Turkey

Erdogan’s reset with Egypt and the Gulf won’t be smooth

The Turkish president wants a change in relations, but his efforts are seen as the result of a failed regional strategy and poor ties with the Biden administration.

Week in Review | Turkey | May 8, 2021

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) is trying to reengage with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (L) and Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud.

Turkey faces rough road to normalization with Egypt

Turkey’s reconciliation with Egypt is not likely to be easy, but progress after the first high-level meeting between the two sides could mark a new course in Ankara’s foreign policy and pave the way for its reconciliation with the Gulf heavyweights as well.

Fehim Tastekin | Turkey | May 7, 2021

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal (C) and his delegation meet with their Egyptian counterparts in the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Egypt's capital, Cairo, on May 5, 2021. Turkey and Egypt have begun slowly warming ties as they vie for regional primacy a decade after the Arab Spring, but analysts say deep-seated mistrust means full normalization will take time. The talks come nearly two months after Ankara established the first diplomatic contacts with Cairo since 2013 as part of wider efforts t

Egypt, Turkey conclude 'frank and in-depth' talks in Cairo

The Egyptian and Turkish deputy foreign ministers chaired two days of talks focused on bilateral and regional issues, including the war in Libya.

Al-Monitor Staff | Turkey | May 6, 2021

Turkish Central Bank keeps interest rates high as inflation weighs on economy

Cornered by rising inflation and a weakening currency, Turkey’s Central Bank kept its benchmark interest rate steady at 19% on May 6 as policymakers await positive signals.

Diego Cupolo | Turkey | May 6, 2021

Women sit next to an exchange office at Laleli in Istanbul, Turkey, March 22, 2021.

Will Turkey’s efforts to woo Egypt yield fruit?

Egypt and Turkey began talks in Cairo today aimed at reseting ties after nearly eight years of a diplomatic rift.

Amberin Zaman | Turkey | May 5, 2021

Egypt's Deputy Foreign Minister Hamdi Sanad Loza (R) meets with his Turkish counterpart, Sedat Onal (L), in the Foreign Ministry headquarters in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on May 5, 2021.

Turkey’s good words not worth much to Saudi Arabia

Turkey’s efforts to mend ties with the Gulf bloc don't pass Riyadh's tacit preconditions.

Fehim Tastekin | Turkey | May 5, 2021

A security guard stands in front of Istanbul's courthouse on July 3, 2020, during the trial of 20 Saudi suspects accused in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 in Istanbul. The trial in absentia of 20 Saudi suspects accused of the murder, including two former aides to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, began in Istanbul on July 3, 2020.

Iraq scolds Turkey over latest anti-PKK offensive in Iraqi Kurdistan

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar visited a military base in northern Iraq to supervise Turkish operations against PKK militants, drawing anger from Baghdad.

Amberin Zaman | Turkey | May 4, 2021

The cost of Turkey’s grey passport scandal

Turkey’s service passport scandal may be more costly than imagined. On the domestic front, the case is one more sign that organized crime fuels corruption. In the international arena, Turkey is expected to encounter more embarrassment and court cases for smugglers.

Pinar Tremblay | Turkey | May 4, 2021

Fake passports and travel documents are displayed on a table for the press on Dec. 19, 2019, at the Istanbul airport in Turkey.

Why does Turkey see ‘turning point’ in failed Cyprus summit?

Turkey hopes for British support as it takes on a more hawkish posture on the Cyprus conflict, risking fresh tensions with the European Union.

Metin Gurcan | Turkey | May 3, 2021

A picture taken from the Greek-Cypriot side of the divided Cypriot capital Nicosia on April 24, 2021, shows metal flags of Turkey (L) and the self-declared Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC), recognized only by Ankara, above the Turkish-controlled side of the divided capital.

Turkey broadens pay phone probes to nab Gulenist soldiers

A fresh judicial probe targeting hundreds of suspected Gulenist soldiers shows that purges in the Turkish military are far from drawing to an end.

Metin Gurcan | Turkey | May 1, 2021

Turkey to establish new military base in Iraqi Kurdistan

Ankara has announced that Turkey will establish a military base in the mountainous area of Metina, near the Turkish border, in what critics consider a step toward controlling Iraqi Kurdistan.

Amberin Zaman | Turkey | Apr 30, 2021

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu delivers a speech during a press conference in Ankara April 22, 2019.

Reeling from COVID-19 slump, Turkey's demographic challenges loom large

As part of his nationalistic agenda, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been encouraging families to have at least three children, but soaring brain drain and falling birth rates stand as major predicaments in front of his ambitions.

Michal Kranz | Turkey | Apr 30, 2021

Protesters move away as Turkish police officers intervene during a demonstration in support of Bogazici University students, at Kadikoy in Istanbul, Turkey, April 1, 2021.

Cyprus unification talks falter as Turkey clings to two-state idea

Talks to reunite Cyprus have again failed to unblock a four-year pause in negotiations over the future of the Eastern Mediterranean island.

Amberin Zaman | Turkey | Apr 29, 2021

A cat is pictured inside the buffer zone that separates the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the divided capital Nicosia, on April 26, 2021.

Turkish forces in fresh offensive against PKK in Iraqi Kurdistan

The latest Turkish military operation against the PKK in Iraqi Kurdistan comes at a time when Ankara finds itself increasingly under strain, both on the domestic front and in its frosty ties with Washington.

Fehim Tastekin | Turkey | Apr 29, 2021

Iraqi police protect Turkish embassy against protest

Blinken cautions Turkey against future S-400 purchases

Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said that President Joe Biden's recent recognition of the Armenian genocide should not have come as a surprise.

Al-Monitor Staff | Turkey | Apr 28, 2021

Turkey

Erdogan’s reset with Egypt and the Gulf won’t be smooth

The Turkish president wants a change in relations, but his efforts are seen as the result of a failed regional strategy and poor ties with the Biden administration.

Turkey faces rough road to normalization with Egypt

Egypt, Turkey conclude 'frank and in-depth' talks in Cairo

Turkish Central Bank keeps interest rates high as inflation weighs on economy

Will Turkey’s efforts to woo Egypt yield fruit?

Turkey’s good words not worth much to Saudi Arabia

Iraq scolds Turkey over latest anti-PKK offensive in Iraqi Kurdistan

The cost of Turkey’s grey passport scandal

Why does Turkey see ‘turning point’ in failed Cyprus summit?

Turkey broadens pay phone probes to nab Gulenist soldiers

Turkey to establish new military base in Iraqi Kurdistan

Reeling from COVID-19 slump, Turkey's demographic challenges loom large

Cyprus unification talks falter as Turkey clings to two-state idea

Turkish forces in fresh offensive against PKK in Iraqi Kurdistan

Blinken cautions Turkey against future S-400 purchases

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