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There is a nasty thorn growing inside the perfumed garden of Europe and releasing its poisonous spores across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean. Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made it his mission to establish a new Islamic state and do away with secularism.

After the questionable referendum result on April 16, Turkey is about to be transformed forever. Erdogan cannot wait to change the Constitution and name himself as the all-powerful Grand Sultan of Turkey. In opposition to his obsession a massive 50% of the Turkish citizens resist his theocratic ambitions and another attempt to topple him cannot be discounted.

Last years failed coup sparked a hidden trait of his to flare up; a trait not seen before! He was so horrified of nearly losing power he behaved like a child terrified someone was about to steal his candy. Now, the world has become his enemy and he lashes out at anyone who disagrees with him.

Badly shaken by the experience, he launched a campaign of brutality imprisoning over 170,000 innocent men, women and young people. Undeterred by international condemnation he continues to imprison people and there is no end to it. Paranoid about his illusionary enemies, he has recently fired 13.000 civil servants, police and army officers and academics. With the help of a network of snoopers across the land his paranoia has reached new levels. Meanwhile he cracks down on mass media, free expression, the Internet, Wikipedia and all means of rapid communication but also against those that spread moral deterioration.

Notwithstanding, he produced a list of hundreds of Turks living in 40 countries demanding that those traitors be arrested and extradited back to motherland and face Turkish justice. His request outraged governments learning that this man was actually using Turkish Embassies in their countries as a network of spying centers against their citizens.

But his paranoia has now gone one step beyond. He plans to bring back the death penalty to legitimize the execution of phantom enemies or anyone who poses a threat to his rule. Listening to him speak in rallies one immediately recognizes that Hitler used similar tactics during his notorious rousing hate speeches.

He branded EU governments as Nazis for not allowing his political campaigns there and in retaliation he imposed sanctions against Muslim enemies. Red with fury, he threatened that from now on:

no European citizen in any part of the world can walk safely on the streets,and decreed that:all Muslim families living in Europe to have a minimum of five children per familyand to cause an ethnic flooding of Muslims in Europe.

What kind of mentality is that coming from a world leader of 80 million people that resorts to such dastardly blackmailing tactics? He seems prepared to use all available means at his disposal including the use of Islamic State to establish his Neo-Ottoman empire. Despite Ankaras objections, Turkey has been accused of harboring IS activities in banking, recruiting of IS fighters, arms procurement, human smuggling and selling pilfered oil by IS and Turkish agents on the black market. If these tyrannical activities persist, chaos will rise out of the ashes of despair and destabilize Turkey and the region for years to come.

One country thats exposed to Erdogans Islamization ambitions is the small island of Cyprus. Strategically located, the Republic of Cyprus with a population of less that 750.000 Greeks and 250,000 mixed ethnic minorities is gravely vulnerable to Erdogans whim. He is very unpredictable and he can mobilize his 40.000 occupying Turkish troops stationed on the island at the snap of his fingers. To provoke even further one of his ministers has lately announced that,

they captured Cyprus shedding blood and they are prepared to give more blood to keep it.

Erdogan is so unpredictable, that no sooner had the resumption of the Bi-communal talks started but the very next day Ankara sent its seismic vessel Barbaros Hayreddin Pasa to survey for gas in the Exclusive Sea Protection Zone of the Republic of Cyprus. Sea and Air military provocations were also conducted simultaneously using live ammunition as if to say I am the boss here and you cannot stop me!

Thats what the Republic is faced with: Turkeys constant military provocations, and Cyprus is obliged to negotiate under the threat of a gun. Yet, the Cyprus Government refuses to understand that Ankara will not abandon its military trophy. It insists on negotiating with Ankaras lame puppet Mr. Akinci for a mythical solution knowing very well that Ankara decides and not this man. After so many years of failed talks, the charade continues to no end. Its as if the Government is incapable or afraid to forge a new defence policy to protect the island from Erdogans threats and Islamization plans.

