EGF Turkey File, 1 October — 15 October 2012

Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics

1 October — 15 October 2012

By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• Syria and Turkey exchange artillery fire throughout October, and a Syrian airliner thought to be carrying Russian military equipment is forced to land in Turkey.
• The plane incident could have implications for Turkey's vital Russian gas supplies, if the relationship between the two countries deteriorates.
• PKK violence continues unabated as the underlying issues facing Turkey's Kurdish population are ignored for short-term solutions.