Foreign Policy
- S. Embassy in Turkey says resumes processing visas on ‘limited basis’
- Turkish FM talks to U.S. counterpart on the phone for second time in three days
- EU says Turkey must respect ‘presumption of innocence’
- Turkey-EU summit will show ties recovering, Simsek says
- German, Turkish diplomats meet to discuss ‘difficult issues’
- Turkey to develop anti-missile system with France and Italy
- Putin, Erdogan to meet for second time in two months
Economy and Energy
- Turkey core inflation hits its highest level in 13 years
- Turkey Central Bank warns of 2 month inflation blackspot
- Turkish Central Bank provides dollar liquidity in reserve requirements move
- Turkey’s defense industry says planning 22 projects worth $5 billion
- Standard & Poor’s holds Turkey’s credit rating steady
Domestic Policy
- German jailed for ’political reasons’ released in Turkey
- Turkey detains 283 suspected IS militants
- Turkey arrests philanthropist for links to US-based cleric
- Legislator sued for calling Turkey ‘fascist dictator’
- Turkey set to ‘grant citizenship to 23,000 Ahiska Turks’
- Students to enroll in high school nearest to their homes in Turkey’s new system
- Mustafa Tuna becomes new Ankara mayor, replacing Gokcek
Foreign Policy
U.S. Embassy in Turkey says resumes processing visas on ‘limited basis’
The United States has resumed processing visas at its missions in Turkey on a “limited basis”, the embassy said in an email on Monday, in what could signal a tentative improvement in the ongoing diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
Reuters, U.S. Embassy in Turkey says resumes processing visas on ‘limited basis’, November 6, 2017
Turkish FM talks to U.S. counterpart on the phone for second time in three days
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson over the phone on Nov. 5, Anadolu Agency reported citing diplomatic sources.
The conversation came just two days after phone call in which the two top diplomats discussed bilateral ties and cooperation on counter-terrorism, according to the report.
Hurriyet, Turkish FM talks to U.S. counterpart on the phone for second time in three days, November 5, 2017
EU says Turkey must respect ‘presumption of innocence’
The European Union says Turkey must respect the “presumption of innocence” principle in its prosecution of a businessman and activist accused of attempting to overthrow the government.
Washington Post, EU says Turkey must respect ‘presumption of innocence’, November 3, 2017
Turkey-EU summit will show ties recovering, Simsek says
Turkey’s relationship with the European Union is in recovery and top economic policy makers are planning to meet at a summit in Brussels next month, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said.
Bloomberg, Turkey-EU summit will show ties recovering, Simsek says, November 3, 2017
German, Turkish diplomats meet to discuss ‘difficult issues’
The foreign ministers of Germany and Turkey have held informal talks as the two countries try and repair their strained relations. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted Saturday they met in Turkey “informally to discuss bilateral relations, including the difficult issues and mutual expectations.”
New York Times, German, Turkish diplomats meet to discuss ‘difficult issues’, November 4, 2017
Turkey to develop anti-missile system with France and Italy
The executive committee of the Undersecreteriat for Defense Industries has agreed to give a green light on 22 different procurement projects, worth a total of $5 billion, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said on Nov. 3.
Hurriyet, Turkey to develop anti-missile system with France and Italy, November 3, 2017
Putin, Erdogan to meet for second time in two months
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will pay a visit to Russia’s Black Sea resort city of Sochi on Nov. 13 to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Hurriyet, Putin, Erdogan to meet for second time in two months, November 6, 2017
Students to enroll in high school nearest to their homes in Turkey’s new system
A central high school entrance exam will only be held at specific schools, Education Minister İsmet Yılmaz has said, announcing that Turkey’s new education system will be based upon the principle of students enrolling at the nearest school available.
Hurriyet, Students to enroll in high school nearest to their homes in Turkey’s new system, November 5, 2017
Economy and Energy
Turkey core inflation hits its highest level in 13 years
A key measure of Turkey’s consumer prices that excludes volatile items such as food and energy accelerated to the highest level in more than 13 years, underscoring the central bank’s challenge as it looks to lower inflation to levels that would enable cuts in borrowing costs.
Bloomberg, Turkey core inflation hits its highest level in 13 years, November 3, 2017
Turkey Central Bank warns of 2 month inflation blackspot
Turkey’s central bank Governor Murat Cetinkaya said on Wednesday that he expects inflation to accelerate in October and November, driven by a weaker currency and rising oil prices, before the rate starts to ease a month later. The lira declined on the comments.
Bloomberg, Turkey Central Bank warns of 2 month inflation blackspot, November 3, 2017
Turkish Central Bank provides dollar liquidity in reserve requirements move
The Central Bank said on Nov. 6 that 5.3 billion Turkish Liras ($1.37 billion) of lira liquidity will be withdrawn from the market and $1.4 billion of dollar liquidity will be provided to banks, under a change in reserve requirements.
Hurriyet, Turkish Central Bank provides dollar liquidity in reserve requirements move, November 6, 2017
Turkey’s defense industry says planning 22 projects worth $5 billion
Turkey is planning 22 new defense projects worth a total of $5 billion and spanning the development of air defense missile systems, ammunition and arms systems, the defense industry executive board said on Thursday.
Reuters, Turkey’s defense industry says planning 22 projects worth $5 billion, November 2, 2017
Standard & Poor’s holds Turkey’s credit rating steady
The Standard & Poor’s (S&P) ratings agency left unchanged Turkey’s credit rating on Nov.3, but said its outlook remains “negative”.
Hurriyet, Standard & Poor’s holds Turkey’s credit rating steady, November 4, 2017
Domestic Issues
German jailed for ’political reasons’ released in Turkey
Germany’s foreign ministry says a German citizen who was held in Turkey for what Berlin considers political reasons has been released from jail.
Washington Post, German jailed for ‘political reasons’ released in Turkey, November 3, 2017
Turkey detains 283 suspected IS militants
Security officials say police have detained 283 suspected Islamic State group militants in Turkey in the past 11 days.
Washington Post, Turkey detains 283 suspected IS militants, November 3, 2017
Turkey arrests philanthropist for links to US-based cleric
Turkey’s state-run news agency says a philanthropist businessman and peace activist has been formally arrested over alleged links to a U.S.-based cleric whom Turkey blames for last year’s failed coup.
Washington Post, Turkey arrests philanthropist for links to US-based cleric, November 1, 2017
Legislator sued for calling Turkey leader ‘fascist dictator’
Turkish state television says a lawyer for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has filed a criminal complaint against an opposition legislator for calling Turkey’s leader a “fascist dictator.”
Washington Post, Legislator sued for calling Turkey leader ‘fascist dictator’, October 31, 2017
Turkey set to ‘grant citizenship to 23,000 Ahiska Turks’
Turkey will grant citizenship to 23,000 more Ahıska Turks – an ethnic group forced to migrate from the Caucasus during the Soviet era – a top representative of the group said on Nov. 5.
Hurriyet, Turkey set to ‘grant citizenship to 23,000 Ahiska Turks’, November 5, 2017
Mustafa Tuna becomes new Ankara mayor, replacing Gokcek
Mustafa Tuna, previously mayor of Ankara’s Sincan district, replaced Melih Gökçek, the capital’s long-time mayor who recently resigned, on Nov. 6.The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) announced on Nov. 5 that its candidate for the Ankara mayoralty would be Mustafa Tuna, then incumbent mayor of the Turkish capital’s Sincan district.
Hurriyet, Mustafa Tuna becomes new Ankara mayor, replacing Gokcek, November 6, 2017