Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called on Washington to exert greater influence on Israel to curb policies undermining regional and global stability, while highlighting renewed momentum in Türkiye-U.S. ties as the two countries approach a century of diplomatic relations.

Speaking at the “Türkiye-U.S. Relations Toward the 100th Anniversary” panel organized by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications in New York, Fidan said the century-old partnership had endured disputes, crises and major shifts in the international system.

“Our relationship has been tested over time and demonstrated its lasting value,” Fidan said, noting that two geographically distant countries had become allies and partners whose cooperation extends far beyond their borders.

Fidan said Türkiye-U.S. relations have gained strong, renewed momentum, pointing to the close relationship between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump as a key factor.

He said Ankara and Washington should turn that momentum into concrete gains, institutionalize cooperation and resolve outstanding issues as bilateral diplomatic relations enter their second century.

Turning to regional security, Fidan said Ankara and Washington share an interest in sovereign and stable states capable of providing security and prosperity across the Middle East.

He said strengthening national institutions in Syria and Iraq was essential to preventing terrorist organizations from gaining room to operate.

“A Syria free from terrorism and with its territorial integrity preserved would represent significant progress for regional security and prosperity,” Fidan said.

He also emphasized what Ankara calls “regional ownership,” arguing that countries in the region should assume greater responsibility for their own security and stability.

Fidan warned that interconnected conflicts could undermine Türkiye-U.S. efforts, citing the war involving Iran, the conflict in Yemen and Israeli policies across the region.

“These threats reinforce one another and obstruct diplomacy,” Fidan said. “We particularly expect the United States to use its influence over Israel more effectively to bring an end to policies that undermine regional and global peace and stability.”

Fidan said Gaza remains a central test of the international community’s ability to establish security, cooperation and prosperity in the region. He reiterated Türkiye’s support for Trump’s efforts to end the Gaza crisis and said commitments contained in the peace plan should be fully implemented.

Beyond the Middle East, Fidan said Türkiye and the U.S. could deepen cooperation in the Caucasus, the Black Sea, Ukraine and the Balkans.

Ankara supports the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and seeks to reduce escalation risks in the Black Sea while maintaining safe navigation, he said. Türkiye also continues to support diplomacy toward a lasting settlement in Ukraine and maintains communication channels with both Kyiv and Moscow.

Fidan said closer coordination and preventive diplomacy could also help contain tensions in Bosnia-Herzegovina and between Serbia and Kosovo.

As Türkiye and the U.S. approach the second century of diplomatic ties, Fidan said their partnership could also contribute to resolving protracted conflicts in Libya, Sudan and elsewhere in Africa.

“Our goal in the second century of our diplomatic relations with the United States is to use the Turkish-American partnership for the greater benefit of global peace and stability,” he said.

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Turkish prosecutors are seeking testimony from Enver Altaylı, who is serving a prison sentence on terrorism and espionage convictions, as authorities widen a reopened investigation into the 2011 death of former National Intelligence Organization (MIT) officer Kaşif Kozinoğlu in prison.

The Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office reopened the investigation into Kozinoğlu’s death after a court on Aug. 26 overturned a 2012 decision not to pursue prosecution. Authorities are investigating possible offenses including intentional killing, establishing or participating in a criminal organization and violations of Türkiye’s intelligence law.

Altaylı’s testimony could not immediately be taken because of health problems, but prosecutors plan to question him if his condition improves, according to information obtained in the investigation.

Kozinoğlu died on Nov. 12, 2011, after falling ill while being held at Silivri Prison. He was transferred to Silivri State Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The initial investigation examined surveillance footage and medical records and took testimony from prison, gendarmerie and medical personnel, fellow inmates and Kozinoğlu’s wife before prosecutors closed the case in April 2012.

According to documents cited by Sabah, investigators found letters in Altaylı’s digital material that were allegedly sent to the leader of the FETÖ. In one letter, Altaylı allegedly warned that Kozinoğlu’s possible appointment as head of MIT would pose a serious threat to the group, citing his role in efforts against FETÖ-linked schools in Central Asia.

The letter allegedly called for steps to prevent Kozinoğlu from gaining influence.

Kozinoğlu was later jailed as part of investigations that Turkish authorities now describe as FETÖ-linked plots and died shortly before he was due to present his defense in court.

