Last week’s main political events in Türkiye.
Last week’s main political events in Türkiye.
The agenda in Türkiye was as packed as ever.
Last week, Türkiye was shaken by the protest of 15 young people putting a hood on the head of a US soldier in the city of Izmir.
Another prominent development was Türkiye’s application to join BRICS.
And lastly, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s visit to Türkiye made headlines.
Hood on the head of US soldier
The Vatan Party’s youth wing, the Vanguard Youth, put the hood on the head of the US soldier from the USS Wasp, the largest US assault ship, on September 1. The ship was docked in the city of Izmir and entitled to defend Israel.
The chairman of Vanguard Youth, Samet Kunt who led the demonstration, made the following statement after the action:
“We won’t let American soldiers, who shield Israel, who have killed Turkish soldiers and thousands of Palestinians, walk freely in our land. There is no place for blood-stained US soldiers in Türkiye!”
During the action, they shouted, “Expel US soldiers from the bases in Türkiye go”, “Killer US, killer Israel” and “Atatürk’s youth on duty.”
Following the action, 15 people had been detained and 10 of them sent to prison following a court ruling to detain them pending trial. But on September 7 all of them were released.
The US Embassy in Ankara confirmed on its social media account that the individuals attacked were US military personnel stationed from the USS Wasp.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, responding to a journalist’s question about whether the US was in contact with Turkish authorities regarding the protest against US soldiers, expressed their concern. She also said that the soldiers returned safely to the USS Wasp.
Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder stated that the soldiers were unharmed, and the investigation was ongoing with local authorities. He described the action as “disturbing” and thanked Turkish officials for their support.
While some journalists in Türkiye criticized the action as “meaningless” and “archaic mindset of anti-imperialism”, several political figures and a large section of the society hailed it.
Türkiye’s BRICS membership application
Türkiye applied to be a member of BRICS. Firstly, Bloomberg wrote that an anonymous Turkish official confirmed that Türkiye has applied for membership. When asked about this by reporters, the ruling AKP spokesperson Ömer Çelik stated:
“President Erdoğan has expressed Türkiye’s desire to join BRICS on several occasions. This is a clear request, and the process is ongoing. If there is a concrete development, we will share it with you.”
Russian Presidential Advisor Yuri Ushakov also confirmed that Türkiye has officially applied to join BRICS, saying, “Türkiye has applied for full membership, and we will evaluate it”.
It was also confirmed that Erdoğan will attend the BRICS Summit in Kazan on October 22-24.
Egyptian President Sisi visits Türkiye
The normalization process between Türkiye and Egypt continues at full speed.
Following President Erdoğan’s recent visit to Cairo, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited Türkiye as the first visit of an Egyptian president in the last 12 years.
At a joint press conference, both leaders emphasized peace in Gaza and cooperation on energy issues. Another noteworthy aspect was that both leaders called each other “my brother”.
In the press conference, Erdoğan stated the following:
“Mr. Sisi had warmly welcomed us in Cairo. That marked a turning point in our relations. Since then, we have maintained dialogue at the highest level. We are now developing our cooperation with my brother’s return visit. Next year, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of our diplomatic relations.
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Trade and economics are the strongest aspects of our relationship. We are steadily moving toward our goal of increasing trade volume to $15 billion. Our businesspeople have significantly contributed to the Egyptian economy with $3 billion in investments. We encourage entrepreneurs and invite more investors to Türkiye. We are eager to expand our cooperation in the energy sector. We are also committed to further strengthening our cultural ties.
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As for the situation in Palestine, Türkiye and Egypt share a common stance: Ending the genocide, ensuring a permanent ceasefire and facilitating the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid. These are our top priorities. We thank the Egyptian authorities who have been working with the Turkish Red Crescent and AFAD in delivering aid. Egypt, along with Qatar and the US, has been mediating the negotiations, and we are providing support to this process. However, Israel’s obstructionist approach continues.
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We reject Netanyahu’s accusations against Egypt. We are what should be done to increase pressure on Israel. We are working to hold Israeli officials accountable. The rightful place for the murderers of 41,000 innocent people is the courtroom. We continue to remind the international community of its responsibilities. Some countries are still complicit in the crimes and no effective deterrents are being implemented. Everyone should understand that this is unacceptable.”
And Sisi’s remarks:
“The growing Turkish investments in our country further enhance our cooperation. President Erdoğan’s visit brought new momentum to our relations. We have decided to take joint steps in various areas like trade, tourism and agriculture. Certainly, increasing trade between our two countries is among our shared objectives in terms of mutual trade volume.
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We must intensify our efforts for Palestine. A ceasefire must be achieved, Israel’s violations must stop, and the Palestinians should establish a state within the 1967 borders as soon as possible. We are doing all we can to provide aid to Gaza.
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Regarding Libya, both the presidential and parliamentary elections must take place. The withdrawal of armed forces is crucial for Libya’s future.
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We also discussed the Syrian issue. We welcome the rapprochement between Türkiye and Syria. The solution to the crisis in Syria must respect the territorial integrity of the country.
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Regarding Sudan, we expressed Egypt’s stance. We also addressed the crisis in Somalia and the Horn of Africa.”
It was reported that during the Türkiye-Egypt High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting in Ankara, which both Erdoğan and Sisi attended, approximately 17 agreements were signed in areas of defense, energy, tourism, health, education and culture. These agreements aim to raise the current trade volume from $10 billion to $15 billion in the short term.