Monthly Archives: September 2013

Should we say “better late than never” for the delayed attempt at further democratic steps by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government and be thankful to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for finally announcing measures to grant … Continue reading →

“Below the waters, you will find Iranian clandestine operations that are not always easy to detect,” an Ankara-based African ambassador told me in confidence recently while discussing the terrible killing spree by militants belonging to the terrorist al-Shabaab organization that … Continue reading →

Almost a year ago, I was granted access to senior government officials from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and had a chance to discuss a range of issues with them, including but not limited to an unprecedented gold sale to … Continue reading →

I am often asked by foreign investors visiting Ankara who want to take the pulse of our politics and economy whether Turkey is still a safe place to invest against the background of the Gezi Park protests, violent flare-ups from … Continue reading →

Business-savvy Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was elected only four months ago in a landslide general election victory, may be the best hope to make up for what has been lacking between Turkey and Pakistan, two close friends and … Continue reading →

Turkey’s welcoming of a Russian proposal for Syria to cede its chemical weapons stockpile — despite words of caution that this could be a tactical move by President Bashar al-Assad to buy more time for his beleaguered rule — reflects … Continue reading →

This Thursday will be the third anniversary of the constitutional referendum of Sept. 12, 2010 — perhaps the most important piece of constitutional reform in Turkey that set the country firmer on the path of democracy with a major overhaul … Continue reading →

In June 2012, the first-ever Sri Lankan ambassador to Turkey, Bharathi Davina Wijeratne, who had been Turkey’s honorary consul general in Sri Lanka for 12 years, gave a warning during an interview with Today’s Zaman: “While Sri Lankan leaders were … Continue reading →

A senior diplomat based in Ankara recently told me about how the team of trade negotiators at the Ministry of Economy has shied away from including government contracts and tenders in a possible free trade deal agreement proposed to the … Continue reading →