Prosecutors are examining the letters and the sequence of events as part of their effort to determine whether there was any connection between the alleged warnings about Kozinoğlu and his death. The investigation remains ongoing.

Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said the case was reviewed by a unit investigating unsolved crimes before prosecutors decided to reopen it. A special investigative team was subsequently established to reexamine the circumstances surrounding Kozinoğlu’s death.

The investigation has since expanded to include officials and others who were at the prison at the time. Six suspects have been jailed and 15 others placed under judicial control as authorities seek to determine whether third parties played a role in Kozinoğlu’s death.

Investigators are also examining material linked to Altaylı that could shed light on events preceding Kozinoğlu’s imprisonment and death.

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Elif Eralp is expected to lead Berlin after Die Linke (the Left Party) scored a historic win in the German capital’s state elections on Sunday.

The 45-year-old candidate celebrated the victory with a speech peppered with Turkish remarks, against a backdrop of people performing Turkish folk dances to songs by Turkish pop star Tarkan blaring from loudspeakers.

Eralp told supporters that they had made history together. “We are all part of this city, this country,” she told a mixed group that included citizens of migrant backgrounds like herself.

“From today, we’re changing Berlin together,” she told celebrating party members in Berlin.

Eralp, the daughter of a couple who left Türkiye after her father faced political pressure as a left-wing labor activist during the 1980 coup, grew up in Hamburg, where she studied law. She entered politics as a legal policy adviser for the Left Party in the Bundestag in 2010 and rose to become the party’s deputy chair in the Berlin state organization in 2025.

She campaigned on the soaring cost of housing in the German capital and immediately promised to follow through on a pledge to nationalize private housing associations that account for a large share of the city’s housing stock.

The result, which roughly doubled the party’s previous score, could see her become the first mayor of Berlin from the Left Party, which grew out of the former East German communist party following the country’s reunification 36 years ago.

Her party is set to displace Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) from the mayor’s office.

The Left Party took 25.3%, ahead of the CDU at 19% and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) at 16%. It also far outstripped the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), who took 12.1%.

Sunday’s election in Berlin came on the same day the AfD followed up on its success in the Sept. 6 Saxony-Anhalt election by taking first place in an election in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It also recorded its best-ever result in Berlin.

But while the AfD has attracted most attention, the Left Party has also benefited from a general turn against the mainstream parties of the center-left and center-right.

Meanwhile, the head of Germany’s Central Council of Jews on Sunday voiced opposition to a Left Party-led government in Berlin and urged other parties not to enter coalition talks with the socialist election winner.

Josef Schuster said he was concerned about the Left Party’s solidarity with pro-Palestinian demonstrators protesting the Israeli government. He accused the party of making antisemitic statements, claims its officials have repeatedly and firmly denied.

“During the election campaign, the Left Party repeatedly crossed the line with antisemitic remarks,” Schuster claimed. Entering a Left Party-led coalition, he argued, would mean promoting the “ongoing normalization of hatred against Jews.”

Eralp voiced support during the campaign for Berlin’s Palestinian community and sharply condemned war crimes in Gaza by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. She pledged that a Left Party-led state government would end what she described as repressive police measures against peaceful pro-Palestinian protests in the capital.

In response to the accusations, Eralp said party leaders had distanced themselves from a handful of isolated incidents. She added that the Left Party opposes all forms of racism and noted that during her career she has been involved in projects combating antisemitism.

“It is absolutely clear that we stand for the protection of Jewish life,” she said in a recent televised debate with her rival. “Just as we stand for the protection of Muslim and Palestinian life.”

The Left Party rejects accusations of systematic antisemitism, saying it is against all forms of “group-focused hostility,” including antisemitism, racism and sexism.

Mother’s pride

Hülya Eralp shared the joy of other supporters of her daughter as the initial election results were announced. “I am proud of her. I didn’t expect her to garner so many votes,” she told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Sunday.

Eralp said she broke down in tears over her daughter’s electoral victory.

“I haven’t been able to sleep for days because of the anticipation and excitement. It is a very beautiful feeling,” she said.

She said her daughter’s success had historic significance for Berlin, noting, “Elif said it herself; she has made history. It is very important that she achieved such success as a politician of immigrant background in Berlin’s history. Such an achievement in the capital is truly a wonderful thing.”

