Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics
1 March 2015 – 16 April 2015
By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• President Erdogan claims Iran is attempting to divide and conquer the Middle East, but tempers his criticisms following a visit to Tehran.
• Turkish journalist Emre Kizilkaya notes the aftereffects of the Gezi Park protests and their resulting impact on the opposition’s electoral processes.
• A Cold War relic reappears in a terrorist attack by a far left group, though the lack of support for the group’s actions indicate maturing Turkish political attitudes.
• The geostrategic implications of the Turkish Stream Pipeline expand as two EU-member states sign on and Turkish energy importers seek to lower rising Russian gas prices.

• April 28, 2015

President Vladimir Putin accused some of Russia's "quasi-partners" on Monday of counting on the country's collapse by cutting its banks off from the global financial system at a time when oil prices had plunged.

• April 27, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow's seizure of Crimea righted a historical injustice, according to news agency reports on Sunday citing a new documentary film.

• April 26, 2015

Israel will take part as an observer in a major nuclear non-proliferation conference that opens at the United Nations on Monday, ending a 20-year absence in hope of fostering dialogue with Arab states, a senior Israeli official said.

• April 26, 2015

Russia and France are close to reaching an agreement for Paris to cancel a frozen contract on the sale of Mistral helicopter carriers and reimburse Moscow, a Russian source close to talks indicated on Friday.

• April 24, 2015

China on Wednesday defended the actions of its vessels in the disputed South China Sea after the Philippines accused China's coast guard of using water cannon on Philippine fishing boats and urged Manila to increase its "education" of its fishermen.

• April 22, 2015

The German finance ministry has limited expectations regarding the Greece crisis at a meeting of euro zone finance ministers on Friday in Riga, a spokesman for the finance ministry in Berlin said on Wednesday.

• April 22, 2015

The European Union launched a legal attack on Gazprom (GAZP.MM) on Wednesday, stoking tension with Moscow as it accused the Russian gas giant of overcharging buyers in Eastern Europe and hindering competition.

• April 22, 2015