Turkey

18 March 2022; MEMO: The United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) will open a Mediation Centre office in Turkiye's metropolitan city of Istanbul this year, said the High Representative, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which concluded last week, Miguel Angel Moratinos said that "We've been working hand in hand with the Turkish Government. They already told me personally that we can count on the full support of Turkiye to the Alliance's work."

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The president of Turkey, South Korea’s prime minister and other officials inaugurated a massive suspension bridge Friday over the Dardanelles Strait that connects the European and Asian shores of the key waterway.

With a a 2,023-meter (6,637 feet) span between its towers, the “1915 Canakkale Bridge” becomes the world’s longest suspension bridge, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

17 March 2022; MEMO: Doing scientific research as part of Turkiye's Sixth National Antarctic Science Expedition, Turkish researchers brought back data and findings, but strove to leave behind only their pristine footprints in the snow, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Antarctica, the world's fifth-largest continent with an area of 14.2 million square kilometres (5.5 million square miles), is one of the favourite spots of explorers and scientific research teams, with its intriguing geography and nature.

17 March 2022; MEMO: The UK Export Finance Agency has signed a €2.1bn loan guarantee deal to support the development of a major electric rail project in Turkey.

The agreement has been announced at today's "UK-Turkiye Green Finance Conference".

This agreement aims to build trading relationship between Turkiye and the UK, decarbonise travel and help Turkey to meet its zero emission target.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Despite three weeks of Russian bombardment, Ukraine has kept up a stiff defense of its cities by using Turkish-made drones to carry out pop-up attacks on the invaders with a lethal effectiveness that has surprised Western military experts.

The Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, which carry lightweight, laser-guided bombs, normally excel in low-tech conflicts, and Turkey has sold them to more than a dozen countries, including Azerbaijan, Libya, Morocco and Ethiopia.

14 March 2022; MEMO: Turkiye denied the claims that an ancient inscription found in East Jerusalem and brought to Istanbul during the Ottoman period will be delivered to Israel, according to the diplomatic sources on Sunday, and Anadolu News Agency reports.

The Times of Israel news website, on Friday, reported that Turkiye had agreed to return the 2,700-year-old Siloam inscription to Israel as a gesture during Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Ankara, the first in years.

14 March 2022; MEMO: Turkey helped the United Nations to evacuate personnel belonging to several international organisations as well as foreign citizens, Turkish newspaper, Daily Sabah, reports.

According to the report, Ankara evacuated personnel with the cooperation of the United Nations as well as foreign citizens.

UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, also praised Turkey's efforts in a phone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the report says.

ANKARA, March 14 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will discuss the war in Ukraine with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at talks in Ankara on Monday, his office said, as both countries press on with efforts to secure a ceasefire 19 days into Russia's invasion.

NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea and has good ties with both. It has said the invasion is unacceptable and voiced support for Ukraine, but has also opposed sanctions on Moscow, while offering to mediate.

13 March 2022; MEMO: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis agreed in talks on Sunday to improve ties, despite the long-running disagreements between the two NATO members, Ankara said, Reuters reports.

Both countries have key roles to play in the changing security situation in Europe after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and their increased cooperation would have benefits for the region, the Turkish presidency said in a statement.

ANKARA, March 13. /TASS/: Turkey will not join the sanctions some Western countries have imposed on Russia over the special operation in Ukraine, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a diplomatic forum in Antalya on Sunday.

"We believe that the sanctions will not resolve the problem," he said when asked about Turkey’s stance regarding sanctions against Russia. "Take the airspace. In accordance with the Montreux Convention we have no power to close it. This is a legal obligation."