Turkey

ISTANBUL (AP) — Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held plenty of grand opening ceremonies in his 15 years at Turkey’s helm. On Monday he will unveil one of his prized jewels — Istanbul New Airport — a megaproject that has been dogged by concerns about labor rights, environmental issues and Turkey’s weakening economy.

ISTANBUL, October 27. /TASS/. The four-way summit on Syria did not touch upon Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s future in the country’s political system, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday at a news conference after the summit.

"Certainly, we did not discuss any individuals," the Russian leader said when asked about the al-Assad’s fate. "It is counterproductive if we seek a positive result at the end of our road."

ISTANBUL, October 28. /TASS/. Turkey is ready to launch legal proceedings into Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder if Saudi Arabia is reluctant to do so, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told reporters.

"The crime was committed in Istanbul, so if Saudi Arabia fails to continue its legal proceedings, the Turkish justice system will initiate them," he said.

ISTANBUL (AP) — The leaders of Turkey, Russia, France and Germany said at a summit on Saturday that Syrians must lead efforts to make peace in their war-torn country, a challenge that was highlighted by the absence of any Syrian groups from the Istanbul talks.

Meeting in an Ottoman-era mansion, the leaders set aside divisions over Syrian President Bashar Assad to agree on broad goals, including the eventual, voluntary return of millions of refugees who fled a conflict that has lasted more than seven years and killed over 400,000 people.

ISTANBUL, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said the four-way summit ended with a call for a full-scale cease-fire to halt the bloodshed in Syria.

"We had a fruitful and sincere consultation during the summit," Erdogan said at the joint press conference following the quadrilateral summit in Istanbul.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Emmanuel Macron joined the summit hosted by Erdogan to discuss the ways for a long lasting political solution for Syria.

By Muhammed Enes Can, Basak Akbulut Yazar and Murat Kaya

ISTANBUL; 25 Oct 2018; AA: Turkish investigators have recorded statements of 38 employees of the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, as part of a probe into killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, judicial sources said on Thursday.

MOSCOW, October 25. /TASS/. Ankara will begin the deployment of the Russian-made S-400 air defense systems in October 2019, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday, adding that Ankara had started recruiting military personnel to maintain the complexes.

Ankara, Oct 23 (AFP) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said that the "savage murder" of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul was meticulously planned, demanding that all those linked to the killing face punishment.

Erdogan had promised that his speech in Ankara would give the "naked truth" about the killing and he gave a host of new details while still saying Turkey wanted answers to key questions, including who gave the orders.

MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the parliament on Tuesday that the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been confirmed and this crime had been thoroughly planned.

"I want to speak about the killing of Khashoggi, this fact has been established. There is evidence that the murder had been thoroughly planned," Erdogan said in a speech broadcast by NTV channel.

ANKARA, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was the victim of a premeditated "brutal murder," while demanding that the Saudi suspects be tried in Turkey.

"Whitewashing such barbarity will of course injure and wound the conscience of all humanity," the Turkish leader said in a much-anticipated speech to the lawmakers in Ankara.