Tag Archives: Syria conflict

No to Greater Involvement in Libya

Posted on December 28, 2019 by

December 28, 2019 The fighting and the humanitarian tragedy in Yemen remind older generations of Turks of a beautiful but sad folk song, “Yemen türküsü”[i], mourning the loss of thousands of Turkish soldiers in this far away part of the … Continue reading →

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Middle East’s Failures and External Meddling

Posted on July 31, 2017 by

July 31, 2017 On April 4, 2017, toxic substance spread after Syrian warplanes dropped bombs on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in the rebel-held Idlib province. The West and Russia offered conflicting explanations for the tragedy. Three days later, US … Continue reading →

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Time to Boost Syria’s Political Transition

Posted on May 9, 2016 by

May 9, 2016 “Cessation of Hostilities in Syria”, worked out between Russia and the US and approved by the UNSC through Resolution 2268, entered into force on February 27, 2016. For two months, despite violations, it seemed to hold inspiring … Continue reading →

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US-GCC Riyadh Summit

Posted on April 25, 2016 by

April 25, 2016 Western media reported that upon arrival in Riyadh on April 20, 2016 for the US-GCC summit President Obama was greeted at the airport by the governor of Riyadh, Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud and the event … Continue reading →

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OIC’s Istanbul Summit

Posted on April 18, 2016 by

April 18, 2016 The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the second largest inter-governmental organization after the UN with 57 Member States, held its 13th Summit Conference in Istanbul on April 14-15, 2016. Since its establishment in 1969, the OIC has … Continue reading →

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Turkey’s Descent

Posted on March 16, 2016 by

March 16, 2016 Terrorist attacks continue to claim rising numbers of innocent lives. The word “gridlock” can hardly describe the political atmosphere. The country is polarized like it has never been. Foreign and security policies are in shambles. Tourism, a … Continue reading →

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Turkey, European Union and the Refugees

Posted on March 8, 2016 by

March 8, 2016 The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees defines the refugee as someone who is unable or unwilling to return to his/her country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of … Continue reading →

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Geneva III: A Rocky Start

Posted on February 3, 2016 by

February 3, 2016 The road map for Syrian political transition which the UN Security Council (UNSC) approved through Resolution 2254 envisaged the Syrian government and the opposition engaging in formal negotiations in early January 2016. It also envisaged a nationwide … Continue reading →

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Syria Talks Approaching

Posted on January 14, 2016 by

January 14, 2016 On December 18, 2015 the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2254 approving the road map which had emerged from International Syria Support Group’s (ISSG) two Vienna meetings. A week later, Staffan de Mistura, UN’S Special Envoy … Continue reading →

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2015 in Retrospect

Posted on December 28, 2015 by

December 28, 2015 Arab Spring turmoil has continued to dominate world’s agenda with the war in Syria, ISIL terrorism and the refugee problem as top items. The confrontation over Ukraine has somewhat receded confirming predictions of a frozen conflict. The … Continue reading →

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