ANKARA: Amid heightened tensions with Berlin, Ankara on Thursday received reassuring words from French President Emmanuel Macron.
He said the EU should avoid any deterioration in its relations with Turkey, which is a vital partner in many areas, especially counterterrorism and migration.
But Macron added that Ankara had “objectively distanced itself” from Brussels recently, and showed an “alarming deviation that cannot remain without consequence.”
Macron’s remarks came after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said over the weekend that the EU should stop accession talks with Turkey that have been ongoing for 12 years.
“Macron’s statement is a call for moderation following harsh rhetoric from Berlin for weeks,” Haluk Nuray, Brussels representative of the Economic Development Foundation, told Arab News.
“He doesn’t want to burn bridges with Ankara, and so is opting for softer rhetoric, while acknowledging that Turkey has backtracked in its harmonization steps with the EU in the candidacy process,” Nuray added.
“For a long time, Turkey’s regional policies and political dynamics have been incompatible with Western choices. We don’t speak the same language with the West, so deeper cooperation with the EU on counterterrorism or the refugee challenge seems unlikely for the moment.”
European leaders rely on Turkey to manage the flow of Syrian refugees, following a deal struck with the EU last year to take back irregular migrants from Europe in exchange for visa-free travel for Turks to the EU and €6 billion ($7.25 billion) in aid.
Last month, Turkish border guards seized French journalist Loup Bureau on the border with Iraq on terror charges. He is still in a prison in the south-eastern province of Sirnak.
But Turkey’s ties with France are better than they currently are with Germany. Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regularly discuss the situation in Syria and counterterrorism efforts.
Erdogan was one of the first leaders to congratulate Macron on his election on May 7. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is due in Ankara on Sept. 14.
Muzaffer Senel, an EU expert from Istanbul Sehir University, said Macron’s statement does not mean France supports Turkish accession to the EU. Rather, it is confirmation that relations with Ankara are strategically important.
“It’s about deepening security alliances, not the political partnership,” Senel told Arab News. “There’s an old saying from the Cold War period: ‘Turks are good to fight alongside but not to live with.’ Paris sees Turkey as a privileged partner.”
Senel added: “Paris and Berlin are the most important decision-makers in the EU system. Their statements are crucial, and should be taken into consideration seriously.”
Experts welcome Macron’s call for moderation in EU-Turkey ties
Experts welcome Macron’s call for moderation in EU-Turkey ties
Hamas says it agrees to ceasefire proposal in Gaza war
- The agreement, should it take effect, will be first truce since a week-long pause in the fighting in Nov.
- It follows months of failed attempts at pausing the fighting to free hostages and allow more aid into Gaza
CAIRO: Hamas on Monday agreed to a ceasefire proposal in the seven-month-old war with Israel in Gaza, hours after the Israeli military told residents to evacuate some parts of Rafah, which has been sheltering more than a million displaced people.
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh informed Qatari and Egyptian mediators that the group accepted their ceasefire proposal, according to a brief statement from Hamas, which gave no details of the accord.
There was no immediate comment from Israel.
The agreement, should it take effect, would be the first truce since a week-long pause in the fighting in November, and follows months of failed attempts at pausing the fighting to free hostages and allow more aid into Gaza.
There had been concerns that the ceasefire talks being held in Cairo had stalled after Hamas official Izzat Al-Rashiq warned that any Israeli operation in Rafah would put the truce talks in jeopardy.
The city, on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip, has been the last sanctuary for around half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, pushed south by Israel’s seven-month-old assault.
Kuwait, EU discuss cooperation on renewable energy, climate change
- Two underscored the pivotal role of the private sector in realizing clean energy objectives under international treaties
LONDON: The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research on Monday held discussions with an EU delegation about enhancing cooperation in renewable energy, climate change and addressing international environmental challenges.
Mashaan Al-Otaibi, acting director-general of KISR, met with Spyros Kouvelis, representing the European Commission’s Gulf Cooperation Council-EU project on green transition.
The two underscored the pivotal role of the private sector in realizing clean energy objectives outlined in international treaties, Kuwait News Agency reported.
Al-Otaibi highlighted Kuwait’s vision of improving the business environment through its green transition project as a means to achieve these objectives.
He said that this was crucial for enabling renewable energy solutions, fostering regional cooperation, and taking strides toward a sustainable future while mitigating the effects of climate change.
In response, the EU official reiterated the significance of bolstering collaboration between international organizations, such as the EU, the UN, and GCC countries through green transition projects.
