Türkiye is not backing away from the West as it seeks deeper ties with the East, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday as he headed back from a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. In comments made to journalists aboard the presidential plane, Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye's goal of becoming a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, or SCO, whose ten current members include Russia, China, India and Iran. “I would also like to particularly emphasize that Türkiye's membership perspective in the organization does not mean a break from a bloc or turning our backs...
Türkiye in International Media
Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that Türkiye has signed the NASA-led Artemis Accords, an outer space exploration treaty, the day before. The accords aim to enhance the safety of lunar exploration and promote the peaceful, sustainable, and beneficial use of outer space, the ministry said in an online statement. It noted that Türkiye will contribute to space technologies and exploration through an inclusive and innovative approach grounded in international law. The signing comes amid Türkiye's increasingly active space program. Last month, it announced a plan to launch its lunar spacecraft in the first months...
A mining workshop dating back about 8,800 to 8,900 years has been unearthed in southeastern Türkiye, Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said on Tuesday. In a post on social media platform X, Ersoy said the workshop, covering around 5 square meters and dated to 6900-6800 BC, was found at Cayonu Mound in the Ergani district of Diyarbakir Province. Excavations uncovered raw and semi-processed malachite, processed malachite samples, copper beads, copper objects, and a stone-paved work area within the workshop. "The new discovery reveals the earliest production technologies in human history," said Ersoy.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that a mechanism should be established to ensure the security of commercial shipping in the Black Sea. According to TRT Haber, Erdoğan stated: "The security of all commercial maritime transport in the Black Sea is of significance not only to vessels sailing under the Turkish flag or operated by Turkish companies. We must not allow tensions to escalate to the point where they endanger the lives of civilians and commercial activity." Erdoğan added: "We need to resolve this issue, as the damage it is causing is steadily increasing. A mechanism is...
President Sadyr Japarov met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Bishkek on 1 September on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. According to a statement issued by the Cabinet, the parties emphasised the high level of Kyrgyzstan-Türkiye relations, characterised by a comprehensive strategic partnership and actively developing in both bilateral and multilateral formats. It was noted that there are extensive opportunities to expand cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, investment, education, healthcare, military-technical cooperation, and other areas. At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their interest in further deepening and expanding the...
We will strive to develop our cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in all areas, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, Trend's special correspondent reports. President Erdoğan made the remarks in his speech at the SCO summit marking the organization’s 25th anniversary, held in Bishkek. He also stated that issues such as climate change, terrorism, and food security pose a threat to many countries. “As Türkiye, we continue our efforts in the name of peace and stability, taking on the responsibility of achieving diplomatic solutions to the conflicts around us. We will strive to develop...
Archaeologists have uncovered an 11,000-year-old stone sculpture showing a human figure seated on a leopard at Karahantepe, a neolithic site in southeastern Türkiye, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said Tuesday. In a social media post, Ersoy said the 70-cm sculpture, which was unearthed at Karahantepe near the city of Sanliurfa this year, was found on a bench against the wall of a circular structure about 3 meters in diameter. Minister Ersoy called the find a "unique sculpture" and said its artistic style had not previously been identified at the prehistoric settlement. Karahantepe is part of an archaeological site...
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan agreed during a phone call on Monday to develop a roadmap for deepening their bilateral relations, particularly in the defence sector. In a statement on social media, President Lula said, "We agreed to establish a Strategic Council at the vice-presidential level to develop a roadmap for deepening bilateral relations," and emphasised that both leaders celebrated the "recent ratification" of the Defence Industry Cooperation Agreement reached by Ankara and Brasília. The...
Teknofest Blue Homeland 2026, a defense and technology festival centered on naval capabilities, opened Thursday at the Golcuk Naval Shipyard Command in Türkiye's northwestern province of Kocaeli. Earlier in the day, Turkish naval vessels sailed through the Izmit Gulf near Istanbul in a display of the country's maritime capabilities. The flotilla included the TCG Anadolu, the Turkish Navy's largest ship, frigates, submarines and support vessels. The fleet also staged a series of simulated military operations, including boarding and seizing a vessel and covert attacks on maritime facilities. Large crowds gathered along the shipyard's waterfront to watch the demonstrations. Running through...