Turkish Media Highlights — Nov. 9, 2017
Anadolu News Agency
–Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim met with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in White House.
Hurriyet Daily News
–SpaceX will launch Turkish satellites as Turkey, Airbus ink deal. Turkey signed an agreement with Airbus Defense and Space on Nov. 9 for the production of Türksat 5A and Türksat 5B communications satellites.
The Türksat 5A and 5B satellites will be launched by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), Transport Minister Ahmet Arslan said.
–President Erdogan slammed European countries for lack of support for Turkey’s fight against the terrorist organization.
–Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli told U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis during a meeting on the sidelines of NATO summit in Brussels that Syrian Kurdish militia YPG kills Turkish troops with U.S. weapons.
–European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Nov. 8 that financial support the EU promised to Turkey will be “fully respected.”
“I would like to be very clear. We have promised 3 billion euros [$3.48 billion] for the refugee program and another 3 billion euros to Turkey for the coming years. This decision of the EU will be respected fully,” Hurriyet Daily News quoted Mr. Juncker as saying.
Cumhuriyet
–Pro-government journalist Fatih Tezcan wrote threatening remarks on his social media account, saying that if “the U.S. carries out a coup in Turkey again,” Turks would take revenge and kill U.S. Embassy staff, ambassador and U.S. soldiers in Turkey or anywhere around the world.
–President Erdogan slammed secular main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and said the party is reserving a 5 percent quota for homosexuals for its party staff in local branches.
Birgun Daily
— Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Spokesperson Mahir Unal said currently there is no plan to change electoral threshold.
— Facing the threat of being out of Parliament in next elections, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) signaled that it would be open to an election alliance with the ruling AKP.
–Former President Abdullah Gul struck a veiled criticism at current AKP administration and criticized the emergency rule, which has been extended for another three months. Turkey is being ruled by the state of emergency since the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016.
