Turkey News Gazette

ANKARA: Voters hit the polling stations across the Maldives as polling in the parliamentary election began on Sunday morning, local media reported. Some 368 candidates, including 42 women of six political parties, are vying for 93 seats in the parliament, reported local English daily The Sun. Over 280,000 voters are eligible to cast their votes, according to the election authorities. The South Asian country has set up 602 polling stations across the constituencies, while three are stationed overseas in Sri Lankan capital Colombo, Trivandrum in India, and Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. Polls opened at 8 a.m. (local time) and will close at 5:30 p.m. The elections are viewed as crucial for President Mohamed Muizzu, whose policies are keenly watched by regional heavyweights India and China, which vie for influence in the archipelago nation. Both countries are seeking a toehold in the Maldives, which has a strategic location in the Indian Ocean. Source: Anadolu Agency

Cyprus is trying to play the role of a mediator, making it clear to all parties involved that a further escalation in the region is not in the interest of any country and that this crisis cannot be settled by military means, President Nikos Christodoulides said on the situation in the Middle East. In an interview with the German Network of Journalists (RND), President Christodoulides expressed hope that the conflict in the Middle East will not escalate and stressed that Cyprus, which is the EU member-state with the closest proximity to the region, maintains excellent relations with all parties involved. Regarding the use of two British military bases in Cyprus, he stated that there is no prior information that the British will use them, and clarified that Cyprus is not involved in any way in military actions. President Christodoulides also announced that the maritime corridor from Cyprus for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza "can be restarted very soon", as the temporary port off Gaza, which is a US military construction, will be made available. Christodoulides further said he is not satisfied with the EU's engagement on the Middle East issue so far, stressing that the Union should play a much more important role in both the de-escalation of the crisis and the negotiations for the two-state solution. He pointed out that the EU has been very focused on Ukraine, something which he fully supports, however if it wants to play a leading role in geopolitical matters, it should be able to manage two or three crises simultaneously. The crisis in the Middle East has implications for the security of Europe, but also in the field of migration, the President of the Republic noted, while he welcomed the fact that on 2 May he will visit Lebanon together with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, where they will announce - on Cyprus' initiative - a specific package of EU economic measures, including support for Lebanese institutions, for example the Lebanese armed forces, which are a factor of stability. "It is a long-term plan, and Lebanon and the EU must keep their commitments for it to succeed," Christodoulides stressed, explaining that the aim of the agreement is for the EU to assist Lebanon in managing migration, so that no more migrants come to Cyprus. "It's a really important issue because in the last two or three months Syrians have been arriving almost daily from Lebanon to Cyprus. But we are an island country and (these) people remain in Cyprus", the President of the Republic noted, saying that currently 7% of the population of Cyprus are immigrants. Asked whether Cyprus has reached its limits in terms of refugee reception, President Christodoulides replied: "Enough is enough. We are not in a position to accept any more Syrian refugees. We are at our limits and we can no longer manage this flow of refugees. That's why I asked the EU for help and decided to suspend the processing of new asylum applications. For us it is a matter of national security. We are no longer in a position to meet this challenge". On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Cyprus's accession to the EU, he described the accession as the most important positive development since the founding of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960 and underlined that Cyprus would not have been able to cope with various challenges, such as the coronavirus pandemic and the need to supply vaccines or the economic crisis, if it were not a member of the EU. He also noted that he has a close relationship with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whom he thanks for his support for Nicosia's efforts to resume negotiations aiming to solve the Cyprus issue. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Columbia as his personal envoy for Cyprus, to assum e a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANKARA: Two members of the terrorist group PKK surrendered to Turkish security forces in the country's southeast, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said on Sunday. The terrorists fled PKK shelters in northern Iraq and surrendered to a police station at the Habur border gate in Sirnak's Silopi district, the ministry said in a statement. PKK terrorists often hide out in northern Iraq, near the Turkish borders, to plot attacks on Turkish soil. In recent years, Trkiye has noted its success in defeating the terrorist PKK at home and abroad, and also pointed to a rising number of PKK members abandoning the terror group and surrendering to Turkish forces. It stressed that such defectors may benefit from Trkiye's penitence law. In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Trkiye, the PKK - listed as a terrorist organization by Trkiye, the US, and the EU - has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. Source: Anadolu Agency

