Turkey + 9 countries get a new waiver for oil purchase from Iran

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesperson

For Immediate Release                                                                                       November 29, 2013
2013/1496

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY KERRY

Regarding Significant Reductions of Iranian Crude Oil Purchases

As President Obama has made clear, the United States will continue to vigorously implement our existing sanctions on Iran as the P5+1 seeks to negotiate a comprehensive deal with Iran that will resolve the international community’s concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program. 

That is why I am pleased to announce that, based on additional significant reductions in the volume of their purchases of Iranian crude oil, China, India, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, and Taiwan have again qualified for an exception to sanctions outlined in Section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2012. 

These additional reductions were determined based on an analysis of these economies’ purchasing activity over the previous six months.

Additionally, Malaysia, South Africa, Singapore, and Sri Lanka have also qualified again for the NDAA exception because they no longer purchase crude oil from Iran. 

As a result, I will report to the Congress that exceptions to sanctions pursuant to Section 1245 of the NDAA for certain transactions will apply to the financial institutions based in these countries for a potentially renewable period of 180 days. 

This is the fourth time that these nine economies have qualified for an NDAA exception as a result of their continued significant reductions in the volume of crude oil purchases from Iran or their end to such purchases.   

The effectiveness of the international sanctions regime has proven essential in bringing Iran to the table to negotiate and agree to the Joint Action Plan that, for the first time in nearly a decade, halts the progress of the Iranian nuclear program and rolls it back in key areas. 

As part of the Joint Action Plan agreed to by the P5+1 and Iran, we will pause for six months our efforts to further reduce Iran's crude oil sales.  However, the Joint Action Plan does not offer relief from sanctions with respect to any increases in Iranian crude oil purchases by existing customers or any purchases by new customers. 

We will continue to aggressively enforce our sanctions over the next six months, as we work to determine whether there is a comprehensive solution that gives us confidence that the Iranian nuclear program is for exclusively peaceful purposes.

Dersanelerin Kapatılmasına İtirazını Belirtmiş AKParti MVekilleri

Kasım 26 İtibariyle Dersane Kapatılmasına Açıkça İtirazlarını, Şüphelerini Belirten AKParti MVekilleri

1-Kütahya Mvekili İdris Bal

2-Bursa Mvekili Hüseyin Şahin 

3-Burdur MVekili Hami Yıldırım 

4-Manisa MVekili Muzaffer Yurttaş 

5-Istanbul Mvekili Hakan Şükür 

6-Muş MV Muzaffer Çakar 

7-İzmir MV İlhan İşbilen 

8-Kayseri MV Ahmet Öksüzkaya 

9-Ertuğrul Günay (İzmir) 

10-Yüksel Özden (Muğla) 

11-Emrullah İşler (Ankara) 

12-Mevlüt Akgün (Karaman) 

13-Nimet Bas

14-Abdulkadir Aksu (İstanbul)

15-Faruk Celik
16-Cemil Cicek
17-Ugur Aydemir
18-Bülent Arınç

Qs and As w/State Dept Spox Psaki on Turkey & Syria

My Qs and As w/State Dept Spox Psaki on Turkey & Syria 

November 19, Tuesday, Washington

Turkey

QUESTION:  Yesterday’s meetings, after Foreign Minister Davutoglu met, he said that about Chinese missile defense that --

MS. PSAKI:  Mm-hmm.

QUESTION:  -- he stated that U.S. is not troubled at all by this.  This discussion was part of the discussions, but he said that there is no trouble, basically.  Would you be able to confirm on that?

MS. PSAKI:  Well, I can convey that during his visit – as you know, they discussed a range of issues and had a lengthy press avail yesterday.  But Secretary Kerry reiterated our concerns and the importance of procuring a NATO interoperable system, which has long been a concern we’ve expressed to Turkey.  And that was how he conveyed it during the meeting yesterday.

QUESTION:  Foreign Minister Davutoglu also said that these discussions regarding the Chinese missile defense system started in 2009.  This is quote:  “For four years, nobody raised any concerns.  Nobody said this is not good for NATO.”  Would you – I mean, he’s – basically is that you have been quiet for years, and after Turkey makes its decision --

MS. PSAKI:  Well, I’d have to check on that.  It’s hard to believe we wouldn’t have concerns about an agreement with a – on a system, a potential agreement on a system that’s not interoperable with NATO and with a company that has U.S. sanctions against it.  So – but in terms of the timing, I don’t have any details on that.

