Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during February 18-28th- 2014
By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• Ukraine loses control of the Crimean Peninsula, to the dismay of the region’s Muslim Tatar population.
• Turkey’s historical and cultural ties to the Crimean Tatars increase the chance that the conflict escalates. However, its connections may also offer a path for Turkish diplomatic efforts to intercede in further confrontation between Russia and the West.
• Leaked audio tapes appear to implicate Prime Minister Tayip Erdogan and his son of wrongdoing in the corruption scandal, though their authenticity remains disputed.
• Erdogan hits back following the recordings release, claiming that the international media, the Gulen Movement and other outside powers are behind the investigations.
• The peace process with the Kurds remains frozen as Abdullah Ocalan appears to warn the Gulen Movement against undermining the country by attempting a coup.

• March 12, 2014

Major world equity markets were mildly negative on Tuesday, the euro edged down and gold rose as traders kept an eye on tensions between Ukraine and Russia and the pace of growth in China.

• March 11, 2014

China said on Monday that coast guard ships had driven away two Philippine vessels which had tried to approach a shoal in the South China Sea in the latest flare-up of a long-running territorial dispute.

• March 10, 2014

Issue # 07
03/03/2014
The Russian military have seized Ukrainian weapons and gained control over Crimea, the media have reported. You can find more details in the section "SITUATION IN CRIMEA". READ MORE

• March 10, 2014

China has expressed its "deep concern" to North Korea after a Chinese airplane crossed the path of a rocket launched by the isolated state, China's foreign ministry said on Friday.

• March 7, 2014

France expressed optimism on Friday over its ties with China in nuclear energy and aerospace in a sign of possible business deals when China's Xi Jinping makes his first trip as president to Europe in late March.

• March 7, 2014

Russia said on Friday any U.S. sanctions imposed against Moscow over the crisis in Ukraine would boomerang back on the United States, raising the financial stakes as the military standoff intensified.

• March 7, 2014

The Israeli navy seized a ship in the Red Sea on Wednesday that was carrying dozens of advanced Iranian-supplied rockets made in Syria and intended for Palestinian guerrillas in the Gaza Strip, the military said.

• March 5, 2014