Turkey

11 Feb 2021; AA: Turkey on Thursday rebuffed a US call to release a jailed businessman accused of involvement in a defeated coup attempt, saying the judicial process is still ongoing and everyone must respect this.

The Wednesday call by the US State Department is inconsistent with the rule of law, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy in a written statement.

11 Feb 2021; MEMO: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that the only way to solve the dispute over Cyprus is to establish two states, Anadolu reported.

Speaking during a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development party's parliamentary bloc, Erdogan said: "I say to Greece and Cyprus, there is no longer any solution but a two-state solution. Only under these conditions can we sit at the table over Cyprus. Otherwise everyone should go their own way."

Ankara, Feb 10 (AP-PTI) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled an ambitious 10-year space programme for his country Tuesday that includes missions to the moon, sending Turkish astronauts into space and developing internationally viable satellite systems.

Erdogan announced the programme, seen as part of his vision for placing Turkey in expanded regional and global role, during a live televised event laced with special effects.

06 Feb 2021; MEMO: The Turkish Coast Guard rescued 84 asylum seekers in the Aegean Sea, Anadolu Agency reports.

Sixty-five asylum seekers were trying to reach Greece's Lesbos Island by motorboat but had to request help from Turkish authorities when the boat's engine stopped, according to sources.

A Turkish Coast Guard boat responded to the distress call and conducted a rescue operation off the coast of Ayvacik in Turkey's western Balikesir province, the sources added.

06 Feb 2021; MEMO: Uyghur Turks who have not heard from their families living in East Turkistan staged a protest on Friday outside the Chinese Embassy in Turkey, Anadolu Agency reports.

They held banners saying: "Where is my family?" and "Release my family".

The spokesman for the group, Mirzehmet Ilyasoglu, called on the world to raise voice against those crimes against humanity.

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s president has ordered the establishment of two new departments in the country’s most prestigious university, which has been rocked by weeks of demonstrations protesting his appointment of a new rector with government links.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision, published in the Official Gazette Saturday, says law and communications faculties are to be launched in Bogazici University. Critics say the establishment of new departments would allow the presidentially appointed rector to staff them with government loyalists.

05 Feb 2021; MEMO: For Turkey to secure its status as an economic power and have a voice in the international arena, it needs to continue investing in its defence industry, a senior Turkish official said today.

The defence industry serves as an engine for both the economy and national security, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank stressed during the opening ceremony of defence contractor Teknokar's new factory in Ankara.

04 Feb 2021; MEMO: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu yesterday spoke to his British counterpart Dominic Raab, Anadolu news agency reported.

The agency quoted Turkish diplomatic sources as saying that the two ministers discussed bilateral relations as well as the Cyprus file.

The sources did not give further details about the phone call.

03 Feb 2021; MEMO: Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed bilateral ties over the phone, an official statement said, reports Anadolu Agency.

Turkey-US relations along with Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus, Afghanistan, Upper Karabakh, Syria, Libya, and the COVID-19 pandemic were also talked about.

Kalin and Sullivan agreed to strengthen the NATO alliance and to take steps that boost regional and global peace and stability.

02 Feb 2021; MEMO: The Turkish Ministry of Defence announced the completion of training sessions for Libyan soldiers on air defence systems in Konya state.

The ministry said in a statement yesterday that the Libyan military personnel who participated in the training had now returned to their country.

The statement added that the training comes within the framework of the Military Training, Cooperation and Consultancy Agreement signed between the two nations.