Author: tngadmin

A Turkish scientist urged authorities on Friday to eliminate conditions for the formation of marine mucilage in the Sea of Marmara.

“The mucilage sinks to the bottom and creates a deceptive bottom structure. This deceptive bottom negatively affects both the oxygenation and nutrition of the organisms living there. Action should be taken immediately,” Mustafa Sari, dean of Maritime Faculty at Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University, told Anadolu Agency.

“In our dives, we see that the situation is getting worse every week. In my last dive, which I went down to a depth of about 16 meters [52feet], I saw that almost all of the sponge communities died,” said Sari.

He stressed the importance of mucilage cleaning works carried out on the surface of Marmara.

“If mucilage clumps are not removed, the particles coat the sea surface and increase the water temperature. It cuts off the relationship between the water and the atmosphere, reduces the oxygen uptake and causes the death of sea creatures,” he warned.

“We must reduce the sources of pollution that cause mucilage formation in the sea,” he said.

Source: Anadolu Agency

An exhibition featuring works of Osman Hamdi Bey, founder of cultural heritage research in the Ottoman Empire, and Ara Guler, famous Turkish-Armenian photographer, was opened within Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) is currently being held in Turkey’s famed southern summer resort Belek.

ADF, organized under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and hosted by foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, has included art activities.

A ‘Tunnel of Diplomacy,’ on which pictures revealing the significant historical diplomatic developments were reflected, was created within the ADF.

The tunnel included a platform on which works of Osman Hamdi Bey are reflected, and a section exhibits the photographs taken by Ara Guler.

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– Diplomacy meets art

Talking to Anadolu Agency, ADF’s co-coordinator, Gulsen Karanis Eksioglu, stressed that the forum is one of the projects that Mevlut Cavuoglu attributed most importance.

Nothing the presence of many political and economic forums, she noted that ADF fills a gap in diplomacy.

Particularly on the ‘Tunnel of Diplomacy,’ Eksioglu underlined that the 85 most significant developments shaped world history, including the Egyptian-Hittite Kadesh Treaty and recent meetings of Cavuoslu in Geneva.

Both our tunnel and the exhibition area will remain open for our guests throughout the forum. They need to spare about half an hour to watch all of them, she added.

The three-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum, with Anadolu Agency as its global communication partner, is hosting ten heads of state and government, 42 foreign ministers, three former heads of state and government, and more than 50 representatives of international organizations or former government officials, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Debates of global importance will be analyzed in-depth during the forum, including the Balkans, the future of Europe, trans-Atlantic relations, refugees and migrants, and the threat of terrorism. There will also be a session on Turkey’s proposal for an Eastern Mediterranean conference.

Source: Anadolu Agency

There is no common ground between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriots, and the UN should recognize that during the second 5+1 Geneva talks, said the TRNC foreign minister.

In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Tahsin Ertugruloglu said the meeting held in late April was not “a new negotiation process,” and only aimed at determining if there is a mutual understanding, allowing negotiations to begin.

The UN must see it “very clearly that there is no common ground anymore,” he asserted, adding that he expects Jane Holl Lute, the UN special envoy on the Cyprus dispute, to highlight this in her report to the Security Council.

The TRNC will shape its policies according to the final decision from the UN after a second round of talks, he added.

The minister said that as long as the Greek side is treated as a “state” and the Turkish side as a “society,” there will be no common ground to start any negotiation process.

“As long as they continue to be recognized as the Republic of Cyprus, they never foresee any power-sharing with the Turkish Cypriots …” he said, arguing that in such circumstances, “no one should think of sitting down with us and establishing a new partnership in good faith.”

“It is naive to expect a different result by repeating the same things,” Ertugruloglu added.

Asked if better Turkey-Greece relations could affect the Cyprus issue positively, Ertugruloglu said he doubts Greece will approach Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots “sincerely” for improvement in ties.

The unofficial first 5+1 meeting – with both sides of the island, the guarantor countries Turkey, Greece, and Britain, and the UN – was held in Geneva, Switzerland from April 27-29.

– Turkish Cypriots expect nothing from EU

“For us, the European Union is not an impartial organization,” said the minister, noting that the group lost its “neutral stand” “when they made the Greek Cypriot side a member of the union by violating its own laws, and membership conditions.

“It [EU] is one of the sides of the problem, a side against us,” he said. “Therefore, we have no expectations from the European Union.”

– Partial reopening of Maras city

The minister said the partial reopening of Maras does not affect individual property rights of former owners, and all disputes shall be resolved according to international laws.

The city, which has been closed for nearly 50 years, needs infrastructure to be turned into a fully livable city, he said.