She said she hoped her daughter Elif would become a great mayor in every respect.

Her mother underlined that her daughter’s interest in politics and human rights developed from an early age, adding that she and her husband fought against racism and supported immigrants since they arrived in Germany.

Eralp added that she had also worked for years at an immigrant organization, where she helped young people enter vocational training.

“I worked with employers on how multicultural and multilingual education and vocational training could be provided. Even after retiring, I continue to work as a volunteer,” Eralp said.

Eralp said Elif grew up in such an environment, noting that immigrants, workers and people fighting against racism were frequently present in their home.

“We never guided her. We never told her, ‘Go into politics’ or anything like that,” Eralp said, adding that her daughter had shown an interest in developments around her and in politics from childhood.

Hülya Eralp said it was no coincidence that her daughter became a lawyer, noting that Elif had been sensitive to issues of justice from a young age.

“She was a child who cared deeply about justice. Whenever she saw even the slightest injustice, she would intervene. Everyone would say, ‘You will definitely become a lawyer and defend human rights,’” Eralp said.

Eralp said her daughter worked in the field of human rights after completing her legal education, adding that Elif Eralp worked as a human rights lawyer in the German Bundestag for about 10 years.

She said her daughter later accepted an offer from the Left Party and was eventually nominated as its candidate for mayor of Berlin following her work within the party.

Eralp said her daughter thought for a long time about the offer to run for office.

“She thought about it a lot, asking herself, ‘Should I run or not?’ She asked all of us. We told her, ‘This is a historic event. You need to do it. This has now been written on your forehead; you have to do it.’ That’s how she accepted,” she said.

She also called on immigrants in Germany to stand up for their rights and fight against racism.

“My request to immigrants is: Please stand up for your rights. Never surrender,” Eralp said, stressing the importance of fighting racism in Germany.

Türkiye has built a reputation as a reliable power broker and mediator in international affairs under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On the International Day of Peace, observed on Monday, this role is under the spotlight, especially in Africa. Experts say Türkiye’s approach to Africa through mediation, diplomacy, humanitarian aid, development and capacity building contributes to peace and stability processes across the continent.

The country obtained observer status with the African Union (AU) in 2005 and was declared a strategic partner of the continent in 2008. Peace and security are also among the priority areas of cooperation within the Türkiye-Africa partnership.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Dr. Alioune Aboutalib Lo, a researcher at the Africa Coordination and Training Center (AKEM), an Istanbul-based think tank, and Dr. Tarık Nur, a Sudanese academic and faculty member at Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University in Türkiye, assessed the country’s efforts toward peace and stability on the continent.

Lo said promoting peace and mediation had become an important component of Türkiye’s Africa policy over the past 20 years, noting that Ankara has been involved in various processes on the continent at both multilateral and bilateral levels.

Türkiye’s engagement with the continent gained unprecedented momentum after Ankara declared 2005 the “Year of Africa.”

Ankara has repeatedly presented itself as a fairer player than the continent’s former colonial powers, touting cooperation based on “equal partnership and a win-win principle.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has made more than 50 visits to African nations both as prime minister and president during the past two decades.

Pointing to Türkiye’s contributions to peace efforts in Sierra Leone under initiatives carried out within the framework of the United Nations (U.N.), as well as to the U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and the U.N. Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Lo said that at the bilateral level, Ankara has used diplomacy to bring parties involved in disputes closer together.

Lo said the Ankara Process between Somalia and Ethiopia was one of the most concrete examples of this approach, adding that Türkiye has also facilitated talks between Somalia and Somaliland, played a role in the Libya file and undertaken diplomatic initiatives regarding the dispute over Nile waters between Ethiopia and Egypt.

Emphasizing that the relations Türkiye has developed with African countries over the years have enabled Ankara to engage with different sides, Lo said: “Türkiye’s advantage is that it can talk to all parties involved in a conflict.”

Lo said Türkiye’s strengthened bilateral relations on the continent had put it in a position to initiate dialogue between different actors and made mediation one of its diplomatic tools.

Referring to the dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia, Lo said Türkiye’s political, diplomatic and economic relations with both countries had been instrumental in bringing the two sides together in Ankara.

Talks that began in July 2024 under Türkiye’s facilitation culminated in the Ankara Declaration, adopted on Dec. 11, 2024, under the auspices of Erdoğan. Somalia and Ethiopia reaffirmed their respect for each other’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity.

