Greece and Cyprus pushed for a tougher European Union response to Turkey`s natural gas exploration in contested Mediterranean waters at an EU summit on Friday but were essentially told to hold off until another leaders` meeting in December.

Two weeks after their last summit where leaders discussed economic sanctions, the EU has so far failed to persuade Ankara to stop exploring in waters disputed by Greece and Cyprus.

Turkey said on Wednesday it was restarting operations of a survey ship that it withdrew last month.

"We plan a summit in December. And we have planned, indeed, to tackle again and to assess the situation in the eastern Mediterranean and in Turkey," European Council President Charles Michel told a news conference after the summit.

France and Germany said earlier this week that Turkey had only "weeks" to revise its stance and stop what they also said were provocations, but declined to give a strong ultimatum as Athens and Nicosia would like.

French President Emmanuel Macron said after the summit that leaders had reaffirmed support for Greece and Turkey, but were also open to talks with Ankara.

EU leaders had agreed on Oct. 2 to give Turkey until early December before considering economic sanctions and Germany, which has so far led diplomatic talks with Ankara, wants to give dialogue a chance because of close EU-Turkey trade ties.

Cyprus is frustrated that, in addition to the Turkish exploration ship off a Greek island, Turkey has sent another vessel to Cyprus`s economic zone to conduct seismic surveys.

EU member Cyprus is also furious that Turkish Cypriot authorities have partially reopened the beach town of Varosha, a former resort area fenced off and abandoned in no-man`s land since a 1974 Turkish invasion that split the island.

"Turkey remains consistent in its provocative and aggressive behaviour," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday in Brussels.

Greece and Cyprus pushed for a tougher European Union response to Turkey`s natural gas exploration in contested Mediterranean waters at an EU summit on Friday but were essentially told to hold off until another leaders` meeting in December.

Greece and Cyprus pushed for a tougher European Union response to Turkey`s natural gas exploration in contested Mediterranean waters at an EU summit on Friday but were essentially told to hold off until another leaders` meeting in December. Two weeks after their last summit where leaders discussed economic sanctions, the EU has so far failed to persuade Ankara to stop exploring in waters disputed by Greece and Cyprus. Turkey said on Wednesday it was restarting operations of a survey ship that it withdrew last month. "We plan a summit in December. And we have planned, indeed, to tackle again and to assess the situation in the eastern Mediterranean and in Turkey," European Council President Charles Michel told a news conference after the summit. France and Germany said earlier this week that Turkey had only "weeks" to revise its stance and stop what they also said were provocations, but declined to give a strong ultimatum as Athens and Nicosia would like. French President Emmanuel Macron said after the summit that leaders had reaffirmed support for Greece and Turkey, but were also open to talks with Ankara. EU leaders had agreed on Oct. 2 to give Turkey until early December before considering economic sanctions and Germany, which has so far led diplomatic talks with Ankara, wants to give dialogue a chance because of close EU-Turkey trade ties. Cyprus is frustrated that, in addition to the Turkish exploration ship off a Greek island, Turkey has sent another vessel to Cyprus`s economic zone to conduct seismic surveys. EU member Cyprus is also furious that Turkish Cypriot authorities have partially reopened the beach town of Varosha, a former resort area fenced off and abandoned in no-man`s land since a 1974 Turkish invasion that split the island. "Turkey remains consistent in its provocative and aggressive behaviour," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday in Brussels.

Greece, Cyprus told to wait for EU action on 'provocative' Turkey

A missile was fired into the sky on Friday on Turkey's Black Sea coast where the military was expected to test its Russian-made S-400 defence systems.

According to a report published in Reuters, a video, taken in the coastal city of Sinop, showed a narrow column of smoke headed high into the blue sky.&nbsp;

In recent days Turkey had issued notices restricting air space and waters off the coastal area to allow firing tests.

Tests of the S-400s, if verified, could stoke tensions between Turkey and the United States, which sharply opposed Ankara's purchase of the weapons from Moscow on grounds they compromise shared NATO defence systems.

Turkey's defence ministry said it would neither deny nor confirm missile tests.

Washington reacted last year by suspending Turkey from its F-35 jet programme and has threatened sanctions.

Defence analyst Turan Oguz said a preliminary assessment of the colour, intensity, angle and route of the smoke in the video coincided with S-400 missiles. The angle of the column suggested the target "must not be too high".

Last year the military conducted radar tests of the surface-to-air defences, which is among the world's most advanced and can spot and track incoming aircraft at medium and long ranges.

Turkey’s air space notice, or NOTAM, restricts an area near the coastal city of Sinop for a radar test and possibly live-fire for six hours on Oct. 16. It advised aircraft to avoid the area to a height of 200,000 feet (61,000 metres).

Earlier this week, Turkey issued a maritime notice for shooting training and two others for military training. The so-called NAVTEX notices said shooting training would be held Oct. 16-17.

The S-400 surface-to-air defence system is one of the most advanced in the world with a medium to long-range radar that can spot and track incoming aircraft, directing a barrage of missiles at their targets to a range of 400 km (249 miles).

Turkey signed the S-400 deal with Russia in 2017. Deliveries of the first four missile batteries, worth $2.5 billion, began in July last year. Ankara has carried out radar tests previously but the shooting test will be a first.

Last week - after videos of the S-400 videos emerged and reports of the planned tests circulated - two US senators called again for President Donald Trump’s administration to impose sanctions on Turkey.

(with inputs from agencies)

A missile was fired into the sky on Friday on Turkey's Black Sea coast where the military was expected to test its Russian-made S-400 defence systems. According to a report published in Reuters, a video, taken in the coastal city of Sinop, showed a narrow column of smoke headed high into the blue sky.

A missile was fired into the sky on Friday on Turkey's Black Sea coast where the military was expected to test its Russian-made S-400 defence systems. According to a report published in Reuters, a video, taken in the coastal city of Sinop, showed a narrow column of smoke headed high into the blue sky. In recent days Turkey had issued notices restricting air space and waters off the coastal area to allow firing tests. Tests of the S-400s, if verified, could stoke tensions between Turkey and the United States, which sharply opposed Ankara's purchase of the weapons from Moscow on grounds they compromise shared NATO defence systems. Turkey's defence ministry said it would neither deny nor confirm missile tests. Washington reacted last year by suspending Turkey from its F-35 jet programme and has threatened sanctions. Defence analyst Turan Oguz said a preliminary assessment of the colour, intensity, angle and route of the smoke in the video coincided with S-400 missiles. The angle of the column suggested the target "must not be too high". Last year the military conducted radar tests of the surface-to-air defences, which is among the world's most advanced and can spot and track incoming aircraft at medium and long ranges. Turkey’s air space notice, or NOTAM, restricts an area near the coastal city of Sinop for a radar test and possibly live-fire for six hours on Oct. 16. It advised aircraft to avoid the area to a height of 200,000 feet (61,000 metres). Earlier this week, Turkey issued a maritime notice for shooting training and two others for military training. The so-called NAVTEX notices said shooting training would be held Oct. 16-17. The S-400 surface-to-air defence system is one of the most advanced in the world with a medium to long-range radar that can spot and track incoming aircraft, directing a barrage of missiles at their targets to a range of 400 km (249 miles). Turkey signed the S-400 deal with Russia in 2017. Deliveries of the first four missile batteries, worth $2.5 billion, began in July last year. Ankara has carried out radar tests previously but the shooting test will be a first. Last week - after videos of the S-400 videos emerged and reports of the planned tests circulated - two US senators called again for President Donald Trump’s administration to impose sanctions on Turkey. (with inputs from agencies)

Missile fired where Turkey cleared way for S-400 test

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan didn’t mince his words at this month’s opening of parliament. In his first assertion of a claim to a lost non-Turkic part of the Ottoman Empire, Mr Erdogan declared that Jerusalem is Turkish.

