Atilla's Musings

Options for the EU-Turkey Relationship

Source:Carnegie Europe Date:05May2019

As usual, an excellent assessment of  Turkey-EU relations by Marc Pierini which manages to encompass Turkey’s  economic and democratic dilemmas in the process:   This is the paragraph

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Turkey: Is mob violence undermining democracy?

Source:Deutsche Welle Date:04May2019

An article which resonates at so many levels. First, it may provide an explanation why CHP might win a re-run of Istanbul election. Secodnly, it offers a background to troubled history of

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Why Turkey and America Cannot Compromise in Syria

Source:Foreign Policy Research Institute Date:03May2019

After three days of talks in Turkey, representatives from Washington and Ankara failed to reach agreement on the terms of a proposed safe zone in northeastern Syria. The two sides, treaty allies

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This report created a furor in Turkey

Source:UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM Date:02May2019

The annual UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM created a fury of criticism in Turkey, with pro-AKP daily SABAH reporting:  “Turkey slammed the U.S. 2019 annual

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In Turkey, Erdogan Is Still Calling All the Shots

Source:Foreign Policy Date:29Apr2019

This is an article, with which I completely disagree.  In my view it perpetues the defeatist view of an all powerful Erdogan holding his and the nation’s destiny in his hands, and his hands

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Venezuela’s Trade Scheme With Turkey Is Enriching a Mysterious Maduro Crony

Source:Bloomberg Date:25Apr2019

Could this be the next Reza  Zarrab affair for Turkey?   Venezuela now finds its business partnership with Turkey in the crosshairs of several law enforcement organizations around the world.

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As Trump moves to cut off Iran’s oil revenues, what’s his endgame?

Source:Brookings Institute Date:23Apr2019

Concerned that Tehran could snatch victory from the jaws of an American bludgeon simply by holding on, the Trump administration is now aiming to deal a death blow. Will it succeed? As with all

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Election setback evokes intra-party challenge to Erdogan

Source:Reuters Date:22Apr2019

Rumors of disgruntled former AKP heavyweights getting ready to stage a rebellion against Erdogan have been circulating for long, only to be dismissed by pro-AKP and opposition media. They are

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Squaring the triangle: Why Turkey and the EastMed project need each other

Source:War on the Rocks Date:20Apr2019

EastMed, if and when completed, will transport up to 352 billion cubic feet of natural gas annually along a 1,250-mile pipeline through overland and underwater pipelines across Cyprus and Greece

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Turkey remains 157th out of 180 countries in world press freedom index

Source:Stockholm Center for Freedom Date:19Apr2019

You can’t have economic development without democracy. You can’t have democracy without a free press and freedom expression. Ergo, you can’t have economic recovery in Turkey!

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