The Saudi Arabian defense firm, SAMI, is making its inaugural appearance at an international arms exhibition in Istanbul this year. This move signifies a strengthening bond between Turkey and Gulf countries in the defense industry, following a diplomatic visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

Occupying a significant portion of the Saudi Arabian pavilion, SAMI’s presence is notable. Other participants from the kingdom included the General Authority of Military Industries (GAMI), Intra technologies, and the upcoming World Defense Show. Additionally, firms from the United Arab Emirates, known for their regular appearances at this exhibition, unveiled new capabilities typically reserved for their own defense expos. This indicates Abu Dhabi is considering Ankara as a potential market. 

Erdogan set the stage

According to Theodore Karasik, a senior adviser at the U.S.-based geopolitical consultancy Gulf State Analytics, President Erdogan’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia and the UAE has set the stage for future collaborations between these nations and Turkey. He highlights the role of SAMI, GAMI, and UAE defense entities in these efforts, which are being strategically tailored for specific needs. 

Turkey, for the first time, will be participating in the Saudi-based World Defense show, with 29 exhibiting firms, as announced by Mansour Al-Babtain, WDS chief KSA liaison officer. At the Istanbul defense exposition, SAMI unveiled the first Saudi-made Hazem combat management system, incorporated into the Saudi Avante 2200-class corvettes. 

Meanwhile, the UAE firm Calidus, in alliance with the nation’s Tawazun Council, showcased a mobile missile launcher. The vehicle, named Alheda, equipped with the launcher, is a lightweight wheeled device capable of firing four Alheda missiles and eight LOGIR missiles. It features a remote firing mode and is expected to enter the testing phase in three months. 

Karasik noted that the UAE’s Calidus revealing an armored vehicle equipped with ground-to-ground and ground-to-air missiles speaks volumes about the evolving relationship between Turkey and the UAE. He also commented on the Saudi entities’ exploration into drones and cryptography, indicating unique growth and regional security enhancements. 

Signed MoU

On the third day of the exhibition, the UAE’s Black Cobra Military Supplies company and the Turkish company OSTIM signed a memorandum of understanding. This agreement aims to explore growth opportunities, primarily in research and development, as well as technological collaboration. 

However, the blossoming ties between the Gulf nations and Turkey may also bring about competition, especially given the reported discord between Saudi Arabian and Emirate leadership. 

Karasik suggests that the real question lies in the business competition between these three nations in meeting the specific defense needs of KSA and UAE. He also raised the point of the actual implementation and uses of these systems, which remain to be seen.

“All three nations are increasingly delving into African affairs, indicating a potential rise in security-related contracts in the future. The involvement of sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia and the UAE in these defense sectors amplifies the seriousness of Turkish collaboration and investment in Ankara,” articulated Karasik. 

As part of Vision 2030, both the KSA and UAE are focusing on localizing defense production. This involves seeking technology transfers and forming joint ventures with companies to enhance their expertise and technology within the sector. Turkish firms are expected to align with this initiative, and some have already demonstrated their preparedness. 

Ozgur Guleryuz, a high-ranking official at Turkey’s STM defense firm, confirmed that his company is prepared to collaborate with Gulf countries. He further assured that STM is willing to transfer its technology to these countries, following their local needs.

Source: Bulgarian Military

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Russia’s suspension of the Black Sea grain deal continues to capture the global media’s attention as that decision disproportionately hurts African nations. Having hosted 17 African heads of state and government last week, the Kremlin used the discourse of “opposing new Western colonialism together” at the Russia-Africa Summit – where Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged free grains to Africa.

Partly isolated since the imposition of Western sanctions over the Ukraine war, Russia has been interested in Africa for a long time. It is no secret that the country has been sending weapons and mercenaries (read: the Wagner Group) to some regimes. At this time, Moscow attempts to create an alternative grain corridor to pose an ideological challenge to the West.

