EGF Turkey File, 5 February — March 5, 2017

Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics

5 February — 5 March 2017

By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• Aydin Dogan faces renewed pressure from the government following critical media coverage from outlets owned by his conglomerate, Dogan Holding. He faces a personal summons in a state case accusing him of orchestrating a fuel smuggling scheme in the early 2000s.
• Turkey joins peace talks over Syria in Kazakhstan, serving as the most visible backer of rebel forces there as Russia and Iran support the Syrian Government of Bashar al-Assad.
• The United States' top military officer in Syria and Iraq says Syrian Kurdish fighters pose no threat to Turkey, possibly presaging a firm commitment of U.S. support for the People's Protection Units that Ankara views as extensions of the outlawed PKK.
• Russia certifies the Turkish Stream intergovernmental agreement, allowing Gazprom to move forward in having pipe laying and further construction start in late 2017.