streets, Erdogan praised Turkey for taking a "historic decision".

"With the people, we have realised the most important reform in our history," he added.

But opposition supporters in anti-Erdogan districts of Istanbul showed their dissatisfaction by bashing pots and pans with kitchen utensils to create a noisy protest. Hundreds also took to the streets in the areas of Besiktas and Kadikoy.

Supreme Election Board chief Sadi Guven confirmed that the 'Yes' camp had emerged victorious, but the opposition has vowed to challenge the outcome.

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- 'New page opened' -

The referendum was held under a state of emergency that has seen 47,000 people arrested in an unprecedented crackdown after a failed military putsch against Erdogan in July last year.

In a nail-biting end to a frenetic campaign, the 'No' share of the vote climbed as more ballots were counted, after lagging well behind in the early count, but failed to overtake the 'Yes' votes.

"This is a decision made by the people. In our democracy's history, a new page has opened," said Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, whose job will disappear under the constitutional changes.

In a television interview on Friday Erdogan had predicted a far clearer victory saying polls showed a 55-60 percent share of the vote.

But voting patterns showed Turkey deeply divided over the changes, with the 'No' vote victorious in the country's three biggest cities.

The 'Yes' vote held up strongly in Erdogan's Anatolian heartland but the Aegean and Mediterranean coastal regions and Kurdish-dominated southeast backed the 'No' camp.

In a major disappointment for the president, the 'No' vote was just ahead in his hometown of Istanbul and in the capital Ankara and clearly ahead in the third city of Izmir.

A statement issued by European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker and EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said that in view of the closeness of the result, the Turkish authorities need to seek the "broadest possible national consensus" for the changes.

Erdogan made relations with the EU a key issue in his referendum campaign, lambasting Brussels for failing to make progress on Ankara's stalled accession talks and he accused Germany and the Netherlands of acting like the Nazis when they barred pro-government rallies.

- 'Totally invalid' -

Turkey's two main opposition parties said they would challenge the results over alleged violations.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) said it would challenge two-thirds of the votes, saying: "There is an indication of a 3-4 percentage point manipulation of the vote."

Republican People's Party (CHP) chief Kemal Kilicdaroglu said the actions of the election authorities "caused the referendum's legitimacy to be questioned" insisting that the 'No' side had won at least 50 percent of votes cast.

"Believe me, this election is not over," deputy CHP leader Erdal Aksunger told CNN Turk, quoted by the Dogan news agency. "This is totally invalid. We are declaring this here."

The opposition had already complained that the referendum was conducted on unfair terms, with 'Yes' posters ubiquitous on the streets and opposition voices squeezed from the media.

Closely watched on Monday will be the initial assessment of the international observer mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

- 'Robust and muscular' -

Erdogan again warned Brussels he would sign any bill agreed by parliament to reinstate capital punishment, a move that would automatically end Turkey's EU bid.

If the opposition failed to support the bill, Erdogan said another referendum could be held on reinstating the death penalty.

Western reactions to the referendum will be crucial after Erdogan accused Turkey's allies of failing to show sufficient solidarity in the wake of the failed coup.

"We would like other countries and institutions to show respect to the decision of the nation," Erdogan said.

The new system would dispense with the office of prime minister and centralise the entire executive bureaucracy under the president, giving Erdogan the direct power to appoint ministers.

It is due to come into force after elections in November 2019. Erdogan, who became president in 2014 after serving as premier from 2003, could then seek two more five-year terms.

"I don't think he (Erdogan) will reverse course. I don't think Erdogan will change the robust and muscular approach to politics that he has adopted so far," said Fadi Hakura, Turkey expert at London-based Chatham House think tank.

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Erdogan wins Turkey referendum as opposition cries foul