Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during July 2012
Key Points:

• Syria is in the grips of a full fledged civil war, with opposition forces assassinating the country’s minister of defense and other high ranking officials in a Damascus meeting of senior regime officials.
• Fighting has escalated near the Turkish-Syrian border. Turkish military units are being deployed as a precaution, especially in light of reports of PKK forces seizing portions of northern Syria.
• Oil exports from the Kurdish region of Iraq to Turkey continues to draw the ire of government officials in Baghdad. However, despite the disputes, cooperation on projects will likely continue.
• Azerbaijan’s energy minister weighed into the NABUCCO West Vs TAP debate, saying the former was the best option for delivering Shah Deniz gas to Europe.

• August 6, 2012

Syria intends to join the Customs Union established by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, said Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of Syria Qadri Jamil, APA reports quoting Turkish press.

• August 4, 2012

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi asked Turkey to meditate and involve in releasing 47 Iranian pilgrims whom have been kidnapped by rebels in Syria, IRNA reported.

• August 4, 2012

“The two countries’ officials have decided to help people in Islamic country of Pakistan be provided with Iranian gas as soon as possible,” Larijani told his Pakistani counterpart Nayer Hossein Bokhari.

• August 4, 2012

Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan discussed the possibility of a project of joint building an oil refinery in the territory of Kyrgyzstan, the Kyrgyz government said on Friday.

• August 3, 2012

Today, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for African and Arab countries Hossein Amir Abdollahian went on a visit to Moscow, the agency MEHR reported on Friday.

• August 3, 2012

A sea agreement was signed in Moscow, following a meeting of Russian-Turkmen intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, media outlets reported on Thursday citing the press service of the Russian government.

• August 3, 2012

ISSUE #29
07/30/2012
Even though Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych expressed concern over the launch of criminal cases against some media outlets and issued an order to check the legality of actions, the Kiev prosecutor's office is continuing to investigate a criminal case against staff members of the Lb.ua news and analysis website. READ MORE

• August 3, 2012