I no longer come across the question “what is Turkey doing in Africa?” Ten years ago, I would frequently come across European diplomats questioning Turkey’s increasing presence in Africa.
The Istanbul Marathon is the world’s only intercontinental running event. I have been running 10 kilometers since 2014, and it is a real privilege to cross the bridge connecting the two continents and run past beautiful palaces, mosques, churches and some of Istanbul’s most spectacular old buildings.
Turkey wants to get out of the Council of Europe’s (CoE) monitoring process as soon as possible, according to Hürriyet Daily News representative in Ankara Serkan Demirtaş.
The English have renamed the street outside the Saudi embassy in London “Khashoggi Street,” a friend has told me while reading a message that came from WhatsApp.
“A year has passed since my residence in Silivri [prison]. I believe that those accusing me of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order and the government realize better each passing day that I have no relation whatsoever with these crimes. But this learning process is taking place at the cost of my freedom... I want to join my family, my friends and get my freedom as soon as possible. Yet I deem to be crucial to end trial under arrest and long periods of pre-trial arrests which has become a sentence in itself. I hope that my situation will contribute to better understand the damage this flawed arrest regime is inflicting on the Turkish Republic and its justice. I think giving back freedoms to those who have suffered from an approach that does not value human freedom, which is against the constitution and the norms of European Court of Human Rights, are among the state’s most important priorities.”
The NATO summit in Brussels last summer has strengthened the alliance militarily but has weakened it politically, according to a former top NATO official.
The Turkish leadership might be feeling relief that they have at least avoided a collision course with Riyadh, which would have forced Ankara to use the nuclear option: To force their way in to the Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul, where Saudi journalist Jamal Kashoggi is suspected to have been murdered.
When illegal PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan was captured in Greece’s embassy in Kenya in February 1999, the two countries’ relations had already been suffering from decades-old hostilities. The Greeks were caught red handed and it gave ample opportunity for Turkey to humiliate Greece in front of the world.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan does not like to miss any opportunity to severely criticize the Western world. But he seems to have selective reasoning in choosing the countries he wants to target.