“In this city, which we had to leave in tears during the First World War, it is still possible to come across traces of the Ottoman resistance. So Jerusalem is our city, a city from us,” Mr. Erdogan said.

He went on to say that “the current appearance of the Old City, which is the heart of Jerusalem, was built by Suleiman the Magnificent, with its walls, bazaar, and many buildings. Our ancestors showed their respect for centuries by keeping this city in high esteem.”

Mr Erdogan was referring to the 16th century Ottoman sultan, a sponsor of monumental architectural development, who is widely viewed as having protected his Jewish subjects.

In July, Mr. Erdogan described that month’s return of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, a sixth century Orthodox-church-turned-mosque-turned-museum, to the status of a Muslim house of worship as paving the way for the “liberation” of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third holiest site.

Mr. Erdogan’s office released a month later a four-minute video clip suggesting that Turkey’s quest for leadership of the Islamic world was as much a military and nationalist endeavor as it was a religious drive. Laced with martial music, the clip meshed religious and Ottoman symbolism. &nbsp;Entitled Golden Apple, the clip ended with a panorama view of Al-Aqsa.

The president, who embeds his often raw nationalism in a religious mantle, can have no illusion that Jerusalem would return to Turkish rule.

Yet, by putting forward his claim, Mr Erdogan hopes to put his quest for leadership of the Muslim world on par with that of one Turkey’s staunchest rivals, Saudi Arabia. The kingdom is home to Islam’s two most sacred cities, Mecca and Medina.

Rather than seeking to regain lost Ottoman territory, Mr. Erdogan is staking a claim to custodianship of Jerusalem’s Haram ash-Sharif or Temple Mount and Al Aqsa mosque compound that currently rests with a Jordanian-controlled religious endowment known as the Waqf.

The president escalated his rhetoric at a moment that the Palestine Authority has reached out to Turkey as well as Qatar in the wake of the normalization of relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain and a series of statements by prominent Saudi and other Gulf leaders taking President Mahmoud Abbas’ administration to task for squandering opportunities for peace with the Jewish state.

Mr. Erdogan’s claim adds to Jordan’s worries that Israel, in the wake of the formalization of its ties to Gulf states, could support Saudi ambitions to join the Hashemite kingdom, if not replace it, as the holy site’s administrator.

Israel Hayom, Israel’s most widely read newspaper that is supportive of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, quoted an unidentified Arab diplomat as saying that Saudi funds were needed to counter Turkish influence in Jerusalem.

“If the Jordanians allow the Turks to operate unhindered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, within a matter of years their special status in charge of the Waqf and Muslim holy sites would be relegated to being strictly ‘on paper,’” the diplomat was quoted as saying in June.

Raed Daana, a former director of preaching and guidance at the Al-Aqsa Mosque Directorate, said in 2018, in the wake of US President Donald J. Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, that Saudi Arabia had secretly invited Palestinian Muslim dignitaries in a bid to garner support for a Saudi role in the Waqf.

Mr Daana attributed the secrecy in part to a refusal to accept the invitation by a number of Palestinian religious figures.

Jordan last year increased the number of members of the Waqf from 11 to 18 in a bid to give it a more a more Muslim rather than exclusively Jordanian flavour and to fend off attempts by regional powers to muscle their way into the body.

The new members included officials of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestine Authority as well as figures with links to Turkey and Gulf states like Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, a former grand mufti of Jerusalem and Holocaust denier who has defended Mr. Erdogan’s militancy regarding Jerusalem; and Mr. Sabri’s successor, Muhammad Hussein, who had close ties to the United Arab Emirates until he last month barred Emiratis from visiting Al Aqsa in protest against the UAE’s recognition of Israel.

Mr. Erdogan has in recent years been laying the groundwork for his claim with millions of dollars in donations to local Islamic organizations as well as Turkish religious activists and pilgrims in Jerusalem whom Israel has accused of instigating Palestinian protests.

Turkey’s Directorate General for Religious Affairs (Diyanet), that is part of Mr. Erdogan’s office, lists Al-Aqsa as a site for the umrah, the lesser Muslim pilgrimage.

Israeli sources say Turkey’s cultural center in Jerusalem as well as a Turkish renovated coffeeshop two minutes from the city’s Western Wall that is adorned with Turkish and Palestinians flags as well as portraits of Mr. Erdogan and Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II serve as a meeting point for activists and pilgrims.

“Turkey is working diligently to deepen its involvement and influence on the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem, and in east Jerusalem neighbourhoods. It is encouraging welfare-religious (dawa) activities…aimed at drawing the Palestinian public toward the Turkish-Islamic heritage and at weakening Israel’s hold on the Old City and east Jerusalem,” said conservative Israeli journalist and analyst Nadav Shragai.

A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Itunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spreaker, Pocket Casts, Tumblr, Podbean, Audecibel, Patreon and Castbox.

Dr James M Dorsey is an award-winning journalist and a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. He is also a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute and co-director of the University of Wuerzburg’s Institute of Fan Culture in Germany.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan didn’t mince his words at this month’s opening of parliament. In his first assertion of a claim to a lost non-Turkic part of the Ottoman Empire, Mr Erdogan declared that Jerusalem is Turkish.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan didn’t mince his words at this month’s opening of parliament. In his first assertion of a claim to a lost non-Turkic part of the Ottoman Empire, Mr Erdogan declared that Jerusalem is Turkish. “In this city, which we had to leave in tears during the First World War, it is still possible to come across traces of the Ottoman resistance. So Jerusalem is our city, a city from us,” Mr. Erdogan said. He went on to say that “the current appearance of the Old City, which is the heart of Jerusalem, was built by Suleiman the Magnificent, with its walls, bazaar, and many buildings. Our ancestors showed their respect for centuries by keeping this city in high esteem.” Mr Erdogan was referring to the 16th century Ottoman sultan, a sponsor of monumental architectural development, who is widely viewed as having protected his Jewish subjects. In July, Mr. Erdogan described that month’s return of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, a sixth century Orthodox-church-turned-mosque-turned-museum, to the status of a Muslim house of worship as paving the way for the “liberation” of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third holiest site. Mr. Erdogan’s office released a month later a four-minute video clip suggesting that Turkey’s quest for leadership of the Islamic world was as much a military and nationalist endeavor as it was a religious drive. Laced with martial music, the clip meshed religious and Ottoman symbolism. Entitled Golden Apple, the clip ended with a panorama view of Al-Aqsa. The president, who embeds his often raw nationalism in a religious mantle, can have no illusion that Jerusalem would return to Turkish rule. Yet, by putting forward his claim, Mr Erdogan hopes to put his quest for leadership of the Muslim world on par with that of one Turkey’s staunchest rivals, Saudi Arabia. The kingdom is home to Islam’s two most sacred cities, Mecca and Medina. Rather than seeking to regain lost Ottoman territory, Mr. Erdogan is staking a claim to custodianship of Jerusalem’s Haram ash-Sharif or Temple Mount and Al Aqsa mosque compound that currently rests with a Jordanian-controlled religious endowment known as the Waqf. The president escalated his rhetoric at a moment that the Palestine Authority has reached out to Turkey as well as Qatar in the wake of the normalization of relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain and a series of statements by prominent Saudi and other Gulf leaders taking President Mahmoud Abbas’ administration to task for squandering opportunities for peace with the Jewish state. Mr. Erdogan’s claim adds to Jordan’s worries that Israel, in the wake of the formalization of its ties to Gulf states, could support Saudi ambitions to join the Hashemite kingdom, if not replace it, as the holy site’s administrator. Israel Hayom, Israel’s most widely read newspaper that is supportive of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, quoted an unidentified Arab diplomat as saying that Saudi funds were needed to counter Turkish influence in Jerusalem. “If the Jordanians allow the Turks to operate unhindered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, within a matter of years their special status in charge of the Waqf and Muslim holy sites would be relegated to being strictly ‘on paper,’” the diplomat was quoted as saying in June. Raed Daana, a former director of preaching and guidance at the Al-Aqsa Mosque Directorate, said in 2018, in the wake of US President Donald J. Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, that Saudi Arabia had secretly invited Palestinian Muslim dignitaries in a bid to garner support for a Saudi role in the Waqf. Mr Daana attributed the secrecy in part to a refusal to accept the invitation by a number of Palestinian religious figures. Jordan last year increased the number of members of the Waqf from 11 to 18 in a bid to give it a more a more Muslim rather than exclusively Jordanian flavour and to fend off attempts by regional powers to muscle their way into the body. The new members included officials of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestine Authority as well as figures with links to Turkey and Gulf states like Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, a former grand mufti of Jerusalem and Holocaust denier who has defended Mr. Erdogan’s militancy regarding Jerusalem; and Mr. Sabri’s successor, Muhammad Hussein, who had close ties to the United Arab Emirates until he last month barred Emiratis from visiting Al Aqsa in protest against the UAE’s recognition of Israel. Mr. Erdogan has in recent years been laying the groundwork for his claim with millions of dollars in donations to local Islamic organizations as well as Turkish religious activists and pilgrims in Jerusalem whom Israel has accused of instigating Palestinian protests. Turkey’s Directorate General for Religious Affairs (Diyanet), that is part of Mr. Erdogan’s office, lists Al-Aqsa as a site for the umrah, the lesser Muslim pilgrimage. Israeli sources say Turkey’s cultural center in Jerusalem as well as a Turkish renovated coffeeshop two minutes from the city’s Western Wall that is adorned with Turkish and Palestinians flags as well as portraits of Mr. Erdogan and Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II serve as a meeting point for activists and pilgrims. “Turkey is working diligently to deepen its involvement and influence on the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem, and in east Jerusalem neighbourhoods. It is encouraging welfare-religious (dawa) activities…aimed at drawing the Palestinian public toward the Turkish-Islamic heritage and at weakening Israel’s hold on the Old City and east Jerusalem,” said conservative Israeli journalist and analyst Nadav Shragai. A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Itunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spreaker, Pocket Casts, Tumblr, Podbean, Audecibel, Patreon and Castbox. Dr James M Dorsey is an award-winning journalist and a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. He is also a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute and co-director of the University of Wuerzburg’s Institute of Fan Culture in Germany.