Cyprus' Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, will participate in the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting taking place on Monday in Luxembourg. He will also attend the EU- Gulf Cooperation Council High Level Forum and he will have separate meetings with officials of the GCC member states. According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release, the focus of the discussions during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting will be the situation in the Middle East and the latest developments in Sudan. The press release said that a joint meeting between the EU Foreign and Defence Ministers will also be held to discuss the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine. The EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) High Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation will convene after the Foreign Affairs Council's meeting. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Foreign Ministers, the Secretary General of the GCC, the Foreign Ministers of the GCC member states, as well as the EU Sp ecial Representative for the Gulf will attend the Forum. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Hamas on Sunday claimed responsibility for a rocket fire from Lebanon on Upper Galilee in northern Israel. The group's armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said 20 Grad rockets were launched from Lebanon at an Israeli army base near the town of Shomera. It said the rocket fire was in response to 'massacres committed by the Israeli enemy' in Gaza and the West Bank. Ismail Al-Thawabteh of Gaza's government media office told Anadolu early Sunday that around 150 people killed by the Israeli army had been found in two mass graves at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Israeli army had withdrawn from Khan Younis on April 7 after a 4-month ground offensive in the city. Israel has launched a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023 following a Hamas attack that killed nearly 1,200 people. Nearly 34,100 people have since been killed and 77,000 others injured amid mass destructions and severe shortages of necessities. Around 500 Palestinians have also been killed and more than 4,900 others injured by Israeli fire in the occupied West Bank since Oct. 7, according to the Health Ministry. The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN. *Writing by Rania Abu Shamala Source: Anadolu Agency

Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment Minister, Maria Panayiotou, has pledged the government's commitment to creating a greener future and encouraged all to take action towards this end. She was speaking on Sunday at the inaugural ceremony of a park in Lakatamia, in honour of the late Vassos Lyssarides, prominent politician and founder of Socialist EDEK party. Panayiotou said that this park was chosen to be dedicated to Vassos Lyssarides to be an inspiration for his struggles and his love for nature. By launching this park, she said, "we underline our commitment to creating a greener and more resilient tomorrow by encouraging everyone to take action". At the same time, she said that it is "our priority to strengthen the green cores in our cities, as they contribute to achieving our goal of improving the quality of life and harmony between man and the environment". It is for this reason that the Government welcomes and actively supports, she said, "any effort that leads to the construction of green spaces that help protect and preserve the natural and biological diversity of the area, creating a space that allows bees and our other pollinators to grow and thrive, providing a safe source of food". Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Preliminary work has been done on more than 20 agreements Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to sign during his visit to Iraq on Monday, said the Turkish foreign minister. 'We have currently completed pre-agreements for the implementation and signing of more than 20 agreements during our president's visit,' Hakan Fidan told reporters on Sunday. 'Tomorrow, hopefully, these agreements will be signed in the presence of political leaders.' Fidan also pointed to long-standing efforts to reach agreements in fields such as security, energy, agriculture, water, health, and education. 