Turkey

ATHENS, Greece Athens and Nicosia have reacted sharply to Turkey’s decision authorising the Turkish Petroleum Corporation to launch an oil exploration project in the Mediterranean Sea, Greek media reported on Monday (July 20th). Last week, Ankara announced that a Turkish vessel will start exploring hydrocarbon resources in four areas off …

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia Relations between Slovenia and Croatia are in a very sensitive phase and should be paid special attention, Slovenian President Danilo Turk said on Saturday (July 18th) in an interview with the daily Dnevnik. He stressed the two countries should continue talks on the latest proposal by the European …

NICOSIA, Cyprus/ANKARA, Turkey Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot President Demetris Christofias failed to reach an agreement on the issue of security guarantees at their 37th round of direct reunification talks on Friday (July 17th). The Turkish Cypriot side favours maintaining the current guarantee system under the …

ANKARA, Turkey Turkish security forces have killed three members of the outlawed separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in clashes in the southern province of Hatay, the army said on Saturday (July 18th), in a statement posted on its web site. The fighting broke out Friday in a mountainous area near …

ANKARA, Turkey At least four people died and three others are missing in flooding along Turkey’s Black Sea coast, caused by days of torrential rain. According to media reports Wednesday (July 15th), two people died in the Artvin province after their house was destroyed by rising water. Two others — …

ANKARA, Turkey President Abdullah Gul said on Monday (July 13th) that Turkey wants to see Cypriot reunification talks concluded soon and a referendum held by the end of the year, media reported. “Our ultimate goal is to reach a lasting settlement on the island and to create a separate area …

Turkey wants talks aimed at reunifying Cyprus to conclude soon and a referendum by the end of 2009, President Abdullah Gul told a news conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on Monday. The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been divided along ethnic lines since 1974. The two sides …

ANKARA Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev determined the signing of the Nabucco agreement in Ankara an important step forward, government’s press office reports.

ANKARA, Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday (July 8th) he will ask the UN Security Council to discuss ways to stop clashes in China. Beijing reacted to Erdogan’s statement on Thursday saying it is a domestic issue. “This is purely China’s internal affair and doesn’t demand a …

ANKARA, Turkey President Abdullah Gul approved a controversial new measure Wednesday (July 8th) that allows civilian courts to prosecute military officers for some crimes. Gul, however, demanded that some regulations be implemented that would “dispel worries” among the military.