“Maras will turn into a living city under Turkish rule,” Ertugruloglu said. “In other words, the return of Maras to the Greek side is out of the question.”

– Cyprus issue

Cyprus has been mired in a decades-long struggle between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the UN to achieve a comprehensive settlement.

The island has been divided since 1964, when ethnic attacks forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety.

In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aiming at Greece’s annexation led to Turkey’s military intervention as a guarantor power. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was founded in 1983.

The Greek Cypriot administration, backed by Greece, became a member of the EU in 2004.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkey will take on Switzerland on Sunday to claim their first win at EURO 2020 after losing the first two matches in Group A.

The match will kick off at 1600 GMT.

Turkey’s left-back Umut Meras will not be able to play due to his injury, while over 30.000 fans are expected to attend to watch the game at Olympic Stadium, Baku.

Italy and Wales will face off at Stadio Olimpico, Rome, at 1600 GMT in the other Group A clash.

Italy already qualified for the last 16 after collecting six points to lead Group A.

Wales have four points, while Switzerland bagged one point.

Turkey are at the bottom without any point.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said Saturday it had destroyed seven explosive-laden drones fired by Houthi rebels towards Saudi Arabia.

A coalition statement cited by the Saudi Al-Ikhbariya television said that the drones were fired towards the kingdom, but were shot down inside the Yemeni territories.

“The hostile and systematic Houthi attempts constitute war crimes,” the coalition said, adding that it has taken “operational procedures to protect civilians” from Houthi attacks.

There was no comment from the Houthis on the coalition statement.

The new attacks came hours after the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a rebel drone fired towards the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait in Saudi Arabia.

Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, regularly announce rocket and drone attacks on Saudi territories, saying they are a reaction to the Saudi-led coalition’s assault on Yemen.

Yemen has been ravaged by violence and instability since 2014, when the Houthi group captured much of the country, including the capital Sanaa.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains. It has since caused one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises, with 80% of the population in need of assistance and protection.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with numerous top diplomats and heads of international organizations on Saturday on the occasion of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in southern Turkey.

Cavusoglu started the day with a trilateral meeting with the participation of foreign ministers of Malta and Libya, Evaris Bartolo and Najla Mangoush, respectively in Antalya.

He then held another trilateral meeting with Moldova’s Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Aureliu Ciocoi.

Turkey is strengthening its cooperation with Moldova in every field and supporting its Gagauz kinsmen, Cavusoglu said.

Cavusoglu also held separate meetings with Afghanistan’s chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah and Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar.

Cavusoglu’s busy day continued with the meetings, which he described as fruitful, with foreign ministers of Malaysia, Somali and Tajikistan, Hishamuddin Hussein, Mohamed Abdirizak and Sirojiddin Muhriddin, respectively.

He also held a tour of meetings with Mathias Corman, General-Secretary of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Kenyan Foreign Minister Raychelle Omamo, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Furthermore, Cavusoglu met with Polish, Gabonese and Cameroonian foreign ministers, Zbigniew Rau, Pacôme Moubelet Boubeya, and Lejeune Mbella Mbella, respectively.

He lastly met with former foreign ministers of Germany and Austria, Sigmar Gabriel and Karin Kneissl, and the 5th president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko.

The three-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum, with Anadolu Agency as its global communication partner, is hosting ten heads of state and government, 42 foreign ministers, three former heads of state and government, and more than 50 representatives of international organizations or former government officials, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Debates of global importance were analyzed in-depth during the forum, including the Balkans, the future of Europe, trans-Atlantic relations, refugees and migrants, and the threat of terrorism.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Over 2.58 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines have been given worldwide so far, figures compiled by Our World in Data, a tracking website, showed on Saturday.

China leads the global count with over 990.26 million jabs, followed by the US with 316.50 million.

India has administered 272.38 million shots, Brazil 85.39 million, the UK 73.36 million, Germany 65.74 million, France 46.95 million and Italy 45.20 million.

Turkey ranks ninth on the list with over 40.68 million doses given, followed by Mexico, Spain, Indonesia and Russia.

The country with the most doses administered by population is the United Arab Emirates, with 144.57 doses per 100 people.

Most COVID-19 vaccines are administered in two doses, so the number of shots given is not the same as the number of individuals fully vaccinated.

Since December 2019, the pandemic has claimed over 3.85 million lives in 192 countries and regions, with more than 177.89 million cases reported worldwide, according to the US-based Johns Hopkins University.

The US, India, and Brazil remain the worst-hit countries.

Source: Anadolu Agency

After becoming a member in 1952, Turkey has been one of the most intensively contributing cogwheels for NATO.

It has been designated a “contributor” by the alliance because of regarding missions in Afghanistan, as it supports the war-torn country struggling for peace and stability for some time.

