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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan

Murat Cetinmuhurdar | Reuters

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday approved Finland's accession to NATO after months of talks, but added that discussions with Sweden will continue.

"We have decided to initiate the ratification of Finland's accession process to NATO in our parliament," Erdogan said in Ankara, according to a Reuters translation, as he met his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto.

Erdogan added that he hoped the Turkish parliament would endorse Finland's bid before the country's May 14 elections.

In May, Finland and Sweden sent applications to join the military alliance. They decided to put an end to their policies of neutrality and military non-alignment in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But the process to join NATO has not been as smooth as some had expected, particularly with Ankara demanding more security reassurances from Sweden.

As of 2022, NATO has expanded to let in three former Soviet states and all of the former Warsaw Pact countries.

Bryn Bache | CNBC

Friday's announcement paves the way for Finland to become a member of NATO in the coming months. Hungary is the only other member that has yet to approve Helsinki's membership out of the 30 NATO nations, although the ruling party in Hungary said Friday it would back Finland at a March 27 vote.

Friday's developments leave Stockholm a bit behind in the process.

Turkey's opposition to Sweden's NATO membership centers around what, it says, is their harboring of militants from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

In January, far-right demonstrators burned a Quran and chanted anti-Muslim slogans in front of Turkey's embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Ankara immediately denounced the act, as well as Sweden's granting of a permit to the right-wing group to hold the demonstration.

During a NATO meeting in Madrid in June 2022, Sweden, Finland and Turkey signed an agreement outlining a path to a compromise, with Ankara calling for further anti-terrorism guarantees. Speaking to CNBC in February, Sweden's Foreign Affairs Minister Tobias Billstrm said his country had done its part to fulfil the agreement.

"This is just a matter of time," he said about joining the alliance, adding he expects his nation to be a full member by July.

Former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb played down concerns about Sweden being left behind.

"Both Finland and Sweden will become Nato members at the latest at the summit in July. The situation is stable. We are already de facto members," he said on Twitter.

CNBC's Natasha Turak contributed to this report.

Read more:
President Erdogan says Turkey will start ratifying Finland's NATO application - CNBC

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that he will speak by phone in the coming days with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

"We will have a phone call with Putin in two to three days," Erdogan said in an interview broadcast live on Turkish channels NTV and Star TV.

He said the world appreciates Trkiyes mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine.

"We are already acknowledged in the world. Trkiye's success is on everyone's lips in the world," he added.

Last July, Trkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed a deal in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.

Erdogan announced the deal's extension on Saturday, one day before it was slated to lapse.

The president also recalled Putin's offer of sending grain to poor countries free of charge.

He added that Trkiye is in preparation for buying wheat to turn it into flour and sending it to poor countries.

"(Together with Putin), We will take our steps in this area as well," Erdogan said.

He added that Ankara is determined also to ship Russian fertilizer to less developed countries.

"There is need of fertilizer. We will supply them. We will send it (fertilizer) to world markets and underdeveloped countries and try to relieve them," he said.

Stressing that Trkiye will not be a party to any war and will always be on the side of peace, Erdogan said: "As a matter of fact, this is the step that we took in the Russia-Ukraine war."

- Earthquakes in Trkiye

On last month's powerful earthquakes in Trkiye's southern region, Erdogan said they are making efforts to heal the wounds of the victims.

On Feb. 6, magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes struck 11 Turkish provinces Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Elazig, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa -- claiming the lives of over 50,000 people.

More than 13.5 million people in Trkiye have been affected by the quakes as well as many others in northern Syria.

Erdogan vowed to reconstruct the quake-hit regions, saying: "As we promised, we are starting to lay the foundation tomorrow (Thursday). I hope that we will be able to finish the permanent houses in one year."

The president said that 302 suspects were arrested as part of an investigation carried out after the earthquakes.

"We will be following (investigations) closely. Those who do not fulfill their responsibilities will be held accountable. There's no escape," he added.

- Trkiye's first indigenous electric car

Regarding Trkiye's first indigenous electric car TOGG, Erdogan said from the end of this month, TOGG will enrich the streets.

