Turkey

14 May 2022; MEMO: Turkey summoned on Friday the undersecretary of the French Embassy in Ankara over a "terrorist attack" on Turkey's Consulate General in Paris that took place on Thursday, Anadolu Agency reported.

Diplomatic sources said that the undersecretary of the French Embassy in Ankara was summoned to the Foreign Ministry building, where Turkey conveyed its discomfort over the attack.

ANKARA, May 13 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday it was not possible for NATO-member Turkey to support plans by Sweden and Finland to join the pact, saying the Nordic countries were "home to many terrorist organisations".

Though Turkey has officially supported enlargement since it joined NATO 70 years ago, its opposition could pose a problem for Sweden and Finland given new members need unanimous agreement.

12 May 2022; MEMO: The tourism sector in Turkey is hardest hit by the war between Ukraine and Russia, as the two nations are the first largest group visit Turkey, DW reports.

According to the report, in 2021, around 4.7 million Russian tourists visited Turkey. German holidaymakers were the second-largest group, followed by Ukrainians.

12 May 2022; MEMO: Turkey and Pakistan are conducting a security dialogue in the city of Istanbul, in efforts to discuss and resolve regional issues, expand further economic cooperation and construct common policies.

ANKARA, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Wednesday "neutralized" 10 members of Syria's Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria, the country's Defense Ministry said.

The YPG members were killed as they were preparing to attack Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch military zones, the ministry tweeted.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" to imply "terrorists" killed, wounded, or captured in security operations.

ANKARA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkey and Kazakhstan aim to reach the target of 10 billion U.S. dollars in bilateral trade, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

"We evaluated the possibilities of further development and deepening of our cooperation," Erdogan said at a joint press conference held with visiting Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in the capital Ankara.

10 May 2022; MEMO: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged on Monday that his country would not force Syrian refugees to return to their country, Anadolu has reported.

"We are the children of a culture that is well aware of the meaning of immigrants and supporters," explained Erdogan in a televised speech. "Syrian refugees can return to their country whenever they want, but we will never expel them from our country."

ANKARA, 09 May 2022; MEMO: Nearly 1,900 flamingo chicks hatched in Turkiye’s Lake Tuz last year, according to official data compiled by Anadolu Agency.

Lake Tuz, the second-largest lake in Turkiye, is an important wetland where migratory flamingos from around the world incubate.

It is also a natural protected area that is home to a variety of plants and birds, as well as insects and mammals.

ANKARA, 09 May 2022; MEMO: “It is time for the EU, which has moved away from its founding principles and been under the influence of the short-term policies of member countries in recent years, to write a story for itself with the war in Ukraine,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday.

Erdogan noted that Europe Day is celebrated in Turkiye on May 9 ever since the approval of the country’s candidacy status in 1999.

ISTANBUL, 07 May 2022; AA: Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier Saudia resumed flights on Saturday to the Turkish city of Istanbul after a two-year suspension over the coronavirus pandemic.

A flight operated by the airline landed at Istanbul Airport on Saturday from Jeddah with 130 passengers on board.

Passengers were welcomed by flowers upon arrival at the airport.