NEWS SCAN for Turkey – April 23rd, 2013
Down below you will find a summary of topics from major Turkish papers and internet sites.
PM Erdoğan not to change plans to visit Gaza despite comment from Kerry
Erdoğan is reported to have announced that visit to the Gaza Strip under the Israeli blockade is due to proceed as planned. According to same report “The exact date is not certain but the visit is supposed to take place after PM’s visit to the USA”. Experts say the PM would normally make his final decision on timing of the visit depending on the talks to be conducted with US President Obama in Washington, on May 16th.
Deputy PM criticizes Kerry’s words on Erdogan’s visit to Gaza
Bülent ARINC, Turkish Deputy PM has criticized US Secretary of State John Kerry who had commented in an earlier press conference that Erdoğan’s planned visit to Gaza was wrong from the diplomatic point of view. Arınc said Turkey was not in a position to receive permission from any other authority or accept their approval and the Turkish government would decide when and where the Turkish Prime Minister or a Turkish official would travel.
8 Turks captured by Taliban after helicopter makes emergency landing
It is reported that Taliban has captured eight Turkish engineers in Afghanistan when a helicopter had to make an emergency landing late on Sunday due to bad weather. A spokesperson for the Taliban confirmed over the telephone that 11 hostages were
held hostages. The spokesperson said “We’ve captured nine foreigners and two Afghan interpreters in the helicopter, which made emergency landing yesterday at around 4 p.m. local time.”
Turkey cannot remain indifferent to energy resources in Northern Iraq
Experts say Turkey cannot afford to remain indifferent to the oil and natural gas resources discovered in Northern Iraq. Some Turkish firms plan to start production by the first half of 2014. According to first findings in in Chia Surkh region, it is forecasted that the site has approximately 300 million barrels in reserves. Experts say Turkey should develop rational policies about how to use said resources. Big companies are now in the region and it is time to see what the big are up to. Small companies are also present in the region and stand the chance of being acquired by big companies meaning there could be some consolidations in the region over the next five years.
Israeli officials attend meetings at Turkish MFA over flotilla incident
It is reported that some Israeli officials arrived in Ankara Monday to discuss details over Israel’s pledge to pay compensation to the families of the Turkish victims in a 2010 Israeli raid on Turkish aid flotilla on the w ay to Gaza
After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended an official apology last month for the deaths the prospects of a peaceful cooperation between two countries emerged again and the ball is in Israel’s court now to pay compensation to the families of victims as well as lift lift restrictions on Palestinians
Turkish economy minister in London for new opportunities
ÇAĞLAYAN, Turkey’s economy ministerhas paid a visit to London and encouraged further economic cooperation between Turkey and the U.K. The Minister had talks about UK support for critical economic issues to include Istanbul’s Olympic bid and Turkey’s involvement in initiated trans-Atlantic free trade talks. Çağlayan stated that Turkey’s request from the United Kingdom is not easing of visa requisites for Turks, and requested UK to provide Turkish business people with the three-month visa given to businesspeople from European Union countries.
Turkish government to take action against high banking fees
High banking fees which have been an issue of dissatisfaction among citizens is finally on the agenda of the The Turkish government. Accordingly it was announced by Customs and Trade Minister Hayati Yazıcı yesterday that the officials had decided to adopt a new approach to banking fees and commissions.
Yazıcı said “Hereafter the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) will set the noninterest revenues of the banks. Regarding credit card fees there will be a free plain card for the banking consumers who want neither partial payment nor points. Others will pay card fees.”
23.04.2013
SOURCE: MEDIA
We do not verify above stories neither do we vouch for their accuracy.
