News

Russia, Turkey call for ceasefire in Libya

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Russia and Turkey – the two prime European powers – have called for the end of conflict in the North African country of Libya.

Though the two superpowers back rival sides in the conflict, they, it seems, are on the same side on their opinion that the conflict in Libya should end soon.

Turkey recently sent their military force to assist the UN-backed government in the North American country, which is under the threat of a powerful rebel force.

The prime rival of the UN-backed government in Libya is a rebel force led by General Khalifar Haftar.

Turkey accuses Russia of supporting the rebel group led by the general by not asking their mercenaries to stop providing support to the group – an allegation Russia denies strongly.

Recently, Germany warned that the conflict in Libya might turn much worse than what happened in Syria if it was not checked timely.

Libya is very close to the European continent. There is no doubt that the Europe has many things to worry about the developments in the Libyan region.

It seems that Germany is very keen about bringing the situation in the North African region back to normal.

The west has a role in the destabilisation of this region. Undoubtedly, it has the responsibility to bring peace back to this region.


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News

Turkey to send in troops to protect UN-backed Govt. in Libya

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The European country of Turkey is set to send in its military force to Libya to protect the UN-backed government in the war-affected country.

The Libyan government is fighting a rebel force led by General Khalifa Haftar. The government is backed by Turkey and Qatar, while the rebel force is backed by the UAE and Egypt.

The Turkey’s decision to send in its force may irritate the countries who support the rebel force led a war against the Libyan government.

At present, the Libyan government is very weak. In the recent past, the rebel force has made some significant gains.

Last week, in an attack carried out by the rebel force against a military academy controlled by the Libyan government, at least thirty people were killed.

The Turkey’s decision to send in its force to Libya has come after the resolution regarding the same was passed by the Turkish parliament.

With the development, what is clear is that what is waiting for the Middle East is a period of great disruption.

Only the future can tell how many countries will survive the period.

The proposed disruption in the Middle East has a serious implication elsewhere in the world, as many countries including India relies heavily on this region to meet their energy requirements.


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News

Turkey’s constitutional court overturns country’s ban on Wikipedia

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The constitutional court of the European country of Turkey has overturned the ban imposed on Wikipedia by the country on the ground that the website published defamatory contents against the country.

Dismissing the ban, the court has found the ban inconsistent with the country’s obligation to protect the right to expression.

The site was originally banned on 2007, as the site published a report which links the militants in Syria to the country.

Recently, the website management even approached the European Court of Human Rights to make sure the right to expression is not denied to the people of Turkey.

The latest verdict is a victory to the site management and the people of the country who want to see their right to expression protected.

The website management has welcomed the decision made by the Turkey’s constitutional court.

The order has been supported by at least ten members of the sixteen member constitutional court.

In reality, the verdict is the victory of the right to expression. Turkey is infamous for its negative attitude towards the right to expression. Since the failed coup, its commitment towards the right to expression remains at its lowest. It is expected that the latest verdict will overturn the scenario completely.


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International Relations News

France, Turkey relation hits new low

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The bilateral relation between France and Turkey has hit a new low, with the latter calling the former terrorist sponsor.

A senior official from Turkey said France was supporting terrorist groups. He has also triggered several other allegations against France.

The Turkey official’s statement against France has come days after the European superpower hosted an official from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Force.

Turkey considers some of the organisations led by the Kurds as terrorist groups. The organisation hosted by France is very close to some of the organisations which Turkey considers as terrorist groups.

The France-Turkey issue is not a new thing. France was one of the first European powers which came forward openly against Turkey strongly with the latter attacked some Kurdish controlled regions in Syria in the name of creating a safe space for the Syrian migrants who were displaced from their homeland due to the Syrian War.

France has not yet responded to the provocative statement made by Turkey. The European superpower is likely to respond in the same manner.

If the things progress this way, the scheduled NATO meeting, going to take place in the UK in the near future, is less likely to be smooth.


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News

Migration Crisis: Greece to set up new camps for migrants

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In order to deal with the issue of overcrowding in its migrant camps, Greece has decided to set up at least five new camps capable to house at least one thousand people each.

Some of the camps in the country are struggling with the issue of overcrowding. One of its camps, which only have the capacity to accommodate less than two thousand people, now house more than fifteen thousand people.

Earlier, it was exposed that how pathetic certain migrant camps in the European country of Greece are.

Greece shares border with Turkey. This border is extremely vulnerable. Even though Greece tightens its border with Turkey, migrants find ways to enter the Europe through the border exploiting the weakness of the checks installed to prevent the infiltration of migrants across the Turkey-Greece border.

The latest decision of Greece to establish new camps has come after the vulnerability of some of the camps was revealed in an internal investigation.


