Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during February 1-15th 2013
By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• Domestic politics heat up as the opposition CHP accuses Prime Minister Erdogan of authoritarianism in seeking the presidency after his term as prime minister is up.
• A judicial reform aimed at clarifying aspects of Turkish terrorism laws aims to placate EU critics and could lead to the release of hundreds of imprisoned activists.
• Turkey continues to try to avoid a direct military intervention into Syria’s civil war, though fears of the sectarian conflict’s spread has the country on edge.
• U.S. sanctions aimed at Iran’s nuclear program necessitate Turkish efforts at diversifying its energy reliance away from Tehran.
• Israel makes overtures to Ankara regarding a natural gas pipeline in the eastern Mediterranean.
• ….while construction is set to begin on the TANAP gas pipeline following ratification of the agreement by both Turkish and Azerbaijani parliaments.

• February 22, 2013

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev started his visit to Brazil on Wednesday, February 20th. Medvedev had a meeting with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. Due to the injury that Rousseff received at the carnival, the Brazilian president was wearing only one shoe. On her other foot, Rousseff had a rubber sandal, which gave an informal touch to the official meeting.

• February 21, 2013

While Minsk has been recently trying its best to revive its relationships with the West (see EDM, February 13), reciprocal steps have not yet been undertaken by the Western countries and international structures.

• February 21, 2013

Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Fereidoon Abbasi, said that the upcoming nuclear talks between Tehran and the P5+1 -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany -- should focus on "cooperation," Tehran Times daily reported on Thursday.

• February 21, 2013

ISSUE # 05
02/18/2013
On 13 February 2013, the government approved an action plan on Ukraine's integration into Europe for this year. According to First Deputy Foreign Minister Ruslan Demchenko, the plan specifies the actions that need to be taken to strengthen cooperation in trade, justice and security and improve Ukraine's business and investment climate. READ MORE

• February 21, 2013

Ukraine's top diplomat in Brussels says his country rejects any kind of pre-conditions for the signature of its Association Agreement with the EU ahead of the leadership summit to be held on Monday.

• February 20, 2013

The United States is locked in a tight race with China and Russia to build destructive cyberweapons capable of seriously damaging other nations’ critical infrastructure, according to a leading expert on hostilities waged via the Internet.

• February 20, 2013

South Korea will hold a nuclear cooperation forum in South Africa on Wednesday (South African time) to create a friendly atmosphere to bid for the upcoming orders of nuclear power plants from the African country.

• February 20, 2013