Nearly 80,000 orders for the automobile have been received to date, he said.

Pre-orders for the TOGG T10X will be taken online from March 16-27 and deliveries will start in late March.

The price of the standard range model T10X will start from 953,000 Turkish liras (about $50,200) to 1.055 million liras (about $55,600), while the long-range model was priced at 1.215 million liras (about $64,000).

Erdogan said the production target of TOGG is 20,000 this year, adding: "Hopefully we will have produced one million TOGGs by 2030."

Erdogan sent his warmest wishes as Muslims around the world begin the holy month of Ramadan.

"Tonight we will get up for suhur and we will start breathing the spiritual atmosphere of Ramadan," he said, referring to the meal eaten by Muslims before dawn during the fasting month.

Ramadan is believed to be a time of intense spirituality when the believers are surrounded by angels, the gates of heaven are open, and Allah's blessings and mercy are abundant.

Muslims in Trkiye will fast for 29 days beginning from Thursday, March 23, according to the Diyanet, Trkiyes top religious body.

Muslims will celebrate Eid al-Fitr at the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Read more:
Erdogan to speak with Putin on grain deal in coming days - Yeni afak English

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voices concern over rising attacks in occupied West Bank, underlines importance of preventing provocations in Al Aqsa Mosque.

Turkish President Erdogan (R) conveys his "deep concern" over increasing acts of violence in occupied West Bank. ( Reuters Archive )

Trkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israel's President Isaac Herzog discussed bilateral relations in a phone conversation late on Monday, Turkish communication's directorate has said.

According to a statement by the Turkish Communications Directorate on Tuesday, Herzog congratulated Erdogan for the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan, while the Turkish president congratulated his Israeli counterpart's Jewish Passover holiday.

Thanking Israel for its solidarity and support after last month's massive earthquakes in southern Trkiye, Erdogan also reaffirmed Ankara's determination to strengthen relations.

Erdogan further conveyed his "deep concern" over increasing attacks and acts of violence in the occupied West Bank as Ramadan approaches, according to the statement.

He underlined the importance of not allowing provocations and threats against the historical status and spirituality of the Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.

The statement also noted that Erdogan thanked Herzog for his efforts to preserve calm and the status quo.

READ MORE:Trkiye, Israel discuss security, regional issues in Ankara talks

Original post:
Trkiye's Erdogan reaffirms determination to strengthen ties with Israel - TRT World

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that cost of the damage caused by last month's devastating earthquake has hit USD 104 billion. He spoke via a video link as donors at a conference in Brussels vowed funds to help Turkey and Syria.

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen kicked off a EU-hosted fund-raising event by promising one billion euros ($1.1 billion) for reconstruction in Turkey and 108 million for humanitarian aid in Syria.

"The needs of the survivors are still massive and must be tackled with urgency," von der Leyen said.

During his address, Erdogan said that "regardless of its economic standing, it is impossible for any country to fight a disaster of this scale on its own."

Watch | The West Asia Post: Turkey to hold elections on May 14

Turkey was hit last month by a catastrophic 7.8-magnitude earthquake that flattened entire cities. More than 50,000 people across southeastern Turkey and parts of war-torn Syria were killed, millions were displaced. And to add to the woes of the common people, flash floods occurred in the region.

The United Nations has set the "recovery costs" for Syria at $14.8 billion.

After the UN complained of poor level of response to a call to come to Turkey help, aid groups urged donors to step up their commitments.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC), said they should at least ensure that the UN's emergency appeal for $1 billion for Turkey and $397 million for Syria are fully funded.

"Over a month since the earthquake, the situation in affected regions remains desperate," said Tanya Evans, IRC country director for Syria.

"With many homes damaged or destroyed, many people are left with no choice but to sleep in overcrowded and under-resourced collective shelters," she said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Turkey reconstruction would need more than USD 100 billion: Erdogan - WION

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Trkiye will continue to protect its water resources: President Erdogan - Anadolu Agency | English