Commenting on the situation in West Africa and the Sahel, Lo said the region was becoming increasingly complex in terms of peace and security and that terrorism was one of the main challenges facing countries in the region.

Noting that Türkiye’s relations with countries in the region had strengthened in recent years, Lo said Ankara had developed ties not only with West African countries but also with countries belonging to the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Lo said Türkiye’s role in the region extended beyond diplomatic and economic relations to the security sphere, adding that some Sahel countries were benefiting from Turkish defense industry products to develop their counterterrorism capabilities.

Sudanese academic Nur said Türkiye’s peace efforts in Africa should not be assessed solely through the lens of traditional mediation activities, noting that diplomacy, development cooperation, humanitarian aid, education and institutional capacity building were also components of long-term peace.

Citing Somalia as one of the clearest examples of Türkiye’s multidimensional approach, Nur emphasized that the Ankara Process also demonstrated Türkiye’s capacity to facilitate talks directly.

“It would be more accurate to view Türkiye’s role in Africa as a facilitation model that helps parties develop their own solutions, rather than producing a solution on behalf of one side,” Nur said.

Commenting on the ongoing war in his country, Nur said Türkiye could play a role in creating diplomatic space in Sudan, delivering humanitarian aid and supporting an inclusive political process that Sudanese parties could agree on.

Nur stressed that Türkiye’s coordinated efforts with the AU, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the U.N. and Sudan’s neighboring countries could produce more effective results, saying: “Peace should not be viewed as being limited to a cease-fire.”

Nur emphasized that restoring the functioning of state institutions, universities, and education and health infrastructure in Sudan after the war would be important for sustainable peace.

Nur said Türkiye could increase its coordination with Africa’s own peace mechanisms, adding that post-conflict reconstruction and human resource development were also among the areas in which Türkiye could contribute to peace processes on the continent in the coming period.

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As Türkiye pushes for safe shipping across the Black Sea, Russia announced that it “worked closely” with Ankara to ensure it. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said this in response to remarks by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan about a proposal sent to Moscow for ending hostilities in the Black Sea.

Türkiye has been pushing Russia and Ukraine to suspend attacks on civilian vessels, with Fidan demanding a “moratorium” on Aug. 8. The attacks have intensified as the foes seek to damage each other’s export revenues, with the war now raging into a fifth year.

NATO member Türkiye maintains relations with Kyiv and Moscow and has declined to join Western sanctions against Russia. Its ships are active in the Black Sea, sailing under various countries’ flags, with several hit by drones believed to be launched by Ukraine.

In August, the Foreign Ministry said it had summoned Ukraine’s envoy following an attack on the Lider Bordo Mavi, a container ship off the Russian coast, and a subsequent attack on the Lider Kocatepe, which was sent to tow it away. Both are Turkish-owned vessels. Anchored in the northeastern port of Trabzon, the Lider Bordo Mavi appeared to have sustained damage to its bridge deck and the two decks below, showing signs of major fire damage, Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondents said.

Türkiye has repeatedly raised the idea of reviving the grain corridor format to safeguard Black Sea shipping, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan saying he would discuss the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin in November.

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Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is preparing for a leadership congress expected in spring 2027, with party sources saying provincial chairs are likely to support incumbent leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for another term.

The CHP formally launched its congress process on Sept. 10, beginning a schedule that will see delegates and local party officials elected across Türkiye’s 81 provinces.

All district and provincial congresses are scheduled to be completed by Feb. 14, after which the CHP’s Party Assembly is expected to determine the date of the national congress.

Kılıçdaroğlu is widely expected within the party to seek the leadership again. Party sources noted that they do not currently expect a major challenger and claimed provincial chairs broadly support his continued leadership.

Discussions among provincial officials have already begun, the sources said, adding that the chairs could issue a joint declaration backing Kılıçdaroğlu shortly before the congress.

The congress will follow months of upheaval within the CHP after a court ruling invalidated the party’s 2023 congress, leading to his return to the leadership.

Since returning, Kılıçdaroğlu has overseen changes to provincial and district organizations and disciplinary proceedings involving several party members.

The upcoming local congresses will also elect a new group of delegates who will ultimately take part in choosing the CHP leadership at the national congress.

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