President Trump and world leaders have condemned N. Koreas missile provocations and showed their readiness to retaliate against this brutal dictator. Yet, when it comes to another dictator and a Menace of the Med Sultan Erdogan of Turkey the best they can do is tolerate his military aggression.

The present good boy attitude has to change. If not, there are much darker clouds on the way. Adopting a defiant new foreign policy by terminating the pseudo-negotiations until a better climate develops may be a good place to start. Shutting the crossings would also send a signal to Ankara and to the Turkish Cypriot leadership that the Republic of Cyprus can no longer tolerate the current farce.To ostracize and pressure Turkey politically and economically through the EU would certainly help produce results 80% of Turkeys exports go to EU markets!

EU-Cyprus can make it very difficult for Turkey economically and politically if it chooses to do so. It has the ability and the means to use its EU membership to its advantage but it demands a strong decisive leadership that Cyprus so far has been short of.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Cypriot side continues to play dubious games. It pretends to negotiate for a solution on the basis of a BBF and yet, it makes it abundantly clear that TCs wish fora self-governing separate state under Turkeys protectorate. They also insist on the right to a veto on all national decision-making processes and further demand that all Turkish illegal settlers be given EU visas as a fast track entry to EU from the back door -typical Ottoman games!

Those demands are not co-incidental but well orchestrated and aim to serve Turkeys objectives in the Eastern Mediterranean. A separate TC state would provide the legal platform for Ankara to establish a defence dyke for its underbelly. If successful, Ankara would then gain control of the entire region but also assert its influence over the entire island and control its massive gas reserves! It has already claimed that Plot Six located south of the island belongs to Turkey and she will defend it militarily at the threat of starting a war against any attempts to drill for gas.

Can the Cyprus government stop Turkeys bullying tactics, provocations and traps? Under the present policy the answer is No! That is why Cyprus desperately needs a strong leadership and strong allies. Turkey is not about to give up so easily and there are much greater dangers lurking in the future!

Weather Cyprus likes it or not, it was reported that Turkey aims to flood the island with over one million Muslim settlers in the occupied area. Under EU directives the Republic would be powerless to alter the fate of the island. Erdogans objective is to change the demographic character of Cyprus and he is doing it systematically. There are over 400.000 illegal settlers living in the occupied area and its no wonder a string of Mosques are sprouting everywhere including the largest Islamic School there.

At this rate, the fast growing Islamization process will certainly bring about the end of Cyprus as a Hellenic nation. A new EU-Cyprus will be established but certainly not a Hellenic. Cyprus will be transformed forever. What will happen next its anyones guess!

Read the original here:
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Theocratic Ambitions: What Implications for Cyprus - Center for Research on Globalization

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last week in Sochi, Russia. The most important item on the agenda was the creation of de-escalation zones in various parts of Syria. Turkey had long promoted the idea of establishing a safe zone in northern Syria. Russia and the US were also interested, but perceptions regarding the content of the idea varied.

Erdogan had in mind a safe zone preferably in areas controlled presently by the Free Syrian Army (FSA), with the support of the Turkish Army. If possible, this zone would be protected by a no-fly zone, meaning Syrian regime aircraft would be prevented from flying over the zone and bombing targets in it. However, Turkey could not gather sufficient support for it.

The US said on several occasions it was in favor of such an idea, but with a different scope. It wanted to protect the Kurds from the regime. Turkey tried to persuade the US to create a zone free from Kurdish fighters of the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), which the US views as a valuable ally.

Last week, Erdogan and Putin agreed on an entirely different concept. Russia wants to draw a line between the warring parties in four places: Idlib in the north, next to the Turkish border; Homs, north of Damascus; the Ghouta neighborhood of Damascus; and a region near Daraa close to the Jordanian border. De-escalation is not expected to become operational at the same time in every region.

Russia, Turkey and Iran will be the guarantors of the plan, but other countries will be invited to contribute to its implementation. The aim is to end the hostilities and create favorable conditions to advance a political settlement of the crisis in Syria.