Syria

QUESTION:  This question was asked before as well, but under the latest circumstances it looks like the Syrian regime, the Assad regime, has been taking many towns and cities, especially at least six, seven cities in Aleppo or towns in Aleppo and also western Damascus, and these fights in the western Damascus mostly led by Hezbollah fighters.  Under latest circumstances, last couple of weeks, given the regime’s taking many towns, would you now confirm that the Assad regime is indeed gaining ground and the balance of power on the ground?

MS. PSAKI:  We’ve talked about this a bit in the past.  I’m not in any position to give a battleground update from the podium.  Obviously, we’ve said – and the Secretary has said – that there would be ups and downs on the ground game.  This is one of the reasons why we’re pressing so hard to move towards a political resolution, towards a Geneva conference to be the vehicle for doing that.  But beyond that, I don’t have any independent confirmation of specific towns or success on the battlefield.

QUESTION:  Secretary Kerry also said that his main game plan basically on Syria to make sure that Assad knows he won’t be able to win on the ground, on the battleground.  And after almost a year, would you be able to confirm that basically U.S. policy over Syria within the last year has failed?

MS. PSAKI:  No, I would not. 

Do we have any more on Syria?

QUESTION:  How it is that?  I mean, the goal was stated very clearly by Secretary.  A year later now, we are seeing opposite effect.  How is that you can argue it is not a failed --

MS. PSAKI:  Well, the Secretary wasn’t even the Secretary a year ago.  But I’m happy --

QUESTION:  Almost a year ago.

MS. PSAKI:  Okay.  I’m happy to look at what comments you’re referring to.  Obviously, he’s made many comments on Syria.  One that’s most common, I should say, is that we – there’s no military solution on either side.  That’s why we need to have a political solution, and that’s what our focus is on.

QUESTION:  Well, maybe the question is best asked this way:  The Secretary, when he came in 10 months ago, or almost 11 months ago, said that the goal was to get – was to change Assad’s calculation.

MS. PSAKI:  Mm-hmm.

QUESTION:  Do you believe that you have changed or that the policy has changed President Assad’s calculation?

MS. PSAKI:  Obviously, Matt --

QUESTION:  Not yet.

MS. PSAKI:  -- this is a complicated situation on the ground. 

QUESTION:  Well, that’s the answer to his question then.

MS. PSAKI:  It’s – we remain committed to working toward it.

QUESTION:  But – so it has not yet changed the calculation?

MS. PSAKI:  Well, Assad is still in power --

QUESTION:  Right.

MS. PSAKI:  -- I think we all know. 

ABD Bşk Yrd Biden, Barzani ile Türkiye'yi konuştu

Başbakan Erdoğan'ın haftasonu KRG Cbaşkanı Barzani ile Diyarbakır'da planlanan görüşmesinden önce, ABD Başkan yardımcısının Barzani'yi telefonla aradığı açıklandı. 

Geçtiğmiz yıllarda Irak ile ilgili işlerde birinci dereceden mesul olarak tayin edilen başkan yardımcısı Joe Biden'ın Barzani ile yaptığı telefon görüşmesinde, Irak'ın güvenliği ve Erbil ile Bağdat'ın terörist örgütlere karşı işbirliği konularının görüşüldüğü kaydedildi. Beyaz Saray'ın yaptığı açıklamaya göre, Biden bu konuların yanısıra KRG'nin komşuları ile ilişkilerinin geliştirmesi konusunu da görüştü. Beyaz Saray'dan yapılan açıklamada, komşular arasında sadece Türkiye'nin açıklamada yer alması dikkat çekti. Beyaz Saray'dan yapılan açıklama aşağıda:

Readout of Vice President Biden's Call with Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani

Vice President Biden spoke today with President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani.  The two discussed Iraq’s security challenges and the need for close coordination between Erbil and Baghdad to isolate terrorist networks.  The Vice President affirmed the United States’ commitment to partner with Iraq against al Qaeda.  Vice President Biden congratulated President Barzani on the recent passage of a law to govern Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections.   The two also discussed Iraq’s important progress in building relations with its neighbors, including Turkey.