Eurasia

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threw down the gauntlet to his rivals, including “spies” and “traitors” Dec. 22, warning them against using allegations of high-level corruption to undermine his rule or he would “break their hands.” 

The police in Turkey’s Istanbul fired rubber bullets, tear gas andwater cannon to disperse more than 10,000 anti-government protesters on Sunday. An eyewitness said five people were injured and one had a heart attack during thedemonstration supported by more than 200 political parties, associations and platforms inthe country.

Turkey and Moldova have agreed to speed up ties in order to create a strategic partnership and a free trade agreement, TurkishPresident Abdullah Gül said yesterday, after he met with Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti.

On Dec. 18 the Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov received the head of the General Plan and Principles Department of the Turkish Armed Forces, General Staff, Lieutenant General Alpaslan Erdogan.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic said in Belgrade on Wednesday that Serbia will not join NATO but it will be a reliable and responsible partner.

Pro-EU protests in Ukraine should not give up must stay in the streets until achieving victory, said opposition party Udar leader and former world boxing champion Vitali Klitschko.

The EU has set January 21 as the starting date for membership talks with Serbia.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin has reiterated his country’s support for the EU integration efforts of the Western Balkan countries and Turkey.

Azerbaijan and France held consultations on bilateral military cooperation in Baku on December 17.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will today officially present to the Council of Ministers her report on Serbia’s implementation of the Brussels agreement.