Hostilities will be controlled by the parties in the de-escalation areas, including weapons. Unhindered, immediate and safe humanitarian access will be provided under the supervision of the guarantor. Conditions will be created to provide medical aid to the population.

The deal reached in Sochi is a major breakthrough, and makes Ankara an officially involved party in the de-escalation process. It also solves the dilemma of whether Turkey will cooperate with Russia or with the US, because both support the plan.

Yasar Yakis

Measures will be taken to restore social infrastructure, water supply and other life-supporting systems, and conditions will be created to ensure the safe and voluntary return of refugees and the work of local governing bodies. Along the borders of the de-escalation zones, there will be safe areas to prevent incidents and direct clashes between the warring parties. This part of the plan vaguely resembles Turkeys original proposal.

Daesh, Al-Qaeda-linked opposition groups and other terrorist organizations listed by the UN will not be covered by the plan, so they will continue to be targeted by the Syrian and Russian air forces.

Putin said he discussed the plan and other ways to consolidate the cease-fire with US President Donald Trump, and that he supports the ideas. But State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said the US had reasons to be cautious, including Irans role in the deal and the Syrian regimes failure to fulfill past commitments. The US appreciates the efforts by Russia and Turkey, and supports any effort that can lower violence in Syria, she added.

A working group will be established five days after the agreement is signed by Russia, Turkey and Iran. It will determine the boundaries of the areas of tension and security, and will finalize technical issues related to the implementation of the plan. The maps of areas of tension and de-escalation areas will be completed by May 22.

The deal reached in Sochi is a major breakthrough, and makes Ankara an officially involved party in the de-escalation process. It also solves the dilemma of whether Turkey will cooperate with Russia or with the US, because both support the plan.

This cooperation will help mend the damage in Turkish-Russian relations caused by Turkeys downing of a Russian fighter jet. It will also readjust Ankaras Syria policy to reflect the realities on the ground, and send a message to the West that its snubbing of Turkey has limits.

Yasar Yakis is a former foreign minister of Turkey and founding member of the ruling AK Party.

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The significance for Syria of Erdogan-Putin meeting - Arab News

All that could possibly go wrong with a dignitary visit went wrong even before Turkish President Recep Erdogan arrived in India. It was touted as a visit by a leader who seems to be set to stay, right wing, authoritarian, controversial but clearly there was, or at least should have been, a reason for the effort undertaken by both governments to facilitate Erdogans trip to India.

However, by the time he left New Delhi-Ankara relations were left in tatters with both sides clearly wondering what had been achieved by the diplomatic exercise.

The world is re-assessing its relations with Turkey after Erdogan swept back into power. Even the European Union that had drawn a distance away has had discussions on its relationship with the authoritarian President accused of violating citizens rights, with a larger meeting scheduled on precisely this issue. US President Donald Trump has moved to improve relations with Turkey, a strong voice in West Asia and an enemy of Americas declared enemies like Syria.

Clearly the effort undertaken by New Delhi was to follow the same footprints, and reach out to Erdogan despite his dismal record in human rights, and in bolstering the war in Syria. In fact several Syrian diplomats and political leaders have spoken to this reporter about the role played by Turkey in supplying arms and money to prop up the insurgent groups, and thereby strengthening the Islamic State steadily over the years. This has been documented extensively and is now part of accepted records. In fact, the Kurds have held press conferences and issued statements of how Erdogan used the excuse of IS to bomb the Kurds and thereby weaken the fight against the Islamic State.

New Delhi while keeping relations open with all, had been supportive of Syria through the war. Perhaps not to the extent that Damascus expected, but to a point where India kept its head over the controversial waters and kept relations with the Assad regime intact.

Erdogans visit has cut both ends. Syria and Iran in particular are extremely unhappy about the New Delhi decision to invite and entertain Erdogan at this stage, when the US attack on them has sharpened. And relations with Turkey have dipped considerably to what Syrian leaders insist is a point of no return.

