Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during July 2011
Key developments:

• Turkey is shaken by the abrupt early retirement of the four highest-ranking military officials in the country just prior to the August meeting of the Supreme Military Council. The generals’ resignations, requesting retirement, are in protest at the continued detention of military officers as part of the “Sledgehammer” coup plot investigation.
  
• The domestic political scene calms as the Republican People’s Party (CHP) ends its parliamentary boycott, although the “independent” Peace and Democratic Party (BDP) delegates continue to refuse to be sworn in.
  
• Despite the fact that over 10,000 Syrians have crossed the border and sought refuge in Turkey, in July Ankara maintained a muted stance towards the Syrian crackdown as no viable alternative to the Assad regime has emerged.
  
• Iran, Syria and Iraq announce the Islamic Gas Pipeline project that will compete with Nabucco, while Turkey and Azerbaijan continue to argue over energy issues that could threaten the progress of the Nabucco gas pipeline
  

• August 12, 2011

This week Internet news sites in Uzbekistan have been blocked for unknown reasons, the independent news site fergananews.com reports.

• August 11, 2011

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovych will discuss integration among former Soviet states at a meeting tomorrow as Ukraine seeks to cut prices on natural-gas imports.

• August 11, 2011

Russian investments are increasing in Georgia, despite the hostile rhetoric from the countries' leaders and lack of diplomatic relations

• August 11, 2011

Bulgaria and Russia have started negotiations on their claims for one another over delayed payments for equipment for the Belene nuclear power plant, parallel to the general talks on the fate of the troubled project.

• August 10, 2011

The Japanese city of Nagasaki on Tuesday called for a shift from nuclear power to renewable energy as it commemorated the 66th anniversary of its atomic bombing at the end of World War II.

• August 10, 2011

After pulling out from the race for Australian coal miner Bandanna Energy, India’s largest thermal power producer NTPC Limited is seeking to acquire coal assets in South Africa.

• August 10, 2011

Turkmenistan will begin exporting natural gas from its Caspian Sea wells, Turkmenistan.ru reported August 7. Yagshigeldy Kakayev, director of the State Agency for Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources, announced the pending export at a cabinet meeting.

• August 9, 2011