Headlines:
- Turkey Ready for ‘Any Contingency’ in Border Security: PM
- Turkey Confirms Secret Reconciliation Meeting with ‘Israeli’ Representative
- Turkey’s LGBTI Pride Parade Dispersed by Police
Turkey Ready for ‘Any Contingency’ in Border Security: PM
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said Turkey was ready to respond to “any contingency” in terms of its border security along the frontiers with Syria and Iraq.
“If we ever reach to a conclusion that Turkey’s borders are under any threat, our country is ready for any contingency and it has done everything necessary for that readiness,” Davutoglu told an opening ceremony of an exhibition in Istanbul.
In the past few weeks, Turkey has been witnessing another massive inflow of Syrian refugees from Tal Abyad and nearby areas as they flee clashes between Daesh and YPG fighters.
The Syrian border city was captured on June 15 by the YPG with the help of U.S.-led coalition airstrikes in northeastern Syria to push back Daesh forces.
YPG, or the Syrian-Kurdish People’s Defense Units, is the armed wing of the pro-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Union Party, or PYD, which Turkey has designated as a terror organization.
By capturing Tel Abyad, Kurdish forces connected the two pieces of land they have controlled in northern Syria along the Turkish border, which Kurdish rebels call Jazirah and Kobani “cantons”.
The lining up of the forces of the Kurdish armed groups in northern Syria has prompted concerns that these groups aim to found a Kurdish state or a full autonomous region.
“[…] it should be known that the Turkish Armed Forces, our nation and our security forces as a whole are vigilant to maintain the peaceful environment in our country and there will be no room for any neglect in this matter,” Davutoglu said. [Source: Anadolu Agency]
After the collapse of the Train and Equip program, Turkish Government seeks ways to intervene Northern Syrian problem directly by its army for the benefits of the United States. The intervention will probably be made with USA intelligence assistance.
Turkey Confirms Secret Reconciliation Meeting with ‘Israeli’ Representative
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu broached for the first time on Wednesday the topic of the secret meeting held last Monday in Rome between Dore Gold, the director general of ‘Israel’s’ Foreign Ministry and his Turkish counterpart, Feridun Sinirlioglu.
Cavusoglu confirmed that the meeting’s aim was to try and advance reconciliation efforts between Israel and Turkey. “The talks between the two nations are a normal thing, and were meant to bring about a normalization of the relationship,” said the Turkish foreign minister. “How can one reconcile without holding meetings?”
In all matters relating to ending the crisis in relations between the two nations, “the ball is in ‘Israel’s’ court,” said Cavusoglu, noting that the Turkish government is still waiting for ‘Israel’ to agree to comply with Turkey’s demands: The payment of compensation to the families of the Turkish citizens killed during Israel’s 2010 raid on the Mavi Marmara flotilla, and the ending of ‘Israel’s’ blockade of the Gaza Strip.
“We are waiting for the Israelis’ answer,” said Cavusoglu. “The process was delayed due to ‘Israel’s’ internal dynamics. We could have reached an agreement at a much earlier stage,” he added.
Last week, a senior ‘Israel’ official said that Gold secretly left for Rome to meet Sinirlioglu, who is responsible for the “Israel portfolio” in the Turkish government, and led the Turkish negotiating team in resolving the crisis with ‘Israel’.
Gold, considered a close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and recently appointed director general of the foreign ministry, did not make his plans known to either National Security Advisor Yossi Cohen, nor the PMO’s special envoy to Turkey, Joseph Ciechanover, who has handled ties with Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government for five years, and kept lines of communication open with Sinirlioglu.
The meeting in Rome took place just weeks after the parliamentary elections in which Erdogan’s party failed to attain a majority that would allow it to continue altering the constitution. The election even forced Erdogan to form a governing coalition with a smaller party. [Source: Haaretz]
Where is the “One Minute” roar and what is this statement? This statement shows us obviously that Secular Turkish – Israeli relations are perfect and have always been good, despite that “One Minute” eyewash.
Turkey’s LGBTI Pride Parade Dispersed by Police
Turkey’s 13th Istanbul LGBTI Pride Parade was supposed to take place at 17:00 on Sunday in one of Istanbul’s main squares, Taksim, but following the ban by the Istanbul Governorate barely minutes before the parade and the parade participants’ unwillingness to leave the square caused the event to turn sour which resulted in the riot police using teargas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.
Last week, on Sunday, thousands gathered for Turkey’s 6th annual Trans Pride march, which was hosted again in Istanbul. The march came ahead of the city’s 23rd Gay Pride Week, which runs from June 22 to June 28. In last week’s Trans Pride march, no incidents had arisen even though thousands of people had participated in the march along Istanbul’s Istiklal Avenue. The people demanded changes to legislation on gay rights.
Today’s march, however, was a scene of water cannons and rubber bullets as the crowd refused to leave the square upon the governorate’s demand. However, it was not clear why the marchers were denied to gather and march in the square. [Source: Daily Sabah]
After intense reactions against last week’s Pride (!) Parade, the Governorate had been obliged to intervene this week. Here is a scene of Democratic Moderate Islamic Turkish Government. This is exactly what “The International Community” wants from the whole Muslim world. Tolerance to insult all Islamic holiness, including Ramadhan month’s sacredness, until any protests appears.