Turkey is also seen as a newfriend of Israel in West Asia, a position that might endear Erdogan to the west but that certainly makes him suspect in the eyes of most countries in the region. Ties between the leaders are on a fairly sound footing now. This, diplomatic sources, was also one of the reasons why New Delhi extended the invitation seeing it to be part of the US-Israel-Japan-Australia- possibly Turkey axis that is being explored here.

However, New Delhi itself queered the pitch by first inviting, and then scheduling a visit by the President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades to India shortly before Erdogan arrived. On the streets of Istanbul the anger with Cyprus is as palpable, as is the anger in Syria against Turkey. And while of course, India has the sovereign right to do what it wants, in diplomacy relations depend heavily on such sensitivities and niceties. Relations between Cyprus and Turkey are non-existent and this would have most certainly been seen in Ankara as a slight.

Former Ambassador M.Bhadrakumar believes that this is a primary reason why Erdogan threw all caution to the winds and raised the issue of Kashmir before he left for India. And he insisted on raising the Kashmir issue, that he would have most probably done so before the visit. Of course Turkey has supported Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, but here Bhadrakumar points to a willingness by Turkey to dehyphenate India and Pakistan.

As he says, the Cyprus question is as complicated as our Kashmir problem where religion, ethnicity, national identity and geopolitics get hopelessly intertwined. Turkeys stance on Kashmir became pro-Pakistan in a pronounced way following (non-aligned) Indias robust support for (non-aligned) Cyprus against the Turkish invasion and occupation in 1974. Unsurprisingly, Pakistan happened to be one of the handful of countries that supported Northern Cyprus.Nonetheless, Turkeys antipathy toward India mellowed over time and its militant secularism put limits on its friendship with Pakistan. When Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit accepted PM Atal Bihari Vajpayees invitation to visit India in 2001, he spurned an invitation by then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to visit Pakistan as well.

This visit has set the clock back as Eerdogans controversial remarks offering to mediate on Kashmir, and his declared warmth towards Pakistan, came to the forefront. This placed New Delhi too on the defensive, and although protocol was followed, and meetings took place it is clear that Erdogan has returned to Ankara with Kashmir and not New Delhi on his agenda. This will also be an issue that will endear him to other countries in the region, and as the sources here said, something that we will hear more about from Turkey.

In the process, the visit has :

Disclaimer:The views expressed here are the author's personal views, and do not necessarily represent the views of Newsclick.

Originally posted here:
Erdogan Visit: A Diplomatic Disaster - NewsClick

Financial Times

Erdogan's blacklist Financial Times After the coup was thwarted, few at the time blamed Mr Erdogan for hunting down those behind it. Ohal was originally sold to the Turkish people as a temporary measure. But after winning a referendum increasing his powers last month, Mr Erdogan extended ... No end in sight for Erdogan's purges after referendum - Al-MonitorAl-Monitor all 5 news articles »

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Erdogan's blacklist - Financial Times

Dozens of suspects accused of trying to assassinate the Turkish president during last years botched coup attempt will remain in jail pending their trial and have been denied bail, a court in southwestern Turkey ruled yesterday.

44 members of the military squad involved in the plot who are believed to have been ordered to capture or kill President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were previously remanded in custody to face trial.

The Second Heavy Penal Court in Mugla also decided that Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, who is also Erdogans son-in-law, can join the trial as a plaintiff.

Last year, on 15 July, in the midst of the coup attempt, Erdogan told the nation on live television that he had narrowly escaped an attempt on his life when the hotel in Marmaris where he had been staying was bombed only 15 minutes after he left.

Turkey survived a deadly coup attempt on 15 July by rogue elements within the military that killed 249 people and injured nearly 2,200 others.

Responding to a rallying cry by Erdogan, Turkish citizens valiantly took to the streets that night and became the biggest factor in ensuring the failure of the attempted overthrow of the democratically elected government.

Turkeys government has repeatedly said the coup attempt was organized by US-based preacher Fetullah Gulen and what the Turkish government now terms as the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation, or FETO.

Gulen is accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.

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Failed Erdogan assassins to stay in jail - Middle East Monitor