Turkey

Turkey commemorates 98th Republic Day

29 Oct 2021; MEMO: Celebrations marking the 98th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey started Friday with state officials' visit to Anitkabir, the mausoleum of the country's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the capital, Ankara, Anadolu News Agency reports.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, visiting Anitkabir to mark the Republic Day, stressed the nation's determination to achieve its 2023 goals, when the Republic is set to celebrate its 100th birthday.

Turkey, Ukraine cooperation vital for Black Sea security, says minister

30 Oct 2021; MEMO: The security of the Black Sea region can only happen with cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine, Ukraine's Foreign Minister said on Thursday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

"Ukraine and Turkey are developing a clear vision for the future security of the Black Sea region," Kuleba wrote in an article for Atlantic Council, an American think tank.

Bosnia, Turkey to continue police training cooperation

28 Oct 2021; MEMO: Turkey will continue its cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina on police force training, the Turkish Embassy in Sarajevo said on Thursday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The embassy's statement came after a visit by three of its officials—internal affairs consultants, Ali Durmaz and Mehmet Erdugan and Security Attaché, Cemil Cem Aydin—to the head of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Police Academy, Damir Vejo.

Expressing his satisfaction with the visit, Vejo said he always favours cooperation with Turkey.

Turkey getting nearly $3.16B to spearhead climate-friendly projects

28 Oct 2021; MEMO: Turkey is getting nearly $3.16 billion from abroad to spearhead its climate-friendly projects, the nation's president said on Thursday, and reported by Anadolu News Agency.

"We will use $3.157 billion of resources that were brought to Turkey through the World Bank and developed countries for green climate-friendly projects," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the inauguration ceremony for the Nation's Garden in the capital Ankara.

Turkey police seize 1,000-year-old golden Torah manuscript

27 Oct 2021; MEMO: Turkish police yesterday seized at least five ancient copies of the Torah with golden inscriptions.

The anti-smuggling teams conducted an operation in the southeastern province of Mardin after receiving information that the manuscripts had been brought to the country illegally.

The provincial Security Directorate released footage showing the ancient holy books which are estimated to be about 1,000 years old and processed with gold on different animal leathers.

Turkey denies expulsion of Dutch ambassador

25 Oct 2021; MEMO: Reports that Holland's ambassador to Turkey has been deported from the country are allegedly false, amid Ankara's diplomatic fallout with Western states.

On Monday, ten Western ambassadors issued a joint statement calling for the release of Osman Kavala, the detained Turkish businessman and activist.

Urging a "just and speedy resolution to his case, they condemned the delays in his trial as casting "a shadow over respect for democracy, the rule of law and transparency in the Turkish judiciary system."

Turkey: Erdogan orders removal of 10 ambassadors, including US envoy

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that he had ordered 10 foreign ambassadors who called for the release of a jailed philanthropist to be declared persona non grata.

The envoys, including the U.S., French and German representatives in Ankara, issued a statement earlier this week calling for a resolution to the case of Osman Kavala, a businessman and philanthropist held in prison since 2017 despite not having been convicted of a crime.

Erdogan says Turkey is set to banish 10 Western ambassadors

ISTANBUL, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday he had ordered the foreign ministry to declare 10 ambassadors from Western countries 'persona non grata' for calling for the release of philanthropist Osman Kavala.

Kavala has been in prison for four years, charged with financing nationwide protests in 2013 and with involvement in a failed coup in 2016. He denies the charges.

Turkish president says to expand trade with African countries

ISTANBUL, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey aims to expand its trade volume with the African countries to 75 billion U.S. dollars in the upcoming period.

Speaking at the Turkey-Africa Economic and Business Forum in Istanbul, Erdogan pointed out that the value of Turkey's investments across the continent has exceeded 6 billion dollars.

"Our trade with the region increased to 25.3 billion dollars by the end of 2020, and our goal is to carry this figure to 50 billion dollars first and then to 75 billion," he said.

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