The Battle for Jerusalem: Turkey’s Erdogan stakes his claim

Turkey announced plans late Sunday to send the research ship at the centre of an energy rights row with Greece to the eastern Mediterranean again, a move likely to reignite tensions with Athens.

Turkey to send its ship back to eastern Mediterranean again

Wildfires fuelled by high temperature ravage several regions of Syria, Lebanon & Turkey. The wildfires triggered by heatwaves hitting the region have killed at least 3 people and burned swaths of land.

Wildfires ravage parts of West Asia, forest fires claim at least 3 lives in Syria

Turkey announced plans late Sunday to send the research ship at the centre of an energy rights row with Greece to the eastern Mediterranean again, a move likely to reignite tensions with Athens.

The Turkish navy said the Oruc Reis vessel would carry out activities in the region, including the south of the Greek island of Kastellorizo, from Monday until October 22 in a message sent to the maritime alert system NAVTEX.

Turkey and Greece were locked in a row over gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean in August, which saw the two NATO neighbours stage rival air and navy drills in strategic waters between Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete.

Greece claims rights over the waters around Kastellorizo but Turkey rejects this, insisting it has greater claims to the eastern Mediterranean because it has a longer coastline.

Ankara first deployed the Oruc Reis seismic research vessel and warships to disputed waters on August 10 and extended the mission, ignoring repeated calls to stop by Athens and the European Union.

The vessel will be joined in the latest "seismic survey" mission by two other ships called Ataman and Cengiz Han, according to the NAVTEX message.

The Oruc Reis was pulled back to shore last month from waters claimed by Greece in what many hoped was a sign Ankara and Athens could resolve the crisis through talks.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the time said the withdrawal was to give diplomacy a chance.

But Turkish officials also insisted the ship was only undergoing planned maintenance and would return to the eastern Mediterranean to continue its work.

Yet hope was further raised after Turkey&nbsp;and Greece agreed to exploratory talks last month after diplomatic efforts led by Germany to defuse the crisis.

The talks had been stalled since 2016 and the expectation was for their resumption in Istanbul but no exact date was ever given.

The Turkish and Greek foreign ministers also met last week on the sidelines of a security forum in Slovakia's capital Bratislava in the highest-level talks since tensions began.

The EU at a summit earlier this month threatened to slap sanctions on Turkey if Ankara failed to stop what the bloc says is illegal drilling and energy exploration activities in waters claimed by Cyprus and Greece.

Turkey described the threat as "unconstructive" but its latest move will cause further strains in Ankara's relationship with Brussels.

The German foreign minister is expected to visit Ankara on Wednesday, according to Turkish state TRT broadcaster, where the eastern Mediterranean will be high on the agenda.

Turkey announced plans late Sunday to send the research ship at the centre of an energy rights row with Greece to the eastern Mediterranean again, a move likely to reignite tensions with Athens. The Turkish navy said the Oruc Reis vessel would carry out activities in the region, including the south of the Greek island of Kastellorizo, from Monday until October 22 in a message sent to the maritime alert system NAVTEX. Turkey and Greece were locked in a row over gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean in August, which saw the two NATO neighbours stage rival air and navy drills in strategic waters between Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete. Greece claims rights over the waters around Kastellorizo but Turkey rejects this, insisting it has greater claims to the eastern Mediterranean because it has a longer coastline. Ankara first deployed the Oruc Reis seismic research vessel and warships to disputed waters on August 10 and extended the mission, ignoring repeated calls to stop by Athens and the European Union. The vessel will be joined in the latest "seismic survey" mission by two other ships called Ataman and Cengiz Han, according to the NAVTEX message. The Oruc Reis was pulled back to shore last month from waters claimed by Greece in what many hoped was a sign Ankara and Athens could resolve the crisis through talks. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the time said the withdrawal was to give diplomacy a chance. But Turkish officials also insisted the ship was only undergoing planned maintenance and would return to the eastern Mediterranean to continue its work. Yet hope was further raised after Turkey and Greece agreed to exploratory talks last month after diplomatic efforts led by Germany to defuse the crisis. The talks had been stalled since 2016 and the expectation was for their resumption in Istanbul but no exact date was ever given. The Turkish and Greek foreign ministers also met last week on the sidelines of a security forum in Slovakia's capital Bratislava in the highest-level talks since tensions began. The EU at a summit earlier this month threatened to slap sanctions on Turkey if Ankara failed to stop what the bloc says is illegal drilling and energy exploration activities in waters claimed by Cyprus and Greece. Turkey described the threat as "unconstructive" but its latest move will cause further strains in Ankara's relationship with Brussels. The German foreign minister is expected to visit Ankara on Wednesday, according to Turkish state TRT broadcaster, where the eastern Mediterranean will be high on the agenda.

Turkey to send ship at centre of Greece row to east Med again

Political tensions between Turkey and Saudi Arabia are spilling over into trade with Saudi business leaders calling for a boycott of Turkish goods. On this week's The West Asia Post, Ghadi Francis talks about how this boycott could mean trouble for president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. For more such stories, keep watching the West Asia post with Ghadi Francis every Friday at 8:30 PM, only on WION.

The West Asia Post: 'Boycott Turkey' campaign in Saudi Arabia

The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia had been invited to take part in talks in Moscow. “The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are being invited to Moscow on October 9,” Russia President Vladimir Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin.

WION Dispatch: France, US and Russia meet on Nagorno-Karabakh, seek ceasefire

Armenia-Azerbaijan clashes intensify, Russia invites to Moscow for peace talks

Clashes between Armenia-Azerbaijan continued for yet another day, this as France, Russia and US stepped up to mediate. Watch report.

Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict: International mediators head to Geneva

The Libyan Civil war, the war in Syria, the Eastern Mediterranean conflict, and now the Nagorno-Karabakh clashes - Turkey's gunboat diplomacy has raised tensions across all battlegrounds. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more about Erdogan's many wars for world power.

Gravitas: How Turkey fueled four conflicts?

Turkey's President Erdogan has a dream. He wants to be the Caliph - the leader of the Muslim World. Where does that leave Turkey and its dream of being a part of the E.U.? WION's Palki Sharma has the answer.

Gravitas: Why Erdogan is wooing Islamic countries?

Turkey’s proxy wars are growing in number. Turkey has reportedly supplied materials and fighters to Libya in a bid to change the course of the civil war. Erdogan provoked Greece in the eastern Mediterranean, and both countries were on the brink of a war.

The Turkish president also intervened in Syria. Now, Turkey is instigating Azerbaijan, pushing for a full blown war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armed and reckless: Modern day Turkey&nbsp;

The Turkish president is pushing Turkish arms, the military, and proxies to volatile regional battlegrounds. This began in Libya when Turkey announced a military intervention in civil war in January.

Erdogan is a key supporter of the Tripoli-based government of National Accord that is fighting the Libyan National Army, led by commander Khalifa Haftar.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/unga-2020-erdogan-calls-kashmir-conflict-a-burning-issue-329483" hreflang="en">UNGA 2020: Erdogan calls Kashmir conflict a 'burning issue'</a>

Last year in April, the Libyan National Army launched an offensive to seize the capital. Despite a UN embargo,&nbsp; Turkey has deployed its military forces, sent Syrian militants, and even armed the government of National Accord.

French president Emmanuel Macron has accused Turkey of meddling in the Libyan conflict. In Macron's eyes, Turkey has threatened European interests with its military deployments.

“I have already had the opportunity to make this very clear to president Erdogan: I now consider that Turkey is playing a dangerous game in Libya and is in breach of all the commitments it made at the Berlin conference. This is the same speech I made this afternoon during the exchange I&nbsp;had with president Trump, because it is in the interests of Libya, of its neighbours, of the whole region, but also of Europe”, Emmanuel Macron had said.

The response?

In August, Turkey pursued an aggressive gas exploration effort in eastern Mediterranean. Greece claims the same disputed regions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/will-erdogans-support-to-azerbaijan-create-conflict-between-turkey-and-russia-331248" hreflang="en">Will Erdogan's support to Azerbaijan create conflict between Turkey and Russia?</a>

Encounters between Turkish and Greek vessels on the high seas raised the threat of war. France sided with Greece. Erdogan responded with the following: “France is often on the agenda. I don't want to give names, but I am forced to because he comes at me a lot. It isn't with our people but he says we have a problem with Erdogan.&nbsp;Mr Macron, you are going to have way more problems with me."

No backing down

By the end of September, Erdogan triggered a new conflict, and ramped up support to Azerbaijan. On September 27, fighting broke out in Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed region at the crossroads of Asia and Europe.

For 11 days now, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in deadly clashes. With Erdogan sending Syrian mercenaries to assist Azerbaijan, the international community wants a ceasefire. Erdogan has offered Azerbaijan complete military support, and defied calls for a ceasefire.

“Given that the three Minsk countries, USA, Russia and France have neglected this problem for nearly 30 years, first of all, it is unacceptable that they are involved in a search for a ceasefire in the face of these negative developments that came to surface in these days but if something is wanted, the invaders should leave these lands in order to achieve a solution”, Erdogan said.

Erdogan believes that he can get a seat at the high table by initiating proxy battles.&nbsp; But by flexing his military muscle, the Turkish president is only isolating his country further.

Turkey’s proxy wars are growing in number. Turkey has reportedly supplied materials and fighters to Libya in a bid to change the course of the civil war. Erdogan provoked Greece in the eastern Mediterranean, and both countries were on the brink of a war.

Turkey’s proxy wars are growing in number. Turkey has reportedly supplied materials and fighters to Libya in a bid to change the course of the civil war. Erdogan provoked Greece in the eastern Mediterranean, and both countries were on the brink of a war. The Turkish president also intervened in Syria. Now, Turkey is instigating Azerbaijan, pushing for a full blown war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armed and reckless: Modern day Turkey The Turkish president is pushing Turkish arms, the military, and proxies to volatile regional battlegrounds. This began in Libya when Turkey announced a military intervention in civil war in January. Erdogan is a key supporter of the Tripoli-based government of National Accord that is fighting the Libyan National Army, led by commander Khalifa Haftar. Also read: UNGA 2020: Erdogan calls Kashmir conflict a 'burning issue' Last year in April, the Libyan National Army launched an offensive to seize the capital. Despite a UN embargo, Turkey has deployed its military forces, sent Syrian militants, and even armed the government of National Accord. French president Emmanuel Macron has accused Turkey of meddling in the Libyan conflict. In Macron's eyes, Turkey has threatened European interests with its military deployments. “I have already had the opportunity to make this very clear to president Erdogan: I now consider that Turkey is playing a dangerous game in Libya and is in breach of all the commitments it made at the Berlin conference. This is the same speech I made this afternoon during the exchange I had with president Trump, because it is in the interests of Libya, of its neighbours, of the whole region, but also of Europe”, Emmanuel Macron had said. The response? In August, Turkey pursued an aggressive gas exploration effort in eastern Mediterranean. Greece claims the same disputed regions. Also read: Will Erdogan's support to Azerbaijan create conflict between Turkey and Russia? Encounters between Turkish and Greek vessels on the high seas raised the threat of war. France sided with Greece. Erdogan responded with the following: “France is often on the agenda. I don't want to give names, but I am forced to because he comes at me a lot. It isn't with our people but he says we have a problem with Erdogan. Mr Macron, you are going to have way more problems with me." No backing down By the end of September, Erdogan triggered a new conflict, and ramped up support to Azerbaijan. On September 27, fighting broke out in Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed region at the crossroads of Asia and Europe. For 11 days now, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in deadly clashes. With Erdogan sending Syrian mercenaries to assist Azerbaijan, the international community wants a ceasefire. Erdogan has offered Azerbaijan complete military support, and defied calls for a ceasefire. “Given that the three Minsk countries, USA, Russia and France have neglected this problem for nearly 30 years, first of all, it is unacceptable that they are involved in a search for a ceasefire in the face of these negative developments that came to surface in these days but if something is wanted, the invaders should leave these lands in order to achieve a solution”, Erdogan said. Erdogan believes that he can get a seat at the high table by initiating proxy battles. But by flexing his military muscle, the Turkish president is only isolating his country further.

Modern-day Turkey: Armed and reckless

For the longest time in recent history, Turkey tried to maintain a facade of a peace-loving, secular country in hopes of making it to the European Union.

In 1959, Turkey applied for EEC, or the European Economic Community membership, which was accepted. In 1989, Turkey applied for a full membership of the European Union. But Europe was not comfortable with the idea of letting Turkey in, claiming it is a very populous country. Turkey also had disputes over Cyprus, prompting EU to be careful.

In 2007, France&nbsp; and Germany blocked all negotiation about Turkey's EU membership after because the country refused to admit its role in the Armenian genocide. In 2016, after the failed military coup, Turkey’s human rights record worsened.

New dream

In the last 15 years, Turkey has been chasing a new dream. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the current president of Turkey came to power in 2003, when he was the prime minister. Erdogan wanted to become the Caliph, or in other words, the ruler of the Muslim world.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/modern-day-turkey-armed-and-reckless-333280" hreflang="en">Modern-day Turkey: Armed and reckless</a>

On paper, Erdogan maintained that joining the EU was Turkey's strategic goal. But in practice, Erdogan was looking east, towards the Arab world.

