Turkey

Bulgaria puts price on Turkey’s EU membership

Bulgaria is threatening to block Turkey’s application to become member of the European Union unless it pays out billions of euros in compensation for displaced people, in a case dating back to the days of the Ottoman Empire. Bulgarian minister in charge of the Bulgarians abroad, Bozhidar Dimitrov, pressed the …

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Turkey urges for EU “sincerity” over membership bid

Turkish Prime Minister Recep TayyipErdogan on Wednesday urged the European Union (EU) to show “sincerity” over Turkey’s bid to join the 27-nation bloc. Turkey has been resolute in the membership bid despite “unfair treatment often seen” in its relations with the EU, Erdogan said. “We have shown our commitment and …

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Romania moves closer to ratifying Nabucco

Southeastern Europe’s proposed natural gas pipeline moved a step closer to reality after the Romanian president signed a decree allowing parliament to ratify construction. The intergovernmental agreement on the Nabucco project was signed by the prime ministers of Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria in Ankara in July.

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Turkey wants ‘peace’ with Armenia and Azeris

Turkey’s foreign minister says peace between Ankara, Azerbaijan and Armenia is “close” after a meeting with his Azeri counterpart. Ahmet Davutoglu said: “I think an impetus was created recently, and all sides, not only Azerbaijan and Armenia but also the Minsk group have to do their best to

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European Union opens 12th chapter on Turkish assession

Since 1999, when Turkey was given the status of candidate country, Turkey’s European Union assession process lived through ups and, since 2004-2005, down, EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said on December 21. The country had reached stability in the recent past and the opening of negotiations on the environment chapter …

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Turkey opens environment chapter in EU accession talks

Turkey and the European Union on Monday (21 December) opened the environment chapter of negotiations in the nation’s bid to join the bloc, EUobserver reports.With the move, the Anatolian state creeps further towards its goal, having now opened 12 out of the total of 35 negotiating chapters. Swedish Foreign Minister …

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Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DTP deputies decide to resign

The 19 deputies of the now-defunct Democratic Society Party, or DTP, decided during an emergency strategy assembly on Monday to resign from the Turkish Parliament, DTP co-leader Ahmet Türk said after the party convened in Diyarbakır.

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Turkey’s Erdogan criticizes ban on Kurdish party

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan spoke out on Monday against a court ban on a Kurdish party that caused angry protests and plunged the country into political uncertainty. The court ruling drew criticism from the European Union, dealing a new blow to Turkey’s faltering hopes of EU membership.

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Armenia threatens to annul Turkey deal over Karabakh

Armenia on Thursday threatened to walk away from a landmark deal to establish ties with Turkey if Ankara continues to link the agreement with the dispute over Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region. “Armenia is prepared to honor its international commitments and we expect the same from Turkey,” President Serge Sarkisian said during …

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Turkish President to visit Montenegro

Turkish President Abdullah Gul arrives on Friday on a two-day official visit to Montenegro. Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic and Gul are to meet in the Cetinje residence and then they will hold a press conference. A business delegation of some 100 members will arrive with the Turkish President to attend …

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