Red Sea Global unveils Shura Links golf course designs
- Designs developed in collaboration with leading environmental consultants
RIYADH: Red Sea Global has officially unveiled the designs for its golf course and clubhouse on Shura Island, set to be completed and fully operational by 2025.
Shura Links will be Saudi Arabia’s inaugural 18-hole island golf course, with holes overlooking the water and fairways framed by the Red Sea.
Developed in collaboration with leading environmental consultants, it will adhere to strict sustainability standards, with a focus on areas such as water conservation.
The course will minimize water consumption through turf grass selection and soil sensors, and there will be innovative irrigation technology in place. Foliar feeding will preserve the turfgrass quality. As only 20 percent of the 140-hectare site will be dedicated to maintained turf, this will allow for a very natural environment.
The course has been designed in partnership with world-renowned golf architect Brian Curley, the designer behind the world's largest golf facility, Mission Hills Golf Club.
“There are very few places in the world that can offer year-round sunshine, stunning vermilion sunsets and a wonderfully natural design. Shura has it all,” Curley said.
“We expect everyone from professionals to beginners to be drawn to this unique course and have designed it accordingly.”
The course will span a championship length of 7,500 yards, with multiple tees and experiences at each hole. Holes four to seven will trace the coastline, while holes 14 to 18 provide a dramatic finish against the backdrop of the sea.
The clubhouse, designed by Foster + Partners, follows the overall Coral Bloom design concept on Shura Island.
Red Sea Global is developing a habitat development and protection plan to support wildlife on the island, exploring the potential of using the course’s irrigation system to foster mangrove growth.
UAE, New Zealand begin economic partnership negotiations
- Agreement sets out to bolster trade by eliminating or reducing tariffs and trade barriers, improving market access
DUBAI: The UAE and New Zealand have agreed to start negotiations for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement, with the intention to enhance trade and investment ties between the two countries, the Emirates News Agency reported.
A joint declaration of intent confirming the agreement was signed by Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi and New Zealand’s Minister of Trade Todd McClay on Monday.
The agreement sets out to bolster trade by eliminating or reducing tariffs and trade barriers, improving market access, and establishing investment pathways that will create new opportunities in key sectors such as agriculture, renewable energy, logistics, education, professional services, and healthcare.
“New Zealand has become a valued trade partner for the UAE, one that shares our conviction that open, rules-based trade is an essential driver of sustainable economic growth,” Al-Zeyoudi said.
“A comprehensive economic partnership agreement will open up a range of exciting opportunities for both nations, with the UAE offering direct access to new markets for New Zealand’s exports, particularly in food and agricultural products, while our services exporters and investors will be able to explore a range of high-value sectors. We are both eager to get started,” he added.
McClay said that an agreement with the UAE will offer new opportunities for New Zealand exporters who “are integral to revitalising our economy, which is why the government has set the ambitious target of doubling exports by value within 10 years.”
The New Zealand minister continued: “New opportunities in the UAE will open further commercial opportunities that will help lift domestic incomes and reduce the cost of living.
“The UAE is a key export destination and hub in the Gulf region, and there are significant opportunities to enhance cooperation across a range of areas, including agriculture and sustainable energy.”
The proposed agreement is an indication of the growing bilateral relations between the two countries, with non-oil trade between the UAE and New Zealand reaching $764.5 million in 2023, an increase of more than 15 percent compared with 2019.
Hamas says it agrees to ceasefire proposal in Gaza war
- Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh informed Qatari and Egyptian mediators that the group accepted their ceasefire proposal, according to a brief statement from Hamas
CAIRO: Hamas on Monday agreed to a ceasefire proposal in the seven-month-old war with Israel in Gaza, hours after the Israeli military told residents to evacuate some parts of Rafah, which has been sheltering more than a million displaced people.
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh informed Qatari and Egyptian mediators that the group accepted their ceasefire proposal, according to a brief statement from Hamas, which gave no details of the accord.
There was no immediate comment from Israel.
The agreement, should it take effect, would be the first truce since a week-long pause in the fighting in November, and follows months of failed attempts at pausing the fighting to free hostages and allow more aid into Gaza.
There had been concerns that the ceasefire talks being held in Cairo had stalled after Hamas official Izzat Al-Rashiq warned that any Israeli operation in Rafah would put the truce talks in jeopardy.
The city, on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip, has been the last sanctuary for around half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, pushed south by Israel’s seven-month-old assault.
