Also Yildirim, referred, inter alia, to Turkey's ties with the EU, supporting that Turkey's full membership to the Union is still a strategic target for Turkey. He further said that their expectation is for this goal not to be prolonged and to be achieved very soon.

Referring to the Cyprus problem, Yildirim stressed the need for this to stop blocking Turkey's membership to the EU. "The referendum which took place in the Greek Cypriot side during 2014 has turned to be a big obstacle for Turkey's EU bid", he argued.

(…)

(AK)

[04] Akinci to attend the OIC extraordinary meeting in Istanbul upon an invitation by Erdogan

Akinci will be travelling to Istanbul to attend the meeting upon an invitation by Turkey's President Erdogan.

Akinci will return to the occupied area of Cyprus tonight.

(AK)

[05] The "higher election board" announced the "final list of candidates" to run for the so-called early elections

According to the "YSK", 8 parties and totally 388 "candidates", including 9 "independent candidates" will run for the "50 seats" in the so-called "assembly". 120 out of the 388 "candidates" are women, according to the "YSK" while 7 are disabled people.

Also, the total number of "voters" is 188, 688. The "election campaign" period will end up on January 6, one day before the "elections".

(AK)

[06] "Ozgur Volkan" will be named "Kibris manset"

This was the result of a dispute occurred between Ozgur Volkan and Volkan newspaper.

(CS)

[07] Erdogan: S-400 missile deal with Russia to be finalized

"Our colleagues will come together this week to conclude this work," Erdogan told a news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ankara.

The S-400 is Russia's most advanced long-range anti-aircraft missile system and can carry three types of missiles capable of destroying targets including ballistic and cruise missiles. The system can track and engage up to 300 targets at a time and has an altitude ceiling of 27 kilometers (17 miles).

On trade, Erdogan said cooperation between Ankara and Moscow was getting stronger "day by day".

"Our bilateral trade volume with Russia increased 30 % as of the first 10 months of 2017," he said.

"We have a harmonious working environment at the political level."

The two leaders have met eight times this year. Erdogan said Ankara and Moscow would hold a seventh High-Level Cooperation Council meeting in 2018.

Putin, meanwhile, said obstacles to trade and economic ties had been removed.

"Within the first eight months [of 2017] Turkish agricultural exports to Russia increased by 1.8 %," he said.

Turning to the Middle East, Erdogan said Russia and Turkey were in agreement on the issue of Jerusalem. "We have seen the same approaches with Putin," he said. "We agreed to continue our contacts in this regard."

The Turkish President added that Israel saw the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as its capital as a chance to increase oppression and violence against the Palestinians.

"It is not possible for someone who possesses conscience, morals, principles, values to ignore these murders," he said.

The shift in U.S. policy sparked demonstrations across the Muslim world and Putin said the U.S. decision destabilized the Israel-Palestine dispute rather than contributed to its settlement.

"The status of Jerusalem should be addressed through direct contacts between Israel and Palestine," he said.

Erdogan has called an emergency meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation for Wednesday and Putin said Russia would attend as an observer.

The leaders also discussed Syria. Russia, Turkey and Iran are the guarantor states that brokered a cease-fire in Syria in December 2016, leading to the Astana peace talks.

Erdogan said the three nations would soon hold a repeat of talks held in the Russian resort of Sochi last month.

The trio had consulted on a political process in Syria, Erdogan said.

"As the guarantors of Astana, we will make a significant contribution to the process carried out in Geneva to find a permanent political solution to the Syrian conflict," he added, referring to the UN-backed peace talks.

Putin, who earlier confirmed the Russian military withdrawal from Syria had begun, said "almost" all of Syria's territory had been cleaned of terrorists.

"I would like to appreciate Erdogan's personal efforts and contributions to the solution works for Syria," he added.

Another important topic was energy and Erdogan described energy ties as being at a "new stage with the TurkStream and Akkuyu Projects".

The TurkStream pipeline will carry Russian gas to Turkey and Europe while Russia's Rosatom is planning to start building Akkuyu, Turkey's first nuclear power plant, on the Mediterranean coast next year.

Erdogan said both Ankara and Moscow were "willing and resolute" to realize the projects "as soon as possible".

Putin said TurkStream would increase Turkey's energy security as well as expanding Russian gas routes.

[08] US partner in bloodshed with Jerusalem move claims the Turkish President

"With its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the United States has become a partner in the bloodshed," Erdogan said at an event marking World Human Rights Day in Ankara on Dec. 11.

"The statement by U.S. President Donald Trump does not bind us, nor does it bind Jerusalem or the Muslim world," he added.

Erdogan, who has been among the most vocal leaders against Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, continued his criticism of the U.S.'s decision to move its Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Recalling that a road map on Jerusalem will be discussed at a summit of the Organization Islamic Conference (OIC) in Istanbul on Dec. 13, which will mark a "turning point," Erdogan described the Jerusalem issue as a "litmus test" for all human rights advocates.

"Those who don't side with the oppressed and the righteous on this issue can have no right to say a word about regional and global peace or on human rights. We will monitor statements about Palestine and Jerusalem and then we will give marks to every country accordingly," he added.

The dramatic shift in Washington's Jerusalem policy has triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq and other Muslim-majority countries.

[09] Turkey to host trilateral security meeting on December 14

The Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar will discuss regional security with Iraqi counterpart Gen. Osman Ganimi, Commander of the U.S. European Command Curtis M. Scaparrotti and Commander of U.S. Central Command Joseph L. Votel, according to a statement.

The meeting will be held at the Turkish General Staff Headquarters.

TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION

https://www.pio.gov.cy/moi/pio/pio2013.nsf/All/EDB254ABD6F3EAE1C225816F00425E83?OpenDocument

(CS / AM)

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