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ISTANBUL, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Turkey will suspend its talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a loan deal for the duration of the IMF and World Bank meetings in Istanbul, Economy Minister Ali Babacan said on Wednesday. Babacan said Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was not scheduled to meet the head of the IMF during the meetings. IMF and Ankara have been in prolonged negotiations over a loan deal since its last accord expired in May 2008. Turkey is hosting the annual meetings

UPDATE 1-Dogan Yayin shares up 5.8 percent – ForbesISTANBUL, Sept 29 (Reuters) – Shares in Turkey’s largest media group, Dogan Yayin, rose on Tuesday as investors weighed up its ability to deal with a 4.8 billion lira ($3.22 billion) tax fine. Dogan shares had fallen sharply since news of the fine Turkey test its first attack helicopter – United Press InternationalMILAN, Italy, Sept. 29 (UPI) — Turkish defense officials praised the maiden voyage of the first Turkish attack helicopter during its

James Jones Cites Protocols, Ignores President’s Promise WASHINGTON, D.C.—President Barack Obama’s national security advisor, James L. Jones, in a letter sent recently to a bipartisan group of 82 U.S. Representatives, failed to meaningfully respond to the specific concerns raised by these legislators with the president regarding Turkey’s ongoing efforts to block U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The letter from Jones, dat

By Raffi K. Hovannisian Governments and commentators have hailed the two recently announced protocols between Turkey and Armenia. If signed and ratified, they will provide a timetable for the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border and the establishment of full diplomatic relations. Unfortunately, the exuberance in Western capitals is based on energy routes, geopolitics, and the desire to smooth the way for Turkey as a regional power and EU aspirant. It ignores the sinister aspects of the dea

This is a guest post by ganselmi and cross posted on Z-Word At the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, President Obama revealed what Western intelligence agencies have apparently been aware of for some time: that the Islamic Republic has been constructing yet another secret nuclear facility - this time near the holy city of Qom, where, presumably, the proximity of so many sacred shrines would give second thoughts to anyone planning airstrikes. Earlier this week, Iranian officials admitted the exis