News Scan for Turkey, Oct 03rd 2016

Erdoğan sends strong messages to EU, US

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has sent strong messages to the European Union over its attitude toward Turkey and the United States over its policies in the Middle East.

The EU must decide whether it wants to continue on its path with or without Turkey, Erdoğan said, describing the ongoing impasse between Ankara and Brussels as “the end of the game.”

“If the EU wants to admit Turkey as a full member based on an objective assessment, there is no obstacle to that. We are ready. But if they have no intention of admitting us and think they can continue stalling the process through unreasonable demands, they are wrong. They should know that that game is over,” Erdoğan said Oct. 1.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-sends-strong-messages-to-eu-us.aspx?pageID=238&nID=104507&NewsCatID=338

Row over Lausanne Treaty continues to roil Turkish politics

Turkish politics continues to be roiled by the debate over the 1923 Lausanne Treaty that established the Republic of Turkey, after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan derided it as “not a victory.”

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli criticized Erdoğan’s remarks, saying the issue should be left to historians.

“There are always unproductive conflicts and the search for polarization never ends. To be honest I’m surprised. Our new subject is now Lausanne,” Bahçeli wrote on his Twitter account, adding that Erdoğan “contradicted himself.”

“Erdoğan on July 24 said the Lausanne Treaty was the ‘title deed of the republic.’ After two months he said it was being wrongly presented as a victory. Isn’t this a contradiction?” he asked.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/row-over-lausanne-treaty-continues-to-roil-turkish-politics-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=104493&NewsCatID=338

Turkey renews OK for military operations in Syria, Iraq

Turkey’s state-run news agency says parliament has extended by another year a motion allowing cross-border military operations into Syria and Iraq against Kurdish militants and the Islamic State group.

The resolution, first passed in 2014, was renewed on Saturday, the first and only item on the parliament’s agenda on the first day of the new legislative year. The state-run Anadolu Agency says it will remain in force until October 30, 2017.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/10/01/turkey-renews-ok-for-military-operations-in-syria-iraq.html

Turkey: Israel transferred $20 million as part of reconciliation deal

Turkish media reported Friday that Israel has transferred $20 million as part of the reconciliation deal involving the Marmara flotilla incident, where nine Turkish citizens were killed after those on board the Marmara attacked IDF soldiers who commandeered the vessel as it attempted to break Israel’s maritime blockade on Gaza.

As part of an effort to normalize relations between the two countries, news outlet CNN Türk reported that officials from the Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that the money has been transferred to the Justice Ministry’s bank account in the capital of Ankara. The funds will be used as humanitarian aid for the families of the Turkish citizens who were killed aboard the Marmara.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4861989,00.html

Animal Rights Defenders Leave Black Wreath

Animal rights defenders have been on the streets ahead of the October 4 World Animal Day to draw attention to the right violations that the animals are subjected to.

http://bianet.org/english/animals/179246-animal-rights-defenders-leave-black-wreath

This is a news-scan from major Turkish papers and internet sites. However, we do not verify above stories neither do we vouch for their accuracy.

03.10.2016
compiled by Editor BTT