Turkey refused to recognise the Republic of Cyprus. In 2013, Turkish police cracked down on protesters. In 2014, and 2016, the government launched a purge, and Erdogan became more authoritarian.

To justify its posturing in West Asia, Turkey started dwelling on it Ottoman history. With his intervention in Syria and Iraq, Erdogan became unapologetically authoritarian.

Turkey's present goal does not include peace or Brussels: it involves unseating Saudi Arabia as the leader of the Muslim world.

Saudi Arabia is the guardian of the Muslim holy places of Mecca and Medina. Turkey wants to project itself as a country not too concerned with the Shia-Sunni divide.

The murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi gave Erdogan the opportunity to slam Saudi Arabia. He uses Pakistan as a tool against Saudi dominance. And he buys Pakistan's loyalty with anti-India statements on Kashmir.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/unga-2020-erdogan-calls-kashmir-conflict-a-burning-issue-329483" hreflang="en">UNGA 2020: Erdogan calls Kashmir conflict a 'burning issue'</a>

Turkey could have been the bridge between the Muslim and the secular world. But Erdogan chose to be the wedge. His priority was to convert Istanbul's Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque.

Turkey's army is one of the most powerful in the NATO, and he’s using it to fuel the fight between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Why?

Azerbaijan is a Muslim country with oil. Erdogan's dreams of a caliphate do not acknowledge boundaries and contradictions. He attacks the ISIS, then does business with it. He fights for the Muslim brotherhood, but also commits crimes against the Kurds. He occupies parts of Syria. But contests Israeli occupation of the West Bank. He remains a member of the NATO, but fights NATO forces in the Mediterranean. Turkey now stands between democracy and dictatorship; the West and West Asia.

For the longest time in recent history, Turkey tried to maintain a facade of a peace-loving, secular country in hopes of making it to the European Union. In 1959, Turkey applied for EEC, or the European Economic Community membership, which was accepted.

For the longest time in recent history, Turkey tried to maintain a facade of a peace-loving, secular country in hopes of making it to the European Union. In 1959, Turkey applied for EEC, or the European Economic Community membership, which was accepted. In 1989, Turkey applied for a full membership of the European Union. But Europe was not comfortable with the idea of letting Turkey in, claiming it is a very populous country. Turkey also had disputes over Cyprus, prompting EU to be careful. In 2007, France and Germany blocked all negotiation about Turkey's EU membership after because the country refused to admit its role in the Armenian genocide. In 2016, after the failed military coup, Turkey’s human rights record worsened. New dream In the last 15 years, Turkey has been chasing a new dream. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the current president of Turkey came to power in 2003, when he was the prime minister. Erdogan wanted to become the Caliph, or in other words, the ruler of the Muslim world. Also read: Modern-day Turkey: Armed and reckless On paper, Erdogan maintained that joining the EU was Turkey's strategic goal. But in practice, Erdogan was looking east, towards the Arab world. Turkey refused to recognise the Republic of Cyprus. In 2013, Turkish police cracked down on protesters. In 2014, and 2016, the government launched a purge, and Erdogan became more authoritarian. To justify its posturing in West Asia, Turkey started dwelling on it Ottoman history. With his intervention in Syria and Iraq, Erdogan became unapologetically authoritarian. Turkey's present goal does not include peace or Brussels: it involves unseating Saudi Arabia as the leader of the Muslim world. Saudi Arabia is the guardian of the Muslim holy places of Mecca and Medina. Turkey wants to project itself as a country not too concerned with the Shia-Sunni divide. The murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi gave Erdogan the opportunity to slam Saudi Arabia. He uses Pakistan as a tool against Saudi dominance. And he buys Pakistan's loyalty with anti-India statements on Kashmir. Also read: UNGA 2020: Erdogan calls Kashmir conflict a 'burning issue' Turkey could have been the bridge between the Muslim and the secular world. But Erdogan chose to be the wedge. His priority was to convert Istanbul's Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque. Turkey's army is one of the most powerful in the NATO, and he’s using it to fuel the fight between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Why? Azerbaijan is a Muslim country with oil. Erdogan's dreams of a caliphate do not acknowledge boundaries and contradictions. He attacks the ISIS, then does business with it. He fights for the Muslim brotherhood, but also commits crimes against the Kurds. He occupies parts of Syria. But contests Israeli occupation of the West Bank. He remains a member of the NATO, but fights NATO forces in the Mediterranean. Turkey now stands between democracy and dictatorship; the West and West Asia.

Turkey under Erdogan: Caught between democracy and dictatorship

If you surf the website of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), you will spot that it describes the political and military purpose of NATO as&nbsp;"NATO promotes democratic values. NATO's purpose is to guarantee freedom and security of its members."

However, Turkey, a member of NATO, does not fit this criteria.

Under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has descended into authoritarianism. He used a failed military coup in 2016 to tighten his grip on power.There was a massive purge within the military, the courts and the education system. Journalists were jailed, assets of political opponents&nbsp;were seized by the state and dissent&nbsp; was crushed.

Erdogan has pushed Turkey into a new presidential system where he controls all levers of power. With the country firmly in his grasp Erdogan forged new alliances with Russia and China — two more authoritarian states.

As a result, Turkey is now the biggest liability for NATO and it doesn't&nbsp;represent the values of the organisation. It has befriended the adversaries of NATO. All of this has made Turkey an unreliable partner.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-under-erdogan-caught-between-democracy-and-dictatorship-333285">Also read|&nbsp;Turkey under Erdogan: Caught between democracy and dictatorship</a>

However, NATO has still not taken an action on Turkey's changed stance.

The alliance

NATO, which was created in&nbsp;1949, has 30 members. In the aftermath of the second world war, the purpose was to secure peace in Europe, especially against the Soviet Union. Then the Soviet Union fell and the relevance of NATO came into question.

Today,&nbsp;the NATO says its allies are committed to democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law.

Turkey joined the organisation in 1952 because there was a synergy of interests. Turkey didn't want to fall under the Soviet influence and its military made key contributions in the fight.

However, that is no longer the case. Today, Erdogan is on a collision course with the NATO. It is fighting the allies of NATO itself and that has been visible in Turkey's key activities in the past one year.

In January, Turkey violated a United Nations arms embrago in Libya. Turkish warships escorted a vessel suspected of smuggling weapons into Libya. By June, Turkey was locked in a direct face-off against Greece and France.

NATO's allies have sworn to protect each other. When one is in trouble, all members come to its rescue. However,&nbsp;Turkey was ready to wage a war against Greece to control oil and gas supplies.

Now, Turkey is fueling another conflict&nbsp;in Nagorno-Karabakh.&nbsp;Turkey is arming Azerbaijan against Armenia.

NATO called for a ceasefire, but Turkey refuses to pay heed to such calls.

"It is extremely important that we convey a very clear message to all parties that they should cease fighting immediately, that we should support all efforts to find a peaceful, negotiated solution because there is no military solution to the situation in and around nagorno-karabakh. And this has been a very clear message from me ever since the fighting started because it is dangerous for all those people involved but it is of course also something which is of great concern for all region and all nato allies," said&nbsp;NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg.

Turkey wants to dictate the terms and wants NATO to first ask Armenia to withdraw.

"Both countries are partners of nato. Therefore, it is normal that nato calls for a balanced ceasefire and a peaceful solution but everyone, namely nato, should call for the resolution of this problem under international laws, u.N. Resolutions and azerbaijan's territorial integrity, armenia immediately withdrawing from this region," said Turkish Foreign Minister&nbsp;Mevlut Cavusoglu.

The conflict began 11 days ago and&nbsp;it is getting closer to a full scale war. Turkey is sending Syrian fighters to fight for Azerbaijan, and its&nbsp;relationship with many NATO allies is now straining.

Should turkey remain in the military alliance?

NATO has many reasons to expel Turkey. In 2019, Turkey bought the Russian S-400 missile defence system despite&nbsp;vehement objections of the United States and NATO members.