'Our goal is to have a relationship where regional stability, prosperity, and development are possible, to institutionalize our relations in this way, and to do our best for the development and prosperity of the region,' he added. Turkish-Iraqi ties Fidan said Monday will mark the first visit since 2011 by the Turkish head of state. Erdogan visited the country that year while he was still prime minister. "Both the Iraqi side and the Turkish side have attached great importance to this visit for a long time and have been preparing for it. There are ongoing intensive efforts,' he said. Fidan highlighted that Trkiye aims for Erdogan's visit to Iraq to be as productive as possible, underscoring that his vision for bilateral relations reflects Trkiye's vision for the region. Highlighting Ankara's support for the steps taken by Sudani's government for development and political stability, Fidan stated: "Iraq has gone through very difficult periods for many years. It's been very challenging to achieve political stability. When there is no political stability, there are also significant problems in delivering the basic services that the people need." Trkiye's readiness to support Iraq Despite Iraq's significant potential and opportunities, Fidan said that Iraq has faced major challenges in delivering basic services to the population. He said the current Iraqi government has developed a strong awareness of this issue. T he Iraqi and Turkish governments have been discussing what can be done to address these challenges, he said. He underlined that Trkiye is committed to providing "all kinds of support" for the development of sectors in Iraq such as irrigation, education, health, infrastructure, trade, and energy. Fidan also said there have been intensive contacts between the countries' Cabinet ministers, bureaucrats, and businessmen. At this "mature point," there is agreement on Erdogan's visit to Iraq and the signing of a strategic framework agreement, he said. Regional stability and prosperity Fidan highlighted that the countries' strategic framework agreement will outline a strategic vision of how cooperation can be conducted in multiple areas simultaneously. "This will constitute an important roadmap for the future of the two countries' relations,' he said. 'We aim to advance our relations by institutionalizing them, moving away from success through coincidence, making them more systematic, and demonstrating lasting benefits in relations between the two countries,' he said. Fidan stressed the desire to avoid associating the region and Iraq with internal turmoil, war, or conflict, expressing hope for economic development and political stability to be the primary focus. Pointing to Trkiye seeking cooperation in the fight against terrorism, Fidan noted that they are in extensive discussions with Baghdad on how significant strides can be made in combating terrorism without disturbing Iraq's existing political balances. Contacts with Iraq Fidan recalled his visit to Iraq this March alongside National Defense Minister Guler, National Intelligence Organization head Kalin, and Deputy Interior Minister Karaloglu, and also a visit to Ankara by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and representatives from the Iraqi Defense Ministry, intelligence, and other security agencies. 'We extensively discussed the strategic framework of President Erdogan's visit to Iraq with our Iraqi counterparts. We believe that Iraqi-Turkish relations will set an important example in our region. 'Especially with the Development Road Project, which our president attaches great importance to, we believe that it will serve as a significant example for both the people of Iraq and the people of the region if implemented,' he said, referring to a project to connect the Persian Gulf from the al-Faw Grand Port by land routes to Trkiye. Fidan expressed the need for the region to be associated with development, technology, prosperity, stability, culture, and art rather than conflicts and instability, stating that they strive for this. Iraq's support for Trkiye on Gaza issue Saying that Israel's ongoing attacks on Gaza will also be discussed during Erdogan's visit to Iraq, Fidan stressed that Ankara and Baghdad share the same feelings on Gaza. Fidan said Iraq supports Trkiye on Gaza within the international system, as it votes in coordination with Trkiye. During Erdogan's visit to Iraq, he will travel to both Baghdad, the nation's capital, and Erbil, capital of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq. "During President Erdogan's visit to Erbil, especially in meetings with regional government officials, I am confident that they will share their vision on strengthening our relationship and reminding them of their role in ensuring internal stability and peace in Iraq,' said Fidan. Erdogan will hold a working meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al Sudani in Baghdad, followed by the signing of agreements, said Fidan. The Turkish president will also meet with his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid. Source: Anadolu Agency

President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou is in Spain to participate in the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments, which is taking place between 21-23 of April in Palma de Mallorca. During the Conference, she will inform her counterparts about the increased migration flows to Cyprus. On Sunday she will participate in a Meeting of the Women Speakers of the Parliaments of the EU member states that will focus on women leadership. According to a press release issued by the House of Representatives, the Conference will focus on the strategic autonomy of the EU in the face of new challenges for liberal democracies in the era of social media and artificial intelligence, in relation to foreign and defence policy, Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East' and on strengthening the EU from an economic and social perspective, the new EU fiscal rules and strengthening the Economic and Monetary Union, in the context of the enlargement perspective, socia l rights and environmental and climate challenges. The Conference will conclude with the adoption of Conclusions. In the context of the Conference, Demetriou will inform her counterparts about the increased immigration flows of Syrians from Lebanon to Cyprus. In addition, following an initiative of the House of Representatives President, a joint meeting will be held on the same issue with the Presidents/Vice-Presidents of the Parliaments of the member countries of the South (Cyprus, Greece, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Malta) on the sidelines of the Conference, with the participation of the European Parliament, during which they will exchange views on the possibility of taking joint actions on the matter. Demetriou will also have private meetings with the Speaker of the Danish Parliament, Søren Gade Jensen, and the President of the Czech Senate, Miloš Vystrcil. She will return to Cyprus on Wednesday. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Sunday called on the international community to oppose the US veto on Palestine's UN bid, and recognize the state of Palestine. 'It is unjust that Palestine is not allowed to become a member of the UN. We call on the international community to oppose this injustice, and recognize the state of Palestine,' said Fidan in a joint news conference with his Mauritanian counterpart Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug in Istanbul. During a meeting with Merzoug, Fidan said they discussed the 'ongoing massacre in Gaza,' adding: 'Just like Trkiye, Mauritania also adopts a sensitive policy regarding the Palestinian issue, particularly the situation in Gaza, and provides all possible support.' Fidan further said Trkiye and Mauritania are in 'great solidarity' on Gaza, adding: 'We will continue our cooperation for an urgent cease-fire and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid." He also said the two nations' efforts will continue 'uninterrupted until an independent and sovere ign Palestinian state, with its capital in East Jerusalem and territorial integrity, is established based on the 1967 borders." Trkiye-Mauritania relations Mauritania stands out as a 'stabilizing factor' in the region, Fidan stressed, and said Trkiye will continue to exert significant efforts, including enhancing security cooperation and economic collaboration, for the stability and prosperity of the region. Fidan further said they had the opportunity to thoroughly evaluate the bilateral relations during the meeting, adding that they reaffirmed their determination to enhance cooperation in all fields, particularly in economic and commercial matters. 'We aim to organize the first joint economic commission meeting as soon as possible, and have reached an agreement on this matter as well,' he added. Fidan underlined the contribution of Turkish Airlines' flights to Mauritania to the economic relations between the two countries, highlighting the importance of fisheries. He mentioned that fisheries and aquacu lture were discussed during the meeting, and the importance of convening a joint commission for these areas was also stressed. Trkiye's efforts to further strengthen its humanitarian bonds with 'our Mauritanian brothers' continue, Fidan said, noting that the number of students enrolled in schools operated by the Turkish Maarif Foundation reached 1,224. 'We are also delighted by the fact that our Mauritanian brothers are studying in Trkiye with scholarships, further enhancing our ties,' he said. Mauritania assumed the presidency of the African Union (AU) last February, Fidan recalled, and stressed Trkiye's emphasis on working together with Mauritania in various organizations such as the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the AU. The minister said the strategic partnership with the AU, which has been in place since 2008, continues to be developed, adding that Mauritania's presidency presents an opportunity in this regard. He conveyed the goal of holding a Trkiye-AU ministerial review meeting in the final quarter of the year and that he has held consultations with his counterpart regarding this matter. Sahel region also discussed Fidan underscored Ankara's importance in establishing peace, security, prosperity, and lasting stability in West Africa's Sahel region, noting the serious security challenges facing the area and its undergoing significant transformation. He also underlined the strategic importance of security in the region. Indicating the need to support the efforts of countries in the region to ensure stability and security, Fidan noted: "One of the priority areas of Trkiye's activities is to expand the capacities of regional countries, including combating terrorism." "The nature of the current challenges necessitates that our efforts be conducted in a multidimensional manner, spreading from security to economic and social development." For his part, Mauritanian Foreign Minister Merzoug said natural resources, natural gas, renewable energy, and green hydrogen in Trkiye are crucial for Mauritania. Merzoug stressed that they discussed various areas of relations, including defense, security, transportation, health, education, agriculture, and livestock, and highlighted "the excellent relations" between Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He also mentioned the significance of Trkiye's advanced capabilities in many fields for Mauritania, and expressed concern over the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, calling for an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the establishment of permanent peace. Merzoug concluded by addressing the issue of Islamophobia, thanking Trkiye for its efforts in this regard. Source: Anadolu Agency