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A group of European deputies following issues in Turkey has criticized the U.S. decision to impose additional tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminium.
"An economic destabilization of Turkey is in no one's interest," said a statement Tuesday by the European Parliament Turkey Forum, a cross-party MEP group founded to closely monitor Turkey's European Union accession negotiations.
The forum added that it sees the U.S. sanctions as "illegitimate" and against World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.
Turkey has a strong economy and will not be affected by current pressures against the country, a member of the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) said Tuesday."Stability of the Turkish fiscal structure means stability of the Middle East economy,” Aydin Maruf told Anadolu Agency.“The Iraqi Turkmens fully support the Turkish economy," he said.The Turkish lira has recently lost ground against the dollar amid a raft of newly-imposed U.S. sanctions.Maruf reiterated that Turkey would survive the ongoing pressures against the country."These constraints will not have that much of an impact on Turkey. It will continue for a short time before fading away,” he said. “Turkey will get over this and will be successful again.”The Turkmen lawmaker said that Turkey’s economic and political development has annoyed some countries."The U.S. embargo aims to create a political pressure, but they will fail," he said, stressing that the Iraqi Turkmens have always stood by Turkey."The U.S-imposed pressure and sanctions on Turkey have distressed all parties,” he said. “Turkey is a significant country in the Middle East."They [Turkey] have always taken a firm stance in support of the oppressed people and communities in the region... Turkey is an important country for all the oppressed ethnic groups in the Middle East, not only for us [Turkmens],” Maruf said.“The stability of the Turkish economy means financial stability in the Middle East. The political stability in Turkey is equivalent to political stability in the Middle East,” he added. “Turkey is the superpower in the Middle East, it is a great state."Turkey-U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations since Washington imposed sanctions on Turkey’s interior and justice ministers last week after Ankara refused to release an American pastor who faces terrorism-related charges in Turkey.Last Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on aluminum and steel imports from Turkey.Four Turkish firms named among top 100 defense companies'Germany is Turkey's most important trading partner'Turkey facing serious speculative attack: Banker
Iraqi Turkmens support Turkey amid US row
It also highlighted the importance of solving problems through constructive diplomatic engagement between two NATO allies.
Last Friday President Donald Trump ramped up an attack on Turkey by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminium and steel imports.
U.S President Donald Trump is facing an extreme global backlash after waging a war against the entire world and specifically Turkey by using economic sanctions as political leverage to administer pressure to get countries to comply with U.S interests.World leaders, including Germany, Pakistan and Russia, began to raise their voices against the Zionist- Evangelist terror of the U.S. right after Trump ramped up his attack on Turkey by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports.US sanctions hurting its own reputation: Turkish FMThe United States, the world's biggest steel importer, had also imposed tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum in March for imports from a variety of countries.Turkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions on Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.Erdoğan challenges USDubbing Trump’s economic sanctions as an economic war and calling it an operation against Turkey, Turkish President Erdoğan said, “We have seen your game, and we challenge you,” on Sunday.Following this, world leaders broke their silence and perceived that Trump’s moves would turn into an economic wave which would also affect them.“Germany wants an economically prosperous Turkey”Speaking at a news conference in Berlin on Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "Germany wants an economically prosperous Turkey. This is also in our interest."Merkel emphasized that destabilization of the Turkish economy would serve no one's interest.'Germany is Turkey's most important trading partner''Germany would like to see an economically prosperous Turkey'Meanwhile, Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy spokeswoman Beate Baron said "Germany is Turkey's most important trading partner, and the trade volume between the two countries is 37.7 billion euros ($43 billion)."“Turkey can succeed against external pressures”Iranian diplomats also slammed the U.S. decision to impose tariffs on Turkey.Bahram Qassemi, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's sanctions and said, “Turkey and the Turkish people can succeed against external pressures.”"The will of nations cannot be changed by bullying and threats," Qassemi told Iranian television, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between the countries of the region.Iran slams Trump's tariffs decision targeting Turkey"We’ve stood with neighbors before, and will again now," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his official Twitter account.Confident about the future of Turkish economyStressing their confidence about the future of Turkish economy, Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry in a statement said “Our country will continue to invest capital and take an active part in Turkey's economy”"Azerbaijan, as always, will continue to support Turkish people and the state in all areas," it added.Azerbaijan voices confidence in Turkey's economyOn Monday, Lebanese businesspeople have launched a solidarity campaign for the Turkish lira by offering discounts for customers making purchases in Turkish currencyExpressing its solidarity, Pakistan reiterated its strong support for Turkish people and nation on Monday.“The people and the government of Pakistan reiterate their strong support for the government and the people of Turkey in their quest for peace and prosperity, and as always, will continue to stand by them towards the achievement of these shared goals,” a statement by the Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said.Italy expects financial market attackItaly's Prime Ministry Undersecretary Giancarlo Giorgetti expressed Italy’s concern and said his country could face an economic attack similar to Turkey in August. He stated that they were expecting a similar crisis by the end of August or beginning of September as market assaults were affected by small summer trading volumes.Italy expects economic attack similar to Turkey"The markets are populated by hungry speculative funds that choose their prey and pounce… In the summer the market volumes are small, you can lay the groundwork for aggressive initiatives against countries. Look at Turkey," Giorgetti added.