The alliance was concerned about this weapons deal because it is unlikely that Russian weaponry will integrate into NATO's&nbsp;air defences.

The fissures between Turkey and NATO are getting wider. It is an alliance that operates on consensus and all members must be on the same page.

If Turkey remains at odds with, it can stall any policy change,&nbsp;veto any military move and undermine the policy of collective defence.

In fact, it's already doing it as Turkey has blocked NATO&nbsp;partnerships with Israel, Armenia, Egypt and the UAE. For the longest time, it blocked a plan for the defence of Poland and the baltic nations&nbsp;— countries that share a border with Russia.

Reports say, Erdogan relented&nbsp;only after considerable pressure from Washington and&nbsp;this is not just about NATO. Having Turkey on such a major military alliance poses a threat for all.

Erdogan is triggering conflicts and threatening peace, and an alliance that vows to uphold democractic values and peace, must hold its members accountable o dump them.

If you surf the website of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), you will spot that it describes the political and military purpose of NATO as "NATO promotes democratic values.

If you surf the website of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), you will spot that it describes the political and military purpose of NATO as "NATO promotes democratic values. NATO's purpose is to guarantee freedom and security of its members." However, Turkey, a member of NATO, does not fit this criteria. Under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has descended into authoritarianism. He used a failed military coup in 2016 to tighten his grip on power.There was a massive purge within the military, the courts and the education system. Journalists were jailed, assets of political opponents were seized by the state and dissent was crushed. Erdogan has pushed Turkey into a new presidential system where he controls all levers of power. With the country firmly in his grasp Erdogan forged new alliances with Russia and China — two more authoritarian states. As a result, Turkey is now the biggest liability for NATO and it doesn't represent the values of the organisation. It has befriended the adversaries of NATO. All of this has made Turkey an unreliable partner. Also read| Turkey under Erdogan: Caught between democracy and dictatorship However, NATO has still not taken an action on Turkey's changed stance. The alliance NATO, which was created in 1949, has 30 members. In the aftermath of the second world war, the purpose was to secure peace in Europe, especially against the Soviet Union. Then the Soviet Union fell and the relevance of NATO came into question. Today, the NATO says its allies are committed to democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. Turkey joined the organisation in 1952 because there was a synergy of interests. Turkey didn't want to fall under the Soviet influence and its military made key contributions in the fight. However, that is no longer the case. Today, Erdogan is on a collision course with the NATO. It is fighting the allies of NATO itself and that has been visible in Turkey's key activities in the past one year. In January, Turkey violated a United Nations arms embrago in Libya. Turkish warships escorted a vessel suspected of smuggling weapons into Libya. By June, Turkey was locked in a direct face-off against Greece and France. NATO's allies have sworn to protect each other. When one is in trouble, all members come to its rescue. However, Turkey was ready to wage a war against Greece to control oil and gas supplies. Now, Turkey is fueling another conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey is arming Azerbaijan against Armenia. NATO called for a ceasefire, but Turkey refuses to pay heed to such calls. "It is extremely important that we convey a very clear message to all parties that they should cease fighting immediately, that we should support all efforts to find a peaceful, negotiated solution because there is no military solution to the situation in and around nagorno-karabakh. And this has been a very clear message from me ever since the fighting started because it is dangerous for all those people involved but it is of course also something which is of great concern for all region and all nato allies," said NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. Turkey wants to dictate the terms and wants NATO to first ask Armenia to withdraw. "Both countries are partners of nato. Therefore, it is normal that nato calls for a balanced ceasefire and a peaceful solution but everyone, namely nato, should call for the resolution of this problem under international laws, u.N. Resolutions and azerbaijan's territorial integrity, armenia immediately withdrawing from this region," said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The conflict began 11 days ago and it is getting closer to a full scale war. Turkey is sending Syrian fighters to fight for Azerbaijan, and its relationship with many NATO allies is now straining. Should turkey remain in the military alliance? NATO has many reasons to expel Turkey. In 2019, Turkey bought the Russian S-400 missile defence system despite vehement objections of the United States and NATO members. The alliance was concerned about this weapons deal because it is unlikely that Russian weaponry will integrate into NATO's air defences. The fissures between Turkey and NATO are getting wider. It is an alliance that operates on consensus and all members must be on the same page. If Turkey remains at odds with, it can stall any policy change, veto any military move and undermine the policy of collective defence. In fact, it's already doing it as Turkey has blocked NATO partnerships with Israel, Armenia, Egypt and the UAE. For the longest time, it blocked a plan for the defence of Poland and the baltic nations — countries that share a border with Russia. Reports say, Erdogan relented only after considerable pressure from Washington and this is not just about NATO. Having Turkey on such a major military alliance poses a threat for all. Erdogan is triggering conflicts and threatening peace, and an alliance that vows to uphold democractic values and peace, must hold its members accountable o dump them.

Fall of democracy: Turkey's Erdogan openly challenging NATO's values

Turkish President Erdogan has jumped into another foreign conflict. A report has claimed that Turkey is sending Syrian fighters to fight and help ally Azerbaijan. Turkey's aggressive policies are putting the country at odds with the West. WION's Palki Sharma tells you why.

Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict: Turkey sends Syrians to fight proxy war | Gravitas

The head of Saudi Arabia’s Chambers of Commerce has called for a boycott of Turkish products.

This is happening amid merchants’ reports that animosity between Ankara and Riyadh is hindering the flow of goods between the two regional powers.

Saudi Arabia and Turkey have been at odds for some years over foreign policy and attitudes towards Islamist political groups. The murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi’s Istanbul consulate in 2018 escalated tensions sharply.

This year the two countries blocked some of each other’s news websites.

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Businessman Ajlan al-Ajlan said on Twitter on Saturday: “A boycott of everything Turkish, be it imports, investment or tourism, is the responsibility of every Saudi ‘trader and consumer’, in response to the continued hostility of the Turkish government against our leadership, country and citizens."

The Saudi Chambers of Commerce is a non-government group of private sector business officials.

For more than a year, some Saudi and Turkish traders have speculated that Saudi Arabia was enforcing an informal boycott of imports from Turkey.

Last week, Turkish opposition lawmaker Mehmet Güzelmansur said goods, particularly perishable fruit and vegetables, exported from his region of Hatay were held at the Saudi border for longer than necessary on arrival.

On Thursday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan took a swipe at the Gulf states in a speech to parliament.

“It should not be forgotten that the countries in question did not exist yesterday, and probably will not exist tomorrow,” Erdogan said. “But we will continue to fly our flag in this geography forever, with the permission of Allah.”

Neither Turkish nor Saudi trade data shows an unusually large drop in two-way trade this year, factoring in the strains on global commerce from the coronavirus pandemic.

In the second quarter, Turkey was Saudi Arabia’s 12th trade partner by total import value. The latest data shows Saudi imports from Turkey were worth about $185 million in July, up from roughly $180 million in June.

The head of Saudi Arabia’s Chambers of Commerce has called for a boycott of Turkish products. This is happening amid merchants’ reports that animosity between Ankara and Riyadh is hindering the flow of goods between the two regional powers.

