Tag: Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The retreat of democracy

True democracies around the world seem to be on the decline. Electoral democracies are increasingly becoming fraught with all kinds of unfair means. The recent elections in Pakistan and Zimbabwe have come under serious criticism and their credibility has been questioned. Earlier this year the elections in Egypt, Russia, Colombia, Venezuela and several others have …

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August 30, 2018

About time someone took on Erdogan

President Trump’s head-on confrontation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson and other points of contention is a marked departure from his predecessors’ approaches to U.S.-Turkey relations. It is also welcome and long overdue. Washington’s relations with Ankara have deteriorated over the past 20 years, in particular since …

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August 25, 2018

It can’t all be about a pastor

It needs a stroke of genius to soften the heart for poor old Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Those of us who have always believed that Erdogan is a bit off his rocker must still be appalled that a US president infinitely more cracked than the Turkish variety is trying to impoverish Nato’s second largest military ally. …

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August 18, 2018

US not to lift tariffs on Turkey even Brunson released: White house

US President tweeted that he had authorized to double the tariffs on steel and aluminum products from Turkey to 50 percent and 20 percent respectively.

August 16, 2018

Ferment in Turkey

The US has made the waters murkier. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey will have to countenance a deepening economic crisis that will almost certainly compound the persistent ethnic cauldron and the fragile political stability. The latest ferment was ignited on Friday when Donald Trump announced that he was doubling import tariffs on Turkish steel …

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August 12, 2018

Turkey’s Recep Erdogan wins presidential re-election

Turkey’s long-standing leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a new five-year term after securing outright victory in the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections, tightening his grip on the nation he has ruled for 15 years. Turkey’s Supreme Election Council (YSK) on Monday announced that with 99.6 per cent of ballots counted, Erdogan had secured 52.5 per …

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June 25, 2018

Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins Turkey’s presidential poll

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won tightly-contested presidential polls, the election authority said today, extending his 15-year grip on power as the opposition complained bitterly about the conduct of the vote count. Turkish voters had for the first time cast ballots for both president and parliament in the snap elections, with Erdogan looking for …

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June 25, 2018

Tillerson breaks protocol, meets Erdogan without translator

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson broke protocol by meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan without an American translator or policy aides, the media reported. The meeting took place on Thursday for over three hours where the translation was done by Turkish Foreign Minister Mehmet Cavusoglu, reports CNN. Tillerson was in Ankara to discuss growing …

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February 16, 2018

Kurdish protesters clash with Italian police during Erdogan’s visit

Italian security forces clashed with pro-Kurdish demonstrators and held two people on Monday during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit, police said. “Following the violent aggression towards security forces by protesters at Castel Sant’Angelo, the demonstration was brought to an end,” said the Rome police headquarters in a statement. “Two people were arrested. We are …

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February 6, 2018

Putin, Erdogan plan second Syrian dialogue

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin said that plans were underway for a second gathering of Syrian representatives to devise a political solution to the bloody conflict in the Middle Eastern nation. “We have spoken about Syria. We will gather again as soon as possible in Sochi,” Erdogan said on …

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December 12, 2017

US to stop arming Syrian Kurdish militia

US President Donald Trump told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he will stop arming a Syrian Kurdish militia the Turkish government considers a terrorist organisation, Turkey’s Foreign Minister has said. The decision would cut the flow of weapons from the US to the YPG, the Kurdish militia fighting with the US-backed Syrian Democratic …

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November 25, 2017

Turkey-Russia relations nearly back to normal: Vladimir Putin

Relations between Russia and Turkey are nearly back to the level they were prior to the Turkish downing of a Russian warplane over Syria two years ago, the presidents of both countries have said. “I’m going to emphasize that our relations can be considered re-established almost in their entirety,” Vladimir Putin said on Monday, welcoming …

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November 14, 2017

Turkish, French presidents discuss Syria, Iraq issues

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron discussed the current situation in Syria and Iraq via phone on Saturday. Erdogan and Macron exchanged views on developments in Iraq and Syria, as well as bilateral relations and regional issues, Xinhua cited state-run Anadolu Agency as saying. The two leaders stressed the importance …

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October 8, 2017

Turkish President Erdogan in Iran for key meetings

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in the Iranian capital on Wednesday for key talks with senior Iranian officials. During his day-long official visit, Erdogan will meet his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to discuss boosting bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues, Xinhua news agency reported. Erdogan …

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October 4, 2017

Putin arrives in Ankara for talks with Erdogan

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Ankara on Thursday for talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on issues of bilateral ties, Syria and Iraq. The two leaders held face-to-face talks late Thursday at the presidential compound in Ankara. They were expected to discuss topics related to the bilateral relations and the latest regional …

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September 29, 2017

Kurdish referendum

It is ever so open to question whether the Kurds in Iraq will be able to exercise the right to selfdetermination in accord with the UN Charter. Whatever the eventual outcome of the vote, Monday’s referendum must be deemed to be significant not least because they enjoy a high degree of autonomy within the fractious …

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September 28, 2017

Trump speaks with Turkey’s leader, backs regional stability

President Donald Trump has spoken with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. The White House says Trump in the call today emphasized the common commitment of the United States and Turkey to work together to increase regional stability. According to Turkish presidential sources, Erdogan and Trump spoke about the importance of their nations’ strategic partnership …

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September 10, 2017