Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s envoy to the US was being turned away by lawmakers for months despite seeking meetings on Capitol Hill. So, Ankara turned to new lobbyists as it sought to salvage what was left of Turkey’s reputation in the US capital, according to Congressional aides and public records.
“They [Turkey] had been asking to meet us for almost two years now,” said one senior Congressional aide, a Republican, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter.
But frustration with Turkey is a rare case where Republicans and Democrats agree in a divided Capitol Hill.
Head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat, has repeatedly vowed not to allow weapons sales to Turkey.
Turkey has been asking to buy F-16 fighter jets from the US, but the bipartisan opposition to this sale continues despite the Biden administration supporting the deal.
Earlier this month, the top US diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said the Biden administration “very much supports” providing F-16s to Turkey or upgrading the F-16s that it has, “just as we very much and very strongly support Sweden’s immediate accession to NATO.” He added: “But these are two distinct issues. They’re not related to each other.”
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also urged his new Turkish counterpart, Yasar Guler, to push for Sweden’s NATO membership.
A shift in attitude appears to be on the horizon, however, as the Turkish ambassador to the US has been seen in House and Senate offices following the re-election of Erdogan.
Ambassador Murat Mercan has had separate meetings with Republican Congressman Nathaniel Moran, Democratic Congressman John Garamendi, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson and Republican Congressman Clay Higgins this month.
These were meetings the Turkish embassy in Washington disclosed on its official Twitter account. A review of similar posts shows the last such engagement between Mercan and a US lawmaker on the Hill appeared to take place in January.
Turkish officials say there was little time for these types of engagements in the run-up to Turkey’s presidential election.
Mercan has also met with Senator Chris Coons in recent days, one of President Joe Biden’s closest Senate allies.
Meanwhile, sources familiar with US-Turkey relations anticipate increased engagement with Biden administration officials and US lawmakers in the coming weeks and months.
A high-level Congressional delegation is expected to visit Ankara later this month and could meet with new members of Erdogan’s new cabinet. Erdogan appointed new individuals to lead the foreign ministry and defense ministry in what observers believe could be a sign of the Turkish president’s willingness to ease tensions with much of the West and other countries he had issues with in recent years.
US frustration with Turkey
Anger with the NATO-ally increased under the Trump administration after they issued sanctions over Turkey’s purchase of Russian-made missile defense systems.
The Biden administration did not ease pressure, and then came the Erdogan government’s crackdown on journalists, increased provocative behavior against Greece and the blocking of Sweden’s and Finland’s NATO membership.
“[If] they don’t let them into NATO, the attitude towards Turkey is not going to change,” another senior Congressional aide said.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the two Nordic countries expressed their desire to join NATO.
Erdogan said he would not lift his veto unless Finland and Sweden agreed to demands, including handing over wanted individuals that Turkey has accused of terrorism.
Turkey has since accepted Finland, but Sweden’s bid is still being held up.
Sources familiar with the matter believe Ankara could lift its veto by the upcoming NATO Summit in July.
Another point of conflict between Washington and its NATO ally is Syria, where the US continues to back Kurdish fighters helping its mission to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. Turkey says the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are part of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a designated terrorist group. The US repeatedly warned Turkey against pushing ahead with its threats to launch a ground operation to drive out the SDF from the area.
Also in Syria, the Pentagon has accused Ankara of endangering American troops through its air raids and expressed “deep concern” over Turkey’s actions.
Turkey’s new top diplomat Hakan Fidan, formerly the head of the country’s intel agency, was the subject of secret peace talks with the PKK almost a decade ago. And the new defense minister, Yasar Guler, was a top military general during Turkey’s military operations inside Syria in 2019 and 2020.
Lobbying efforts
According to the US Justice Department, Turkey hired Ezra Friedlander last year to lobby on its behalf, paying him $35,000 monthly.
The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) says the services Friedlander was to provide included: arranging speaking engagements and meetings locally and nationally for the ambassador; engaging with members of Congress and the Administration on issues of importance to Turkey; and proposing and pursuing passage of legislation and other US government action that promotes Turkey’s interests… and provides a positive image of Turkey.
Another lobbyist hired by Turkey as of late was Kalman Chaim Sporn. She was paid $50,000 for “strategic consulting services” from October to November last year.
Sporn and Friedlander are both Jewish and are said to have strong ties with influential officials on the Hill.
Friedlander was also hired this year by the government of Azerbaijan to “enhance US-Azerbaijan relations.”
Turkey and Israel have embarked on a path of rapprochement after years of animosity between the two regional powers. That, coupled with relations Sporn and Friedlander have on the Hill, is among the reasons Ankara turned to the lobbyists.
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies
H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.
During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.
He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.
The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.
At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books
As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”
Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.
Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.
Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.
Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.
Automation
The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.
Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.
US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79
US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.
In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.
He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.
President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.