“We continue to contribute to the security of our brothers and sisters with our soldiers operating within the NATO mission providing training and equipment support to Afghan security forces,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in March.

Turkey’s involvement in NATO missions in Afghanistan includes:

Dec. 20, 2001 — NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) established to support and ensure the security of the Afghan Interim Administration.

June 20, 2002 – Feb. 10, 2003 — Turkey took control of the second term of command of ISAF from the UK with 1,300-personnel. ISAF II was led by Turkish Maj. Gen. Hilmi Akin Zorlu.

February – August 2005 — Turkey assumed leadership of ISAF-VII while operating the Kabul International Airport which was under NATO command and control structure. During its leadership, Turkey deployed 1,430 military personnel and three utility helicopters to Afghanistan. According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, nearly 1,800 Turkish personnel served in ISAF.

November 2006 — Turkey opened the Turkish Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Wardak, near Kabul, to support efforts toward security and stability.

Nov. 1, 2009 – Dec. 31, 2014 — Turkey undertook the command of Kabul Regional Command Capital (RCC) on a rotational basis with France and Italy. During its leadership, it deployed 1,200 personnel to the region.

Feb. 2, 2010 — “Gazi” Military Training Center established with contributions of the Turkish Armed Forces, Afghan National Army (ANA), Kabul Military Command and ISAF to train non-commissioned officers and soldiers.

Jan. 31, 2014 — NATO-led ISAF ended.

Jan. 1, 2015 — Resolute Support Mission (RSM), a non-combat mission, began.

January 2019 — Legislation put into effect allowing the Turkish government to send troops to Afghanistan to support the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission. The legislation, first passed in 2015, gave the government authority to permit foreign army personnel to be transported to and from Afghanistan through Turkey.

Dec. 16, 2020 — Turkish parliament approved extending the deployment of Turkish troops in Afghanistan for 18 months as part of NATO’s support mission.

March 30, 2021 – Turkish Brig. Gen. Selcuk Yurtsizoglu assumed command of the NATO-led Train, Advise, Assist Command-Capital in Kabul.

Turkey, with 600 soldiers, is ranked seventh among countries stationed as part of NATO’s RSM. According to the Turkish National Defense Ministry, the country takes part in the noncombat mission via “operational and force protection services at the Hamid Karzai Afghanistan International Airport (HKIA),” “provision of personnel support to the Train, Assist and Advise Command- (North/TAAC-N),” and “provision of personnel support to the RSM Headquarters.”

– Turkish aid agency completes more than 1,000 projects in Afghanistan

Separately, Turkey, through its Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), has completed more than 1,000 projects — especially on developing education, health, agriculture and infrastructure. During 2005 – 2014 period, 806 projects and activities were completed in Afghanistan.

20 transportation projects, including a 23-kilometer (14-mile) civic highway and four bridges were also completed by the Turkish aid agency. A total of 135 water and sanitation projects along with 34 agriculture, livestock and forestry projects were completed in the same period.

As part of its Ramadan campaign in 2021, TIKA distributed food to 3,300 families across Afghanistan via its Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat offices.

About 4,400 people benefited from the iftar tables that were set up. Various gifts and stationery were given to orphans.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Turkey will not sacrifice its children to the PKK/YPG terror organization, the nation’s presidential communications director said Friday.

“It is our promise to the parents in tears with the longing for their children; we will not sacrifice our children to the wheel of terror and abuse,” Fahrettin Altun said on Twitter and posted a video: “YPG continues to exploit children.”

“Our struggle will continue with determination until we save our last child from the clutches of the treacherous PKK/YPG terrorist organization,” he added.

The video said that a report published by the UN once again revealed that the Syrian arm of the PKK terror group, known as the YPG, continues to recruit children.

“The YPG constitutes a majority of the Syrian Democratic Forces, a US partner in the coalition against ISIS/Daesh. According to the report, there are 318 verified cases of child recruitment by the YPG and 99 by its all women wing the YPJ under the umbrella of US coalition partner the SDF,” said the video. “The SDF and its affiliates were responsible for 35% of all verified child recruitment cases in Syria. The YPG and its umbrella the SDF continue to violate human rights despite signing joint action plan with the UN to end child recruitment in 2019.”

The video further stated that “Turkey has repeatedly warned the international community of the danger posed to children by the PKK and its affiliates.”

The video emphasized that children were abducted and forcibly recruited by the terror organization in southeast Turkey, and mothers of some of the children who have been abducted by the PKK hold a sit-in in front of the HDP Provincial Directorate in Diyarbakir.

“The pressure created by the mothers of Diyarbakir resulted in more than 240 families reuniting with their children last year,” it added.

Source: Anadolu Agency