Meanwhile, Ukraine seeks to transport its grain via the Danube River as Kyiv has also been trying to counter the threat of Russian attacks against grain-loaded vessels with the help of Black Sea countries. And governments around the world expect Türkiye and China to talk Russia into reinstating the grain deal – which Ankara has been trying to achieve by presenting a scheme that will meet Russian expectations to Moscow.

China’s growing interest

It is important to add that the new Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Türkiye the day after his appointment to discuss bilateral trade and the Middle Corridor as well as Ukraine and the grain corridor. Having prepared a 12-point proposal, including a cease-fire, regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Beijing has been making headlines with its recent diplomatic initiatives. The country recently brokered normalization between Iran and Saudi Arabia, notably paying attention to Israel and Palestine. It was also noteworthy that the Chinese foreign minister visited Türkiye right after the country signed off on Sweden’s NATO membership at the Vilnius Summit. As Türkiye rekindles its relations with NATO and the European Union, it naturally attracts attention from China and Russia.

I posit that anyone predicting a downturn in Türkiye-Russia relations after the Vilnius Summit failed to account for the dynamic geopolitical equilibrium and Türkiye’s increasingly important role in world affairs.

Another important point is that China hasn’t been able to implement the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as planned since the United States hurt the Chinese commercial presence in Greece, Israel and elsewhere. Furthermore, the U.S. seeks to contain China through initiatives like AUKUS and QUAD, as well as defense partnerships with South Korea, Japan and the Philippines. With India’s growth rate exceeding China, the country increasingly needs to protect its investments and commercial initiatives in Central Asia, the Middle East, the Gulf, Africa and South America.

‘Europe cannot ignore Türkiye’

Under those circumstances, middle powers like Türkiye, which demonstrate their strategic autonomy, become all the more valuable. Hence the growing interest among global powers and countries in the region to work with Türkiye. That is why the Turkish minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek, said the following at the Salzburg Summit: “If Europe wants to become a better player in global affairs, it cannot ignore a country as sizable as Türkiye. I believe that Türkiye can help Europe become a greater center of economic power.”

Attempting to play a more influential role in the global supply chain, Türkiye develops a new approach with an eye on cooperation and winning together in the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Gulf and Africa. The defense sector came to play a strategic role in that sense.

Speaking at the 16th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) closing ceremony on Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan summarized Türkiye’s approach to cooperation as follows: “Our country’s success story in a challenging field like defense inspires countries worldwide. That is why some countries, which control the power of weaponry, are unhappy. Selling products to our counterparts is not our sole purpose. We intend to build partnerships for the medium and long term. We call for stronger cooperation based on mutual interests and a shared vision.”

Source: Daily Sabah

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Turkey and Egypt will cooperate closely on regional issues, in particular on Libya and Syria. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated this.

“We want to fill with joint projects and success stories the new page that we have opened with Egypt”Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a joint press conference with visiting Foreign Minister of the Arab country Sameh Shukri

Achieving permanent peace and stability in Syria is important for both Turkey and Egypt, the minister said, adding that Ankara and Cairo agreed to work closely and exchange views in this regard.

According to M. Cavusoglu, the parties also discussed plans for holding a meeting between the presidents of the two countries and the mutual appointment of ambassadors.

“We will inform you shortly about the joint statement to upgrade relations to the level of ambassadors. Before that, we will continue to take some steps.”Mevlut Cavusoglu

For his part, S. Shukri said that Egypt is ready to develop relations with Turkey, since the two countries are connected by a “historical past” and their peoples will benefit from rapprochement.

He also noted that Cairo and Ankara have a common understanding on the Libyan issue.

“We agree to the establishment of a government that will reflect the will of the people and preserve the territorial integrity of Libya”Mevlut Cavusoglu

The states will also coordinate their actions on the Palestinian issue, he added.

S. Shukri’s visit is part of the joint efforts of Turkey and Egypt to improve bilateral relations after ten years of political tension and diplomatic disagreements.

