Main political events in the last week in Türkiye.
Main political events in the last week in Türkiye.
The agenda of Türkiye was once again intense last week.
The “Kurdish Unity” meeting in northern Syria drew reactions from the government, as well as from various institutions and organizations.
The AKP government continues its new policy toward Europe. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Italy, while Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu attended the 10th Summit of the Three Seas Initiative held in Warsaw.
Another topic that remains on Türkiye’s agenda is the earthquake in Istanbul. Experts continue to debate whether Istanbul is awaiting a major earthquake.
Reactions to the “Kurdish Unity Conference” in Syria
On Saturday, April 26, the “Kurdish Unity Conference” was held in Qamishli of northern Syria with the participation of Kurdish groups from Syria, Iraq, and Türkiye.
Around 400 people attended the meeting, including representatives from the Kurdish National Council in Syria (KNC) and the Democratic Union Party (PYD) from Syria, the DEM Party and the PKK from Türkiye, the Barzani tribe, and other groups. Media reports indicated that observers from the US and Europe also attended the conference.
The meeting was closely followed in Türkiye, where the “democratic initiative” process is ongoing. Following PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call for the PKK to lay down arms and dissolve the organization, talks had begun between PKK-affiliated DEM Party and the AKP government.
The opening speech of the conference in Syria was delivered by Mazloum Abdi, the head of the Syrian Democratic Forces. In his speech, Abdi claimed that the conference was not about division, but unity.
The final declaration of the conference included demand for a “federal Syria”. The declaration called for “the unification of Kurdish regions as an integrated political and administrative unit under a federal Syria.”
PKK-affiliated DEM Party in Türkiye, described the conference as “a historic step toward Kurdish unity” and claimed it is “an opportunity for a democratic Middle East.”
Also, the US Department of State declared ahead of the conference that it “supports Kurdish dialogue in Rojava”. Speaking to Rudaw, a State Department representative said, “We welcome the restart of the inter-Kurdish dialogue process and expect it to move forward productively.”
In Türkiye, many reactions came against the conference and the demand for a “federal Syria” expressed in its final declaration.
President Erdoğan made the following remarks to the press regarding the issue:
“Syria’s territorial integrity is indispensable for us. We know that the Syrian government acts with the same sensitivity. It is very important that armed groups in Syria be brought under the umbrella of the Syrian Ministry of Defense and contribute to Syria’s unity and integrity. As for the issue of a federal structure, this is nothing more than a pipe dream. It has no place in the reality of Syria. I advise them to make decisions that will serve the region’s stability, rather than decisions based on fantasies of federal governance in Syria that could pose a threat to the region. We will not allow any fait accompli in our region, nor will we permit any initiative that would threaten or jeopardize lasting stability in Syria and the region. Syrian officials have also declared that no authority other than the Damascus government, and no armed force other than the Syrian Army, will be accepted in Syria. They are continuing their efforts in this direction. Our approach to border security is similar. We will not allow any structure just beyond our borders that contradicts with a unified Syria.”
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also addressed the conference held during his visit to Qatar. He said:
“We do not accept any initiative that would allow terrorist organizations to continue in Syria. (…) We expect the agreement signed in recent months between the YPG and the Syrian administration to be implemented. (…) Just as ISIS was eliminated, so will the PKK be eliminated too. Either voluntarily and peacefully, or otherwise.”
The Ministry of National Defense’s Press and Public Relations Advisor and Spokesperson Zeki Aktürk also shared the ministry’s assessment at the weekly press briefing:
“Syria’s territorial integrity and political unity are fundamental priorities for Türkiye. In this context, demands for autonomy carry the potential to harm Syria’s sovereignty and regional stability. We cannot consent to the division of Syria’s territorial integrity or to the disruption of its unitary structure under any guise. It must be clearly emphasized that just as Syria’s new administration opposes rhetoric or actions promoting autonomous regions and/or decentralization, so do we.
Regarding the control of the Tishrin Dam, Syria’s assets and resources belong to the Syrian people. Matters concerning the dam’s transfer of control are being coordinated with the Ministry of Defense of the Syrian Interim Government and regional actors, and the necessary discussions are ongoing.”
The AKP government’s new initiative towards Europe
The AKP government continues to send positive messages and take steps toward European countries and members of the European Union.
Last week, President Erdoğan visited Italy, while Minister of Transport Abdulkadir Uraloğlu attended the 10th Summit of the Three Seas Initiative in Poland.
Erdoğan met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and took part in the 4th Türkiye–Italy Intergovernmental Summit. Speaking at the press conference after the summit, Erdoğan evaluated the relations between the two countries:
“There is a valuable harmony between us on important matters such as the security of the Mediterranean, the situation in the Middle East, the stability of Europe, and the preservation of the transatlantic ties. In addition to our historically strong ties with Italy, I believe Prime Minister Meloni’s bold and determined approach to many issues has a significant impact in this. Through today’s meetings and the documents we signed, we decided to explore new areas of cooperation.
