Chinese exports to Turkey have reached $20 billion and Beijing’s investments in the country is set to double by 2020, according to official numbers. So, as the United States and China battle in a trade war, is there an opportunity for Turkey to fill the trade gap?

Plamen Tonch

Head of the Asia Unit at the Athens-based Institute of International Economic Relations

Altay Atli

Koc University Lecturer

There’s a new plan for northeast Syria. Turkish President Recep Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin met in the Black Sea resort of Sochi to announce that the YPG terror group will be removed from Turkey’s border areas. In their place, Russian and Turkish troops will jointly patrol the territory. On Strait Talk, we ask: will the latest deal hold? Plus, as the United States and China battle in a trade war, is there an opportunity for Turkey to fill the trade gap?

Guests:

Ugur Yasin Asal

Head of the Political Science and International Relations department at Istanbul Commerce University

Ivan Starodubtsev

President of the Russian-Turkish Project Development Association

Plamen Tonch

Head of the Asia Unit at the Athens-based Institute of International Economic Relations

Altay Atli

Koc University Lecturer

Turkey’s operation in northern Syria is on pause. The development comes after a closed-door meeting in Ankara between Turkish President Recep Erdogan and US Vice President Mike Pence. Turkey will allow the YPG withdraw from its border regions on the condition that the terrorist group abandon its weapons. In return, Washington says it will drop existing sanctions on Turkey. But will the deal hold? And can the YPG be trusted?

Guests:

Mehmet Celik

Managing Editor at Daily Sabah newspaper

Yahya Al Aridi

Spokesman for the Syrian Negotiation Commission

Hamdi Rifai

Director of the Council of United Syrians and Americans

#OperationPeaceSpring #YPG #Turkey #Syria #PKK

Since the launch of Operation Peace Spring, Turkey has made significant gains in clearing terrorists from the Syrian side of its border. But many western countries are alleging that the operation will lead to Daesh’s resurgence. Turkey has been one of the main victims of Daesh attacks and has launched numerous operations to combat the terror group. We look at what’s behind this misinformation and why many western countries are failing to understand Turkey’s national security threats.

Guests

Vehbi Baysan - Lecturer at Ibn Haldun University

Sean Michael Cox - Professor at Bahcesehir University

Adam Garrie – Political analyst

Arming one terrorist group to fight another. That's been the US policy in Syria for the past several years. Starting in 2015, the US armed and trained the YPG to fight Daesh, despite knowing it had links to the PKK terror group. The Turkish government criticized the move from the start, and warned of consequences, which are playing out today in northern Syria under Operation Peace Spring. And after initially declaring his indifference, President Trump switched between defending his abandonment of the YPG and the withdrawal of US troops, to imposing sanctions on Turkey. So how did we get here? How did these two NATO allies drift so far apart? Aadel Haleem has this report.

After warning the world for years, about the national security threat posed by the PKK-linked YPG terror group, Turkey has taken matters into its own hands. Yet, some of Turkey’s NATO allies have decided to side with a terrorist group that directly threatens one of its own members. One of them is US Senator Lindsey Graham, who was pranked in a phone call. Graham’s comments, who he thought were to senior Turkish officials, is very telling.

Guests

Murat Aslan

Assistant Professor at Hasan Kalyoncu University

Matthew Bryza

Former US ambassador

#Turkey #Syria #LindseyGraham

Description

Turkey says some European capitals are misrepresenting the goals of Operation Peace Spring. President Erdogan has called criticism of the operation unwarranted, given the security threats and economic burden Turkey has faced since the Syrian war began in 2011. We look at how the impact the operation might have on relations going forward.

Guests:

Dimitri Tsarouhas

Associate Professor of International Relations at Bilkent University

Ozgur Unal Eris

Associate Professor at Istanbul 29 Mayis University

On Oct 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring into northern Syria with the following objectives: to clear Turkey's border regions of terrorists, and to create a safe zone for refugees to return home to. Also, we look at the international reaction to the operation, particularly the changing positions of US Senator Lindsey Graham. The US Senator was pranked in a phone call, but his comments, who he thought were to senior Turkish officials is very telling.

#StraitTalk #PeaceSpring #Turkey

We ask Saudi dissident Saad al Fagih if the murder of Khashoggi has diminished the Saudi crown prince’s standing both at home and abroad. Also al Fagih says both Trump and the Crown Prince have abnormal personalities that will bring the region into disaster, unless someone removes them.

Guests:

Saad al Fagih

Saudi Dissident and Head of the Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia

The killing of Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, put the spotlight on Saudi Arabia, particularly, its young Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman. The murder also strained Turkey’s ties with the US, after President Trump sided with the crown prince over his own intelligence agency’s assessment, and their NATO ally. We breakdown the diplomatic fallout.

Guests:

Talha Kose

Chair of the Political Science Department at Ibn Haldun University

Daud Abdullah

Former Deputy Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain