MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin told Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday that Moscow was ready to work with Ankara to free up maritime shipping blocked over the conflict in Ukraine. “Vladimir Putin noted the readiness of the Russian side to contribute to the unimpeded maritime transit of goods in coordination with Turkish partners. […]
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Turkey’s Erdogan urges Swedish PM to end support to ‘terror’ groups: presidency
Istanbul: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Saturday urged Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson to take “concrete steps” to end financial and political support for “terrorist” groups, the presidency said. Erdogan told Andersson in a phone call that “Sweden’s political, financial and weapon support to terrorist organisations must end,” it said. Turkey has threatened to block Sweden […]
Turkey opposes NATO membership for Finland, Sweden
Istanbul: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said Turkey did not have a “positive opinion” on Finland and Sweden joining NATO and accused Scandinavian countries of harbouring outlawed Kurdish militants. “We do not have a positive opinion. Scandinavian countries are like a guesthouse for terror organisations,” Erdogan told journalists after Friday prayers in Istanbul. Erdogan […]
France, Turkey, Greece working on ‘humanitarian operation’ for Mariupol evacuations: Macron
Brussels: President Emmanuel Macron said Friday France was working with Turkey and Greece on a “humanitarian operation” to evacuate people from the devastated Ukrainian city of Mariupol under attack by Russian forces. “We are going to work with Turkey and Greece to launch a humanitarian operation to evacuate all those who wish to leave Mariupol,” […]
Ukraine asks Turkey to be among guarantors of any Russia deal
Istanbul: Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has asked Turkey to be a guarantor of any future deal with Russia, along with the UN Security Council’s five permanent members and Germany, Ankara’s top diplomat said Thursday. “Ukraine made an offer on the collective security agreement: P5 (the UN Security Council’s five permanent members), Turkey and Germany,” […]
Turkey, Qatar await Taliban green light to run airports
Private Turkish and Qatari companies have agreed to jointly operate five airports in Afghanistan, although they are still waiting to reach a final deal with the Taliban, officials said Tuesday. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday that a “memorandum of understanding” had been inked in Doha earlier this month, covering Kabul and four […]
Turkey, Qatar vow joint push to reopen Kabul airport
Turkey and Qatar on Monday raised the possibility of jointly operating Afghanistan’s Taliban-controlled airport, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan set off for two days of talks in Doha. Afghans and foreign nationals fled the country through the facility as the hardline Islamist movement took power in August following two decades of war. But many are […]
Pakistan Boulevard inaugurated in Izmir, Turkey
ANKARA: On Tuesday, ‘Pakistan Boulevard’ was inaugurated in Izmir by Mayor Tunc Soyer. Ambassador of Pakistan in Turkey Syrus Sajjad Qazi, Honorary Consul General of Pakistan in Izmir Cahit Yasar Eren, Selami Poyraz, President of the Chamber of Commerce Assembly, and Mahmut Ozgener, President of the Board of Izmir Chamber of Commerce also participated in […]
Hundreds evacuated by sea as wildfire reaches Turkish power plant
Turkish rescuers on Thursday began evacuating hundreds of villagers by sea after a deadly wildfire engulfed the outer edges of a thermal power plant storing thousands of tonnes of coal. An AFP team saw firefighters and police fleeing the 35-year-old Kemerkoy plant in the Aegean province of Mugla as bright balls of orange flame tore […]
Turkey pushes back at US plan to resettle Afghans
Ankara has criticised a US plan to use third countries such as Turkey to resettle thousands of Afghans who risk being targeted by Taliban insurgents over their US links. “It’s unacceptable to seek a solution to the problem in our country without our country’s consent,” the foreign ministry said in a statement issued late Tuesday. […]