Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during November 1-15th 2012
By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

• Hostilities erupt between Kurdish fighters and the FSA in Syria, with some Kurdish groups siding with the opposition forces.
• Prime Minister Erdogan condemns Israel in the latest round of fighting between the Jewish state and Hamas controlled Gaza.
• A month long hunger strike by Kurdish prisoners in Turkey is close to being called off as the PKK and the government hold talks.
• The AKP pushes through a draft law designating new municipalities, although the opposition claims they have gerrymandered for an advantage in upcoming elections.
• The government gives the go-ahead to sell electricity to Syria despite the current impasse with Damascus.
• Turkey threatens ENI over its Cyprus exploration bid, while Tehran and Ankara renegotiate ahead of the cessation of the “take or pay” natural gas contracts.

• November 28, 2012

Iran has developed a plan to launch a new pipeline, aiming to boost gas supply to the Caspian Sea provinces and cut dependency on gas imports from Turkmenistan, the Mehr News Agency quoted National Iranian Gas Company’s Managing Director Javad Owji as saying.

• November 27, 2012

Azerbaijan and Argentina are interested in joint cooperation in agricultural sector, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina Norberto Yauhar said at the meeting with Azerbaijani Minister of Agriculture Ismat Abasov, APA-Economics reports.

• November 27, 2012

Chairman of the Bulgarian Parliament Tsetska Tsacheva, who is on a visit in Baku, met with the members of parliamentary Azerbaijan-Bulgaria friendship group on Tuesday

• November 27, 2012

BP and Gazprom are reportedly in “early” talks about extending the Nord Stream pipeline which could pump Russian gas directly to the UK by 2016. BP’s Director for Russia David Peattie told the Daily Mail the deal could be signed in the middle of next year.

• November 26, 2012

Acting Minister for the Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources Kakageldy Abdyllaev has arrived in Warsaw (Poland) to attend the 23rd Energy Charter Conference, an official Turkmen source said on Monday.

• November 26, 2012

Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has vowed to complete the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project by 2014 despite United States opposition. Ahmadinejad, who attended the summit of the Developing-8 (D-8) countries held in Islamabad last week, told a press conference in Islamabad that Iran was extending financial assistance to Pakistan to help towards completion of the project.

• November 26, 2012

The Embassy of Latvia in Kazakhstan has been entrusted with the duties of a NATO Contact Point Embassy from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014. The Embassy’s main task as a contact point is to inform NATO partner countries about the Alliance's policies and responsibilities, as well as facilitating closer mutual contacts and strengthening the relationship.

• November 24, 2012