Source: DK News

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In the presidential elections in Turkey in May, the political weights seemed to be clearly distributed: on the one hand , President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in power since 2003, and on the other, the opposition’s six-party alliance, which Erdogan’s 20-year reign now wants to end.

But then Muharrem Ince came into play. Ince had clearly lost to Erdogan in the 2018 election and then disappeared from the scene. Now he’s back and wants to be president at the second attempt.

Six very different parties have joined forces around the head of the social democratic party CHP, Kemal Kilicdaroglu , against Erdogan for the May 14 election . But Ince’s candidacy will make life harder for them. Political scientist Berk Esen of Sabanci University explains:

This is not good news for the opposition.

Berk Esen, political scientist

Ince could steal votes from the CHP and the smaller partner from the İyi Parti (Good Party).

After considerable differences, an opposition alliance in Turkey has finally agreed on a rival candidate for President Erdogan: Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is running.Post length:2 minsDate:03/06/2023

How candidate Ince once disappeared from the scene

Ince ran for the CHP himself in 2018 because the party believed at the time that the more moderate and reserved Kilicdaroglu would be less attractive to voters. Ince’s impassioned speeches and fierce personality, reminiscent of Erdogan’s style, drew crowds during the election campaign.

His supporters had high hopes for him – the greater the disappointment after the clear defeat against Erdogan in the first round. And instead of publicly acknowledging the victory of the incumbent, Ince fell silent, disappeared and just texted a journalist saying, “The man won.”

Authority of the President-Why is Erdogan bringing Turkey’s elections forward? 

Turkish President Erdogan has announced that this year’s presidential and parliamentary elections in his country will be brought forward by a month to May. What’s behind it? 

The less than stylish departure made headlines in Turkey and caused Ince to lose popularity. He later failed in an attempt to oust Kilicdaroglu from the CHP leadership.

Ince is now chairman of the newly founded Memleket party (Fatherland). The party primarily appeals to secular nationalist voters – who, however, are also an important basis for Kilicdaroglu. When he submitted his candidacy to the electoral authorities, the 58-year-old was brimming with self-confidence:

The election will go to the second round and in the second round I will be elected with more than 60 percent of the votes.

Muharrem Ince

Presidential election: What chance does Ince have?

Political commentator Serkan Demirtas complains that Ince wants to present himself to voters as an alternative without really making it clear what he stands for.

He says he is against Erdogan and he is also against Kilicdaroglu, but what does he actually represent? We do not know it.

Serkan Demirtas

Most observers in Turkey currently share the view that any attempt by a lone fighter to defeat Erdogan will not only fail, but also damage the opposition alliance.

The current President Erdogan is behind in the polls for the forthcoming elections in Turkey. An assessment by ZDF correspondent Jörg Brase.Post length:1 minDate:04/11/2023

Ince is currently scoring particularly well with younger voters who are tired of President Erdogan and who are not inspired by 74-year-old Kilicdaroglu, who calls himself the “silent force”. According to Esen, Kilicdaroglu is not a new face for her. The political scientist explains:

Ince seems particularly popular with Gen Z voters, who are easily swayed by anti-status quo candidates.

Berk Esen, political scientist

Erdogan’s opponents united in the opposition alliance are still trying to discreetly persuade Ince to withdraw from the race after all.

Emre Peker of the Eurasia Group says the question of whether Ince and the CHP “bury the hatchet” will be decisive for Kilicdaroglu’s chances in a second round.

Source: ZDF

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The first LNG cargo arrived at a Turkish terminal for delivery to Bulgaria’s Bulgargaz under the agreement signed last January with Turkey’s Botas.

In particular, the American Cheniere sent the cargo on the MOL Hestia to the Marmara Ereglisi terminal, before it was transported to the north of Bulgaria by pipeline.

It is recalled that in January the two partners, Bulgargaz and Botas, signed a 13-year agreement, which ensures the Bulgarian company access to Turkey’s gas transit system and five LNG terminals.

