Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said Ankara had agreed to support his country’s and Sweden’s membership bids, removing a major obstacle to their entry into the alliance.
Turkey has become a headache for NATO. But recent geopolitical events have shown that the alliance will have to put up with it. Experts say Erdogan is well aware of this and is using his country’s place in the group to serve his national interests.
Experts say that today Turkey is more valuable than ever for NATO. The country is on the southeastern flank of the alliance, a key buffer between Russia and the West. It maintains the second largest army in the alliance after the United States and borders a number of Middle Eastern countries with a history of political instability where Western states have major interests.
However, Ankara has not always been a thorn in the side of the alliance.
Turkey joined NATO in 1952, three years after its formation after World War II, and regards the alliance as the “cornerstone” of its defense and security policy. But analysts and historians say that while Turkey has historically served the group’s strategic interests, it has become more of a destructive force under Erdogan’s rule.
Erdogan was prime minister from 2003 to 2014 and president since 2014.
According to her, the frequency and intensity of disagreements between Turkey and NATO allies have increased over time, as Ankara takes an active and anti-Western foreign policy stance.
But experts say it’s only natural for an alliance member to prioritize national interests where possible. The problem arises when these interests diverge from NATO’s agenda.
“This is not bad behavior for the alliance; this is typical alliance behavior for states that have the weight to deal with this,” he added.
While Turkey understands its value to NATO, analysts say it also sees its benefits in membership. According to Ulgen, Ankara has repeatedly turned to NATO for support in the field of strategic security. “This is a mutually beneficial relationship in the field of security and politics.
Digest
Iran applied to join the BRICS group of developing countries
Iran has applied to join the group of emerging economies known as the BRICS, an Iranian official said on Monday. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that membership in the BRICS group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, “will bring additional benefits to both parties.”
- Background: Russia has long sought to forge closer ties with Asia, South America and the Middle East, but it has recently stepped up its efforts to weather sanctions imposed by Europe, the United States and other countries over its invasion of Ukraine.
- Why is it important: Russia presented these statements as evidence that the West failed to isolate Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine. “While the White House was thinking what else in the world should be turned off, banned or corrupted, Argentina and Iran applied to join the BRICS,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. The BRICS account for more than 40% of the world’s population and about 26% of the global economy.
Imprisoned Egyptian blogger enters danger zone of hunger strike – mother
The mother of imprisoned Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abd el-Fattaha says she is worried her son’s health could take a turn for the worse after a nearly 90-day hunger strike, despite some improvements in prison conditions. Abd el-Fattah, a 40-year-old blogger who rose to fame during the 2011 Egyptian uprising, has become too weak to do his own laundry or climb out of his cell’s tall window, his mother, Layla Suef, said.
- Background: In December, Abd el-Fattah was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of spreading false news for posting on social media about the death of a prisoner, and he had previously been jailed for protesting without permission. On April 2, he went on strike against his detention and alleged violations of the law in prison.
- Why is it important: His case attracted attention in the UK after he was granted British citizenship last year as part of the family’s campaign to free him. The Egyptian State Press Center did not respond to a request for comment. On June 9, the Interior Ministry said it had videos proving Abd el-Fattah did not go on a hunger strike, but did not release the video.
UN estimates that 1.5% of the Syrian population was killed during the war
The UN Human Rights Office said on Tuesday that roughly 1.5% of Syria’s pre-war population, or 306,887 civilians, were killed between 2011 and 2021 due to the conflict. This is the highest UN rating to date.
- Background: Syria plunged into civil war after protests erupted in March 2011 against President Bashar al-Assad and his regime. The conflict has drawn in several world powers and left the country in ruins, with thousands of civilians killed and millions displaced. The report also notes that “on average, every day over the past 10 years, 83 civilians have been victims of violent conflict-related deaths.”
- Why is it important: Although the conflict has been frozen for years as Assad has regained control of much of Syria, the humanitarian crisis continues. The report also notes that the record estimate is only a fraction of the deaths, and that the analysis provides “a clearer picture of the severity and extent of the conflict.”
By region
Long considered an integral part of Cairo’s modern history and a hallmark of the capital’s artistic landscape, some of the houseboats on the River Nile suffered a fate similar to most of the city’s other notable features: removal for the sake of modernization.
Dozens of floating structures along the main river of the Egyptian capital. Some are home to residents, while others are nightclubs, restaurants, or cafes where the city’s artists, writers, and scientists are known to congregate.
Social media campaigns have swept across multiple platforms, with the #SaveCairoHouseboats hashtag trending on Twitter in the country after the first deletions began two weeks ago.
The North African country is experiencing a massive building boom, backed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
But activists and residents have criticized the building boom, saying the city’s heritage and character are being lost in the name of modernization.
Authorities say every act of removal is scrutinized and evaluated to ensure that historic sites remain intact.
Anwar also noted that boats classified by the state as “historical” or intended for tourism purposes would not be removed. He added that most of the houseboats marked for removal are worn out and should be removed for safety reasons.
According to Anwar, three houseboats have been dismantled since June 18, and another 15 are due to be dismantled by June 28.
Nadine Ebrahim
$561 billion
The value of oil exports by the 13-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2021 increased by 77% compared to 2020, according to the annual statistical bulletin of OPEC, published on Tuesday.
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