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News

Russia inks deal with Turkey over Syria

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has inked a historic deal with Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the issue of the Syrian Kurds, which recently suffered a military attack from Istanbul.

The agreement allows the Turkish forces to retain the regions they have already captured from the Syrian Kurds. And, moreover, it demands the removal of the Syrian Kurds far way from the Turkish border.

No Syrian Kurd leader has commented about the agreement yet. It remains unclear whether the Syrian Kurds will agree to the agreement reached between Russia and Turkey.

The agreement keeps largely silent over the matter of Qamishii, the most sensitive area which comes under the territory from which the agreement asks the Kurds to leave – where the Syrian Kurds are concentrated in large numbers, especially after the commencement of the Turkish offensive.

It is assumed that the Syrian Kurds is less likely to agree to an agreement which asks them to leave Qamishii.

The coming hours are very crucial. The agreement gives only 150 hours for the Syrian Kurds to act.


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International Relations News

Syrian Kurds join hands with Syrian Govt to stop Turkey’s invasion

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The Syrian Kurds, who recently suffered serious attacks from Turkey, has joined their hands with the Syrian government, which was not in a good relation with them during the years of war, to fight Istanbul, which lately launched a deadly offence against the Kurds in the northern region of the embattled country in the pretext of creating a Safe Zone for the Syrian refugees, who fled their country during the years of war.

Political observers see the development as positive. They say that it would give a huge impetus to the peace building process launched in the war-affected country of Syria.

The Syrian Kurds recently alleged that the US, which was hugely supported by them during its war against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, betrayed them.

The US pulled back its forces from Syria just before Turkey launched an offensive along the Syrian northern border region.

The US and the west are definitely unhappy with Turkey’s action. The superpowers have threatened Turkey with economic sanction.

But, the superpowers have so far done nothing concrete to stop Turkey from going ahead with its war plans.

A Kurdish leader says that his community’s decision to join hands with the Syrian government is an inevitable move. He adds if he is asked to choose between a compromise and a genocide he would choose the latter for the good of his people.


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News Politics

Turkey threatens to release Syrian refugees to Europe

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In the face of the severe opposition it has suffered due to its decision to occupy several Kurdish-held regions in Syria to create a Safe Zone for refugees, Turkey has threatened to release the Syrian refugees, who live in the country hoping to enter the European continent, to the said continent.

Tens of thousands of refugees seeking entrance to Europe now live in Syria. Turkey has an informal agreement with Europe regarding the refugee issue. Most European countries, including Germany, don’t want Turkey to release refugees to their territory.

The new threat by Turkey has come when the west has warned Istanbul of serious economic sanction against its military action in Syria against the Kurdish community, who was a great support to the west during their war against the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq.

As per a latest report, severe fighting has occurred between the Syrian Kurds and the Turkish forces in the northern region of Syria. The report says that severe damage has happened in both sides due to the attack.

The US has initiated steps to defuse the tension in the region. The White House has opened communication channels with both the parties.

The European countries have not yet responded publically about Turkey’s latest threat.


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International Trade News

EU, US to intervene in Venezuela-Turkey-Iran gold trade

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Venezuela’s oil economy has almost died due to the US sanction. Now, it relies almost solely on its gold trade for its sustenance. The United Arab Empire, Russia and Turkey are the biggest importers of the Venezuelan gold. Of these three, Turkey’s trade with the socialist Latin American is the one which worries the European Union and the United States the most. It is alleged that the gold reaches Turkey from Venezuela ostensibly for the purpose of refinement is shipped to Iran. The US is of the belief that the network of the Venezuela-Turkey-Iran gold trade is what enables the embattled Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, who is on an ultimatum, to keep the loyalty of his country’s soldiers intact. The west now knows that the best way to topple the aggressive Venezuelan socialist is to cut off his revenue channels. The EU and US’ latest combined attempt to force Turkey to stop its engagements with Venezuela, particularly its gold trade, is regarded as the part of that strategy. The US has reportedly served an ultimatum to Turkey to cease its gold trade with Venezuela.

If Russia and the others does not increase their gold and oil import with Venezuela, Mr Maduro will be toppled as soon as the EU and the US find success in forcing Turkey to withdraw its backup –by all possibility that would not take more than few weeks.

It is not clear from where Iran has come to the picture. There is evidence that Turkey has brought in several tonnes of gold from Venezuela in the name of refinement and none of the imported has been returned. But, there is nothing to assume that what has been imported by Turkey has been exported to Iran. The possibility that Iran has been purposefully brought into the narrative to increase the strength of those against the Venezuelan trade cannot be ruled out blindly.

Vignesh. S. G
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