At the special ceremony that took place in the framework of the receipt of the first cargo, the Bulgarian Minister of Energy, Rosen Hristov, noted that, thanks to the agreement with Botas, up to ten LNG carriers can arrive in Bulgaria every year.

Bulgargaz imports LNG through Revythoussa, while it has secured capacity at the Alexandroupoli FSRU, whose operation will start later in the year.

Source: Naftika Chronika

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NATO allies Greece and Turkey came to the brink of war just a few years ago over competing energy rights in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean seas. Now, as both sides near key national elections, the government in Athens is extending an olive branch, saying it is open to Turkey joining in on lucrative energy projects.

In a television interview with Greece’s national broadcaster, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said it was imperative for Athens and Ankara to capitalize on their thawed relations.

After national elections are held in both countries next month, both sides can sit down and talk seriously. But to do so, Dendias said, there must be an agreed framework of discussion.

That is more likely to be worked out now, according to the Greek foreign minister, who said it would be a shame to squander such an opportunity given the excellent relations currently between the two countries.

Such remarks would have been unthinkable even months ago, when the two sides were hurling war threats and engaging in dangerous war games in the Aegean Sea over competing energy rights to vast oil and gas deposits in the eastern Mediterranean.

But after a set of devastating earthquakes struck Turkey earlier this year and Greece rushed to the support of its age-old foe, also prodding its European Union allies to provide urgent financial assistance to the government in Ankara, relations have taken a remarkable shift.

Dendias said daily and dangerous overflights in the Aegean by Turkish warplanes have ceased entirely. Communication between the two sides has resumed. And even the prospect of cooperation regarding once contentious energy projects is now being welcomed by Athens.

Among them is the so-called East Mediterranean Gas Forum that includes regional states like Israel, Egypt and Jordan. Greece now says it is open to inviting Turkey.

Any participation by another country would require approval from the other members. However, it would mark a very important move, as Dendias put it.

Other prospective cooperation includes a nearly $4 billion grid connector, streaming across the Mediterranean, which Greece and Egypt want to build in coming years, tapping into lucrative reserves that are currently being explored.

Turkey has disputed access to those areas, which Greece claims exclusively as its own in the eastern Mediterranean, sparking tension and naval standoffs between the two sides in recent years.

Whether the solid climate of affairs between Greece and Turkey will be sustained for talks to be held remains uncertain.

In recent days and at an election rally in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed territorial claims against Greece. So, too, have other leading officials.

But Dendias insists that should not spoil the climate of trust building up between the two NATO allies.

It’s clear the rhetoric is aimed at Erdogan’s domestic audience. And it is also clear, Dendias said, the upcoming elections will not be a walk in the park for Erdogan and that Turkey’s positions on longstanding issues with Greece will not change overnight.

Dendias said 63 attempts to restart constructive dialogue between Greece and Turkey have failed. But there is hope the 64th attempt will succeed after May elections in both Greece and Turkey.

Source: VOA News

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The largest Bulgarian gas distribution company Bulgargaz will carry out the first delivery of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Turkiye on Thursday, April 13. According to TurkicWorld, LNG supplies will be implemented under an agreement signed between Bulgargaz and the Turkish company Botas.

One of the conditions of the agreement signed between Turkiye and Bulgaria was that the supplies should come from countries that did not impose any sanctions, embargoes, or trade restrictions.

We should recall that the Bulgarian company Bulgargaz signed an agreement with the Turkish Botas on the import of natural gas through receiving terminals in Turkiye. The agreement was signed for a period of 13 years.

Earlier, Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said that Bulgaria would receive about 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year, after which it will be possible to increase the volume of gas.

According to the minister, gas will be supplied to Bulgaria via the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline. Previously, it was used to supply Russian gas to Turkiye through Bulgaria before the launch of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline.

We should note that, in April 2022, the Russian Gazprom stopped gas supplies to Bulgargaz due to the fact that the company refused to pay for the energy carrier in rubles. In the spring, Bulgaria reported that they had found alternative sources of gas.