World leaders slam Trump’s sanctions, express support for Turkey
German consumer electronics retailer MediaMarkt is doing well in Turkey and is a long-term investor in the country, said a top company executive Tuesday."We have achieved a significant market share in the consumer electronics market in Turkey," said Pieter August Haas, the CEO of German MediaMarktSaturn Retail Group and the Ceconomy Group.The MediaMarkt chain is well positioned in Turkey, Haas told investors via teleconferencing.'Germany is Turkey's most important trading partner'The group operates more than 1,020 stores in 14 countries, including Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Luxembourg, Greece, and Sweden.Sixty-eight of these stores are located in Turkey.The group’s overall third quarter 2017 sales fell 1 percent to €4.59 billion, while Ceconomy's online sales rose 21 percent.'Germany would like to see an economically prosperous Turkey'Germany has interest in stable Turkish economy: gov't spokesman
German MediaMarkt says in Turkey for the long run
Turning against the U.S. version, a Chinese firm has now decided to import raisins and dried figs from Turkey instead.The amount of products that China’s Hangzhou Linan Food Company wants to buy is very important for the Turkish market, Yavuz Selim Sen, the head of Shanghai-based consulting firm Felixum, told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday."They were buying raisins from Chile and the U.S., but we introduced them to Turkish raisins and they loved them so much. They didn't import figs directly but from now on they will import figs from Turkey as well," Sen said.Turkey faces speculative attack, not crisis: BankerHangzhou Linan officials will be in Turkey this week to see its products on offer.The Chinese firm is expected to make a deal with Turkish producers to buy 1,000 tons of raisin and 400 tons of dried figs.Sen said Far Eastern markets have a great export potential for Turkish firms and so exporters should make long-term plans to succeed in these markets.Sen added that more Chinese firms will come to Turkey to do business in the years to come.In 2017, Turkey exported 1,250 tons of raisins and 484 tons of dried figs to China.Russia's Lavrov, in Turkey, calls US sanctions policy illegitimateTurkish Airlines pulls ads from US media as Ankara-Washington row escalatesUS pastor in Turkey appeals for release, lifting of travel banErdoğan says Turkey will boycott US electronic products
Chinese firm to buy raisins from Turkey rather than US
Sanctions imposed by the U.S. on Turkey are shattering the U.S.’ reputation, warned Turkey’s foreign minister on Tuesday.“The era of bullying must end,” Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov at the 10th Ambassadors’ Conference in the capital Ankara."If the U.S. wants to continue being a reputable country, it cannot do so with these impositions," he said, referring to the sanctions."We are against the U.S. or any country imposing sanctions," he added.Syrians of Al-Bab rally in support of Turkey's liraHighlighting that Europe is also worried and reacting to the sanctions for two reasons, Çavuşoğlu said: "Firstly, for a stable and strong economy, Turkey is important for Europe and all its neighbors. Secondly, Turkey may be one of any EU or European countries tomorrow. All leaders at the NATO summit have seen this,” he said.For his part, Lavrov said that the U.S.’ "unlawful and illegitimate" sanctions policy cannot last for long.“We highly appreciate the rejection of our partners to join the anti-Russian sanctions,” Lavrov added referring Ankara's stance against newly imposed sanctions against Russia.Russia's Lavrov, in Turkey, calls US sanctions policy illegitimateSanctions on RussiaÇavuşoğlu said: “We have also made it clear that we do not agree with the EU's sanctions against Russia. We have also said that we do not agree with the sanctions against Iran.”Asked about U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton’s meeting with Turkey's ambassador to the U.S. Serdar Kilic at the White House on Monday, Çavuşoğlu said the ambassodor “gave a very clear message” to the U.S.“Our ambassador has clearly given this message: 'Pressure, threats and sanctions in relations with Turkey would only bring chaos. The U.S. can develop its relations with Turkey with dialogue by leaving aside the language of sanctions and threat,'” Çavuşoğlu said.‘We will not allow Idlib to become Ghouta’He also said that the U.S. Embassy’s charge d’affaires will visit jailed American cleric Andrew Craig Brunson.Turkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions on two government ministers for not releasing Brunson, who faces terrorism-related charges in Turkey.President Donald Trump on Friday ramped up his attack on Turkey by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports.Precautions in SyriaTurkish FM said that he will discuss what could be done or which precautions could be taken in Syria’s Idlib with Lavrov.“It is clear what we should do in Idlib. Yes, we have 12 observation points there,” he added.Çavuşoğlu said there are armed terrorist groups in Idlib, which are a threat particularly to civilians and opposition groups.Bombarding all of Idlib just because there are some terrorists there is tantamount to a “massacre,” warned Çavuşoğlu.“The aim of these observation points are to determine when there are conflicts or violations, or a party disrupting a cease-fire, and, as guarantors, taking measures toward these."Since the moderate opposition and the people are very disturbed by these terrorists, we have to fight against them altogether, we have to succeed. It is crucial for us, for the security of our countries, for the future of Syria,” he added.The five-day ambassadors’ conference is hosting 249 Turkish ambassadors and two charge d'affaires, as well as a number of foreign diplomats.
US sanctions hurting its own reputation: Turkish FM