The head of Saudi Arabia’s Chambers of Commerce has called for a boycott of Turkish products. This is happening amid merchants’ reports that animosity between Ankara and Riyadh is hindering the flow of goods between the two regional powers. Saudi Arabia and Turkey have been at odds for some years over foreign policy and attitudes towards Islamist political groups. The murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi’s Istanbul consulate in 2018 escalated tensions sharply. This year the two countries blocked some of each other’s news websites. Businessman Ajlan al-Ajlan said on Twitter on Saturday: “A boycott of everything Turkish, be it imports, investment or tourism, is the responsibility of every Saudi ‘trader and consumer’, in response to the continued hostility of the Turkish government against our leadership, country and citizens." The Saudi Chambers of Commerce is a non-government group of private sector business officials. For more than a year, some Saudi and Turkish traders have speculated that Saudi Arabia was enforcing an informal boycott of imports from Turkey. Last week, Turkish opposition lawmaker Mehmet Güzelmansur said goods, particularly perishable fruit and vegetables, exported from his region of Hatay were held at the Saudi border for longer than necessary on arrival. On Thursday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan took a swipe at the Gulf states in a speech to parliament. “It should not be forgotten that the countries in question did not exist yesterday, and probably will not exist tomorrow,” Erdogan said. “But we will continue to fly our flag in this geography forever, with the permission of Allah.” Neither Turkish nor Saudi trade data shows an unusually large drop in two-way trade this year, factoring in the strains on global commerce from the coronavirus pandemic. In the second quarter, Turkey was Saudi Arabia’s 12th trade partner by total import value. The latest data shows Saudi imports from Turkey were worth about $185 million in July, up from roughly $180 million in June.

Saudi business leader urges boycott of goods from Turkey

Turkey and Saudi Arabia are caught in a bitter fight over the leadership of the Islamic world. The tensions have now spilled on to the trading relationship - with Saudi business leaders calling for a boycott of Turkish goods.

Gravitas: Why Saudis are boycotting Turkish goods

The European Union could impose sanctions on Ankara if Turkish "provocations and pressures" continue in the East Mediterranean.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday after a meeting of the 27-nation bloc's leaders, "We want a positive and constructive relationship with Turkey, and this would be also be very much in Ankara's interest."

"But it will only work if the provocations and pressures stop. We therefore expect that Turkey from now on abstains from unilateral actions. In caser of such renewed actions by Ankara the EU will use all its instruments and options available," she added.

But Turkey largely remained unperturbed and unswayed by the statement.

Turkey would be even more determined to protect its territorial rights in the Eastern Mediterranean if the European Union ultimately decides to impose sanctions on it over offshore oil and gas exploration, a Turkish Foreign Ministry official said.

The senior official, according to Reuters, said sanctions would not deter Turkey and suggested they could imperil dialogue planned between Ankara and Athens over disputed maritime boundaries and oil and gas rights.

The warning came as EU leaders broke a diplomatic deadlock early on Friday and assured bloc member Cyprus it would punish Turkey if it continued operations in disputed waters. Sanctions could come as soon as December if "provocations" have not stopped, it said.

Before the post-midnight deal, Cyprus had demanded sanctions on Turkey over what it calls Ankara's "gunboat diplomacy" and violations of the island nation`s maritime shelf.

Tensions have simmered since Turkish and Greek frigates collided at sea in August near one of Turkey`s exploration vessels, though things have cooled a bit since Turkey and Greece, both members of NATO, said they would resume "exploratory talks" that ended in 2016.

The talks are an effort "to bring Greece into dialogue and finally Greece agreed to that, and we hope to resume those soon", likely this month, the Turkish official said.

But "if the EU applies sanctions this will not deter us. On the contrary this would increase our resolve and would be a negative stance on the part of the European Union", he said.

"We will continue our offshore programme as we have been doing. Sanctions are not the right way (and) will not deter us to protect our rights to our continental shelf and also the rights of the Turkish Cypriots," the official added.

Speaking to parliament on Thursday, President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey preferred to resolve disagreements in the Eastern Mediterranean through dialogue and was not seeking tensions and clashes in the region.

(with inputs from agencies)

The European Union could impose sanctions on Ankara if Turkish "provocations and pressures" continue in the East Mediterranean. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday after a meeting of the 27-nation bloc's leaders, "We want a positive and constructive relationship with Turkey, and this would be also be very much in Ankara's interest.

The European Union could impose sanctions on Ankara if Turkish "provocations and pressures" continue in the East Mediterranean. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday after a meeting of the 27-nation bloc's leaders, "We want a positive and constructive relationship with Turkey, and this would be also be very much in Ankara's interest." "But it will only work if the provocations and pressures stop. We therefore expect that Turkey from now on abstains from unilateral actions. In caser of such renewed actions by Ankara the EU will use all its instruments and options available," she added. But Turkey largely remained unperturbed and unswayed by the statement. Turkey would be even more determined to protect its territorial rights in the Eastern Mediterranean if the European Union ultimately decides to impose sanctions on it over offshore oil and gas exploration, a Turkish Foreign Ministry official said. The senior official, according to Reuters, said sanctions would not deter Turkey and suggested they could imperil dialogue planned between Ankara and Athens over disputed maritime boundaries and oil and gas rights. The warning came as EU leaders broke a diplomatic deadlock early on Friday and assured bloc member Cyprus it would punish Turkey if it continued operations in disputed waters. Sanctions could come as soon as December if "provocations" have not stopped, it said. Before the post-midnight deal, Cyprus had demanded sanctions on Turkey over what it calls Ankara's "gunboat diplomacy" and violations of the island nation`s maritime shelf. Tensions have simmered since Turkish and Greek frigates collided at sea in August near one of Turkey`s exploration vessels, though things have cooled a bit since Turkey and Greece, both members of NATO, said they would resume "exploratory talks" that ended in 2016. The talks are an effort "to bring Greece into dialogue and finally Greece agreed to that, and we hope to resume those soon", likely this month, the Turkish official said. But "if the EU applies sanctions this will not deter us. On the contrary this would increase our resolve and would be a negative stance on the part of the European Union", he said. "We will continue our offshore programme as we have been doing. Sanctions are not the right way (and) will not deter us to protect our rights to our continental shelf and also the rights of the Turkish Cypriots," the official added. Speaking to parliament on Thursday, President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey preferred to resolve disagreements in the Eastern Mediterranean through dialogue and was not seeking tensions and clashes in the region. (with inputs from agencies)

EU warns Turkey of sanctions; Ankara rejects threat

Turkey, a nation known to pride on its cultural values, is set to impose strict regulations on social media, ending an era of free speech rights.

On Thursday, Turkey will be imposing new social media regulations for social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter that will place various new regulations on the social media giants.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party AKP proposed the new regulations in the Parliament, which is also being seen as a crackdown on all opposing media.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-indicts-six-more-saudi-nationals-over-jamal-khashoggi-murder-331073">Also read:&nbsp;Turkey indicts six more Saudi nationals over Jamal Khashoggi murder</a>

As per the new rules, all social media platforms that have more than&nbsp;one million daily users — which is a common sight for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter — must open an office in the country which can help deal with&nbsp;local court decisions to remove offending content within 48 hours.

If the platforms fail to remove the 'offending' content within 48 hours, the companies will face advertising bans and&nbsp;fines of up to 40 million Turkish lira ($5.1 million). More importantly, they will also be subjected to&nbsp;bandwidth reductions of up to 90 per cent, which makes the platforms effectively unusable.

Calling it a qestionalable decision, Facebook's human rights officer Iain Levine took to twitter to condemn this move. "Turkey's new social media law raises many concerns re human rights," he tweeted.

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Turkey's new social media law raises many concerns re human rights “This is an unprecedented attempt to control the online information space in Turkey" says <a href="https://twitter.com/cyberrights?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cyberrights</a><a href="https://t.co/y2ic6HM7Jm">https://t.co/y2ic6HM7Jm</a> <a href="https://t.co/VlVV8m0rmp">pic.twitter.com/VlVV8m0rmp</a>
— Iain Levine (@iainlevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/iainlevine/status/1310618662982823943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"We believe that these days it's really impossible in a country like Turkey to suppress social media -- it is so much a part of people's lives," said Emma Sinclair-Webb, the Turkey director of Human Rights Watch.

There are also reports that suggest that while a specific clause was removed from th&nbsp;final version of the draft elaw passed in July, companies will be unofficially asked to store data locally — a decision that has been a major point of debate between Donald Trump and TikTok too.

Turkey, a nation known to pride on its cultural values, is set to impose strict regulations on social media, ending an era of free speech rights. On Thursday, Turkey will be imposing new social media regulations for social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter that will place various new regulations on the social media giants.