Source: AZER News

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An aid truck, prepared as part of the collaboration of the EMAUS International Solidarity Forum in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a company that produces hygiene products, left for Türkiye.

In a written statement from EMAÚS it was pointed out that there were hygiene products for women and children and flour donated by EMAÚS employees in the aid truck.

In the statement it was informed that EMAUS stands in solidarity with the victims of the earthquake in Türkiye , and the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina were thanked for their help.

Source: TRT

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Greece and Turkey can develop a “harmonious and mutually beneficial relationship” provided there is “mutual respect and trust,” Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said in an interview published in the Sunday edition of newspaper Makedonia.

“We are fully aware of the difficulties in our bilateral relations with Turkey,” he continued. “We are carefully monitoring developments, we hope for calm, we remain committed to our firm position for honest and constructive dialogue to resolve our disputes, within the framework of International Law and the International Law of the Sea.

Commenting on Turkey’s support to Greece for the position of a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2025-2026, he said it carries “special symbolism,” as the Security Council is “the custodian, the defender of the Charter of the United Nations and International Law, to which our country attaches the greatest value.”

Source: Ekathimerini

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Last April, the Turkish president made a show of appeasement with the Saudi crown prince during a visit to Saudi Arabia, the first in five years

The foundations of the Erdogan presidential era are wasting away. The prognosis of a failed economic policy, which has led to the devaluation of the Turkish lira and galloping inflation in the country, has been dominating Turkey’s election campaign, which practically began with the February earthquake.  

And the image of a “weaker-than-ever” Erdogan has spread easily through the Turkish opposition, which is united in the coalition led by Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, the leader of the Republican People’s Party that aspires to unseat the worn-out Erdogan in the next elections on 14 May, for the first time since 2003. But the still-president is still weaving a grand foreign policy to solve domestic problems. 

The Turkish president has long since recalibrated relations with his neighbours after embarking on an aggressive foreign policy. This was a way to rebuild its political status and successfully emerge from the isolationism that Erdogan himself fostered. Since then, the Turkish government has moved closer to Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and, above all, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf heavyweight that promises to come to the rescue of Turkey’s disastrous economic crisis.  

To this end, it is in Erdogan’s interest to be careful in dealing with his new partner. Just this week, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar met his Saudi counterpart Waleed Al-Khuraiji in Riyadh to discuss regional and international issues of interest and boost cooperation in the first round of political consultations between the two countries, including the economy.

Great to see #SaudiArabia‘s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji and #Turkey‘s Burak Akcapar coming together to discuss common interests. Productive conversations ahead! pic.twitter.com/KttSp6eguC— Reema Salima (@ReemaSalima) April 11, 2023

Burak Akcapar also visited the succulent headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Congress (GCC) and held talks with its secretary, Jassem Albudaiwi, and assistant secretary general for political and negotiation affairs, Abdulaziz Aluwaisheg. An interest that has been spearheaded by Ankara after Riyadh injected $5 billion into Turkey’s Central Bank last month, a major catalytic help in tackling the country’s economic crisis. 

In any case, this strengthening of ties comes on the heels of Erdogan’s détente with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which was sealed a year ago with the Turkish president’s visit to the Wahhabi kingdom and the crown prince’s visit to Turkey two months later. With the tension buried after the Khashoggi case, bin Salman took a measured approach to economic cooperation with Erdogan, including lifting the Saudi boycott of Turkish products. 

The Saudi kingdom took the lead in supporting Turkey in the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated southern Turkey by sending humanitarian and relief aid. But Riyadh has gone beyond a pill of aid at a critical moment: Ankara’s new trade relations with the Persian Gulf. Erdogan, as if it were his last card in presidential limbo, is aiming to secure foreign exchange with the Gulf similar to the volume of business he already has with China, Qatar, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, which is worth more than $28 billion.

Source: Atalayar

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