Without doubt, another driving force of our relations is economic and trade. As you know, Italy ranks among the top five countries in our foreign trade. The strong commercial links we’ve established, especially in sectors such as textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and machinery, have enabled us to surpass the $30 billion target we set at our 2022 summit. We also observe that investments are progressing reciprocally. Over the past 22 years, more than 1,500 Italian companies have invested $5 billion in our country. In recent years, Turkish companies have also made significant investments in Italy, particularly in defense, aerospace, home appliances, and glass production, contributing greatly to the spirit of partnership between our countries. Based on these developments, we set the new target for trade volume at today’s summit as $40 billion. I believe we will reach this goal in short time.”
Erdoğan continued:
“Through the 3rd Term Meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee, which we will hold in Türkiye later this year, we will follow up on the decisions made today. We will continue to strengthen our cooperation in defense with Italy through new partnerships and projects. We are also ready to work together on energy projects in our shared region Mediterranean that will benefit both our countries and the broader area. Our cooperation with Italy in the fight against irregular migration will also continue in the upcoming period.”
President Erdoğan stated that they also discussed topics of culture, education, sports, and visas, adding “As a sign of our friendship, we will co-host the 2032 European Football Championship together.”
In his speech, President Erdoğan also spoke about the joint steps Türkiye and Italy could take in the region:
“Italy is one of the countries that best understands our country’s contributions to the stability and security of Europe and the Mediterranean, and from the very beginning, it has not withheld its support for our EU membership process. I believe Italy will continue this constructive approach. In the context of Europe’s security, we also discussed the latest developments in Ukraine with Prime Minister Meloni. We reiterated our strong support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. As a key actor in ensuring the security of the Black Sea, Türkiye will continue to contribute to efforts aimed at finding a solution.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also made statements during the joint press conference. She said:
“Italy and Türkiye have excellent relations in the Mediterranean. In 2024, with a trade volume exceeding $30 billion, we’ve reached a record level. Recently, we saw a 28% increase in this. Our activities and production complement each other.”
Meloni expressed that the two countries could cooperate in areas such as energy and security.
Italian president thanked President Erdoğan for his efforts in preventing irregular migration to Europe.
Last week, another government official working on European matters was Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu. On April 28–29, he attended the Three Seas Initiative Summit held in Warsaw. He announced that Türkiye had become a strategic partner of the Initiative in the summit.
Uraloğlu emphasized that Türkiye has assumed a new role as a strategic partner in the Three Seas Initiative, launched by countries in the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black Sea regions to address infrastructure deficiencies in Central and Eastern Europe in the fields of energy, transportation, and digitalization.
Highlighting Türkiye’s geographical importance, Uraloğlu said:
“Türkiye lies in a prominent transition location along both the East–West Middle Corridor and the North–South Development Road Corridor. The Three Seas Initiative, now in its tenth year, brings together countries stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic and the Black Sea. We completed our application process to become a partner last year, and as of yesterday, Türkiye is officially a strategic partner in the Initiative. This is highly valuable for us.”
Uraloğlu noted the Initiative has a plan to build roughly 800 kilometers of roads the initiative, with around one-third completed, one-third under construction, and the rest is being planned.
He underlined that this partnership would both ensure the use of transport corridors and create opportunities for Turkish contractors:
“With this partnership, and by extending it through Türkiye toward the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, the Three Seas Initiative effectively becomes a project that encompasses five seas. In the next phase, we will contribute further and ensure our country benefits even more from this partnership and the opportunities it brings.”
Earthquake discussions continue in Istanbul
The 6.1-magnitude earthquake centered in Silivri, a district of Istanbul, on April 23, followed by a series of aftershocks, continues to keep Istanbul and the rest of Türkiye on edge.
While concerns remain high among Istanbul residents, earthquake experts continue to discuss on television programs. There are two opposing views among the experts.
Some argue that the recent earthquake has eliminated the risk of a larger earthquake in Istanbul. Others claim that the earthquake has increased pressure on fault lines, making a stronger earthquake more likely in the near future.
One of the experts who believes the risk of a major earthquake in Istanbul has diminished is Prof. Dr. Şener Üşümezsoy. Speaking on a television program, he stated:
“The Adalar Fault is inactive. The only real risk is the Kumburgaz Fault. I simply share what the data shows. The claim that a major earthquake happens here every 250 years is inaccurate. You would need a 350-kilometer-long fault to produce a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. There’s no seismic activity moving eastward.”
Emphasizing that his statements are not predictions but facts, Üşümezsoy said:
“The aftershocks have eliminated the risk of a new 6.2-magnitude quake. The fault has fully ruptured. There is no longer a danger of another major earthquake.”
In contrast, Prof. Dr. Naci Görür maintains that the recent earthquake has actually brought forward the timeline for the expected major earthquake in Istanbul. Görür said:
“After the 1999 earthquake, we highlighted the increased stress in both Düzce and the Marmara region, particularly Istanbul. So, I had warned that Istanbul needs to prepare for a major earthquake. The stress transferred to the Marmara Sea, where the same fault segments that ruptured in 1766 are again under pressure and nearing the end of their recurrence intervals. I have been saying the same thing since then: the Kumburgaz Fault and the southern Adalar Fault in the Marmara Sea will both rupture, producing a minimum magnitude of 7.2 and potentially as high as 7.5. Everything that has happened so far supports this view. The quake on April 23 occurred along the western end of the Kumburgaz Fault, off the coast of Silivri. That rupture is now pushing the fault eastward, accelerating the timeline for the larger earthquake we’ve been expecting.”