Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during January 2013
By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• Reports leak about the training of Turkish soldiers for missions to secure Syria’s weapons of mass destruction.
• Construction is underway on Kurdish Regional Government’s pipeline projects to Turkey. The project continues to be a thorn in the side of Baghdad, alienating it from Ankara as well as Erbil.
• KRG-Turkish cooperation is also key in Ankara’s efforts at creating a counterweight to the PYD in Syria, with pro-Masoud Barzani groups seen as a better option than PKK sympathetic militant groups.
• Turkey’s judicial and penal systems come under scrutiny despite substantial EU funding to improve prisoners living conditions.
• In a move to diversify away from cleaner gas-powered electrical production plants, tenders for coal powered plants are on the rise. The growth in coal power plants is part of a government effort to lessen reliance on gas supplies from Russia and Iran.

• February 7, 2013

At the meeting of Ministers for European Affairs in Brussels on 4 February, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Vytautas Leskevicius called on the EU heads of state who will be attending the European Council meeting at the end of this week, to send a clear message about the aim to sign the Association Agreement with Ukraine, including a free trade area, reported BC Lithuania's MFA.

• February 6, 2013

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the alliance has no intention of stepping back from its plans to establish a missile-defense system in Europe.

• February 6, 2013

Ukraine considers OSCE as being a unique platform for dialogue between the parties of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Ukrainian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Alexander Mishchenko said at a briefing in connection with the 21st Anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations on Wednesday.

• February 6, 2013

A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
by Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the external dimensions of Russian gas

Key points:

• Gazprom is under pressure from all sides. European energy companies request further gas price discounts, export volumes fell in 2012 and are expected to remain weak in 2013, PM Medvedev suggests that Gazprom’s export monopoly could be revoked, and Gazprom faces criticism from Europe and the United States over its bid for Greece’s state-owned gas utility, DEPA.
• Gazprom slaps Naftogaz with a $7bn bill for failing to purchase sufficient amounts of gas in 2012.
• The Czech section of Nord Steam, Gazelle, is launched as Gazprom CEO, Alexei Miller, declares an expansion of Nord Stream to be ‘feasible’ despite the pipeline operating at well below capacity since its launch
• Gazprom and the Croatian State-owned energy company, Plinacro, to set up a joint venture in mid-2013 for the construction of a spur from South Stream into Croatia, while Serbia is set to grant South Stream ‘national status’
• Gazprom signs an agreement with Novatek to produce LNG on the Yamal Peninsula, with Asia the predicted export destination
• Gazprom lobbies the Russian government for Shtokman tax breaks as the Russian government considers revoking the Gazprom-Rosneft monopoly on offshore gas and oil production in Russia

• February 6, 2013

A Chinese navy vessel aimed a type of radar normally used to aim weapons at a target at a Japanese navy ship in the East China Sea, prompting Japan to protest, Japan's defense minister said on Tuesday, an action that could complicate efforts to cool tension in a territorial row between the rivals.

• February 5, 2013

A senior Iranian official says Israel will regret its "latest aggression" against Syria.

• February 5, 2013

North Korea's plans for a new nuclear test, like most things that happen inside the reclusive state, are shrouded in mystery. But that's not stopping analysts and officials from making some informed guesses about what's going on.

• February 5, 2013