NEWS SCAN for Turkey – May 14th, 2013
Down below you will find a summary of topics from major Turkish papers and internet sites.
PM Erdoğan to start his visit to USA with a heavy agenda
PM Erdoğan is scheduled to start his 4 day trip to the USA on which he is expected to have a heavy agenda. During the meeting with President Obama on 16th May, the main on the table is supposed to be developments in Syria and the deadly blast in Turkish border town near Syria that killed 51 people over the weekend. During Erdoğan’s visit another meeting is expected to take place at the Pentagon where a detailed briefing on Syria will be delivered.
Erdoğan will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, EU Minister Egemen Bağış and Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan as well as 90 businessmen who are supposed to have separate meetings with American businessmen.
Minister Babacan says Turkey will enter a debt-free period tomorrow after 19 years
During a live interview on NTV and CNBC-e ahead of the payment of the last installment of Turkey’s debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Deputy PM Babacan said “Up to this day, Turkey has signed 19 stand-by agreements with the IMF. We ended the last one in May 2008, and we haven’t used loans for five years,”
It is reported that Turkey has borrowed nearly $50 billion from the fund in 47 years.
All of the debt Turkey owes to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be paid tomorrow, as the debt, which rounded up to $23.5 billion, will be ended with the payment of last slice of $422.1 million.
Erdogan says Turkey has to embrace victims of aggression by Assad regime
In his address to AK Party deputies, the PM referred to the example of Saddam Hussain’s attacks on Iraqi Kurds in 1980s and said “If we had not embraced our Kurdish brothers escaping from Halabja massacre, how could we have looked at Irbil now?”.
Defending his policy on Syria the PM said “We want peace in the region for Turkey’s own peace and safety. Turkey has paid the price of being indifferent to Palestine, and other Arab countries in the past. It paid the price of past mistakes which cost lives because of terror. In this difficult geography, the solution never comes with closing the doors or building walls. Such an isolated state can never be a great state. It can’t have economic growth, raise its welfare, and will not have reputation. Turkey for long years turned its back on its brothers and made no headway, damaged its reputation.”
Turkey signs declaration to establish a trilateral trade commission with Serbia and Bosina-Herzegovina
Turkey which aims to grow economically in Balkans signed a declaration on Tuesday, to establish a trilateral trade commission with Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Turkish capital Ankara.
Economy Minister Caglayan made a speech at the meeting saying “A historic summit was being held by signing a declaration to strengthen the trilateral cooperation”. Caglayan also said “Serbia has invested USD 35 million in Turkey since 2002. With this declaration we hope to increase the trade volume. Turkey will encourage the two countries to invest in Turkey by removing the obstacles”.
Negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program will be held in Istanbul
It is reported that a new round of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program will be held in Istanbul on Wednesday between Iran and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) permanent members plus Germany. The meeting between parties will enter its tenth year.
Iran, a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) signed 45 years ago, insists on gaining recognition for its right to produce nuclear energy. On the other hand, UNSC members, the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain, as well as Germany, want Iran to limit the percentage and amount of its uranium enrichment and subsequently suspend its efforts altogether.
14.05.2013
SOURCE: MEDIA
We do not verify above stories neither do we vouch for their accuracy.
