News Scan for Turkey, September 15th, 2017

Turkey wants Idlib to be part of de-conflict zones in Syria

Idlib, a northern Syrian town under the control of various rebel groups, should also be declared a de-conflict zone, a Turkish presidential spokesman has said, just a day before the Syrian regime and opposition groups as well as Turkey, Russia and Iran are set to come together in the Kazakh capital Astana to discuss continued ceasefire across Syria.

“The Astana process will start tomorrow [Sept. 15]. This is an important process. Our objective is the implementation of a ceasefire in the whole of Syria but particularly in four de-conflict zones. The details on this issue will be discussed there,” Presidential Spokesman İbrahim Kalın told reporters at a press conference on Sept. 14.

“Our expectation is the declaration of Idlib as a de-conflict zone. Turkey will do whatever necessary if there is a role it can play,” Kalın added.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-wants-idlib-to-be-part-of-de-conflict-zones-in-syria.aspx?pageID=238&nID=117987&NewsCatID=510

Qatar ready to sit at negotiating table to resolve Gulf crisis: Sheikh Tamim

Qatar is ready to sit at the negotiating table to try to end a dispute with its Gulf Arab neighbours, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said on Friday in Berlin.

“As you know we have had a siege of more than 100 days against Qatar,” al-Thani told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. “We spoke about Qatar’s readiness to sit at the table to solve this issue.”

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar on June 5, accusing the major gas-exporting Gulf state of financing terrorism and cozying up to their arch-rival Iran. Doha denies the charges.

https://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2017/09/15/qatar-ready-to-sit-at-negotiating-table-to-resolve-gulf-crisis-sheikh-tamim

Turkey hints at sanctions on Iraqi Kurds if independence referendum goes ahead

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has hinted at possible sanctions on the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) if KRG President Massoud Barzani goes ahead with the independence referendum he has planned for Sept. 15.

“We don’t want to impose sanctions. But if we arrive at that point, there are steps that have been already planned that Turkey can take,” Yıldırım told reporters on Sept. 15 in Ankara.

“There are 10 days left [to the referendum]. Therefore I want to repeat our friendly call to Massoud Barzani: Correct this mistake while there is still time,” he stated, adding that the Turkish government regarded the KRG’s decision as a “grave mistake.”

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-hints-at-sanctions-on-iraqi-kurds-if-independence-referendum-goes-ahead-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=118019&NewsCatID=510

UN involvement possible in KRG referendum controversy: PM Yıldırım

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said Friday that the United Nations might get involved in the controversy over the Kurdish Regional Government’s independence referendum plans in the upcoming days.

Speaking to reporters in Ankara following Friday prayers, Yıldırım called on KRG leader Masoud Barzani to turn back from the decision to hold the vote, calling it “a grave mistake.” The prime minister said he is expecting to see new developments regarding the issue after the U.N.’s possible involvement.

Ankara expressed its support for the Iraqi parliament’s decision Tuesday to oppose the independence vote, calling on the government in Baghdad to negotiate with the Erbil-based KRG.

https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2017/09/15/un-involvement-possible-in-krg-referendum-controversy-pm-yildirim

Russia: We ready to work with Turkey on lifting tomato ban

Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, Evgeniy Gromiko, commented on tomato imports on Friday in a visit to a Turkish Regional Products Fair (YÖREX).

Gromiko stated that they were in contact regarding agricultural products in Antalya and said, “We will share our view with the Russian government that there are no technical obstacles.”

Russia banned imports of Turkish fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, after Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet violating its airspace. Following the reconciliation between the two countries, Russia started to gradually lift the sanctions. But import bans on foods such as tomatoes and grapes, which have a market potential of $425 million in Russia, remain in force.

http://www.yenisafak.com/en/economy/russia-we-ready-to-work-with-turkey-on-lifting-tomato-ban-2793658

‘EU blackmails Turkey over membership bid’ tells minister Çelik to FT

In an interview held on Thursday (September 14) with Financial Times’ Tony Blair, Turkey’s minister responsible for EU relations, Ömer Çelik, accused EU of ‘blackmailing Turkey over its membership bid’.

Saying Brussels has not kept its promises to Turkey regarding the deal on refugee crisis, Çelik said: “Using the EU negotiating process as a way to blackmail Turkey is weakening and discrediting the EU institutions,” as Blair reported.

While criticizing the EU states, minister Çelik praised UK as ‘a real ally and a role model’ and added that other states’ aim has been to ‘find tools to blackmail Turkey’.

https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/eu-blackmails-turkey-over-membership-bid-tells-minister-celik-to-ft-179633.html

15.09.2017
compiled by Editor BTT

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.