Turkey

With key European Union states showing no sign of relenting in their opposition to Turkey’s accession, the government has postponed dozens of laws required to be passed to achieve harmonization with the 27-nation bloc’s standards until after the June elections, and even beyond.

Greek Foreign Minister Demetris Droutsas on Monday said his ministry was working on a plan that would allow for the issuance one-day visas for Turkish tourists. “I believe there is a significant increase in the number of Turks visiting Greece. And we are trying to work the issue out on …

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has welcomed the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who stepped down Friday (February 11th) after weeks of mass protests. The Turkish leader expressed hope for a fast transition to a constitutional democracy through elections. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also welcomed the developments. …

Turkish ambassador to Bulgaria İsmail Aramaz says that the visa system for Turkish citizens wanting to enter Bulgaria is a “serious obstacle to the future development of bilateral relations”. “Our government constantly urges the Bulgarian authorities to consider this issue,” he said. “In the previous instance, our prime minister, Recep …

Turkish Cypriot trade union members and supporters of left-wing parties joined a march in the northern part of Nicosia on Monday (February 7th) against what they described as “belittling” statements by Turkish Prime

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday (February 6th) urged authorities in northern Cyprus to track down participants in the January 28th rally. The protest in the Turkish-dominated part of the

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will have an official visit to Georgia on Feb.11-12.  Davutoglu is set to hold meetings in Batumi and Tbilisi. During the visit it is not planned to conclude a memorandum on cultural monuments between the two countries, but this issue may be discussed.

The EU risks being “overtaken by a racist mentality” against Turks, Turkey’s chief EU negotiator Egemen Bagis said on Wednesday (February 2nd) in an e-mailed statement of remarks in Poland. He was there on Tuesday to attend a commemoration for Holocaust victims at the former Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz.

Settlement of the Cyprus issue could be reached by the end of 2011, under the condition that leader of Turkish Cypriots Dervis Eroglu and Ankara accept a solution based on the formula of creating a federation of two communities in the island,  President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris said.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday (February 1st) called on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to end his 30-year rule amid mass protests in Cairo. “Mr. Mubarak, all of us will die and will be questioned over what we left behind,” Erdogan