Turkey, a nation known to pride on its cultural values, is set to impose strict regulations on social media, ending an era of free speech rights. On Thursday, Turkey will be imposing new social media regulations for social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter that will place various new regulations on the social media giants. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party AKP proposed the new regulations in the Parliament, which is also being seen as a crackdown on all opposing media. Also read: Turkey indicts six more Saudi nationals over Jamal Khashoggi murder As per the new rules, all social media platforms that have more than one million daily users — which is a common sight for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter — must open an office in the country which can help deal with local court decisions to remove offending content within 48 hours. If the platforms fail to remove the 'offending' content within 48 hours, the companies will face advertising bans and fines of up to 40 million Turkish lira ($5.1 million). More importantly, they will also be subjected to bandwidth reductions of up to 90 per cent, which makes the platforms effectively unusable. Calling it a qestionalable decision, Facebook's human rights officer Iain Levine took to twitter to condemn this move. "Turkey's new social media law raises many concerns re human rights," he tweeted. Turkey's new social media law raises many concerns re human rights “This is an unprecedented attempt to control the online information space in Turkey" says @cyberrightshttps://t.co/y2ic6HM7Jm pic.twitter.com/VlVV8m0rmp — Iain Levine (@iainlevine) September 28, 2020 × "We believe that these days it's really impossible in a country like Turkey to suppress social media -- it is so much a part of people's lives," said Emma Sinclair-Webb, the Turkey director of Human Rights Watch. There are also reports that suggest that while a specific clause was removed from th final version of the draft elaw passed in July, companies will be unofficially asked to store data locally — a decision that has been a major point of debate between Donald Trump and TikTok too.

Turkey set to impose anti-social media regulations

Turkey has entered the new era of tight social restrictions from October 01, 2020. The Draconian law has came into force.

Turkey enters era of tight social restrictions, Draconian law comes into force

French President Emmanuel Macron has slammed Turkey over its alleged involvement in ongoing clashes between the Armenia & Azerbaijan.

French President slams Turkey over its alleged role between Armenia & Azerbaijan clashes

Turkey on September 30 enters a new era of tight social media restrictions that threaten to erase the local presence of Facebook and Twitter should they fail to take down contentious posts.

Erdogan's Draconian law comes into force: 'Contentious posts' to be taken down

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems intent on burning bridges. He is now wading into the conflict in the Caucasus, openly backing Azerbaijan -- even though it means antagonising one of his few remaining allies - Russia President Vladimir Putin.

Dozens have been reported killed and hundreds wounded since clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region broke out on Sunday in a new eruption of a decades-old conflict.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan.

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&nbsp; 
Armenia and Azerbaijan reported further bloodshed on Tuesday, as heavy weaponry was moved to the front lines. 
&nbsp; 
Erdogan on Monday demanded Armenia put an end to its “occupation” of Nagorno-Karabakh and called for it to leave the territory.

&nbsp;

But Russia is not happy. It has urged Turkey to work on bringing an end to deadly clashes

Armenia has even accused Turkey of sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan, its close ally, a charge Ankara denies.

The Turkish president even said Armenia is the biggest threat to peace in the region.

Turkey conducted joint military drills with Azerbaijan last month. It has also established an army and an air force base within the country to support Azerbaijan.

This aggressive posturing puts Erdogan at odds with Vladimir Putin. The Russian president is already dealing with a full-blown crisis in Belarus.

He is keen to avoid another one in the Caucasus.

And one can simply say Turkey is risking its relationship with Russia for the same reason it triggered the conflict with Greece -- energy, oil and gas.

In 2019, Azerbaijan delivered 9.2 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Turkey. It was delivered through the South Caucasus pipeline, which is part of a US-backed energy corridor.

The region is also rich in crude oil reserves. &nbsp;

Oil is exported to an energy terminal on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. In short, most of Azerbaijan's energy exports end up in Turkey.

And this fits perfectly into Erdogan's plan of making Turkey a crucial cog in the energy trade between the Caspian sea and Europe.

Most of the pipelines in the region run perilously close to the disputed border.

If Azebaijian takes control of this land, Erdogan would be able to dictate energy exports to Europe.

But that's not all.

Azerbaijan's former president once described the relationship as 'one nation with two states'. Turkey was the first nation to recognise Azerbaijan back in 1991.

Last month, when tensions flared between Greece and Turkey, Azerbaijian was unequivocal in its support for Ankara.

On the other hand, Turkey's relations with Armenia have always been troublesome.

The Armenian genocide at the hands of the Ottoman empire is not something the country will so easily forgive. Armenia claims as many as 1.5 million people were killed or expelled.

Turkey on its part rejects the use of the word 'genocide' for what happened between 1914 and 1923.

Now, by positioning himself with Azerbaijan, Erdogan has put himself in a tight spot.

Most of the world leaders, including Putin, want both sides to stand down.&nbsp;

If Azerbaijan and Armenia do opt for diplomacy, Erdogan's warpath may end up denying him a seat at the negotiating table.

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems intent on burning bridges. He is now wading into the conflict in the Caucasus, openly backing Azerbaijan -- even though it means antagonising one of his few remaining allies - Russia President Vladimir Putin.

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems intent on burning bridges. He is now wading into the conflict in the Caucasus, openly backing Azerbaijan -- even though it means antagonising one of his few remaining allies - Russia President Vladimir Putin. Dozens have been reported killed and hundreds wounded since clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region broke out on Sunday in a new eruption of a decades-old conflict. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Armenia and Azerbaijan reported further bloodshed on Tuesday, as heavy weaponry was moved to the front lines. Erdogan on Monday demanded Armenia put an end to its “occupation” of Nagorno-Karabakh and called for it to leave the territory. But Russia is not happy. It has urged Turkey to work on bringing an end to deadly clashes Armenia has even accused Turkey of sending mercenaries to back Azerbaijan, its close ally, a charge Ankara denies. The Turkish president even said Armenia is the biggest threat to peace in the region. Turkey conducted joint military drills with Azerbaijan last month. It has also established an army and an air force base within the country to support Azerbaijan. This aggressive posturing puts Erdogan at odds with Vladimir Putin. The Russian president is already dealing with a full-blown crisis in Belarus. He is keen to avoid another one in the Caucasus. And one can simply say Turkey is risking its relationship with Russia for the same reason it triggered the conflict with Greece -- energy, oil and gas. In 2019, Azerbaijan delivered 9.2 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Turkey. It was delivered through the South Caucasus pipeline, which is part of a US-backed energy corridor. The region is also rich in crude oil reserves. Oil is exported to an energy terminal on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. In short, most of Azerbaijan's energy exports end up in Turkey. And this fits perfectly into Erdogan's plan of making Turkey a crucial cog in the energy trade between the Caspian sea and Europe. Most of the pipelines in the region run perilously close to the disputed border. If Azebaijian takes control of this land, Erdogan would be able to dictate energy exports to Europe. But that's not all. Azerbaijan's former president once described the relationship as 'one nation with two states'. Turkey was the first nation to recognise Azerbaijan back in 1991. Last month, when tensions flared between Greece and Turkey, Azerbaijian was unequivocal in its support for Ankara. On the other hand, Turkey's relations with Armenia have always been troublesome. The Armenian genocide at the hands of the Ottoman empire is not something the country will so easily forgive. Armenia claims as many as 1.5 million people were killed or expelled. Turkey on its part rejects the use of the word 'genocide' for what happened between 1914 and 1923. Now, by positioning himself with Azerbaijan, Erdogan has put himself in a tight spot. Most of the world leaders, including Putin, want both sides to stand down. If Azerbaijan and Armenia do opt for diplomacy, Erdogan's warpath may end up denying him a seat at the negotiating table.

Will Erdogan's support to Azerbaijan create conflict between Turkey and Russia?

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